Chris Christie American Enterprise Institute Social Security & Medicare reform 02/16/11 VIDEO

UPDATE: Chris Christie American Enterprise Institute Social Security & Medicare reform 02/16/11 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Chris Christie American Enterprise Institute Social Security & Medicare reform 02/16/11 VIDEO

Governor Chris Christie will discuss the reform issues that will serve as the foundation for his February budget. Christie believes reductions in spending are the key to restoring fiscal health and fueling long-term growth and that Republican and Democratic leaders must be prepared to tackle the toughest issues.

VIDEO and TEXT CREDIT: American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research | 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W. | Washington, D.C. 20036

Kelly Ayotte Weekly Republican Address TEXT VIDEO 01/01/11

In the Weekly Republican Address, Sen.-elect Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire explains the Republican agenda for the new year.

She says, "For Republicans, the start of the 112th Congress on Wednesday will mark the opening of a new chapter for our country and our Party. We're keenly aware that the American people are relying on us to change business as usual in Washington -- and we're well-positioned to do just that."

Sen.-elect Ayotte points out three areas in particular Republicans will be working to follow the clear message of voters: "Job one is to stop wasteful Washington spending. As the mother of two children, I'm like parents across the country who worry that our nearly $14 trillion debt threatens America's economic future and our children's future.... Creating the conditions necessary for businesses to add well-paying, sustainable jobs also tops our agenda. With millions of Americans unemployed or under-employed, we must work quickly to jumpstart our economy.... Finally, and most important, America must remain vigilant in the face of continuing threats from terrorists and rogue states.... My husband is an Iraq war veteran and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard. As a military spouse, I personally understand the sacrifices that our servicemen and women make to keep us safe. In 2011, we resolve to stand firm with our troops as they continue the war against terrorist networks around the globe."

I’m Kelly Ayotte, the newly-elected senator from New Hampshire.

The arrival of a new year brings a renewed sense of optimism and purpose -- an opportunity to take stock of the year just passed while looking forward to the promise of new beginnings.

For Republicans, the start of the 112th Congress on Wednesday will mark the opening of a new chapter for our country and our party. We’re keenly aware that the American people are relying on us to change business as usual in Washington -- and we’re well-positioned to do just that.

In the House, 87 new Republican members are set to make John Boehner the next Speaker -- putting Republicans in charge of the chamber. And in the Senate, 13 new Republican senators will give us greater say in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

The American people sent us to Congress with clear instructions: make government smaller, not bigger. And stop spending money we don’t have on programs that aren’t working.

It’s now our responsibility to carry out the will of the people.

Americans across the country have been taking time to declare their ‘New Year’s resolutions.’ It’s an opportunity to clarify goals and make productive plans for the future.

Republicans headed to Washington are participating in a similar exercise. As we prepare to start the hard work of governing, we’re doubling our commitment to the principles on which we were elected. These resolutions, reaffirmed at the beginning of a new year, are intended to illuminate the path forward for our country.

Job one is to stop wasteful Washington spending. As the mother of two children, I’m like parents across the country who worry that our nearly $14 trillion debt threatens America’s economic future and our children's future.

To ensure generations to come have even more opportunities than we've had, Congress must get serious about meaningful debt reduction.

This isn’t a Republican problem or a Democrat problem -- it’s an American problem that will require tough decision-making from both parties. Republicans are ready to lead that fight.

Creating the conditions necessary for businesses to add well-paying, sustainable jobs also tops our agenda. With millions of Americans unemployed or underemployed, we must work quickly to jump-start our economy.

The successful Republican effort to prevent any income tax hikes on families and small businesses over the next two years was an important first step.

Coming from a small-business family, I’ve seen firsthand that risk-taking American entrepreneurs -- not the government -- create good jobs. We need to harness common-sense, pro-growth policies to get our economy moving again. By getting Washington out of the way, we can unleash the American entrepreneurial spirit that has made our country the most innovative in the world.

Finally, and most important, America must remain vigilant in the face of continuing threats from terrorists and rogue states. Just over one year since the ‘Christmas Day bomber’s’ failed attempt to bring down a jetliner, we’re reminded that we continue to live in a dangerous world. My husband is an Iraq war veteran and a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.

As a military spouse, I personally understand the sacrifices that our servicemen and women make to keep us safe. In 2011, we resolve to stand firm with our troops as they continue the war against terrorist networks around the globe.

The challenges we face are great. But so is the resolve of the American people to face these challenges head-on. America is the greatest nation on Earth -- and we must fight to keep alive her promise.

Thank you for listening. Happy New Year and may God bless America. ###

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: gopweeklyaddress

Chris Christie 2012: VIDEO

12 in 2012: Chris Christie, New Jersey's governor is a rising Republican star.

