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You are here: Home / He ain’t heavy

He ain’t heavy

by DougJ|  October 3, 20114:57 pm| 202 Comments

This post is in: Our Awesome Meritocracy

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Via reader Hilts, Jon Chait has a pretty good piece on why he thinks people should should stop focusing on Chris Christie’s weight.

I will tell you why I think people should shut up about it: I don’t think it affects his ability to do his job. It’s that simple, for me. This isn’t about being politically correct. There all kinds of health problems and disabilities that I think would get in the way of being an effective president. Bachmann’s migraines might have been problematic (I’d have to know more to say for sure); whatever was wrong with George W. Bush — I think he might have suffered from some diagnosable cognitive/attention deficit disability, though I’m not an expert — probably impacted his ability to be an effective president.

I don’t think being overweight falls into that category. Do you?

Part of being a liberal is believing that if someone can do a job well, they deserve a shot at that job, whether they’re black, white, brown, gay, straight, Jewish, Christian, atheist, thin, fat. That’s why we nominate great presidential candidates even if they’re black like Obama or from very poor families like Clinton. Leave all that only rich, corn-fed, broad-shouldered himbos need apply bullshit for the wingers.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to call Chris Christie Chunky Jon Huntsman if he gets into the race. But you can’t convince me that his weight is a legitimate issue.

The best president of the (last) century could barely walk, remember.

Update. Obviously, to the extent that it affects his ability to get elected, that’s fair game. But I haven’t heard of it affecting his ability to be governor or to be a federal prosecutor.

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Reader Interactions

202Comments

  1. 1.

    Napoleon

    October 3, 2011 at 5:00 pm

    The best president of the century could barely walk, remember.

    Would that be Clinton, Bush (after he sobered up) or Obama?

    ;)

  2. 2.

    The Other Chuck

    October 3, 2011 at 5:01 pm

    He’s not just overweight. He’s overweight and has been hospitalized for respiratory problems.

    And judging by his speeches about “dealing with the crazies”, he also appears to have a sliver of humanity that the GOP will insist be removed before he can take office.

  3. 3.

    D0n Camillo

    October 3, 2011 at 5:01 pm

    At least maybe we’ll hear less about how Michael Moore is fat for a while.

  4. 4.

    ornery

    October 3, 2011 at 5:01 pm

    Yeah, it’s not like he’s gay.

  5. 5.

    4tehlulz

    October 3, 2011 at 5:02 pm

    @The Other Chuck: I’m sure Herman Cain can give him pointers about that.

  6. 6.

    Lojasmo

    October 3, 2011 at 5:04 pm

    Obesity is independently correlated with decreased cognitive function.

    I won’t link to the studies, but they are myriad.

  7. 7.

    eemom

    October 3, 2011 at 5:05 pm

    does not shutting up about why people should shut up about Christie’s weight count as shutting up about it?

  8. 8.

    Big Baby DougJ

    October 3, 2011 at 5:05 pm

    @ornery:

    Because if he was he’d stay in better shape?

  9. 9.

    Big Baby DougJ

    October 3, 2011 at 5:06 pm

    @eemom:

    This is my first post about it ever.

  10. 10.

    John Weiss

    October 3, 2011 at 5:07 pm

    FDR wasn’t fat. He suffered from polio.

  11. 11.

    Mnemosyne

    October 3, 2011 at 5:08 pm

    I don’t think being overweight falls into that category. Do you?

    I thnk that Christie falls into that category since the guy is already being hospitalized for asthma while he has the much less stressful job of governor of New Jersey. I don’t think that overweight is an automatic disqualification — there are plenty of healthy fat people out there — but I think it disqualifies Christie in particular.

    I think it’s all a moot point, anyway — there is no way that Christie is healthy enough to make it through the rigors of a presidential campaign. Again, if he can barely govern one state without hospitalization, what makes it likely that he could keep up a presidential schedule?

  12. 12.

    Kola Noscopy

    October 3, 2011 at 5:09 pm

    Dear god, another DougJ troll post.

    Obesity is definitively linked to a long list of negative health issues both chronic and acute, not the least of which is early morbidity; but you already know this. I’m not providing links because they are legion and the info is readily available on the net.

    Again: Christie is not a little bit chubby or plump, he is medically categorized as MORBIDLY obese. Hello?

    I do appreciate your mention of GWB’s health issues, which at times were glaringly apparent but which the media and even most supposedly liberal blogs still creepily refuse to discuss.

    Also every time the president fat hog Christie waddled across the dais at an international meeting the entire world would laugh at big fat america, as well they should.

  13. 13.

    tBone

    October 3, 2011 at 5:10 pm

    He’s too fat to be elected. You can argue about whether that’s right or wrong until you’re blue in the face, but put Christie up against a skinny guy and the skinny guy wins.

    Seriously, has reality TV taught you nothing?

  14. 14.

    eemom

    October 3, 2011 at 5:12 pm

    I do hope lil suzie will be here soon to start kicking the fat-bashers to the curb. Judging by the last thread she’s gonna be awful busy.

    Plucky little thing, ain’t she? Oughtta be fun to watch.

  15. 15.

    Raven (formerly stuckinred)

    October 3, 2011 at 5:15 pm

    Focus smocus. Keep up the fire.

  16. 16.

    singfoom

    October 3, 2011 at 5:16 pm

    His weight is a non issue in regards to politics across the board. Glad I could help you out there.

    Also, I can inform you that is at dark at night and bright during the day when the sun shines.

  17. 17.

    nancydarling

    October 3, 2011 at 5:17 pm

    @Big Baby DougJ: Blood sugar levels can affect the thinking process. Your brain is the most sensitive of all your organs to blood sugar levels. I think it is also an issue because he is a walking heart attack/stroke waiting to happen. The stress would do him in. That’s why we need to worry about it.

  18. 18.

    beltane

    October 3, 2011 at 5:17 pm

    @D0n Camillo: Also Al Gore, who looks like a marathon runner compared to Christie.

  19. 19.

    eemom

    October 3, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    @Big Baby DougJ:

    I thought one of those ones last week was yours, but wevs.
    Just trying to find me a bit of zen.

  20. 20.

    Ash Can

    October 3, 2011 at 5:20 pm

    Like I said in the earlier thread — and as The Other Chuck touches upon (ETA: and others do too) — it’s not his weight per se, it’s his overall health. Obesity can lead to, or coexist with, other, potentially serious problems. If he’s overweight and has no other apparent health problems, his health looking out over a 4-8-year presidential term is probably a decent bet. As it is, he’s been hospitalized for breathing problems. That may be inconsequential as well — millions of people cope with asthma just fine. But when someone’s (potentially) running for a job that requires a stable, consistent 4-8-year presence, health issues will be exaggerated. It’s the reason John McCain’s age and cancer history were issues when he was running. The issue wasn’t whether senior citizens and cancer survivors are capable, responsible people. The issue was whether McCain could be counted on to still be here four years into the future.

  21. 21.

    Violet

    October 3, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    It’s not really an issue unless it becomes obvious that it affects his ability to do the job. He’s already been hospitalized for respiratory issues and if that happened again (and again and again) then voters should take his weight and related health issues into account. You don’t really want to elect a guy who already shows health problems from being overweight if, say, you don’t like his VP pick.

    I’m going to call Chris Christie Chunky Jon Huntsman if he gets into the race.

    Really? Jon Huntsman is nice. Chris Christie is funny and biting. I don’t see them the same at all except for the hard ons the media seems to get for both of them.

