CHRIS! – AT 9:03 A.M. ET:  Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey is being increasingly mentioned as a possible GOP candidate for president in 2012.  Why?  Because he walks the walk:

Since assuming office, Chris Christie has been relentlessly hammering home the message that New Jersey’s state government, which is badly in the red, must live within its means. But he’s also not afraid to make the tough decisions either. Whereas the previous governor, Jon Corzine, struck a deal to prevent layoffs in the public sector at a time when private sector workers were unemployed in record numbers, here comes Christie taking on the public sector unions:

State government is on track to shed at least 1,200 jobs in January, Gov. Chris Christie said today.
“Whether it will grow beyond that, I don’t know,” he said at a Statehouse press conference. “That’s very much going to be dependent on what the revenue outlook looks like for the state.”

The job cuts include layoffs and attrition, spokesman Michael Drewniak said.

How much do you think unions are going to spend to take Christie out when he runs for reelection? Sky’s the limit, I bet.

Christie is attracting an enormous amount of attention for his aggressive actions, which are righting a sinking ship.  Of course, he's also building up enemies among the usual suspects.  He insists he's not running for president, but they all insist.

Even former Mayor Ed Koch of New York, a sane Democrat, is a fan:

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would be a stellar Republican candidate for president in 2012, says former New York City Mayor Ed Koch.

Christie, who became the first Republican to win a statewide contest in the Liberty and Prosperity State in 12 years in 2009, is “perceived quite correctly as a poster boy for governors today, showing remarkable courage and success,” Koch says in an exclusive Newsmax interview. “It’s very likely he will be one of top two or three contenders for the nomination.”

COMMENT:  Some say that Christie doesn't "look" like a president.  He must weigh, oh, maybe 275 to 300 pounds.  Well, remember William Howard Taft?  He didn't look like a president either, and required a new White House bathtub to accommodate him. 

Watch Christie.  Man of action.

November 5, 2010