VIDEO and TEXT CREDIT: FoxNews.com

Governor Christie finds A New Poster Boy for Greed & Arrogance VIDEO

A New Poster Boy for Greed & Arrogance.

Governor Christie stands up against outrageous Superintendent salaries during a town hall meeting in Toms River, New Jersey on November 9, 2010.

VIDEO and TEXT CREDIT: GovChristie

Chris Christie Meet the Press Nov. 7, 2010 TEXT VIDEO

NBC News This is a rush transcript provided for the information and convenience of the press. Accuracy is not guaranteed. In case of doubt, please check with MEET THE PRESS NBC NEWS 885-4598 (Sundays: 885-4200)

VIDEO, IMAGE and TEXT CREDIT: Meet the Press

MR. GREGORY: We now turn to the aforementioned Republican who has emerged as a leader of his party, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Welcome to the program.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R-NJ): Thank you, David.

MR. GREGORY: Good to have you here.

GOV. CHRISTIE: Happy to be here.

MR. GREGORY: When you talk about the response from the voters on Election Day, something's very curious. We know some of the feelings about the Democrats, about President Obama's policies, but look at this from the exit polls in terms of the opinion of political parties. Republicans didn't fare too well either; 52 percent unfavorable rating. What does that say about the Republican Party today?

GOV. CHRISTIE: You know, I think what it says is what I was saying all over the country, that's it's put up or shut up time for our party. You know, we lost our way last decade, David, we did, and people expect us to do better. And if the Republican Party wants to come back, they're going to have to do what they said they were going to do. I mean, because if they don't, we're going to be sent to the wilderness for a long time, and we're going to deserve it.

MR. GREGORY: What does that mean? What do they have to put up?

GOV. CHRISTIE: What they have to do is they say they want, and, and we're doing it in New Jersey: smaller government, less spending, less regulation, lower taxes. That's what the public is saying that they want. And if you look at what we've done in New Jersey, David, we're delivering on that. We're not fixed yet, but we're on the track to being fixed, closing an $11 billion budget deficit without any new or increased taxes, cutting the corporate business tax. We're doing things to try to create an environment where private sector jobs can grow.

MR. GREGORY: And, and I want to talk about some of the choices you made in New Jersey. But, you know, you heard Senator DeMint, and there's a lot of Republicans talking about cutting the deficit, cutting the budget, but they're not specific. He wasn't specific. He talks about Paul Ryan, who has some ideas about Medicare and changing the way that's structured, indeed, making some cuts. Paul Ryan in the House, he's from Wisconsin, doesn't have support among establishment Republicans. There are 15 Republicans who stood up behind him in terms of making these cuts. Are Republicans really making good when Senator DeMint and others aren't specific about the cuts they're going to make to entitlements or to defense, to the big ticket items that really move the budget?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, let me tell you what's--where the leadership's going to come from. You have 11 Republican governors and a Democratic governor, Andrew Cuomo in New York, who have said we can't raise taxes and we have to cut spending in everything. In New Jersey what we did was we cut spending in every department, a 9 percent cut in real spending, not projected spending, real spending year over year. Find another state that did that and, and we'll go and talk about it. I mean, we made real hard decisions, and I cut some programs that we would've liked to have kept.

MR. GREGORY: Mm-hmm.

GOV. CHRISTIE: But we're broke. We don't have the money anymore. And so I hope that what these governors, Republicans and Democrats, will show Washington is you can do this and you have to do it.

MR. GREGORY: I asked Senator DeMint about sacrifice, and he said, `Oh, we don't want to, we don't want to break our promise to our seniors. In your state, what are you telling people they have to sacrifice and what do Republicans around the country have to tell Americans they have to sacrifice if they want to bring the size of government under control and the deficit under control?

GOV. CHRISTIE: We told everybody there has to be shared sacrifice among everyone, and let me be specific. We cut every department of state government. We cut funding to K to 12 education. We are proposed real pension and benefit reforms on public sector workers, increasing the retirement age, eliminating COLAs, things that are really going to bring the pension problem back under control. We cut all of this spending in the state in every state department, David, every state department. From environmental protection, to military and veterans affairs, all the way through had to sustain a cut. Those are the type of things you have to do to show people you really mean shared sacrifice. Everyone came to the table and everybody had to contribute.

MR. GREGORY: So, as you, as a national Republican with national influence now--and you've met with congressional Republicans and talked about issues--does everything have to be on the table?

GOV. CHRISTIE: What I told them was they'd better come up with a plan that's credible like we did in New Jersey, and the public's going to be able to smell real quickly if you're not credible. And if we are not credible, then we are really going to be in trouble as a party, and I think the numbers you showed indicate that.

