JOSH: WELCOME BACK TO "CLOSE UP
."
WHEN TALK OF THE 2016 RACE
STARTED, CHRIS CHRISTIE WAS SEEN
AS A TELL IT LIKE IT IS
POLITICIAN.
THEN DONALD TRUMP BECAME THE
ULTIMATE SAY ANYTHING AND GET
AWAY WITH ANYTHING CANDIDATE.
IT HAS SOME PEOPLE HELPING
CHRISTIE WILL FILL A VOID FOR A
TRADITIONAL CANDIDATE WHOSE
EXPERIENCE WILL STAND OUT.
THE QUESTION IS, HOW HE
CONVINCES VOTERS OVER THE NEXT
FEW WEEKS.
HE'S HERE TO ANSWER THE
QUESTION.
GOV. CHRISTIE: THANK YOU.
JOSH: WE ARE IN THE HOME
STRETCH.
THE POLLS ARE WHAT THEY ARE BUT
IT IS LOOKING LIKE TRUMP IS
STILL AT THE TOP WITH CRUZ.
WHAT'S THE STRATEGY?
GOV. CHRISTIE: SAME AS IT HAS
BEEN SINCE JULY, YOU GET TO NEW
HAMPSHIRE, WORK HARD AND MEET AS
MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN.
YOU KNOW NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS,
THEY ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT
NATIONAL SECURITY AND TERRORISM.
WHAT THEY WANT IS A
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF WHO KNOWS HOW
TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND SECURE AND
ENHANCE AMERICA'S IMAGE AROUND
THE WORLD.
I'M THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS
FOUGHT TERRORISM ON THE GROUND
AS A PROSECUTOR.
THEY KNOW I WILL BE READY FROM
DAY ONE.
THAT IS WHAT WE TALK ABOUT AS
WE TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE AND
KEEP DOING TOWN HALL MEETINGS
AND MEETING AS MANY PEOPLE AS
POSSIBLE.
THE STRATEGY IS THE SAME AS IT
WAS IN JULY.
JOSH: THE REPUBLICAN FIELD CAN
BE BROKEN INTO DIFFERENT PARTS.
TRUMP AND CRUZ, A LOT OF PEOPLE
SAY THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THOSE TWO ARE COWBOY BOOTS.
THEN YOU HAVE GOVERNORS,
YOURSELF, JEB BUSH AND JOHN
KASICH.
IS THAT PROBLEMATIC AS YOU TRY
TO MAKE THE CASE THAT SOME
ATTACKS ARE COMING FROM FELLOW
GOVERNORS.
YOU TRY TO MAKE THE CASE THAT
EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE IS WHAT WE
NEED.
GOV. CHRISTIE: THE ATTACKS ARE
COMING FROM PEOPLE THAT I AM
PASSING AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM
FOR THEM.
YOU NEVER SHOOT BEHIND, YOU
SHOULD SOMEONE NEXT TO YOU OR
AHEAD OF YOU.
THAT IS A GOOD SIGN TO HAVE
PEOPLE SHOOTING AT US.
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHO I AM.
I HAVE BEEN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE A
LOT.
I DON'T WORRY ABOUT THOSE
ATTACKS.
MORE THAN COMING FROM JEB OR
JOHN KASICH, THEY ARE COMING
FROM MARCO RUBIO.
PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO EVALUATE
HIS RECORD AND WHAT HE HAS
ACCOMPLISHED IN LESS THAN ONE
TERM AND SENATE COMPARED TO A
FEDERAL PROSECUTOR IN GOVERNOR
WITH 13 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
JOSH: IN THE STATE OF THE UNION,
PRESIDENT OBAMA FOCUSED ON
OPTIMISM.
WHAT IS YOUR TAKE?
GOV. CHRISTIE: IT SHOULD HAVE
BEEN CALLED STORYTIME.
HE SAID THAT THE SYRIA, POLICY
IS WORKING TELL THAT TO THE
250,000 DEAD SYRIANS AND
MILLIONS OF OTHERS RUNNING TO
EUROPE TO SAVE LIVES.
HE SAID ISIS IS NOT A BIG THREAT
AND OTHERS ARE OVERPLAYING IT.
THIS SOUNDS LIKE WHAT HE SAID,
THE REASON WE ARE ANXIOUS
BECAUSE WE WATCHED TOO MUCH
CABLE NEWS.
HE SEES THE WORLD AS HE WISHES
IT WAS AND NOT THE WORLD THE WAY
IT IS.
WE NEED A PRESIDENT WHO SEES THE
WORLD AS IT IS AND DEVELOPS
STRATEGIES TO DEAL WITH THAT
WORLD AS IT IS.
THIS PRESIDENT DID NOT DO IT
AGAIN AND I THINK WITH A YEAR AS
NO HOPE.
JOSH: WE ARE TYPING THIS ON A
WEDNESDAY AND THIS WILL AIR ON
SUNDAY.
IWANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE
IRANIAN SITUATION WITH THE
SAILORS.
THIS IS A TRICKY AND DANGEROUS
SITUATION.
AS YOU EVALUATE THIS, WHAT ARE
YOU SEEING FROM THE BOLDNESS OF
IRAN TO TAKE SUCH A MOVE?
WHAT WOULD YOUR REACTION BE?
GOV. CHRISTIE: IT SHOWS THE LACK
OF RESPECT THEY HAVE FOR THE
PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.
A GUY WHO JUST SIGNED AN
AGREEMENT THAT WAS TILTED
TOWARDS THEM.
I THINK THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIM WHENEVER
THEY WANT.
WHAT I WOULD DO, MUCH
DIFFERENTLY, I'D SAY THREE
THINGS ABOUT IRAN.
YOU WILL NEVER GET A NUCLEAR
WEAPON, IF I HAVE TO USE
MILITARY ACTION TO PREVENT IT, I
WILL.
THERE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER
DISCUSSION LEBANON AGREEMENT
UNTIL YOU RECOGNIZE -- WILL
ALONE AGREEMENT UNTIL YOU
RECOGNIZE ISRAEL.
THERE NEEDS TO BE REGIME CHANGE
IN IRAN.
I'M NOT SAYING I WOULD SEND
TROOPS OVER BUT WE NEED TO STAND
UP AGAINST A REGIME THAT ABUSES
WOMEN AND HANGS HOMOSEXUALS IN
THE CENTER OF HER AUNT BECAUSE
OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.
IT'S THE LARGEST STATE SPONSOR
OF TERRORISM IN THE WORLD.
IF WE SAID THOSE THINGS, THEY
WOULD BE MORE RELUCTANT TO TAKE
THE KIND OF ACTION.
JOSH: REGIME CHANGE IS A BIG
TOPIC, PEOPLE ARE FEARING IT
BECOMES A MORE DANGEROUS WORLD.
IT IS -- PEOPLE FEEL IT IS MORE
DANGEROUS THAN THE PEOPLE BEING
REPLACED.
JOSH: IF YOU LOOK AT IRAN OVER
THE LAST 36 YEARS, SAYING DEATH
TO AMERICA, SPONSORING
HEZBOLLAH, HAMAS AND THE HOUTHIS
IN YEMEN.
I AM NOT SAYING WE SHOULD SEND
TROOPS OVER BUT I THINK WE NEED
TO STAND ON PRINCIPLE AND SAY
THE REGIME SHOULD BE CHANGED TO
GET CONFIDENCE AND HOPE TO
PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT TO LIVE
UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WOULD HAVE
THEIR BACK IF THEY DECIDED TO DO
THIS.
JOSH: YOU HAVE A DAY JOB.
YOU DELIVERED THE STATE OF THE
STATE ADDRESS IN NEW JERSEY.
AS YOU MAKE THE CASE TO THE REST
OF THE NATION, WHAT WAS, THIS
WAS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY I CAN TAKE
THIS TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
GOV. CHRISTIE: IT IS NOT ABOUT
TALKING ABOUT THINGS, IT IS
GETTING THINGS DONE IT LET'S
TALK ABOUT AN ISSUE BIG IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE AND NEW JERSEY, DRUG
ADDICTION.
WE PUT STEPS IN THE PLACE OVER
TWO YEARS AGO, MORE TREATMENT
AND LESS INCARCERATION.
OUR PRISON POPULATION HAS GONE
DOWN SO MUCH IN NEW JERSEY THAT
I ANNOUNCED WE ARE CLOSING A
STATE PRISON.
I DON'T THINK THEY ARE DOING
THAT ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE
COUNTRY.
WE ARE REMODELING IT AND TURNING
IT INTO A DRUG TREATMENT THIS
ELITE WHERE FOLKS IN THE JUSTICE
SYSTEM CAN GET DRUG TREATMENT
BEFORE THEY GO BACK ON THE
STREETS.
GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO SUCCEED.
18 MONTHS AGO WE PUT NARCAN
ACROSS OUR STATE AND TRAINED
EVERY POLICE OFFICER AND EMS
PERSON.
2015 WAS THE FIRST TIME IN 4
YEARS WE HAVE SEEN OVERDOSE
DEATHS GO DOWN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
WE TELL PEOPLE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
THAT WE NEED SOMEONE WHO KNOWS
WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO HELP FIX
THE PROBLEM.
ON THE DRUG ADDICTION PROBLEM,
WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION.
THAT IS THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP I
WILL BRING TO THE COUNTRY.
TACKLING REAL PROBLEMS AND
SOLVING THEM AND MOVING THEM IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
JOSH: YOU TALK ABOUT REFORM AND
THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF IT.
ONE OF THE THINGS PEOPLE ARE
TALKING ABOUT HERE IS, AS NEW
HAMPSHIRE DOES DEAL WITH THIS,
THE CREATION OF A REGISTRY FOR
CONVICTED HEROIN DEALERS LIKE
THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU WOULD BE
IN SUPPORT OF?
