And today a loud example of just how difficult it is to try to take down Donald Trump.
Chris Christie closed out his speech by saying he's running because the former president failed Republicans.
Listen to the reaction he got, I'm running because he's let us down.
He has let us down because he's unwilling, he's unwilling to take responsibility for any of the mistakes that were made, any uh any of the faults that he has and any of the things that he's done and that is not leadership.
Everybody that is a failure of leadership and you can boo all you want here with me.
Now, Chris Christie who literally just came here from uh from the Faith and Freedom conference where you made that speech.
Uh that must not have been easy to get booed, but you probably were not surprised.
Look, and half the room was clapping also.
Um And so it was a real mixed bag, but look, I knew that's what was gonna happen um when I accepted the invitation, but I'm not changing my message and pandering to anybody.
I'm going to tell the truth, the truth matters, Dana.
And I'm telling the truth about Donald Trump.
And I said outside afterwards that, you know, either he's a liar or, or he's stupid because he said in an interview yesterday that he never trusted me.
Well, he offered me White House Chief of staff.
So either he's a liar that he never trusted me or anybody who would offer White House Chief of staff to somebody who they don't trust is stupid.
But one or the other, these are issues of character.
And in the end, my message today to the faith and freedom coal because I love the people that are there.
They care deeply about our country.
And I want, I wanted to tell them the truth and the truth is he's not a man of character and they know it.
Do they know it?
Because so, so then why would they boo you and talk over and over about how wonderful Donald Trump is because he did some things while president they agreed with, he appointed conservative Supreme Court justices and I agree with that um reinstituted in Mexico City of Court and I'm, I agree with that.
So he did some things that they agree with Dana.
Um But what I'm trying to say to them is leadership is more than just a, a litmus test of boxes that you check.
And if you listen to most of those speeches today, it was people trying to check boxes.
I'm pro life.
I have a great pro life record in New Jersey that I'm very proud of.
But there be a lot of issues that come in front of the President United States that you can't anticipate character matters.
So I'm going to ask you about abortion in a second but was going to that forum and sticking to your message, as you said, being very aggressive against Donald Trump.
Is that why you did it?
And is that basically why you're running to have moments like that, that you wouldn't be able to have if you were not a candidate.
No, let's divide those two.
The reason I did it was because I'm not going to change my message.
Depending on who I go in front of that would be a lack of integrity.
And I won't do that.
I went to faith of freedom because Ralph Reed has been a supporter of mine since 2009 in 2009 when no one thought I could win the governorship, Ralph Reed came into New Jersey and supported us and helped us get elected in nine.
So whenever Ralph invites me to something, I'm going to go because he's been a very good friend to me and as has many of those people in that group.
But look, you got to tell the truth, Dana.
And this is what I believe and I believe it's what most of the country believes and it needs to be said over and over again until it breaks through.
Ok, let's talk about abortion.
Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the Dobbs decision that overruled overturn Roe versus Wade.
Just this afternoon.
You referred to your yesterday afternoon as an unabashed pro life Republican.
Also say that abortion should be up to the States.
I'm sure you're very well aware that the anti abortion.
Susan B, Anthony group says that leaving it to the States is not ok.
That they believe in what Mike Pence talked about this morning, which is a national ban for 50 years.
We as Conservatives said that this shouldn't be decided by the federal courts and the federal government, it should be decided by each individual state.
And let me be clear about what I'm for, I'm for each state having an opportunity.
And most importantly, that are the people of each state to engage in this debate and discussion on a very difficult and emotional issue and to have their say and have their state decide what the policies in their state is going to be then and only then after all 50 states do it.
Should the federal government take a look and see?
Is there a consensus that is developed among the 50 states?
And if there is a consensus, then the federal government can take a look at doing something.
But until you give the states the opportunity to do it and the people in the states, we're not being true to what we said for 50 years post grow.
So you're not against a federal ban.
You're just against doing it before each state looks at it.
I'm for giving the states the opportunity to reach consensus.
We don't know what the national consensus is.
Dana.
And I think, and in an issue like this, what we need to get to is a national consensus.
Now, look, the people at Susan B, Anthony, I support them and they do a good job.
But here's the thing they're saying, 15 weeks, maybe 15 weeks is where the national consensus will wind up being.
But it's, we're not there yet, we're not there yet.
Let's let the states make these judgments, the governors, the legislatures and the people of these states should have a right to weigh in.
So you just mentioned that you're close with Ralph Reed who supported you early when you first ran for governor.
I want to read you what he said about one of the reasons he wants to have candidates like you, all the candidates come to this forum.
We're certainly going to do everything we can to give our candidates a little bit of a testosterone booster shot and explain to them why they should not be on the defensive.
Those who are afraid of it need to candidly grow a backbone.
Did he give you a shot of testosterone and did he help you grow a backbone today?
I think I gave them a shot of testosterone and gave them some backbone today.
You know the fact is that there are a lot of people in that audience who were standing and cheering when I left and there were some that were booing, but no one left wondering what I think and no one left not hearing what I said about the insulting way that Donald Trump not only treated me because I disagree with him but Rex Tillerson, Bill Barr who he called a gutless pig last week, Mark Milley, who he called pathetic and a blanking idiot.
I mean, look, Dana, these are great Americans who served him and serve the country and when you disagree with Donald Trump, he calls you those kind of names.
So he says he'd hire the best people, right?
Well, it's one or the other.
Either he was dead wrong about all these people, including me or he only is saying this stuff because we disagree with them.
Either way.
That's not character, that's not leadership.
He's a loser.
One of the reasons you broke with him was because of January 6th CNN is reporting.
I know you just got here.
So I'll just give you the gist of it new reporting.
That special counsel Jack Smith granted limited immunity to at least two GOP fake electors in exchange for their testimony in the January 6th probe.
And we're also hearing that he's using hardball tactics and the overall pace of the investigation is picking up.
You were a US attorney.
You understand how these federal investigations work.
What does this say about where they are?
And do you think Donald Trump should be concerned?
Look, I think anybody who is involved in January 6th needs to be concerned.
And as far as the way Jack Smith is operating it, it's hard to tell from just those things.
But I think what you see is a serious investigation is going on and that he's using all the tools in his toolbox to try to get to the truth.
So granting limited immunity, I'm sure is what he thinks he needed to do to get to the truth in the end.
Look, when you look at the, the documents case, whether you believe and there are some Republicans who believe that he should not have been indicted because Hillary Clinton wasn't indicted.
That's, but justice is getting the facts out there and examining this guy's conduct.
Donald Trump's as he wants to be President United States again.
And that conduct doesn't fit.