MR. GREGORY: What about the tea party, the tea party's influence on the Republican party? Net positive, net negative? What do you think?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Net positive. Listen, the core that drives the tea party, in my view, are those four principles I talked about before--less spending, smaller government and less intrusive government, lower regulation, and lower taxes. And when Republicans are at their best, those are our core principles. And so I think that, at bottom, it's a positive influence. Listen, you're going to have variances around, around the country. I endorsed Mike Castle in the primary...

MR. GREGORY: Right, in Delaware.

GOV. CHRISTIE: Yes.

MR. GREGORY: Right.

GOV. CHRISTIE: Because I felt he was the best person.

MR. GREGORY: Is that a wake--do you agree with Lindsey Graham from South Carolina or Jim DeMint from South Carolina, that Delaware is a wake-up call for Republicans?

GOV. CHRISTIE: I think Delaware was a missed opportunity to have a really good United States senator in Mike Castle, and that's why I endorsed him in the primary.

MR. GREGORY: Let me talk a little bit more about New Jersey and taxes and spending. And I want to talk specifically about the--this ARC tunnel, this rail tunnel that would've connected New York and New Jersey and the controversy surrounding this. To boil all of this down, the federal government, as I understand it, offered you a deal. You were worried about cost, cost overruns, and they said, "Look, we're going to take care of that. New Jersey's not going to be responsible." So critics have used...

GOV. CHRISTIE: Whoa, let me stop you right there.

MR. GREGORY: Yeah.

GOV. CHRISTIE: No chance. That never happened. The federal government said $3 billion is what they were going to give us, and I had to sign a contract saying every nickel over $3 billion was the responsibility of the federal government. All the federal government offered me in the interim two week period, between the time when I first canceled the tunnel, was the ability to get federal loans...

MR. GREGORY: Mm-hmm.

GOV. CHRISTIE: ...that we'd have to pay back.

MR. GREGORY: They weren't going to shift this to...

GOV. CHRISTIE: No.

MR. GREGORY: ...private companies to be able to take care of it?

GOV. CHRISTIE: No. It was federal loans or, if we wanted a public-private partnership, we had to have increased fees on all the train tickets, for all the commuters, all across New Jersey, including ones that weren't using the tunnel, to be able to repay it. No matter what, David, this was going to fall on the people of the state of New Jersey, and the worst part was, it was a blank check. No one could tell me how much this was going to cost. We had already put $5.7 billion up from the state of New Jersey, and we were talking about $2 billion to $5 billion in overruns now. I mean, we could not sustain that. We're broke.

MR. GREGORY: Is this a matter of ideology for you, or simply a pragmatic issue that you don't have the money? And by that I mean, should the federal government be involved in big infrastructure projects like this?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Sure, they should. And you know what? I gave the federal government two weeks to come back to me and say if this is a project of such national importance, then put more money on the table for it. But, you know, they didn't. In, in Florida, where they're building high speed rail, Florida's being asked to give a 20 percent match to an 80 percent for federal. In this project, New Jersey was picking up 70 percent of the cost, the feds 30 percent and nothing from the state or the city of New York. Listen, this is about fairness and about what we could afford, and I'm not going to sign blank checks on the taxpayers in the state of New Jersey for a project that, as laudable as it might be in some respects, we simply can't afford now. When we talked to the campaign, David, about tough choices, this is an example.

MR. GREGORY: Tax cuts. You've got a millionaires tax in New Jersey, which I know that you're opposed to.

GOV. CHRISTIE: Not anymore, we don't.

MR. GREGORY: Not anymore because...

GOV. CHRISTIE: No.

MR. GREGORY: ...you vetoed it.

GOV. CHRISTIE: Yes.

MR. GREGORY: You've got high taxes across the board.

GOV. CHRISTIE: We do.

MR. GREGORY: How do you deal with that as a Republican governor of New Jersey?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, first you say, "No more." And the Democrats sent me an extension of the millionaires tax that would have not only hit individuals but small business in New Jersey, and I vetoed it. And I'm not going to increase taxes on the state that the Tax Foundation has said is the highest burdened tax state in America, especially if you look at our unemployment rate, David, ours is higher than any state in our region. The reason is, over the last eight years under Corzine and McGreevey, we raised taxes and fees 115 times. We put a wet blanket on the economy of New Jersey, and that's why our people are still out of work disproportionately to everybody else in the region. New York is a point lower. Pennsylvania is more than a point lower. I mean, we, you know, we did this to ourselves with all these increased taxes.

MR. GREGORY: What about the Bush tax cuts and extending those? You've said that should happen at all levels for a couple of years, but you've said only a couple of years because there is a day of reckoning here. Can you have tax cuts when you also want to balance the, the budget? Or do you have to consider tax increases at the federal level at some point?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, you know, I've been watching you for weeks talk about extending the Bush tax cuts. Drives me crazy when I'm sitting at home. This is about maintaining the current tax structure in a time we have a very weak economy. And so I favor extending these for another two years, extending the current tax system and not having a tax increase...