  22. 22.

    gelfling545

    October 3, 2011 at 5:24 pm

    I have heard that it is possible for people to be over their recommended weight and be otherwise healthy If that is the case, no problem (aside from his politics).

  23. 23.

    Jenny

    October 3, 2011 at 5:24 pm

    I don’t think it affects his ability to do his job.

    Yes.It.Does.

    He’s 200 lbs. overweight. He’s morbidly obese.

    BooMan did a piece on this a couple of months ago when Christie blacked-out and had to be hospitalized. As BooMan said, his circulatory system is on the brink.

    Not a single doctor will tell you he’s suited for a high stress job in his condition. Think of it. If he was a pilot for a commercial airline, he would be grounded.

  24. 24.

    GeorgeCarlinFromTheGrave

    October 3, 2011 at 5:25 pm

    Can I still call him “Gov. Krispy Kream” because I think his policies are as substantial as a circle of fried dough sprinkled with sugar?

  25. 25.

    Big Baby DougJ

    October 3, 2011 at 5:25 pm

    @Violet:

    They’re both Scarberin favs who are too far left for the Republican base.

  26. 26.

    Dave

    October 3, 2011 at 5:25 pm

    DougJ Senior is right: Christie’s noted corpulence, girth, enormity, or simply put, his fat fatness has no bearing on his ability to govern. We should pay attention to his record, which he has cultivated in spite of, or maybe because of, his tremendous fatness.

    And when I refer to Christie as a Pig, I am in no way drawing on the associations between pigs and fat to slander the man.

  27. 27.

    Brachiator

    October 3, 2011 at 5:29 pm

    I will tell you why I think people should shut up about it: I don’t think it affects his ability to do his job. It’s that simple, for me. This isn’t about being politically correct. There all kinds of health problems and disabilities that I think would get in the way of being an effective president. Bachmann’s migraines might have been problematic (I’d have to know more to say for sure); whatever was wrong with George W. Bush—I think he might have suffered from some diagnosable cognitive/attention deficit disability, though I’m not an expert—probably impacted his ability to be an effective president.

    This is all uninformed speculation, whether about Christie, Bachmann or Bush (and I don’t like any of these people and would never vote for them). Lincoln apparently had terrible bouts of depression. FDR had polio, and his health severely declined during his last years. Wilson? Don’t get me started. Kennedy had Addison’s Disease, and as the Wiki notes, ominously, “There was substantial secrecy surrounding his health during his years as president.”

    Some of this may have affected their presidency, but so freakin’ what?

    There ain’t no constitutional directive about health, and short of some heavy duty ailments, I sincerely doubt that there are many doctors, and certainly no bloggers, who can reliably predict how an individual’s health, size or medical conditions can affect his or her ability to perform the job of president.

    And it’s not just that people aren’t experts here. We, none of us, are even particularly knowledgeable lay people. I know it’s hard, people, but sometimes you have to know the limits of opinion.

    @Lojasmo:

    Obesity is independently correlated with decreased cognitive function.
    __
    I won’t link to the studies, but they are myriad.

    Second to Godwin is the inevitable, and always faulty, mention of correlation. Next in line is the often insufficient mention of studies. Don’t mean squat without proper vetting. And maybe not even then.

  28. 28.

    WaterGirl

    October 3, 2011 at 5:29 pm

    Are you kidding me? Have you looked at President Obama’s schedule?

    There is no way that someone of Christie’s girth could possibly make it through the campaign season in good health, let alone make it through a single month of Obama’s presidential activities. It is just not possible.

    When we talk about his weight it seems like it’s a superficial thing, like talking about Hillary’s thick ankles, which I thought was completely out of bounds even though I am not a Hillary fan.

    So when people want to call Christie a fat fuck or make fun of what Christie looks like in the photo of Christie with Obama, I do find that offensive.

    We should be talking about Christie’s HEALTH. That’s the issue. I know that big people can be healthy, but I’m not sure you can be that big and still be healthy. Even if that’s possible, it’s clear that Christie is not in great health. It’s Christie’s HEALTH that we should be talking about. It’s Christie’s health that makes him not fit for even running for president, let alone being president. Well, that, and about a million policy issues.

  29. 29.

    LowProfileinGA

    October 3, 2011 at 5:30 pm

    It’s not a personal issue;being morbidly obese is a medical issue that can fairly addressed.

  30. 30.

    wrb

    October 3, 2011 at 5:31 pm

    I posted this on the other thread after it died.

    It is of such great import I’ll repost:

    Uh Oh

    Christi could win.

    Samara unintentionally showed how.
    Yes, he looks like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dee Dum

    He could have the greatest campaign song ever.

    So fee fi foe fum
    tweedle dee dee and tweedle dee dum
    get ready because HERE I COME

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHUksNJIlNM

    who could resist?

    Then he can introduce his veep with this

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apO473aZVeA

    unstoppable

  31. 31.

    Jenny

    October 3, 2011 at 5:32 pm

    Part of being a liberal is believing that if someone can do a job well, they deserve a shot at that job, whether they’re black, white, brown, gay, straight, Jewish, Christian, atheist, thin, fat.

    This is soooooooooo dumb.

    This isn’t about aesthetics, it’s about being healthy enough to complete a term.

    One of the critical issues in McCain’s campaign was his advanced age and melanoma. People concluded there was a significant risk that he could die in office.

    Guess what, a morbidly obese person, who was recently hospitalized, is also at a significant risk of collapsing in a high stress occupation.

    Geez, it’s like you guys never heard of Tim Russert. And he was svelte compared to Christie.

  32. 32.

    Ash Can

    October 3, 2011 at 5:32 pm

    @Jenny: Once again, it’s not the obesity in and of itself. If he hadn’t blacked out, or had any other of the health problems he has, there’d be no reason to say that his obesity affects his ability to do his job.

  33. 33.

    redshirt

    October 3, 2011 at 5:33 pm

    Two words: Presidential Hoveround.

  34. 34.

    Gwiwer

    October 3, 2011 at 5:33 pm

    Well, I mean, Cheney was prone to suffering about 7 gajillion heart attacks per year and it was never really a serious concern for most people. In fact, most of the media seemed to act like it was a shrill affront to everything good and decent in this humble and God-fearing land to even speculate about his health one way or the other.

    Then again, I suppose that is all irrelevant since Cheney is obviously some kind of soul-less, evil, undead creature similar to a vampire. I’m inclined to believe that “heart attack”, as it relates to Cheney, is merely a euphemism for “another vampire hunter almost staked him through the heart again”.

    As far as Christie goes, the weight thing is silly and anyone who mentions it is silly. It reminds me of how the right wing nutballs are all obsessed with trying to make Michelle Obama out to be some kind of obese, mean, hypocritical witch of a woman. If Christie has other more valid health issues then focus on those. Regardless, everyone would be better served focusing on the fact that he’s a bully, a self-serving jerk, and someone who’s rung up quite the long list of ethical issues in his short time in politics.

  35. 35.

    Warren Terra

    October 3, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    I’m going to call Chris Christie Chunky Jon Huntsman if he gets into the race

    I’m not aware that Huntsman is so habitually and manifestly corrupt, nor that Christie is as accomplished as Huntsman professionally or has bravely spoken sanity to the insane party on several issues (not to go overboard in my love for Huntsman, as he has a truly insane fiscal platform that would have been seen as unacceptably skewed to the rich for any serious Republican candidate even eight years ago).

