New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie had what looked like a solid debate Thursday night. So why did he screw it up with a lie that it’s easy to prove was a lie? After Marco Rubio attacked him as more or less an Obama-loving liberal, including by pointing out that Christie had supported Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court, Christie came back with a flat denial:
CHRISTIE: I stood on the stage and watched Marco in rather indignantly, look at Governor Bush and say, someone told you that because we're running for the same office, that criticizing me will get you to that office.
It appears that the same someone who has been whispering in old Marco's ear too.
(LAUGHTER)
So the indignation that you carry on, some of the stuff, you have to also own then. So let's set the facts straight. First of all, I didn't support Sonia Sotomayor.
You didn’t? On July 17, 2009, the Chris Christie for Governor campaign sent out a statement titled “Statement By Chris Christie Supporting Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s Confirmation.” And while that statement did say that “Judge Sotomayor would not have been my choice,” it also said that “I am confident that she is qualified for the position of Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.” And that she “has more than proven her capability, competence and ability” and that “I support her appointment to the Supreme Court and urge the Senate to keep politics out of the process and confirm her nomination." If that isn’t support, how high is the bar for a statement to count as support?
Christie lied. He lied quickly and confidently and in no uncertain terms, on something that could be easily fact-checked with no need for judgment calls. Never mind whether you’d be comfortable with a president who lies—would you be comfortable with a president who makes it so easy to catch him doing it?