MR. GREGORY: But those, I mean, wait a minute. It may drive you crazy, and I know other Republicans that feel the same way. But I've also talked to Republicans. I've talked to economists like Alan Greenspan who say there is no free lunch here. You cannot have tax cuts at this level and not have them be paid for. And other Republicans say, yes, they should be pay for. So you do agree they should be paid for.

GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, obviously--well, listen, I've, I'm walking the walk in New Jersey, David.

MR. GREGORY: OK.

GOV. CHRISTIE: I mean, when I said we're vetoing the millionaires tax, I found spending tax to pay for that.

MR. GREGORY: So you can have existing tax policy, but it still has to be offset.

GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, listen, and I'm not disagreeing with you, David.

MR. GREGORY: OK.

GOV. CHRISTIE: But I'm--what I'm disagreeing with you is you characterizing what's happening here as a--as tax cuts. This is maintaining the current tax policy in a weak economy, and what you're, what you're advocating through your question is tax increases.

MR. GREGORY: Right. I'm not--that's not fair. I'm not advocating. I'm, I'm questioning whether or not they have to be paid for.

GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, when you call the, when you call the tax cuts, what I'm saying is the--I take the position as the opposite of that.

MR. GREGORY: Right. Right.

GOV. CHRISTIE: The opposite of that is it is a tax increase in a weakened...

MR. GREGORY: But they are set to expire.

GOV. CHRISTIE: ...weaks in, in a weakened economy. And what I'm saying is you should keep the current tax structure in place until our economy gets stronger.

MR. GREGORY: That's fine. But they're set to expire, so if you're going to re-authorize them, they're, they're, you're voting for tax cuts.

GOV. CHRISTIE: No, you're not voting for tax cuts. You're voting to maintain the current tax structure.

MR. GREGORY: I understand, a continuation.

GOV. CHRISTIE: That's a...

MR. GREGORY: But there's...

GOV. CHRISTIE: And then we agree.

MR. GREGORY: And there's still an offset issue.

GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, then we agree.

MR. GREGORY: OK.

The, the issue of where there's room for negotiation, is there room for negotiation in your mind? Should the president make a deal here on, on these things for a certain period of time? Does everybody, then, in a couple of years have to come to this and say, "Maybe these aren't the best ideas. Maybe we also have to think about tax increases at some point"?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, I think the first thing that the president has to focus on is building private sector jobs again in this country. And I don't think, by increasing taxes, that's the way to--that we're going to get it done in the short term. And so, sure, there's areas for compromise, I'm sure there are, between Republican leaders in the Congress and the president. But the president has to lead on this. And I think that the message is really clear, I got the message from the election, it's about putting people back to work. And you will not put people back to work in private sector jobs by increasing the cost in the private sector.

MR. GREGORY: A couple more areas. I want to--you've become an YouTube star, as you well know, because you've had some, some interactions with voters, including when you were campaigning for Meg Whitman out in California. Let me show that moment.

(Videotape, September 22, 2010)

GOV. CHRISTIE: You know what, you want to yell, yell at me, but don't give her a hard time. We're here. We're here talking about the future of the state of California and the future of our country. And you know what?

Unidentified Man: And you're just talking about the truth that's she's lying about.

GOV. CHRISTIE: And you know what? And you know what? Let me tell you, and let me tell you this. You know what? It's people who raise their voices and yell and scream like you that are dividing this country. We're here to bring this country together, not to divide it.

(End videotape)

MR. GREGORY: So what's the balance? On to a style question. The balance for you being a straight talker, you know, taking on the corrosive conversations we have about politics, and then your image as being a little too brusque, bullying, you know, Governor Wrecking Ball? How do you, how do you straddle that line?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, I am who I am. I don't straddle the line. And I think what people in New Jersey appreciate about, appreciate about me is I don't send smoke signals. They know who I am. They know how I feel about issues. Sometimes they agree with and sometimes they don't, but all I think that that clip indicates is that when I have something on my mind, I'm going to say it. I'm going to say it directly. And I think that we have too little of that in politics, David. And when, when I sit around and watch the way some people in political life talk, it, it fogs me over. And I think it fogs people in America over too. They want to hear somebody say, "If you feel a certain way, say it and live with the consequences." I'm willing to let the chips fall where they may on that issue.

MR. GREGORY: So the question is whether you're going to say all this stuff at a national level.

You've ruled out running for president in 2012. But you're also acting like a guy who's increasing your national influence. You're campaigning for congressional Republicans. Why do all of that? Why, especially in tight races, if you're not looking down the line at running?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Because I care about my country, and because I felt that those people where the absolute best candidates to help make our country a better place. And so that's why I campaigned for them. I have no other agenda. And to the extent that New Jersey over the last year can serve as an example to people that say, "Listen, you can cut spending. You can balance a budget without tax increases. You can make hard choices and not only survive politically but thrive politically." Then I want to try to set that example for folks so that these other new governors who are coming in, members of Congress...