  36. 36.

    hells littlest angel

    October 3, 2011 at 5:35 pm

    Well, if his running mate was, say, Michele Bachmann, his weight would matter a whole lot. (And if his running mate was Bernie Sanders, I guess it would also matter a lot.) It’s all about the suddenly keeling over dead.

  37. 37.

    Amir Khalid

    October 3, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    @tBone:
    Big Baby DougJ is arguing, as Zandar did earlier, that being fat, per se, shouldn’t disqualify Christie from consideration as a possible president. If obesity hasn’t hindered his functioning as governor, you could argue that it shouldn’t keep him from functioning as president. William Taft managed it, after all.

    True, his obesity makes him physically unattractive, and that does diminish his appeal as a candidate. If he’s aware of that and still decides to run for president — well, that’s his call. Any American who feels that having a president built like Mr Creosote is a national embarrassment (and they may even be right at that) is free not to vote for him.

    It may be that his health would not stand up to a presidential run, given his asthma among other things, but that’s for him and his doctor to decide. By the way, a cancer survivor in his seventies got all the way through the 2008 presidential campaign and is still a sitting Republican senator.

  38. 38.

    Nevgu

    October 3, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    So you are a Christie apologist now???

    Where were you when Gore was called fat? When Obama was being called a Chicago thug for putting his feet up on the desk? When Obama was being unAmerican for putting Grey Poupon on his burger?

    Where were you for the thousands upon thousands of other faux controversies all based on appearances?

    Who the fuk do you think you are kidding with this crap BBD?

  39. 39.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    Chris Christie is an obnoxious fat fuck who is about 6 months and 40 pounds from needing a hover-round fatty scooter. He just happens to be an asshole as well.

    It takes work to be as girthful as he is – he’s obviously an addictive personality, and more than a stress eater.

  40. 40.

    Ed in NJ

    October 3, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    Seems that Politico’s piece today about a Christie “front porch campaign” is a tacit admission that he can’t handle the campaign trail, although it is couched in some “he’s too important to NJ” bullshit.

  41. 41.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    @redshirt:

    Two words: Presidential Hoveround.

    Two more words – Baron Harkonnen.

    http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsM/11732-5459.gif

  42. 42.

    Steve

    October 3, 2011 at 5:41 pm

    It’s dumb to talk about his weight because it’s so obviously non-substantive that it makes you sound like you have no good objections to the guy, because if you did you’d surely be talking about those instead. One of the signs of inevitable doom for the Corzine campaign was when they started taking veiled shots at his weight. The issue didn’t exactly turn things around for Corzine, to say the least.

    Even if you want to jump up and down and scream that it’s a real issue because of health blah blah blah, it’s still dumb politics because most overweight voters (and that’s most of us) are going to take that stuff personally. Yeah, I know, you only mean because he’s morbidly obese and you’re not talking about the guy who is 30 pounds over. That doesn’t matter. That guy is still going to think you’re a jerk for bringing it up.

    Heck, I hate Christie with a passion and I still get annoyed by the fat stuff, just because it’s such a reliably cheap way to mock anyone you don’t like.

  43. 43.

    Jenny

    October 3, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    @Ash Can:

    it’s not the obesity in and of itself.

    That is simply false. Obesity is a killer.

    Excess body fat associated with high body mass index (BMI) carries an increased risk of premature death. Obese patients (BMI 30+) have a 50-100 percent increased risk of death from all causes, compared with individuals of normal weight (BMI 20–25). Very severe overweight such as morbid obesity (BMI 40+) and malignant obesity (BMI 50+) carries a still higher risk of dying younger. Most of the increased risk is attributable to cardiovascular causes.

    Morbidly obese white males between 20 and 30 years old with a body mass index exceeding 45, can shorten their life expectancy by 13 years.

  44. 44.

    MBunge

    October 3, 2011 at 5:43 pm

    “There is no way that someone of Christie’s girth could possibly make it through the campaign season in good health”

    Christie’s weight should have no more bearing on his ability to be President. Whether he can handle the demands of a national campaign in the only real issue.

    Mike

  45. 45.

    PeakVT

    October 3, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    OT@DougJ: Do you know people who work at Kodak? I’ve seen a bit of speculation about the company lately, and I was wondering what the work atmosphere is like right now. How would Rochester react if was bought by a company like Nikon?

  46. 46.

    Joel

    October 3, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    The only physical defect should be making fun of in Chris Christie is the fact that he’s a giant, puckering asshole.

  47. 47.

    Quaker in a Basement

    October 3, 2011 at 5:46 pm

    Wait. Christie’s weight isn’t a disability in the same class as Bachmann’s insanity or Bush’s cognitive failures?

    That’s setting the bar pretty low, doncha think?

  48. 48.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 5:46 pm

    Hell, Christie even sounds like Harkonnen.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWq15lDh8yM

    Sting does play the right sort of Koch-funded activist aid…

  49. 49.

    Redshift

    October 3, 2011 at 5:46 pm

    @Brachiator:

    There ain’t no constitutional directive about health, and short of some heavy duty ailments, I sincerely doubt that there are many doctors, and certainly no bloggers, who can reliably predict how an individual’s health, size or medical conditions can affect his or her ability to perform the job of president.

    Er, there are lots of things for which there is no constitutional directive that people try to judge when choosing a president. As in, almost all of them, and they’re all going to be judged by voters who are mostly not experts on them. So I don’t think armchair judgments about health are any more out of bounds than a lot of the other armchair judgments we discuss.

    However, since I know plenty of perfectly nice hefty people, I don’t particularly enjoy the fat jokes and the sneers about how it must be that he’s like that because he stuffs his face.

    He’s probably too fat to get elected president, but that’s a TV visual thing, and nothing we say is going to influence that one way or the other. What is not immediately obvious on-screen is that he’s a bully and a major asshole, and I’d rather spend my time making sure more people know it than plugging his name into every fat joke you’ve ever heard.

  50. 50.

    aisce

    October 3, 2011 at 5:46 pm

    Chunky Jon Huntsman

    this seems awfully generous to jon huntsman. and his electoral credibility and name recognition.

  51. 51.

    Southern Beale

    October 3, 2011 at 5:47 pm

    Well, I’m tired of this shit. Why is it OK for Republicans to talk about Al Gore’s weight and Michael Moore’s weight and Hillary Clinton’s cankles, but Chris Christie’s weight isn’t allowed to be part of the conversation?

    And I”m tired of people telling me not to talk about stuff.

    Actually, I haven’t even talked about Chris Christie’s weight at all, but really, is it a shock to anyone that we live in a visually-driven society where appearance matters? Suddenly this shit doesn’t matter because a potential Republican presidential candidate is fat? Fuck that shit.

    if Sarah Palin looked like Chris Christie, would she even have a career? If Joe The Plumber looked like Chris Christie, would he have become an overnight sensation?

    C’mon. Give me a fucking break.

    In other news, if you haven’s seen the Fox News interview with an Occupy Wall Street protestor that they refused to air, I’ve got the video posted. It’s pretty awesome.

  52. 52.

    fasteddie9318

    October 3, 2011 at 5:47 pm

    As The Other Chuck said, the guy isn’t just fat, he’s been hospitalized for serious problems brought on by that weight. The weight by itself shouldn’t matter, but the weight plus health risks plus the fact that he’d have to run with some batshit crazy fucker like Steve King or Bachmann to keep the teatards in line? Yeah, sorry, that matters.

  53. 53.

    Catsy

    October 3, 2011 at 5:49 pm

    @Jenny:

    If he was a pilot for a commercial airline, he would be grounded.

    Mostly because his plane wouldn’t get off the ground with a full passenger load.

