So President Barack Obama is flying in today to visit the Jersey Shore with Governor Chris Christie. There will be photo-ops and news stories and probably a hug with one of the participants wearing a fleece. It'll be great theater, and give even more bipartisan cover to the Governor as he runs for reelection.
Against NJ state Senator Barbara Buono.
A Democrat. The same party as the President. Who is going to hug Christie on national TV. A Republican. The opposite party of the President.
Now, it made sense in the fall after Hurricane Sandy ripped through the area for a President and Governor of opposing parties to show up, work together to make a change. It's true that Christie didn't have to be as effusive as he was, but the President came not only with photo ops but also potentially billions of dollars to help Christie recover.
Billions of dollars Christie will be able to disburse this summer. Just before his reelection campaign heats up. Against Buono who, as noted above, is in the same party as the President.
As far as I know, President Obama is not also meeting with Buono, or holding a fundraiser, or encouraging other Democrats to get on board already. This looks like a tacit endorsement of Christie, and essentially a Presidential Pardon for any Democrat who wants to cross party lines to go against their nominee.
That's a pretty lousy thing for a sitting President to do.
And it's not as if he had to come to New Jersey this week. There is massive devastation in Oklahoma he needs to address, and people who could really use his warmth and comfort. There's beaches up in New York State he could have visited.
But instead he pointedly came here to be with the Republican Governor and just as pointedly snubbed his Democratic opponent.
What is Obama thinking?
Crossposted at BlueJersey