GOV. CHRISTIE: SOMETHING I'D BE
HAPPY TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
IT WORKED VERY WELL IN MEGAN'S
LAW, WHICH BEGAN IN NEW JERSEY.
MEGAN WAS KILLED BY A CONVICTED
SEX FENDER AND HER PARENTS
FOUGHT TO GET MEGAN'S LAW.
NEW JERSEY HAS A HISTORY WITH
THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
IT IS SOMETHING I WOULD BE
WILLING TO LOOK AT.
JOSH: WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE
MINUTES LEFT.
IN A FEW WEEKS, HOW DO YOU GET
THROUGH?
DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE
LISTENING WHEN YOU MAKE THE CASE
THAT YOU ARE THE GUY?
DO YOU CHANGE IT IN THE LAST
WEEK?
GOV. CHRISTIE: I DON'T THINK SO.
PEOPLE WANT TO SEE CONSISTENCY.
THEY LIKE TO SEE WHAT ARE THE
THINGS YOU BELIEVE, ARTICULATE
THEM DIRECTLY, FAIRLY AND TAKE
THEIR QUESTIONS.
FOLKS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE FOUR
QUESTIONS TAKEN AND ANSWERED AND
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING.
WE'VE DONE 48 TOWNHOUSES ACROSS
THE STATE.
I WILL DO MY 49TH THIS
WEDNESDAY.
WHEN I GET BACK TO NEW HAMPSHIRE
AFTER THE DEBATES THIS COMING
WEEK, WE WILL GET BACK TO NEW
HAMPSHIRE AND DO OUR 50TH TOWN
HALL.
WE ARE MAKING STRIDES AND IT IS
MOVING US UP IN THE POLLS AND IN
THE ESTEEM OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE
VOTER.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
FEBRUARY 9.
JOSH: HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED AN
AREA YOU NEED TO HAVE?
WHEN IT COMES TO THE GOVERNORS,
THE PUNDITS, FOR THE GOVERNORS
THERE IS ONLY ONE TO GET OUT OF
HERE.
GOV. CHRISTIE: IF THERE IS ONLY
WANT TO GET OUT, IT IS GOING TO
BE MINE.
I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE WE BEAT
GOVERNOR BUSH, CASEY AND
HUCKABEE.
JOSH: CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP
IS GOING TO BE A CONSIDERATION.
YOU HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO MIX
IT UP AND CRITICIZE PERSONALLY
DONALD TRUMP OR TED CRUZ.
IS THERE A TIME WHEN YOU DO HAVE
TO SAY LOOK, THIS IS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HE AND I AND
THIS IS WHY I AM THE PERSON?
GOV. CHRISTIE: I THINK I HAVE
BEEN SAYING IT.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
TALKING ABOUT DOING THINGS AND
GETTING THEM DONE.
I GET THEM DONE.
I DISAGREE ON ASPECTS OF THE
IMMIGRATION PLAN AND ON THE FACT
THAT HE HAS NO ENTITLEMENT
REFORM PLAN.
I AM NOT GOING TO GET INTO NAME
CALLING.
I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO
BICKERING ON THE STAGE IN THE
DEBATES BECAUSE ALL THAT DOES IS
LESS AND LESS AS REPUBLICANS.
I'M GOING TO KEEP MY EYE ON THE
BALL, BEATING HILLARY CLINTON.
IF WE WEAKEN OURSELVES AND THE
PRIMARY, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
BEAT HER.
HERE IS ONE THING NEW HAMPSHIRE
VOTERS SHOULD KNOW, I'M THE
THAT PERSON TO BE
PROSECUTING THE CASE AGAINST
HILLARY CLINTON.
JOSH: YOU'VE GOT TO UNITE THE
PARTY.
TED CRUZ SAYS HE'S THE GUY WHO
CAN UNITE THE PARTY, BRINGING
REAGAN DEMOCRATS AND WHOEVER.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT AND WHY
ARE YOU THE GUY THAT CAN UNITE?
GOV. CHRISTIE: I FIND IT HARD TO
BELIEVE THAT A GUY IN A RED
STATE WHO HAS ONLY DEALT WITH
REPUBLICANS CAN BRING THE
COUNTRY TOGETHER.
THAT IS WHAT WE DID IN NEW
JERSEY, IN A BLUE STATE.
NOT ONLY GOT ELECTED AGAINST AN
INCUMBENT GOVERNOR WHO SPENT 33
MILLION DOLLARS ATTACKING ME IN
2009 BUT GOT REELECTED IN 2013
WITH 61% OF THE VOTE.
THAT IS NOT TALKING ABOUT
UNITING PEOPLE, THAT IS
GETTING IT DONE.
I WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH
OUR NATION COME NOVEMBER 2016.
JOSH: BEST OF LUCK TO YOU MOVING
FORWARD.
THANKS AGAIN.