    But snark and humor aside, on a substantial level it really is about his health, not his weight. Being fat per se makes good fodder for political humor but isn’t a campaign issue. Being so morbidly obese that it calls the stability of your health into question is.

  54. 54.

    Comrade Colette Collaboratrice

    October 3, 2011 at 5:49 pm

    So, are people who think he’s too fat to run for/be president Girthers?

  55. 55.

    Southern Beale

    October 3, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    @ornery:

    Yeah, it’s not like he’s gay.

    Or atheist!!

    :-)

  56. 56.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    @Jenny:

    That is simply false. Obesity is a killer.

    Unless you have a shload of money like Lord Lardbaugh, in which case, your docs can monitor you constantly and give you all kinds of pharmaceutical therapies to keep your fat ass going while feeding your multiple addictions.

  57. 57.

    wrb

    October 3, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    At least he won’t be able to flip-flop.

    Might wobble though.

  58. 58.

    Anonymous At Work

    October 3, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    The asthma and the hospital time for obesity-exacerbated conditions are fair game.
    The political liabilities are more significant. First, lack of weight control would be correlated with lack of personal control and discipline. Second, the question he’ll be forced to answer is “How would you get health insurance without government help?” to which he has no good answer because someone of his weight would not be able to get insurance. Period.

  59. 59.

    amk

    October 3, 2011 at 5:51 pm

    How many more such weighty pieces? Talk about left being distracted so easily.

  60. 60.

    eemom

    October 3, 2011 at 5:52 pm

    You know, this is really fucking ridiculous.

    This is not about discrimination against obese people.

    It is not about making fun of fat people.

    It is not about why Christie is obese. It is not about whether some people can be obese and also be healthy.

    It’s about whether this particular man is physically qualified to undertake the most stressful job on earth. The fact is he’s NOT, because he IS morbidly obese, and not “healthily” obese, as is demonstrated by the fact that he already suffers adverse health effects as a result of his obese condition.

    This bending over backwards to pretend that those facts are TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT to his fitness to serve as president is, in fact, pure PC bullshit.

    Who thought it was irrelevant that McCain was 72 years old and a cancer survivor? Why was it so particularly bad for Palin to be the VP pick of a person in his condition?

    The physical condition of a person who proposes to be president IS a fucking issue.

  61. 61.

    Gwiwer

    October 3, 2011 at 5:52 pm

    @Jenny: Oh bugger off with this “increased risk of premature death” nonsense. Tons of things can increase your risk for premature death. Hell, the fact that Obama was, and might still be, a smoker, should have disqualified him for office by this measure since 1 in 3 smokers will die prematurely from a smoking related illness. If Christie shouldn’t run because he’s fat, then Obama shouldn’t run for reelection because of the smoking thing. If you’re willing to single out one isolated issue in one candidate, then you can start doing it with all of them.

  62. 62.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 5:52 pm

    @Anonymous At Work:

    First, lack of weight control would be correlated with lack of personal control and discipline. Second, the question he’ll be forced to answer is “How would you get health insurance without government help?” to which he has no good answer because someone of his weight would not be able to get insurance. Period.

    This.

  63. 63.

    jl

    October 3, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    I’m not interested in a fatso attack on Christie.

    Who will be able to run any more? Athletes? With no history of concussion? I guess that leaves marathon runners. No more football heroes, though Jack Kemp would be disqualified among the current GOP base for being too sane and optimistic and well intentioned.

    Christie is fat.
    Obama has a history of smoking. And VP Biden had a cerebral aneurysm.
    Clinton was not has fat as Christie, but he was a human garbage disposal long enough to clog his coronary arteries.
    Reagan was too old.
    FDR had polio, but that meant more than that he had weak legs. Polio can produce complications that do serious harm to many organ systems. Which may be why FDR was a physical wreck towards the end of his third term, and he smoked too.

    Who was the healthiest recent president, the doctors said physically he was 20 years younger than his physical age? I don’t want to sign for Dub again.

    I read that Taft was so fat, he needed to use a supersize bathtub, and had one installed in the WH. I figure if Christie can slip into a normal sized tub, then let it rest. Maybe we can get the national affairs press to do a bathtub investigation. As long as there are no candid camera shots, I might read it.

  64. 64.

    nancydarling

    October 3, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    I suspect his pancreas is hysterical most of the time from trying to regulate his blood sugar. It could explain his sometimes (always?) short fuse. I had an air line stewardess friend who had extreme hypoglycemia. Before she was diagnosed she said it was all she could do not to scream and swear at passengers. Here are the symptoms of hyperinsulinemia which is a precursor to diabetes: Temporary muscle weakness, brain fog, fatigue,temporary thought disorder, or inability to concentrate, visual problems such as blurred vision or double vision, headaches, shaking/trembling, thirst.

  65. 65.

    Mary

    October 3, 2011 at 5:56 pm

    If the issue is his health, and many of you assure us that it is, then why can’t we just say that his respiratory problems are likely to impair his ability to do the job. Whether they are correlated to his weight is irrelevant. A thin person with severe respiratory problems with have the same impairment. So why don’t we just disucss the actual documented health problems rather than the correlated aesthetics.

  66. 66.

    Jay B.

    October 3, 2011 at 5:56 pm

    Mortality is kind of a prerequisite for life you know, so I don’t know how that’s a DQ for the Presidency. Christie is a hateful fucker all by himself, no matter how big that fucker is. Run against his personality and his record. Let the fat speak for itself.

  67. 67.

    Rafer Janders

    October 3, 2011 at 5:56 pm

    Look, this is all beside the point. In the TV age, Christie is simply too fat to get elected. That’s just the way it is. Same would be true if he was bald, or had a beard or a goatee, or was five feet two inches tall, or was cross-eyed, or had scissorhands, etc. — he wouldn’t be able to get elected.

    Americans elect as president people who look like an idealized movie version of what a president should look like — it’s shallow, but there it is. And there’s no way a guy who looks like Bobby Bacala from The Sopranos can stand on stage next to Barack Obama and not turn off a significant number of voters.

    Rule number one for running for president? Your appearance, in and of itself, cannot make you a figure of fun.

  68. 68.

    Lojasmo

    October 3, 2011 at 5:57 pm

    @Brachiator:

    Actually, the studies are multivariate analyses which also show that when corpulent people exercise, their cognitive abilities INCREASE when their weight declines.

    So there.

  69. 69.

    Ash Can

    October 3, 2011 at 5:57 pm

    @Jenny: I basically agree with your statistics. (Just out of curiosity, though, what’s your source?) However, these are problems that manifest themselves over time, and if we’re looking at a window of four years, eight years tops, someone who’s obese with no other health problems is still a decent bet. William Perry was arguably obese while he played for the Bears, and did in fact develop serious health problems in recent years, but his health would have held out fine if he were running for president rather than playing football.

    I’m not saying that obesity isn’t a health concern. And I’m not saying it doesn’t raise a red flag and raise questions of overall health, particularly for a high-stress job. But in and of itself, if there are no other problems, it shouldn’t automatically bar someone from the oval office.

  70. 70.

    Southern Beale

    October 3, 2011 at 5:58 pm

    HOLY FUCKING SHIT I NEED TO MOVE.

    Nashville’s Belmont University (which last year fired a lesbian for announcing she was having a baby with her partner) has hired Alberto fucking Gonzalez to teach at its college of law.