MR. GREGORY: Mm-hmm.

GOV. CHRISTIE: ...that they will act boldly and be strong.

MR. GREGORY: Shermanesque statement, you're not running in 2012?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Absolutely.

MR. GREGORY: You wouldn't be on a ticket at all as VP?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Can you see me as somebody's vice president, David, after, after that question about governor wrecking ball? I would feel bad for that poor man or woman.

MR. GREGORY: What about down the line, beyond 2012? What, what criteria would you use in making a decision about whether to run for president?

GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, first I have to decide whether I run for re-election in 2013 in New Jersey, and that's going to be determined by how good a job I do and whether the people in the state of New Jersey want me back. So before you ever get to anything beyond that, you know, my mother always taught me first things first. Do your job. Do your job that the people of New Jersey gave you. I love being governor and I'm got to be governor until 2013, then we'll see what the verdict of the people is of the job I did on 2013.

MR. GREGORY: So fair at least to say the door is open beyond 2012.

GOV. CHRISTIE: I'm going to need a job, David, after 2013, you know? And so whether it's going to be being governor of New Jersey or doing something else, I have four kids between 7 and 17, I'm working the rest of my life anyway. So it's going to be doing something, David, so maybe it'll be that. Who knows.

MR. GREGORY: Governor Christie, thank you very much.

GOV. CHRISTIE: Thank you, David.

MR. GREGORY: Appreciate it.

VIDEO, IMAGE and TEXT CREDIT: Meet the Press

Chris Christie not about to keep fiscally strapped New Jersey on the hook for overruns

Governor Chris Christie holds his tenth Town Hall Meeting on his Reform Agenda in Moorestown, N.J. on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

Further burdening New Jerseyans with unaffordable public obligations is as Governor Christie said, “how we got ourselves in to the awful fiscal mess” and is why he must “make the hard decisions” that are necessary to “return our state to fiscal health”… New York Post, “In the long run, New Jersey will be better off for that decision”: “Proving once again that he's de determined to restore fiscal sanity to New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie has stuck to his guns and reaffirmed his initial decision to kill the Hudson River tunnel project. Yes, that will hurt commuters, who've long sought relief from congested rail and road traffic.

But so would a sharp increase in New Jersey's gas tax and other levies that would probably rise sky-high to pay for this bloated project…He understands that government construction projects come with automatic cost inflation. And he's not about to keep fiscally strapped New Jersey on the hook for overruns, which is ultimately what Washington proposes to do. "I cannot place upon the citizens of New Jersey an open-ended letter of credit, and that's what this project represents," he said yesterday. Good for him…In the long run, New Jersey will be better off for that decision.” (“A tunnel too far,” New York Post, 10/28/2010)

Wall Street Journal, Governor Christie affirmed that New Jersey “…must finally recognize its limits”:

"I cannot place upon the citizens of the State of New Jersey an open-ended letter of credit," said Garden State Governor Chris Christie yesterday. Mr. Christie was affirming his decision to cancel a bloated project to build a new railroad tunnel under the Hudson River to New York City. He also affirmed that a government that already taxes its citizens more heavily than any other state in the country and has still racked up more than $100 billion in unfunded liabilities must finally recognize its limits. The proposed tunnel was a joint project of the state of New Jersey, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, with each contributing roughly equal amounts. The catch was that Jersey would pay for any cost overruns…It's hard to blame Mr. Christie for sparing taxpayers from such a fate. (“Christie Gets Off the Train,” Wall Street Journal, 10/28/2010)

Star-Ledger Editorial Board, “Give him this…We are paying for yesterday’s sins”:

“We just can’t afford it,” he said yesterday. Give him this: The state’s gigantic pension and health obligations make this much harder. We are paying for yesterday’s sins. (“Christie to tunnel commuters: Drop dead,” Star-Ledger Editorial Board, 10/28/2010)

Innovation News, "We believe that Governor Chris Christie was right to have terminated the trans-Hudson tunnel project as currently conceived":

