Reuters: U.S.: Obama, Christie reunite to promote Jersey Shore recovery

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Obama, Christie reunite to promote Jersey Shore recovery May 28th 2013, 18:47 1 of 13. U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the rebuilding of the Jersey Shore following Hurricane Sandy, from Asbury Park in New Jersey, May 28, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Jason Reed By Steve Holland ASBURY PARK, New Jersey | Tue May 28, 2013 2:23pm EDT ASBURY PARK, New Jersey (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and New Jersey's Republican governor, Chris Christie, strolled along the Jersey Shore boardwalk like old friends on Tuesday, a political odd couple just hanging out together. The two men had a common purpose: promote the recovery of the Jersey Shore from the aftereffects of Sandy, a superstorm that hit in the final days of last year's presidential election campaign and which, because of Obama's well-received show of concern, may have helped him win re-election. So when it came time to throw a football through a hanging tire at the Touchdown Fever arcade game on the boardwalk in Point Pleasant, it was Christie who had a successful toss, an ungainly spiral that went through the tire, after Obama had tried and missed five times with his left-handed throw. The two leaders, Obama tall and lanky and Christie mid-height and round, gave each other a celebratory high-five, and then Obama referenced Christie's re-election campaign. "That's because he's running for office," Obama declared to throngs of tourists, who recorded it all on their smartphones as a light rain fell. Obama received the prize for Christie's performance -- a stuffed bear. Then they worked the ropeline. Christie, however, may not be just running for re-election this year as New Jersey governor. In fact, he may have sights on running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. His decision to undergo lap-band surgery to lose weight was seen as a possible clue to his higher aspirations. Christie and Obama joined together for back-to-back speeches a few miles up the coast in Asbury Park. Christie indirectly referenced the Republican criticism he encountered late last year for praising Obama's concern for New Jersey when he said that Shore communities had rallied together in response to the storm. "Everybody came together, Republicans, Democrats, independents, we all came together because New Jersey is more important and our citizens are more important than any kind of politics at all," he said. Christie was not invited to an annual gathering of conservatives in Washington because of the huge Sandy recovery fund he sought and obtained from the federal government. 'JERSEY SHORE IS BACK' Obama hailed Christie for the "great work he has done here." "The Jersey Shore is back and it is open for business," Obama said. Though Christie supported the Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, in the 2012 race, his compliments to the Democratic incumbent for his speedy response to the superstorm were seen as a boost to Obama. The president could probably use the help again. Obama has spent the last two weeks trying to get past a series of controversies over his administration's handling of the attacks in Benghazi, Libya, the targeting of journalists in leak probes, and the response to revelations that the Internal Revenue Service gave extra scrutiny to conservative-leaning groups. This was Obama's second tour of a storm-battered area in as many days. On Sunday, Obama traveled to Oklahoma to view the damage spawned by a tornado. The president has sought to portray his administration as being quick and effective at responding to natural disasters, in contrast to his predecessor, George W. Bush, whose administration was widely criticized for its handling of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005. Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

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