Chris Christie has been very busy the past few weeks promoting his new book Republican Rescue and not-so-subtly positioning himself for a potential 2024 run for president.
As part of his effort to drum up early support, Politico Playbook reports the former New Jersey Governor gave a speech at a closed-door gathering of The Gridiron Club in Washington, D.C. on December 4, where he joked about how Donald Trump gave him COVID-19 last year, which resulted in him checking into the ICU for a week and meeting with a priest to prepare for his last rites.
“I joke about Donald, but I’m still really proud to have provided some help to his administration,” Christie reportedly told the group. “I mean, I gave Donald Trump my undying loyalty, and, as we learned this week, he definitely gave me COVID.”
Christie was diagnosed with COVID-19 after the Amy Coney Barrett “super-spreader” event in September 2020. He was treated with remdesivir and an experimental anti-body cocktail that very few others had access to. In Republican Rescue, he writes about how Trump called him when he was still fighting for his life in the hospital and asked, “Are you going to say you got it from me?”
Intentionally giving Gold Star moms, reporters, Chris Christie, former VPs, & your donors COVID is pretty bad, but plotting a coup is still much worse.
— Rachel Bitecofer ??? (@RachelBitecofer) December 2, 2021
Speaking to People last month, Christie talked about his “very serious” infection and how, given his weight and other underlying health issues, including asthma, he wasn’t sure he would survive.
“It reinforced to me how central the events in life are that you want to be alive for,” he said. “None of my children have been married yet and gosh, I’d love to be there to walk my daughters down the aisle … I was so sad about the idea I might not be able to do that, or to see a grandchild.”
Related: Antigay pastor demands to speak to the manager about why more Democrats haven’t died of COVID-19
But evidently that’s all fine now and Christie’s OK with joking about it, even as thousands of Americans continue to die of COVID-19 every day and public health officials continue to urge people to get vaccinated and boosted so we can end the pandemic and save lives.
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During the speech at The Gridiron Club, Christie also joked about how he’s not too concerned about how Trump might respond to his book because, “I was a little worried that Donald would be upset when he read it. But then I remembered: It’s a book; no chance.”
In recent weeks, Christie has publicly called on the ex-president to give quit peddling 2020 election lies for the sake of the GOP and the country. Critics have accused him of being on a “media rehabilitation tour” as he prepares for a possible 2024 run for the White House.
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Cam
Every new network helped him promote his book and it sold less than 3000 copies.
Not looking great for any election chances.
Mack
I guess the Republican Party hasn’t stepped up and purchased thousands of books from Party contributions to make him on the best seller list like they do others like Trump Jr.
Creamsicle
I hope every journalist he encounters asks him how it felt to be cucked out of the Vice Presidency in front of the entire nation, even after being Trump’s first loyal little lapdog. Follow up question: Did it hurt knowing that it was 100% because he was fat, and Donald Trump is really that shallow and petty?
Heywood Jablowme
That was one reason but not the only one. The MAIN reason was that years ago, Christie put Jared Kushner’s father in prison, remember? Christie spent four years sniffing around for a cabinet post, or any significant WH job really, and it never happened.
Max
this whale the was in the ICU and almost lost his life and still jokes about COVID. there are hundreds of thousands of people dead from this virus and his entitled lard being received medicine that all those folks couldn’t get. unreal and thankless.
AxelDC
I think the Presidency is a bridge too far for Christie.
Heywood Jablowme
Ha! Good one.
barryaksarben
But for him and a lot of other GOP idiots it is all they think about. DiSantis, Rick Scott and little Mario are all form my state of Floriduh and their ambitions are the definition of naked. They all would sell their children into Trumps sexual servitude if they thought it would get them one vote. They way they all sucked up to the giant orange con was degrading, the worst if Ted Cruz whose wife and father he tru under the bus long ago
miller2900
……he’s worried about being around to see his children get married??? How about shedding a 100-pounds first….. seriously! If he had access to meds that saved his behind that the rest of us mere mortals don’t, then why hasn’t found a way (medically or otherwise) to stop shoving food down his throat?
Heywood Jablowme
Believe it or not, he had bariatric surgery (a.k.a. lap band) back in 2014.
Bob
That’s the ugly truth. If you have bariatric surgery(stomach band or resizing) then keep eating too much then the little stomach stretches to its old size.
Fahd
As I recall, he left office as the least popular governor in New Jersey history. No one I know is listening, and I can’t really see any Sheldon Adelson type or any big money supporting his candidacy, but if he can mess things up so that the Republicans lose, let him bloviate.
Prax07
Every republican that’s saying they want to run for president in 2024 are all bottom of the barrel sleazeballs. Not one is a decent human, not one should be walking around without an ankle monitor. The republican party has never in recent history been good for anyone, but today it’s just the lowest trash possible. Sad really.
Openminded
As a Republican myself, I hate to admit, the last election was no better a group either.
Openminded
I should have stated, election cycle before last, as we all know the Trump zombies still thinks he won again.
SDR94103
bye porky.
Bob
C’mon pudgy… Get to work sucking a few votes away from that orange turd.
Kangol2
Why is this lying GOP sack of sh!t getting any more press? He was a disaster as New Jersey’s governor. He left the state in a shambles. His book sold worse than invermectin. He’s a walking joke. Why are Queerty and anyone else giving him the time of day?
zephyr69
Mack, They don’t have the money because they are too busy paying for tRumps lawyer fees.
jayceecook
Very few Republicans read. And when they do (or can), they cherry pick everything to place it in either their “confirmation bias” or the “nope this doesn’t support the holy trinity; money, god, or guns” boxes.
Michael1500
I am simply amazed that this ill-tempered fatass is naive enough to entertain the notion that he should even enter (much less actively participate) in a presidential campaign. I can’t imagine any other candidate who would be so rejected by the people. I’m sure Christie would have an insurmountable obstacle just getting support from his own family, if he has one.