“We believe that Governor Chris Christie was right to have terminated the trans-Hudson tunnel project as currently conceived. In its current state, ARC is purely a local commuter rail connection to Manhattan with a terminus adjacent to Penn Station but not even tied into its Amtrak intercity lines. An investment on this scale should be considered in a larger context of the proposed Amtrak's NE Corridor high-speed line. As such, it is properly a project of regional or even national significance and should be funded primarily by the federal government and not by New Jersey taxpayers. As we have noted earlier, if there is one corridor in this country that justifies and deserves true high-speed rail service by virtue of its urban densities, passenger flows, economic activity and sheer size and importance, it's the Boston-to-Washington corridor. More than any other transportation initiative of recent years, the Amtrak concept plan evokes the tradition of what Felix Rohatyn has called America’s "bold endeavors" — a series of grand transportation enterprises that began with the Erie Canal and the transcontinental railroad in the 19th century and continued into the 20th century with the Panama Canal and the Interstate Highway System. The Northeast Corridor High-Speed Rail Line would be a truly worthy 21st century inheritor of that tradition. And the Trans-Hudson Tunnel could be a fitting beginning to this bold venture. We agree with the N.J. Alliance for Action that the $3 billion federal commitment to the ARC tunnel should be redirected to Amtrak for construction of the trans-Hudson tunnel as an integral part and essential first element of Amtrak's plans to develop high-speed rail service in the Northeast Corridor. We further believe, along with Rep John Mica (R-FL), that any future federal high-speed rail assistance should be focused primarily on making the Amtrak vision a reality rather than dissipated among many "high-speed" rail corridors of questionable merit.” ("Governor Christie's Trans-Hudson Tunnel Decision", Innovation News, 10/27/2010) # # #

For Immediate Release: Date: Thursday, October 28, 2010 Contact: Michael Drewniak
Kevin Roberts 609-777-2600

TEXT CREDIT: Office of the Governor PO Box 001 Trenton, NJ 08625 609-292-6000

Chris Christie says Meg Whitman has positive vision for California VIDEO

Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey discusses his endorsement of Meg Whitman and the critical need for Californians to unite behind her positive vision.

VIDEO and TEXT CREDIT: Meg2010Campaign

Kelly Ayotte acceptance (victory) speech TEXT

By kellyayotte2010 Photo courtesy of Rachael Terzakis. Copyright All rights reserved

Kelly Ayotte, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, thanked her supporters during a speech tonight at Ayotte for Senate campaign headquarters in Manchester. The following are her remarks as prepared for delivery: Thank you. Today we begin the race to beat Paul Hodes. And with your help, that's exactly what we are going to do.

I am here today because of you, my staff and volunteers who went door-to-door and made thousands of phone calls. You have opened your homes and your businesses to me. You have also opened your hearts to me and my family. We will never forget it.

We must never forget that this election is about who will replace Senator Judd Gregg: A Senator who has set an example nationwide on fiscal responsibility and fighting for taxpayers. I want to finish what Senator Gregg has begun. And I want to thank he and his wife Kathy for their support and service to our country.

I certainly wouldn't be here today without the support of my family. That especially means my parents, who put up 4 x 8 signs across the state. And of course my husband Joe. He has been amazing. He hasn’t seen this much smoke and fire since he came back from Iraq!

This was an incredibly spirited and close primary. I would like to say a word about Ovide Lamontagne. Ovide is a principled conservative and I have great respect for him and the race he ran. Ovide was a gentleman in the race and a gentleman when he called to offer his support. It means a lot that I have also heard from Bill Binnie, Jim Bender, and Dennis Lamare. I have great respect for each of them. We will be united in this race and we will defeat Paul Hodes.
You may have seen Paul Hodes’ ad where he says Washington, DC is like a big hot dog eating contest. But if you look closely, you’ll see Congressman Hodes has plenty of ketchup and mustard on his chin.

Paul Hodes has voted for bailouts, failed stimulus spending, ever-increasing deficits, a trillion dollar government takeover of healthcare, and huge tax increases. In fact, Paul Hodes voted with Nancy Pelosi ninety-three percent of the time. Ninety-three percent.

I will vote with New Hampshire 100% of the time.

Put simply, this election is about two very different visions for the future of New Hampshire and our nation.

Paul Hodes’ vision is for increasing the size of government paid for with higher taxes, higher deficits, more spending and more Americans out of work.

I have a different vision for our future. It is a vision of individual opportunity and responsibility. It is one of less spending, lower taxes, and creating an environment in which our small businesses can grow and create jobs. I will work to stop the spending spree in Washington and to stop this Administration’s looming tax increases.

America faces great challenges. None greater than our economy and crushing national debt. And this election will determine whether we will meet this challenge.

My family is like most New Hampshire families. And we worry about the same things you do.

We want to help our small businesses by cutting taxes and eliminating burdensome federal paperwork.

We want to secure America’s economic future by stopping wasteful Washington spending. That means no more earmarks, no more midnight deals and no more putting off tough decisions.

We want to keep our country and its citizens safe in a dangerous world. We must remain steadfast and vigilant in the fight against terrorists. Coming from a military family, that’s a solemn duty I will keep.

We must return to the core principles that have made our country great. That means our national leaders must stop apologizing for the United States of America.

