Well, the incredibly stupid things they did were not actually "on Diane Sawyer." Christie said they were stupid, while he was on Diane Sawyer. Well, actually, he wasn't on Diane Sawyer but, rather was he was being interviewed on her TV news broadcast. And, the stupid things weren't done "tonight," either, but over the last year.
In another piece of juicy gossip the NYP revealed today that buried in Maestro's report is evidence that Bridget Kelly and Bill Stepien had an romantic affair one month prior to the lane closures. This could turn out to be substantive because this could be part of how the conspiracy started.
In what appears to be an effort to create different headlines than "David Wildstein Told Governor Christie of Bridge Closures on September 11, 2013!" Governor Christie is appearing tonight on Diane Sawyer and his lawyer Randy Mastro released the results of his internal investigation "exonerating" Governor Christie even though he did not interview Bridget Kelly, Bill Stepien, David Samson, Bill Boroni, or David Wildstein, the principles of the case.
Chris Christie tells Diane Sawyer his aides did 'inexplicably stupid things' in bridge scandal
TRENTON — In his first television interview since the George Washington Bridge scandal erupted, Gov. Chris Christie continued to blame former aides for last year's controversial lane closures, saying what they did was "inexplicably stupid."
"When things were first reported, I said: 'This can't possibly be true.' Because who would do something like that?" the Republican governor told Diane Sawyer in a sit-down interview that will air today at 6:30 p.m. on ABC News' "World News." "Sometimes, people do inexplicably stupid things." ... "And so that's what makes it so hard then to, as the guy in charge, ... none of it made any sense to me," Christie added. "And to some extent still does not."
The comments come hours after the law firm Christie hired to conduct an internal investigation into the bridge scandal released a report clearing the governor of any involvement. It places the blame largely on two former allies — Port Authority official David Wildstein and Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Anne Kelly.
"You don't sleep, you don't eat. You struggle. You struggle,” Christie said during the interview, which was conducted at his Morris County home. "But I do believe that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
I'm not sure if Christie know he ""what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," is a variation of a quote from Friedrich_Nietzsche, who spent the last years of his life in mental institution, driven insane from syphilis. If they would have let him have a sharp object like a pencil I suspect he would have changed that to what doesn't kill you right away slowly grinds you down so that some other trivial thing can kill you off later." (a HoundDog original)
Christie's plan of throwing up smoke and dust to crowd out the headlines may have worked today, but he is not fooling anyone. The last time I checked the poll at NJ. come if people believe this study exonerated Christie, people rejected that notion 79% to 19%.
Update: Direction of poll question changed to be consistent with NJ.com
Our poll tonight will be a serious poll, since I may want to quote it elsewhere, Does Randy Mastro's internal investigation convince you that Governor Chris Christie had no involvement in the GWB lane closures, or the cover-up?
I'll put the results of the NJ.poll in an update, along with some notes from the Diane Sawyer interview. She seems to be doing a good job.
3:44 PM PT:
NJ.com
Does Randy Mastro's Bridgegate report convince you that Gov. Chris Christie had nothing to do with the GWB closures?
No 82.1% (1,693 votes)
Yes 16.05% (331 votes)
Still unsure 1.84% (38 votes)
Total Votes: 2,062
4:57 PM PT: ABC News has more paragraphs, and some video of Christie's interview. If may be permitted a somewhat insensitive personal observation, and I apologize in advance for any undue, lack of kindness and compassion, Christie's voice sounds so "perfectly soft, sincere, authentic, sober, reflective, repenatent" and as you see here, he goes on and on about how much he has learned, and how much he has learned he loved his family and his children are asking about him that it its setting off "bullshit" alarms in my intuition.
It was almost as if it was all too perfectly acted at, and moving to be real. I mean if even if Jesus, Krishna, Mohammed, or some perfect being came down from heaven to give this interview they would probably cough at least once from inhaling some clouds on the way down. Or rub there ears from all the angels blowing trumpets.
But, not Christie, he is leaning forward, in this soft voice as if he is trying to sooth a baby to sleep, almost wiping back a tear as he remembers how much he loves his wife, and babies, and apple pie, and god. Give me a break, this is the same guy who regularly shouts down school teachers and Navy seals on TV. Do you get what I'm saying?
If he were really innocent, and being genuine here, I would expect him to at least once get angry and we'd hear a quiver in his voice indicating he is really pretty damn pissed off that his career is being railroaded by this bastard media reporters trying to get a story by trampling on his life. What iever. Perhaps, this is all projection here, and I've just revealed that I've become a cynical old fart you all better keep an eye on.
But, I'm more convinced than every that this Christie is as dangerous a sociopath we've seen since Richard Nixon. I hope I'm wrong, and if so, I'll apologize, The man deserves a fair trial. We do not yet have any evidence linking him directly to a crime. But, I have to admit, I'm starting to get suspicious.
Governor Christie has "learned that he likes his family" as a consequence of this scandal.
Bridge Scandal Brought Chris Christie ‘Closer to My Family’
The bridge scandal that has embroiled New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie caused some “soul searching” that led him to spend “a lot more time at home than I ever have,” the governor told ABC’s Diane Sawyer in an exclusive interview.
“It’s brought me closer to my family. It’s brought me to reevaluate some of the way I spend my time. I think you can get caught up in this world and this life so easily,” Christie said.
The governor said he’s rediscovered something about his home life: “I really like my family.”
“Right after it happened, our oldest son was home on break, and he asked me, ‘Did you do this?’ It was a tough question that your son would ask you, and I said, ‘No, I didn’t,’ and he said, ‘Good, I’m glad,’” Christie said. “My oldest daughter asks me, just, all the time, ‘Are you okay?’”