  71. 71.

    aisce

    October 3, 2011 at 5:58 pm

    @ warren terra

    nor that Christie is as accomplished as Huntsman professionally or has bravely spoken sanity to the insane party on several issues (not to go overboard in my love for Huntsman

    not to go overboard…lol.

    because you wouldn’t want us to think you’re a lily white republican ratfucker douchebag, would you?

  72. 72.

    Amir Khalid

    October 3, 2011 at 5:59 pm

    @Southern Beale:

    Why is it OK for Republicans to talk about Al Gore’s weight and Michael Moore’s weight and Hillary Clinton’s cankles, but Chris Christie’s weight isn’t allowed to be part of the conversation?

    Because your side are supposed to be the good guys. And the good guys never hit below the, um, belt — even when the bad guys do. I’m not saying this to be glib.

  73. 73.

    amk

    October 3, 2011 at 6:00 pm

    christie’s qualifications

    http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/politicalcartoons/ig/Political-Cartoons/Chris-Christie-s-Qualifications.htm

  74. 74.

    lacp

    October 3, 2011 at 6:00 pm

    I don’t give shit about his goddam weight. I do give a shit about the alleged corrupt practices when he was a federal attorney that nobody seems to remember now.

  75. 75.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 6:01 pm

    @eemom:

    The physical condition of a person who proposes to be president IS a fucking issue.

    Imagine the pride one would feel at hearing his hover-round whir up the aisle, as he prepared to give his State of the Union address while chomping on a giant sub sandwich?

  76. 76.

    Jenny

    October 3, 2011 at 6:02 pm

    I can’t believe there are so many fat apologists on this blog.

    This is the liberal version of being a climate-change-denier.

    The science is in and it is conclusive: morbid obesity is a killer. Period.

    Being morbidly obese, not simply overweight, is significant risk of sudden death.

    Just ask Tim Russert. Oh yeah, you can’t.

  77. 77.

    SiubhanDuinne

    October 3, 2011 at 6:03 pm

    @Comrade Colette Collaboratrice:

    Okay, that’s good, made me laugh.

  78. 78.

    Baron Jrod of Keeblershire

    October 3, 2011 at 6:03 pm

    @Southern Beale: Who says it’s “ok” for Republicans to pull this sort of shit? The constant jabbering about Gore’s weight makes Republicans sound petty, stupid, and untrustworthy. Nobody was ever actually convinced that global warming was fake because Al is fat. They already rejected global warming, and just needed some simple way to dismiss the guy who was saying things they didn’t want to hear. It was nothing more than a mean joke for true believers to pass around. Everybody else thinks they were being assholes.

    If that’s what you want from your own side, have at it.

  79. 79.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 6:04 pm

    @Southern Beale:

    Nashville’s Belmont University (which last year fired a lesbian for announcing she was having a baby with her partner) has hired Alberto fucking Gonzalez to teach at its college of law.

    Note to self – have discussion with middle daughter about how Belmont is NOT as good a choice for her next year as she thought it was. That interest came out of left field.

  80. 80.

    Jenny

    October 3, 2011 at 6:07 pm

    Christie is so debilitated by his poor health, he couldn’t even walk 100 yards to see his son’s baseball game. He need to be transported.

    Christie disembarked from the helicopter and got into a black car with tinted windows that drove him about a 100 yards to the baseball field. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/gov_christie_arrives_at_sons_h.html

  81. 81.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 6:09 pm

    @Jenny:

    I can’t believe there are so many fat apologists on this blog.

    If you really want to have fun, go over to Kos and talk about the excess costs brought about by medicare/medicaid funded fatty scooters. You can practically hear the tears trickling down layers of fat, kind of like a multi-layered mountain brook in springtime.

  82. 82.

    Alex S.

    October 3, 2011 at 6:10 pm

    Stop focusing on it, yes, shutting up about it, no. His weight doesn’t disqualify him by default, but it might…

  83. 83.

    lacp

    October 3, 2011 at 6:10 pm

    @Jenny: Not denying the health risks of obesity, but if he flames out with a supernova heart attack, that’s his problem. If he engages in corrupt crony capitalism, that’s our problem.

  84. 84.

    Gilles de Rais

    October 3, 2011 at 6:10 pm

    President-elect Truffle Shuffle is fat. And I don’t mean chunky, nor well-fed, nor packing a few extra pounds, but grossly, sickeningly obese.

    The guy can’t even walk 200 yards. How on earth do you think he could handle the presidency? Clinton walked right out of the Oval Office and into an operating room for lifesaving cardiac surgery, and he wasn’t anywhere the kind of fat that President-elect Truffle Shuffle is.

  85. 85.

    Ash Can

    October 3, 2011 at 6:11 pm

    @Rafer Janders: That’s not the issue. What DougJ is saying is that it shouldn’t be like that.

  86. 86.

    B W Smith

    October 3, 2011 at 6:12 pm

    @Rafer Janders: I basically agree with your assessment. It is not politically correct to openly make fun of someone’s appearance. Since liberals are supposed to be more open to judging folks on their accomplishments and not appearance, it makes sense that we would admonish those on our side that partake in these activities. In reality, we are just as prone to making judgments based on appearance as anyone else. We usually just don’t voice them publicly. It doesn’t stop our minds from going there. Many low info voters make decisions with added emphasis on appearance and demeanor. Both put Christie at a disadvantage. Like it or not, that’s how it is.

    BTW, where were all the post defending Mitch Daniels’ height? As a height-challenged person, I am personally offended. Christie could lose weight. Poor Mitch is long past growing any taller.

  87. 87.

    Cassidy

    October 3, 2011 at 6:13 pm

    @Amir Khalid: You fight to win. Period. Anything less is begging to lose.

  88. 88.

    Gilles de Rais

    October 3, 2011 at 6:13 pm

    I can’t believe there are so many fat apologists on this blog.

    @Jenny: Me either. Agree with everything you said.

  89. 89.

    Bobby D

    October 3, 2011 at 6:16 pm

    Yeah, I’m just gonna go ahead and be the turd in the punchbowl and say I don’t want a fat fuck as my president, period. There are surely people with bona-fide medical reasons for obesity. For Christx2, I’m not seeing it or hearing it. It’s a lack of discipline and sets a poor example for our already fat as fuck children. He might be fit enough to run a KFC and a fine example of what a steady diet of KFC will do to you, but he ain’t fit enough to run my country.

    Now let’s get that hate train rollin’ on me in 4…3…2…1…

  90. 90.

    something fabulous

    October 3, 2011 at 6:17 pm

    @Jenny: The real point, I think, is to make people re-think this “oh, we couldn’t possibly elect such a fat man” complacency, before it has a chance to take hold. Think of all of the people, Republican (and Democratic primary challengers) who thought or said or planned their strategies around, “America isn’t ready for an African-American President.” Yet look where we are!

    You see how bonkers people are going looking for an alternative. To me, it’s about taking any comments about his weight as a pivot point, “What Christie does or thinks about his weight is between him, his family, and possibly his doctor. What’s important is his stance on___ [whichever of the many appalling things you’d like].” Chiding our own side for being too PC seems to me to be pushing against our strong leg.

  91. 91.

    Jenny

    October 3, 2011 at 6:18 pm

    Not a single doctor, not a single person in health care, not a single scientist will tell you that being morbidly obese isn’t a dire health concern. Not.One.

    Yet the “realty based” community, who purports to love science, is in denial on this issue.

    Keep eating yourself to an early grave.

  92. 92.

    Southern Beale

    October 3, 2011 at 6:21 pm

    @Yevgraf:

    Sorry to break the news.

    Belmont is a good school but they do some wackadoodle shit. And despite hosting a nationally-televised presidential debate in 2008, they clearly are not ready for prime-time.