As Attorney General, I rolled up my sleeves to tackle the difficult challenges that faced our state.

Now I want to take that same tough leadership to Washington. I won’t back down from a fight in the Senate, just like I didn’t shy away from making tough decisions as Attorney General.

To my supporters: You have earned this victory. Thank you for all you have done. But our work isn’t finished. We have seven weeks to win this election. As hard as you’ve worked already, I’m asking you to work even harder.
Tomorrow is the first day of the general election.

I ask you to roll up your sleeves – as I will – to win this election. I am going to Washington to fight for you and take America back.

TEXT CREDIT: Friends of Kelly Ayotte 101 Charles Street, Manchester, New Hampshire 03101 Phone:603-232-1162

New Hampshire Republican Primary Poll Kelly Ayotte in a 37-30 lead

Ayotte Holding Onto Lead

Raleigh, N.C. – Kelly Ayotte’s had a quite a dramatic fall from PPP’s last poll of the New Hampshire Republican primary for Senate, when she led Ovide Lamontagne by 39 points. But Lamontagne may have run out of time to catch up. Ayotte leads with 37% to 30% for Lamontagne, 13% for Bill Binnie, and 12% for Jim Bender.

If Ayotte survives where many GOP establishment candidates have failed in Senate primaries this year it will be because she managed to be the Tea Party candidate herself. With the third of Republican primary voters who describe themselves as members of that movement she leads Lamontagne 38-37, a contrast to the wallopings folks like Trey Grayson, Sue Lowden, Lisa Murkowski, and likely Mike Castle have received with that group.

Ayotte builds on her running even with the Tea Party folks with a 39-17 lead over Lamontagne with moderate voters. Binnie actually finishes second with that group at 19%.

Although Binnie is best case scenario going to finish a distant third his numbers in this poll say a lot about where the Republican Party is headed. Generally viewed as the moderate candidate in the race, 55% of GOP primary voters have an unfavorable opinion of him to only 26% who see him favorably. That is telling when it comes to the ability of centrists to make their way in Republican primaries this year.

Lamontagne actually has the best net favorability of the candidates at +40 (56/16), followed by Ayotte at +29 (56/27), and Bender at +23 (42/19).

“It looks like Kelly Ayotte will hang on but the momentum has certainly been in Ovide Lamontagne’s direction so an upset is not out of the question,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Our general election polling finds little difference between how Ayotte and Lamontagne do against Paul Hodes so it may not matter from an electability standpoint.”

PPP surveyed 1,134 likely Republican primary voters on September 11th and 12th. The margin of error is +/-2.9%. Other factors, such as refusal to be interviewed and weighting, may introduce additional error that is more difficult to quantify.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2010 INTERVIEWS: DEAN DEBNAM 888-621-6988 / 919-880-4888 (serious media inquiries only please, other questions can be directed to Tom Jensen) QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLL: TOM JENSEN 919-744-6312

TEXT CREDIT: Public Policy Polling 3020 Highwoods Blvd. Raleigh, NC 27604 Phone: 888 621-6988 Web: www.publicpolicypolling.com Email: information@publicpolicypolling.com

FULL POLL RESULTS IN PDF FORMAT Kelly Ayotte in a 37-30 lead

Kelly Ayotte’s conservative positions VIDEO

Ayotte for Senate today announced that it has launched a new television ad contrasting Bill Binnie’s liberal views with Kelly Ayotte’s conservative positions. The spot – entitled “Liberal” – is broadcasting now on WMUR and cable.

SCRIPT FOR “LIBERAL” (:30)

ANNOUNCER: Bill Binnie’s false attacks.

Newspapers call Binnie a quote “attack dog” and a “bully with a big bag of money.”

Binnie attacks to hide liberal positions, like on Arizona’s tough immigration law.

BILL BINNIE: I’m not going to pander to you. I don’t believe in the Arizona law.

ANNOUNCER: Amnesty. Bailouts. European-style taxes. Liberal Bill Binnie.

Kelly Ayotte is a strong conservative who supports the Arizona law and will cut spending.

I’m Kelly Ayotte and I approved this message.

VIDEO CREDIT: KellyAyotte

TEXT CREDIT: Friends of Kelly Ayotte, 101 Charles Street, Manchester, New Hampshire 03101 Phone: 603-232-1162

Kelly Ayotte Liberal Bill Binnie Revealed VIDEO

MANCHESTER, NH – In an attempt to hide from his own liberal positions, Bill Binnie launched negative false attacks against Kelly Ayotte on radio and television. Today, Kelly Ayotte began airing a response to Binnie’s false attacks in which her campaign points to the liberal positions Binnie has taken on important issues facing our country.

