Christie defends hug at Cowboys game
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) is defending himself after his support for the Dallas Cowboys — and hug with the team’s owner — lit up social media Sunday night.
Christie was in Texas on Sunday to cheer on his Cowboys in their win over the Detroit Lions in the first round of the NFL playoffs. Video of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones appearing to snub a high-five from Christie in the owner’s box, before the governor then went in for the hug, quickly made the rounds on Twitter.
{mosads}New York’s WFAN “Boomer & Carton Show” asked Christie if he felt insulted by the high-five snub.
“It was pandemonium in there,” Christie said. “It’s difficult to describe the level of intensity in the Jones box during these games, so no, believe me, I’m sitting in Jerry Jones’s box, how do I feel dissed?”
While Christie has long been a Cowboys fan, that support has not always gone over well with New Jersey’s fans of the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and New York Jets.
“I would take all the abuse that I’m taking from some of these folks in return for Cowboys playoff wins,” Christie said, later adding, “Just because I’m governor of New Jersey doesn’t mean I change who I root for.”
And Christie’s presidential prospects are also in the picture. Saul Anuzis, a former chairman of the Republican Party in Michigan, home of the Lions, tweeted on Sunday night:
Just watched Christie cheer for the Dallas Cowboys on the last touchdown…he’ OUT as a possible nominee:)
— Saul Anuzis (@sanuzis) January 5, 2015
Christie, though, saw a silver lining. Asked if his fandom increased his chances of winning Texas, Christie replied “I think our chances have improved.”
And his football fandom is not done. He said he hopes to go to Lambeau Field in Wisconsin for next week’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
That will apparently earn him praise from Democrats. Former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe tweeted:
Give Christie this – takes guts to stick with Cowboys surrounded by Giants, Jets & Eagles fans. Let’s see him show up in Lambeau.
— David Plouffe (@davidplouffe) January 5, 2015
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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is a possible rival to Christie for the Republican presidential nomination, and there was some tension over whether Walker thought Christie was helping him enough in his reelection bid in 2014.
“If I do go to Lambeau this weekend, of course, Scott and I are friends and I’ll see him,” Christie said.
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