InsiderNJ’s Fight of the Week: Woodward Versus Christie
If you’re looking for a New Jersey angle in the Bob Woodward book, “Fear: Trump in the White House,” Governor Chris Christie obliges.
His name appears over a scattered few pages in Woodward’s 420-page profanity-heavy epic.
In one anecdote the former Governor butts heads hard with political strategist Steve Bannon, when he allegedly snarls, “You’re the f-cking problem.”
Following the book’s Sept. 11th release, Christie took to twitter to join President Donald J. Trump in badmouthing Woodward’s book.
“Seems to me that if you are going to directly quote someone based on another person’s account, least you should do is call quoted person to fact check,” Christie griped.
Woodward, he said, never called him.
The collision gives us this week’s fight of the week, as we size up the public records of both men.
Bob Woodward: Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist; Woodward partnered professionally with Carl Bernstein, who early in his career worked in New Jersey, Christie’s home turf.
Chris Christie: Former Governor of New Jersey; Christie wanted to be President, which would have located him in Washington, D.C., Woodward’s home turf.
Woodward’s Claim to Fame: He reported on the scandal that came to be known as Watergate.
Christie’s Claim to Fame: He was the object of reporting on the scandal that came to be known as Bridgegate.
Donald J. Trump’s Adjective of Choice to Describe Woodward: “Boring.”
Trump’s (Woodward-alleged) Adjective of Choice to Describe Christie: “Weak.”
Woodward’s Favorite Place to Write: The Palm in D.C., where he and Bernstein would team up to write All the President’s Men.
Christie’s Favorite (Woodward alleged) Place to Write: Trump’s golf course in Bedminster, where he and Rudy Giuliani teamed up to write Trump’s response to the Access Hollywood Tape.
Woodward’s Best Takedown of a politician: Nixon. He ended his presidency in 1974.
Christie’s Best Takedown of a journalist: At a 2012 press conference, Christie – then governor – called a reporter an idiot for asking an off topic question.
Woodward’s writing partner: Bernstein.
Christie’s writing partner: Giuliani.
Woodward’s Hollywood Moment: The book he co-authored with Bernstein became a movie called All the President’s Men, in which heartthrob actor Robert Redford played Woodward.
Christie’s Hollywood Moment: The remarks he and Giuliani allegedly wrote for Trump in response to the Access Hollywood fiasco went unused, dismissed by Trump as “weak.”
The Most Infamous Refrain to Remarks by Christie: “Lock her up, lock her up,” yelled at the 2016 Republican National Convention in response to his enticement to the crowd about whether Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was “guilty or not guilty.”
Most Famous Refrain to Remarks by Woodward: “Lock him up, lock him up,” yelled indiscriminately around the country at black and white television sets in response to Woodward’s Washington Post reporting about Richard Nixon.
Trump’s Best Line to Woodward: “I mean, you do know I’m doing a great job for the country.”
Trump’s Best Line to Christie (according to Woodward): “You’re jinxing me.”
So sad. Two used-to-bes trying to be relevant.