Ayotte for Senate Communications Director Jeff Grappone released the following statement:

“New Hampshire voters know Kelly Ayotte’s record of tough conservative leadership as Attorney General, and they will not be fooled by Bill Binnie’s false attacks. Liberals in Washington are taking our country in the wrong direction supporting bailouts and higher taxes while opposing Arizona’s tough new immigration law. On the campaign trail Bill Binnie has sounded a lot like those same Washington liberals, saying he was open to a Value-Added Tax, open to the Wall Street bailout, and saying he is opposed to Arizona’s immigration law. New Hampshire voters cannot afford a tax and spend liberal like Bill Binnie in the U.S. Senate.

“Bill Binnie has launched the most vicious and misleading attacks of the campaign. The Union Leader described Bill Binnie’s attacks as an ‘unsubstantiated smear-campaign,’ and said ‘shame on Bill Binnie.’ And the Concord Monitor reported there was ‘no evidence’ to support Binnie’s claims.”

Ayotte’s new ad – “Taxing” – began airing this morning statewide on broadcast and cable television. The piece is fully documented by Binnie’s own past statements – as captured on video and reported in the press

TEXT TRANSCRIPT FOR “TAXING”:

KELLY AYOTTE: I’m Kelly Ayotte and I approved this message.

ANNOUNCER: Trailing in the polls, liberal millionaire Bill Binnie attacks Kelly Ayotte. The Union Leader calls Binnie’s attacks an “unsubstantiated smear-campaign.”

Binnie attacks to hide his own liberal positions. Binnie open to a European-style Value-Added Tax.

And wouldn’t oppose the Wall Street bailout

Binnie even opposes the Arizona immigration law.

More bailouts. Higher taxes. False attacks. That’s liberal Bill Binnie.

VIDEO CREDIT: KellyAyotte

TEXT CREDIT: Friends of Kelly Ayotte, 101 Charles Street, Manchester, New Hampshire 03101 Phone: 603-232-1162

Kelly Ayotte Statement on Endorsement from Gov. Sarah Palin

Former Alaska Governor Calls Ayotte “Granite Grizzly” MANCHESTER, NH – Former New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, of Nashua, today released the following statement regarding her endorsement from former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin: “Governor Palin is a conservative icon who has brought enormous energy to our Party. As governor, she took on the entrenched special interests to deliver results. Governor Palin is a reformer in every sense of the word,

and she has always stood firm for the conservative principles of low taxes, less spending and personal responsibility. I’m running for Senate to put our fiscal house in order and to get our country moving in the right direction again, and I’m honored to have her support.”

SARAH PALIN FACEBOOK POSTING

Kelly Ayotte for New Hampshire

Today at 3:04pm

Todd, Willow, and I are headed out to Kodiak and Afognak to meet with logging families on the forested islands. As we work and sightsee on America’s largest island we’ll get to view more majestic bears, so now is a good time to draw attention to the political equivalent of the species.

It’s my honor to endorse a Granite State “mama grizzly” who has broken barriers, fought off and locked up criminals, and battled all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the rights of New Hampshire parents – and won!

New Hampshire is lucky to have Kelly Ayotte as a candidate for the U.S. Senate this year. Kelly is a daughter of the Granite State, a product of its public schools, and its first female Attorney General. In her impressive five years in the AG’s office, Kelly earned a reputation for being tough on crime, supportive of law enforcement, and tireless in the defense of the rights of the people of New Hampshire. When Planned Parenthood challenged New Hampshire’s parental notification law, Kelly fought them all the way to the Supreme Court and won.

She’s the proud mother of two and the wife of a combat veteran who flew missions over Iraq and currently serves in the Air National Guard. Kelly and her husband started a small landscaping/snow removal business; so, she understands first hand the crushing burden Washington imposes on our small businesses. This pro-life, pro-family, anti-tax constitutional commonsense conservative is the Democrats’ biggest fear in November. They’re already running false ads against her weeks before even the primary election. And on top of that Kelly is facing attacks from a self-funded millionaire running with an R next to his name who likes Obamacare and cap-and-tax.

Kelly is the strongest commonsense conservative who can win in the fall. I knew I liked her when I met her earlier this year, and I know this Granite Grizzly will represent New Hampshire with distinction in Washington.

Please join me in supporting Kelly Ayotte by visiting her website at www.ayotteforsenate.com and following her on Facebook and Twitter.

One final note: I spent time campaigning in New Hampshire in 2008, and I know that the good people there are a lot like Alaskans. In both of our states, we like to get to know the people running for office, look them in the eye, and judge their character. New Hampshire voters know not to rely on misleading negative ads. New Hampshire, tune out the ads and send your native daughter to the Senate. She’ll fight for you there just as passionately and fearlessly as she fought for you in the highest court of the land.

- Sarah Palin

TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Friends of Kelly Ayotte 101 Charles Street, Manchester, New Hampshire 03101 Phone:603-232-1162