  93. 93.

    Baron Jrod of Keeblershire

    October 3, 2011 at 6:21 pm

    Because I think using fucking slurs against fat people is stupid and assholish, I’m a “fat apologist”? Ok then. And I suppose if I fail to call Herman Cain a nigger that makes me a black apologist. And if I fail to call Michele Bachmann a c#nt I’m a woman apologist.

    Some of you people are just looking for a group you can hate, little different from any other bigots. Don’t use electoral politics as a cover for your bigotry. Own it, you assholes.

  94. 94.

    El Tiburon

    October 3, 2011 at 6:22 pm

    But you can’t convince me that his weight is a legitimate issue.

    Legitimate? WTF? You can pretend all you want, but his weight is going to be an issue. Period. That it is legitimate or not is besides the point. Itis already an issue and will continue to be an issue.

    Whether we admit it or not, it matters to us if a person is fat. Thats why all the former fatties get a standing O when theyn lose the buck- fifty.

    Why is this such a big fucking deal around here?

  95. 95.

    aisce

    October 3, 2011 at 6:25 pm

    i feel like jenny was forced to attend fat camp as a child. either that, or she’s planning to be immortal.

    this has now gone beyond simple advocacy. there’s some weird psychology going on here.

  96. 96.

    Amir Khalid

    October 3, 2011 at 6:26 pm

    @Cassidy:
    When Obama criticizes Republican debate audiences for booing an American soldier, and Republican candidates for not speaking up, he said, “That’s not who we are.” What do you think Obama meant by that?

  97. 97.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 6:27 pm

    @Baron Jrod of Keeblershire:

    Own it, you assholes.

    Sounds like somebody’s got a half gallon of ice cream waiting to be eaten, but the spoons are all in the dishwasher, awaiting the rinse cycle….

  98. 98.

    El Tiburon

    October 3, 2011 at 6:27 pm

    And let me be clear: I am in no way endorsing slurs or hatred against obese people and I do apologize for the ‘fatties’ remark.

    It’s the same argument if some woman was running and she had like big giant titties. Those big yabos don’t mean she ain’t qualified, just that it will be an issue and probably a disqualifying issue. Or a dude with a gigantic lantern jaw like Jay Leno. Appearance matters.

  99. 99.

    Jenny

    October 3, 2011 at 6:29 pm

    It’s stunning.

    It was liberal boomers who began the movement towards healthy eating and healthy lifestyles in the late 60s and 70s.

    It was liberals who began the movement to move away from fried foods, from red meat, from tri-glycerides, and from sugar.

    It was liberals who began the movement to strength cardiovascular activity.

    It was liberals who began the movement towards organic foods and away from pesticides and hormones.

    It was all based on reason, logic, and science.

    So it is beyond stunning to see some liberals say a morbid obese person can physically cope in a high stress environment, despite all the studies, evidence, and science.

    Shame on you.

    Tim Russert is rolling over in his grave.

  100. 100.

    Ash Can

    October 3, 2011 at 6:29 pm

    @Jenny: The issue is this: Obesity in and of itself doesn’t guarantee that a person will die before his/her presidential term is up, it doesn’t guarantee that a person is physically or mentally incapable of performing the duties of the highest office in the land, and it doesn’t guarantee that a person is morally unfit to hold high office. That’s DougJ’s point.

    Does it guarantee that a person is likely to develop serious problems at an indeterminate time in the future? Of course; that’s why it’s a serious health concern. But should it bar someone from holding high office, in and of itself, when all other health issues are absent? DougJ is saying it shouldn’t, and I agree with him.

    ETA: Liberals don’t believe in discrimination, either.

  101. 101.

    Brachiator

    October 3, 2011 at 6:31 pm

    @Redshift:

    Er, there are lots of things for which there is no constitutional directive that people try to judge when choosing a president. As in, almost all of them, and they’re all going to be judged by voters who are mostly not experts on them. So I don’t think armchair judgments about health are any more out of bounds than a lot of the other armchair judgments we discuss.

    I didn’t say that armchair judgments about health are out of bounds.

    I said that they are particularly uninformed.

    @Lojasmo:

    Actually, the studies are multivariate analyses which also show that when corpulent people exercise, their cognitive abilities INCREASE when their weight declines.

    Fancier words for “studies don’t necessarily mean squat.”

    So there.

    @Jenny:

    Christie is so debilitated by his poor health, he couldn’t even walk 100 yards to see his son’s baseball game. He need to be transported.

    Three words. William Howard Taft. Probably our fattest president. And later, Chief Justice of the United States. Had some medical issues. Whether it significantly impeded his abilities to do his job, who can say?

  102. 102.

    Uncle Clarence Thomas

    October 3, 2011 at 6:31 pm

    .
    .
    Please, people. Christie Christie weighs 911 pounds only to honor our Fallen Heroes and to Never Forget. That’s how much he loves America – unlike you petty lookists.

    Aside from that, I am pleased to see that balloonbaggers would rather have a bony-ass Jane Hamsher as president than an overweight man.
    .
    .

  103. 103.

    Alex S.

    October 3, 2011 at 6:31 pm

    @Baron Jrod of Keeblershire:

    Small difference: Cain was born black and Bachmann was born female.

  104. 104.

    Baron Jrod of Keeblershire

    October 3, 2011 at 6:31 pm

    @Yevgraf: I’m not fat.

    I’m not black or female either. It’s called empathy, you jackass.

    But thanks for confirming that this is all about finding a target that’s ok to hate and denigrate. Just don’t fool yourself that you’re any different from any other brand of bigot.

  105. 105.

    Elie

    October 3, 2011 at 6:32 pm

    @Gwiwer:

    I personally think that during one of those bouts, Cheney suffered some brain damage that added to his sweet personality and aggressiveness. I think that its a huge issue and he should have never been allowed to run as VP once, much less the second term.

    Yes, physical attributes and medical history matter and SHOULD matter, all political correctness aside. If we are just speaking of appearance, it has its impacts, but structural conditions that impact health, vigor and the ability to handle the demands of the office are totally valid and on point. We can discuss this and are — which is good. But its not a hushup issue to me — should be right on and I think its up to the candidate — in this case, Christie, to show that it is not an issue. How? Through being candid if he is asked about his health history and/or any issues. His appearance is an intangible that every candidate has to endure — whether skinny, slump shouldered, bald or whatever. Humans care about physical appearance and we have had all kinds of Presidents — short, tall, fat, skinny and points in between — so physical issues can be overcome. Its not done however by shutting people up.

  106. 106.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 6:33 pm

    @El Tiburon:

    It’s the same argument if some woman was running and she had like big giant titties. Those big yabos don’t mean she ain’t qualified, just that it will be an issue and probably a disqualifying issue.

    Speaking just for me, it wouldn’t be disqualifying. I’d forget about policy questions, but that’s just how I roll.

  107. 107.

    Keith

    October 3, 2011 at 6:33 pm

    Christie’s hospitalization for breathing problems a couple of months ago isn’t cause for concern? He is gonna have to show medical records on this one to make me disregard that.

  108. 108.

    Yevgraf

    October 3, 2011 at 6:35 pm

    @Baron Jrod of Keeblershire:

    It’s called empathy, you jackass.

    Empathy is overrated, and wasted on Koch funded assholes.

  109. 109.

    PeakVT

    October 3, 2011 at 6:36 pm

    How about this: let’s put off the discussion of Christie’s fatness and its possible ill effects until the fucker actually gets into the FSM-damn race? He’s not in, and at the rate the various states are moving their primaries forward, the issue may be moot by the end of the week.

