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Chris Christie endorses Trump, amplifies attacks on Rubio

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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., left, reacted as Republican presidential candidate, businessman Donald Trump spoke during a Republican presidential primary debate at The University of Houston Thursday, in Houston. Trump picked up the endorsement today of former opponent Chris Christie today.

A day after his pounding by rival Marco Rubio in a Republican presidential debate, Donald Trump picked up the endorsement today of former opponent Chris Christie, who instantly joined him in fiercely attacking the Florida senator as unfit for the presidency.

“I can guarantee you that the one person that Hillary and Bill Clinton do not want to see on that stage come next September is Donald Trump,” the New Jersey governor said at an appearance with the New York billionaire in Fort Worth, Texas.

“They know how to run the standard political playbook against junior senators and run them around the block. They do not know the playbook with Donald Trump, because he is rewriting the playbook.”

The surprise endorsement gave Trump extra firepower as he fought today to mount a ferocious counterattack against Rubio.

With his candidacy in potential jeopardy Tuesday in a dozen contests that Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz are better positioned to dominate, Rubio attacked Trump’s business record hard during Thursday night’s debate in Houston. The assault intensified today when he called Trump a “con artist” and mocked his backstage preparations.

Trump, in turn, let loose on Rubio, calling him a desperate liar who lacks the demeanor to be president.

“He is a nervous Nellie,” Trump told reporters, saying Rubio applies television makeup with a trowel. “I watch him backstage. He’s a mess.”

Trump ridiculed Rubio for his profuse sweating.

“Can you imagine Putin sitting there waiting for a meeting, and Rubio walks in, and he’s totally drenched,” Trump asked. “I don’t know what it is, but I’ve never seen a human being sweat like this man sweats.”

He paid tribute to Christie for his withering attack on Rubio in a debate before the Florida senator’s fifth-place finish in the New Hampshire primary, saying Rubio had an “epic meltdown” that left him looking like he’d just emerged from a swimming pool. “Good going, Chris,” Trump said.

Echoing one of Christie’s main lines of attack against Rubio, Trump said the freshman senator had “defrauded Florida” by missing so much Senate business. “Before he sits down, he starts running for president,” Trump said.

Christie joined in the attack, describing Rubio’s jabs at Trump as “flailing punches in the last days of a losing campaign.”

“I find it fascinating that someone who barely shows up for work in his six years he’s a United States senator is going to talk about somebody else being unprepared,” Christie said.

Nonetheless, Rubio and Cruz succeeded in putting Trump on the defensive concerning his refusal to release his tax returns.

“Until my audit is finished, you’re not going to see anything,” Trump said, despite telling reporters months ago that he would release his tax returns. “When it’s finished, you’re going to see it.”

The real estate magnate also defended himself against Rubio’s criticism concerning a fraud lawsuit involving Trump University, a case he described as “just people trying to get their money back.”

“It’s a peanut case,” he said. “It’s a very small case. I will end up winning.”

26 responses to “Chris Christie endorses Trump, amplifies attacks on Rubio”

  1. serious says:

    Should add a little weight to Trump’s campaign. Attorney General?

  2. Jiujitsu_Fighter says:

    Christie’s a fat slob.

  3. sarge22 says:

    “I can guarantee you that the one person that Hillary and Bill Clinton do not want to see on that stage come next September is Donald Trump,” the New Jersey governor said at an appearance with the New York billionaire in Fort Worth, Texas.

  4. btaim says:

    Christie, an arrogant bully, endorses Trump, another arrogant bully. Talk about birds of a feather. Can’t see how Christie’s endorsement is that much of plus. I give very little credence to someone like Christie who lacks sufficient will power and determination to even keep his own weight in check. Then there’s Trump himself who declares that Rubio lacks the proper demeanor to be President of the U.S. Trump criticizing someone for poor demeanor is hilarious! His whole campaign and his speeches are grounded in belittling and mocking others. Sadly, so many in the country buy in to his vitriol that is much better suited for reality TV. The dumbing of America is being displayed now for all the world to see.

  5. fiveo says:

    Looks like “fat boy” wants to be vice president or perhaps US Attorney General.
    Maybe even head of Homeland Security. Just what we need, an organized mob guy out of New Jersey.

  6. mikethenovice says:

    Two big mouths. One for talking, the other one for eating pizza.

  7. mikethenovice says:

    Trump is the very one who is bringing out the lies of each Republican.

  8. ryan02 says:

    I’m glad Trump ran. He turned the GOP into a race to the bottom. The top candidates are the ones who can inspire the most hate, bigotry, and racism in their followers. At this point it doesn’t matter if anyone can beat Trump — he has shown the world that the GOP, including Rubio and Cruz, are right-wing nut cases. In trying to beat Trump, Rubio and Cruz fell over each other trying to be the most racist, the most fundamentalist, the most anti-woman, and the most hate-filled candidate. In a way I’m grateful to Trump — if he hadn’t run, the GOP might still have gotten away with pretending they had any sane, viable candidates in their ranks. But now we know better.

    • hawaiikone says:

      Well, from a different perspective, we’ve heard many optimistic, positive, and glowing speeches from presidents of both parties during their campaigns, and unfailingly they’ve all fallen short of expectations. Therefore, a candidate that inspires universal pessimism ought to prove a pleasant surprise. Of course, speaking seriously , you’ve obviously never checked out Kasich, the only reasonable choice left among both parties.

  9. keaukaha says:

    The republican debates have been an embarrassment to the GOP. I can understand the rant and raves of Trump because that’s who he is but what amazes me is how he can get into the heads of Cruz and Rubio. I honestly don’t see these two as presidential material. Rubio gets all red and flustered. Cruz is all talk no substance, his comments are rehearsed and boring. I think that Kasich and the doctor are more impressive because of their calm demeanor and intelligent responses.

  10. keaukaha says:

    Rubio and Cruz will never be able to win a debate with Trump. Trump is saying what he truly feels and believes in no matter how outlandish it may seem. Cruz and Rubio are are being told what to say by their mega bucks contributors. That’s why they get slammed because their puppets and the puppeteers can’t pull the strings fast enough to keep up with Trump.

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