Chris Christie: If Gay Couples Are Happy Being Married, I’m Happy

Chris Christie had some interesting comments on the recent legalization of same-sex marriage in his state:

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said Wednesday that he is happy for gay couples getting married in the state.

“I’m happy for them, if they’re happy,” Christie said in a Union City, N.J. press conference, noting his opinion was true regardless of gender.

When asked if he had an emotional reaction to same-sex couples being able to obtain marriage licenses in New Jersey, Christie said “not really.”

“I don’t get weepy” when reading the New York Times wedding announcements, Christie said. “I usually don’t have an emotional reaction to people getting married.”

As I’ve noted before, Christie has said that he personally opposes same-sex marriage, but is seemingly approaching the issue in a manner that recognizes the fact that, in many ways, the battle over marriage equality is heading toward an inevitable conclusion. Politically, this is likely to upset people on the far right who would prefer him to say something far less charitable, but it likely will appeal to more centrist Republicans who either support same-sex marriage or who, like him, oppose it but also don’t generally wish to crusade against it. As a general rule, that’s the kind of attitude Republicans ought to be adopting if they wish to remain relevant among younger voters and anywhere outside the Bible Belt.

FILED UNDER: 2016 Election, Gender Issues, US Politics, , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. ernieyeball says:

    As a former girlfriend (she was married and divorced by the time I met her) so succinctly stated:
    “Marriage is an institution. Who wants to be in one of those?”

  2. Rusty Shackleford says:

    What a terrific example of political speak, “I usually don’t have an emotional reaction to people getting married”. So his not having an emotional response is not dependant on the sexual orientation of the couple getting married, and it can’t be used against him by either pro or anti SSM advocates. Such a pain in the ass it must be to have to speak in front of cameras knowing you
    will be running for president in a couple of years.

  3. al-Ameda says:

    “I usually don’t have an emotional reaction to people getting married”.

    I too, do not weep or have an overly emotional reaction when I read the wedding announcements published in the New York Times.

  4. stonetools says:

    Missing from the post:

    Governor Christie did not become enlightened about same sex marriage until about 20 minutes ago. Before that, he vetoed a marriage equality bill by the Democratic controlled legislature. After the courts ruled in favor of marriage equality, he at first appealed it, then decided to throw in the towel when he saw which way the tide was running.
    I’m glad he’s finally happy now, but it would be better if he had not for years blocked efforts by the Democrats to establish marriage equality in New Jersey.
    That’s the elephant in the room:-).

  5. Moosebreath says:

    @ernieyeball:

    ““Marriage is an institution. Who wants to be in one of those?””

    Your ex-girlfriend owes royalties to Groucho Marx.

  6. ernieyeball says:

    @Moosebreath: Damn! Maybe I can tell Groucho’s estate where she is and they can send her a big bill. She said it all the time.

  7. legion says:

    That was the sound of the next nail in the coffin of Christie’s chances at the 2016 GOP nomination… Between this & the pictures with Obama, there’s no way the base voters support him for anything national.

  8. Rob in CT says:

    So far, he seems to have been pretty successful at threading the needle he aimed at (and that many Democrats, including Obama, have aimed at recently).

    This may sink him for the GOP nomination, but I actually doubt it. 2008: McCain. 2012: Romney. The problem for them was that in order to secure the nomination they had to play full metal wingnuts during the primaries, and this hurt them in the general. Or at least I think (hope) it did (I have a nagging doubt about it – maybe all that ridiculousness really did go un-noticed by most of the voting public).

  9. john personna says:

    Good for him to get it out now, if he does plan to run in 2016. It will be old news.

  10. Ron Beasley says:

    @ernieyeball: @Moosebreath: I think May West was first with that line.

  11. Scott says:

    He is smart enought to know that his views on SSM are politically obsolete and that there is no going back. His views on the subject will now become private and therefore irrelevant to his political future. He is wise to be gracious and, in the future, silent.

  12. ernieyeball says:

    @Ron Beasley: So did you go out with her or what?

  13. CSK says:

    @Ron Beasley:

    It’s also in the Rosalind Russell movie version of “Auntie Mame.”

  14. An Interested Party says:

    “I usually don’t have an emotional reaction to people getting married.”

    No, he just has an emotional reaction when he doesn’t receive a congratulatory phone call from the president…the poor thing…

  15. OzarkHillbilly says:

    I too am personally opposed to marrying a gay man. I do not have a problem with a gay man marrying another gay man. Someday I hope that Christie and others like him can tell the difference.

  16. rodney dill says:

    …if they want an emotional response they can always ask Boehner.