  110. 110.

    Amir Khalid

    October 3, 2011 at 6:36 pm

    Within the next few weeks. Chris Christie might well affirm what he’s been saying all year: “I told you people, I’m not running for president!” And then all the fun of this merry little back-and-forth will be over.

  111. 111.

    Baron Jrod of Keeblershire

    October 3, 2011 at 6:36 pm

    @Jenny: My 400 lb. friend bikes 10-20 miles a day and eats far more healthful food than my 190 lb. ass. Every single time he gets a checkup he’s told that his cardiovascular health is as good as they come.

    He’s still working on losing weight, though. Not because his health depends on it in any way, but because he knows that worthless pieces of shit like you are constantly making false judgements about him.

    Fuck you, bigot.

  112. 112.

    Alex S.

    October 3, 2011 at 6:37 pm

    @Baron Jrod of Keeblershire:

    Small difference: People here don’t hate Christie because he’s fat, we hate him because he’s rude and corrupt.

  113. 113.

    aisce

    October 3, 2011 at 6:39 pm

    @ jenny

    what is with you and tim russert? this is the craziest fucking thread.

    @ keith

    He is gonna have to show medical records on this one to make me disregard that.

    were you considering voting for him otherwise? seriously, what the fuck is going on in this thread?

  114. 114.

    Redshift

    October 3, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    @eemom:

    It is not about why Christie is obese. It is not about whether some people can be obese and also be healthy.

    If that were true, I’d have no problem with it. Instead, we seem to have a steady stream of “fat fuck” and cracks about him eating other candidates. This thread is about the only one about Christie that hasn’t been full of that, perhaps because the premise of the post has everyone who normally does that scrambling to put a polite face on it.

  115. 115.

    Samara Morgan

    October 3, 2011 at 6:41 pm

    @Kola Noscopy: yup. the MasterTroll rides again.
    Christie is unelectable because of teh FAT.
    Everything else is irrelevant.

  116. 116.

    Brachiator

    October 3, 2011 at 6:41 pm

    @Keith:

    Christie’s hospitalization for breathing problems a couple of months ago isn’t cause for concern?

    It may be a cause for concern. None of the posters here are necessarily able to make any intelligent judgment about what it means. We would have to depend on some medical experts to explain it to us. And maybe not even then.

  117. 117.

    Redshift

    October 3, 2011 at 6:41 pm

    @Brachiator:

    I didn’t say that armchair judgments about health are out of bounds.
    I said that they are particularly uninformed.

    Fair enough.

  118. 118.

    Baron Jrod of Keeblershire

    October 3, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    @Yevgraf: Is empathy also wasted on the millions of other people you also denigrate along with Christie?

    Or maybe you just don’t really think of anyone with a BMI over 25 as fully human.

    @Alex S.: And you think fatness is a thing that can be turned off like a light switch? Christie could start a regimen tomorrow and still be fat two years from now. It’s not as simple as snapping your fingers. How things were the day he was born doesn’t matter anymore.

  119. 119.

    Baron Jrod of Keeblershire

    October 3, 2011 at 6:44 pm

    @Alex S.:

    People here don’t hate Christie because he’s fat

    Bullshit. Maybe you don’t hate Christie because he’s fat. Yevgraf and Jenny very clearly do.

  120. 120.

    Southern Beale

    October 3, 2011 at 6:50 pm

    @Brachiator:

    Three words. William Howard Taft.

    LOL. Why is it Republicans are allowed to be fat and Democrats aren’t? Oh right, IOKIYAR.

    Well, Taft was a one-term president. So, ’nuff said.

    Interestingly, Taft was a trust-buster and advocated anti-corporate policies that would get him labeled “Socaial ist” today.

  121. 121.

    Alex S.

    October 3, 2011 at 6:51 pm

    @Baron Jrod of Keeblershire:

    I’m pretty sure they don’t. They hate him because he’s a republican and they’re happy warriors.

    @Baron Jrod of Keeblershire:

    Simple. If it’s a medical condition it’s off-limits as a political attack. If it’s a testimony of his character it’s fair game. And in both cases, the medical consequences have to be considered.

  122. 122.

    Samara Morgan

    October 3, 2011 at 6:52 pm

    @Redshift: no one cares about what liberals think of Christie. HIS BASE thinks hes fat and fugly.
    He CANT BE ELECTED in a general election.
    @whichever of you slines said this.

    his ability to be governor or to be a federal prosecutor.

    sure he can be elected in Distributed Jesusland, in a local election.
    but not nationally.
    the guy is a whale. so display all the empathy for fatsos you want juicers.
    it doesnt matter.

  123. 123.

    Rafer Janders

    October 3, 2011 at 6:52 pm

    @Ash Can:

    No, what DougJ is saying that it is like that: “But you can’t convince me that his weight is a legitimate issue.”

    But it is. His weight is a legitimate issue by the mere fact that it’s an issue, whether legitimate or not, with a large number of voters, same as if he had green skin or three heads or a vestigial tail. Should it matter? Perhaps no. Does it matter? Yes. And if it does, it does. If a large number of voters are physically repulsed by the very sight of you, then I’m sorry, but high-level presidential politics in a media age may not be for you.

    Chris Christie will never be president because he’s too fat. It’s as simple as that.

  124. 124.

    Southern Beale

    October 3, 2011 at 6:53 pm

    @Amir Khalid:

    Because your side are supposed to be the good guys. And the good guys never hit below the, um, belt …

    And we lose. We get labeled weak-kneed and terrorist appeasers.

    Sick of this shit.

    Christie couldn’t get re-elected governor, let alone president. The entire conversation is a waste of time.

  125. 125.

    Rafer Janders

    October 3, 2011 at 6:56 pm

    The issue is this: Obesity in and of itself doesn’t guarantee that a person will die before his/her presidential term is up, it doesn’t guarantee that a person is physically or mentally incapable of performing the duties of the highest office in the land, and it doesn’t guarantee that a person is morally unfit to hold high office. That’s DougJ’s point.

    Getting good and drunk and then drag racing down a darkened highway at 150 miles per hour also doesn’t in and of itself guarantee that a person will crash and burn. But it sure doesn’t help, and it’s behavior that a prudent and responsible person should avoid.

  126. 126.

    lacp

    October 3, 2011 at 6:58 pm

    I’ve seen a number of threads get carried away at this site, but this kinda takes the cake. Wild foaming-at-the-mouth accusations at fellow pseudonymous net denizens about….the first-term governor of New Jersey’s suit size. It’s really….special. And I don’t mean that in a good way.

  127. 127.

    Rafer Janders

    October 3, 2011 at 6:58 pm

    @Ash Can:

    I agree with him too. But whether or not we do, the fact is that it will bar him from winning. So at this point any discussions about whether it should or shouldn’t are basically irrelevant.

  128. 128.

    Gwiwer

    October 3, 2011 at 7:02 pm

    @Elie: Of course physical health can be an issue which is why I mentioned that if Christie has other serious health problems it would be an issue. Just being fat though doesn’t really cut it. I mean, what if he pulls a Huckabee and loses an impressive amount of weight? Would that somehow magically make him more qualified for office than he is now?

