Chris Christie is his own worst enemy

I have a prediction. I know its early in the presidential nominating season, but I sincerely and firmly believe that Gov. Chris Christie (R) of New Jersey will become the next Herman Cain.

Remember Cain? In the very early stages of the Republican presidential contest in 2012, Cain was riding high and thought to be presidential timber. In retrospect, what a delusional fantasy. Cain did not have any of the requisite qualifications and his personal infirmities led to a free-fall of ludicrous speed and proportions.

{mosads}Now, I realize that Christie has been twice elected governor of a large state and, before that, he was a U.S. attorney. But what we have witnessed lately is a man who is obsessed with the perks of office and, by his public pronouncements, cannot and should not be taken seriously.

This week, the front page of The New York Times chronicled the expensive tastes of the governor, who insists on staying exclusively at five-star hotels worldwide and traveling on private jets paid for by billionaire benefactors.

His present trip to England has turned out to be a total disaster. This was supposed to be an excursion to burnish his foreign policy credentials. Instead, it has shades of Sarah Palin. Not one speech of significance or substance. No talking or interacting with the press covering him. In fact, The Washington Post had the seminal photo of his hand in front of his face starkly signaling “no questions,” “no comment,” as he was walking by 10 Downing Street. The only statement which he did make concerning vaccinations had to be retracted and revised.

This is a guy who loves to be noticed even for the wrong reasons. Just recently, he was in Texas desperately hugging Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys in his sky suite. Before that, there was the widely publicized shouting match with his constituents who had the nerve of wanting to know where the money was to rebuild their homes on the Jersey Shore after Hurricane Sandy. And before that, there was Bridgegate, an embarrassing episode that has never been fully explained.

Christie prides himself on being blunt and brassy. He so frantically wants you to pay attention to him. His persona, he believes, is his greatest asset. Just as there is a necessary judicial temperament, there is a presidential temperament. This guy doesn’t have it.

In fact, he delights in being insulting and demeaning even to the residents of his home state. His local radio show is a perfect illustration. Christie is not going to change. His appetite for controversy is insatiable. This is not a witty engaging provocateur with a light touch, but someone who comes off as a self-indulgent bully. He thinks he’s a contender, but most often he looks like a lightweight.

A friend of mine who calls himself a conservative says he “can’t get his arms around him” and describes him as “slippery.” Image is all-important and first impressions are telling, and right now Christie is his own worst enemy. He doesn’t have to worry about former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-Fla.), Sen. Ran Paul (R-Ky.), former Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas), former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) or Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.). No, Christie’s biggest problem is Christie.

That’s why he will not be the GOP nominee and should quickly get off the presidential stage and return immediately to Trenton, N.J.

Plotkin is a political analyst, a contributor to the BBC on American politics and a columnist for The Georgetowner.