    Health is such an intangible thing that’s so hard to judge just from looking at someone. Who would have thought Jim Fixx would have died from a massive heart attack while jogging? Meanwhile, my grandfather was a slightly overweight diabetic who lived almost into his 90’s. Even after he had a couple of strokes and a few complications from the diabetes, he was still in relatively good condition for his age despite his health issues. My aunt was a relatively healthy woman who seemed to be doing just fine and she ended up dying in her 40’s from colon cancer. One moment she was a normal healthy individual and in a matter of weeks she was so sick she was in a hospital bed practically in a coma. This stuff is impossible to predict just based on superficial outside appearances. If Christie manifests some serious health problems then it becomes an issue. Until then, it just seems silly to point out that he’s fat and may get sick some day. You can, and many wingnuts do, assume similar things from the fact that Obama was a smoker for years and apparently still sneaks one here and there. I mean, we can’t know how that affects his physical health on top of the stress of being president, but I’m not going to assume, based on no other evidence, that Obama must be a health train wreck waiting to happen. I think you need something a wee bit more substantive than a candidate being a smoker/drinker/fat/whatever before you start jumping to conclusions about what this means for their physical health in the short term. For instance, I do think it was reasonable for people to worry about McCain’s health based on his multiple bouts with cancer, advanced age, and bizarre behavior during the course of the campaign. In that case, it was a multitude of correlating factors. If people had just been worried simply because he was old though, I would have thought that was a little cheap and silly.

  129. 129.

    BarbCat

    October 3, 2011 at 7:04 pm

    Christie just pads his billowing reputation by being driven 100 yards to & from a waiting helicopter he flew in to & from his son’s baseball game. 100 yards. That has little to do with him being fat, but lots to do with him being both lazy and exercise averse. 100 yards.

  130. 130.

    Emma

    October 3, 2011 at 7:06 pm

    @Yevgraf: Good God, someone went there. I have been hoping…. :D

  131. 131.

    Warren Terra

    October 3, 2011 at 7:08 pm

    @aisce:
    I’m sorry, who the fnck are you again?

  132. 132.

    Keith

    October 3, 2011 at 7:09 pm

    @aisce: No, but it does affect whether I believe he shouldn’t even be running. If he runs, he has a responsibility to show the public the records of his hospitalization to show if it is really asthma or a manifestation of heart disease. McCain’s cancer didn’t affect my vote, but the hurried peek at his records he allowed was bullshit – this is an extremely important job that requires a 4-year minimum commitment that takes a huge toll on – let’s face it – past-physical-prime individuals.

  133. 133.

    TXG1112

    October 3, 2011 at 7:09 pm

    Why the hell is any liberal/progressive/democrat what-have-you defending Christie? I know that “the left” has a pathological need to seem fair and unbiased, but really?! If the consensus is that he can’t get elected because he’s a fat fuck, let it be. Why would anyone who doesn’t want him to get elected spend one iota of effort trying to deflect criticism of his weight if it might help his cause? I just don’t get it. Efforts to seem fair and reasonable aren’t actually worth anything.

  134. 134.

    Amir Khalid

    October 3, 2011 at 7:11 pm

    @Samara Morgan:
    Yes, we know Fat Chris Christie is fat. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve mentioned it before. That Fat Chris Christie is fat. For some reason Fat Chris Christie’s fatness is all we can talk about right now, even though we don’t know yet (hell, he might not know yet) if Fat Chris Christie is running or not. You got something else to add about Fat Chris Christie?

  135. 135.

    Emma

    October 3, 2011 at 7:12 pm

    @Jenny: Jeez, super duper self-righteous much? Do they pay you to look down your nose at your fellow human beings or is that an inborn deficiency?

  136. 136.

    Elie

    October 3, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    @Gwiwer:

    I think that Christie was hospitalized recently. I think that he needs to be straighforward about the reason for that, don’t you?

    I generally agree that appearance by itself is not a fair criteria. That said, we all know appearance matters, if only on a subliminal level. We also know that all manner of appearance has been overcome by past Presidents, so while it matters, it DOES end up being about other criteria which matter more. As I said, it is up to Christie. He hasn’t thrown is hat into the ring yet. Once he does, he accepts all that comes with it, bad and good. I don’t believe that his fate would be determined by his weight, unless there are other factors. More likely to be the result of his own performance and ideas…

  137. 137.

    Brachiator

    October 3, 2011 at 7:15 pm

    @Southern Beale:

    Well, Taft was a one-term president. So, ‘nuff said.

    Don’t forget that Chief Justice of the Supreme Court thingy.

    Interestingly, Taft was a trust-buster and advocated anti-corporate policies that would get him labeled “Socaial ist” today.

    Yep. That’s worse than being fat to Tea Party boneheads.

  138. 138.

    Gwiwer

    October 3, 2011 at 7:16 pm

    @TXG1112:

    Well, you see, unlike the right that tends to goosestep right into line behind whatever mean-spirited authoritarian nonsense their party is up to, people on the left tend to have a sense of decency and fair play that makes them want to stand up for people, even loathsome people, when they are being attacked unfairly. If someone attacks Sarah Palin in a sexist way, I’ll stand up for her in that instance. If someone attacks Marco Rubio or Herman Cain on racial grounds, I’ll stand up for them in that instance. If someone attacks Romney for being a Morman, I’ll stand up for him in that instance. Despite being the right thing to do, the kind of win at any costs, keep throwing smears until they stick Rovian bullshit that makes people fall silent and accept loathsome behavior so long as it furthers your cause is one of the reasons this country is in so much trouble in the first place.

  139. 139.

    Lojasmo

    October 3, 2011 at 7:19 pm

    @Brachiator:

    So, an an anti-science zealot are you?

    Okay.

  140. 140.

    Elie

    October 3, 2011 at 7:23 pm

    This IS a crazy thread.

    I have to agree with Jenny. There is irrefutable morbidity and health impacts for being chronically obese. That has nothing to do with Christie or with any individual’s being heatlhy despite being obese —

    There are risks for obesity just like for any other physical attribute related to lifestyle and/or genetics. You can accept that without saying that someone with obesity cannot run for the Presidency. It is an attribute like many others that have to weighed, ahem…or evaluated.

  141. 141.

    Gwiwer

    October 3, 2011 at 7:27 pm

    @Elie:

    It’s hard to say anything substantive about his hospitalization since it’s being played off as a routine precaution due to his asthma. If that’s the truth, it’s probably not a big deal. People with asthma, regardless of their overall health, often will visit the hospital for precautionary reasons if their asthma acts up. If there’s something more to it, then I would say it’s an issue. All things considered, I don’t think it would be out of line for folks to demand more information about that should he decide to run.

  142. 142.

    Jenny

    October 3, 2011 at 7:35 pm

    I don’t hate people who are morbidly obese.

    I loved John Candy. Just loved him on “Second City TV” and in “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles”.

    I loved “Divine”. I just loved him in John Walter’s flicks.

    But guess what, Candy died at age 43 and Divine died at age 42.

    It’s a shame they left us too soon.

    There’s a whole host of people who died too soon because of their morbid obesity.

  143. 143.

    handsmile

    October 3, 2011 at 7:40 pm

    Just a couple of quick remarks because I deposited my one cent on this subject on today’s earlier Christie thread (a phrase some might consider oxymoronic):

    Keith (#107) alluded to this, but to make the point more emphatically: if Christie were to enter the GOP presidential sweepstakes, wouldn’t there be demands, for reasons neither necessarily malicious or trivial, for the public release of his personal medical records. That information could address many of the purported medical issues debated above. Failure to do so or the stonewalling of requests for that information would seem to jeopardize Christie’s candidacy (“What’s he hiding?”)

    Invoking William Howard Taft as a precedent for the irrelevance of obesity for an American president is preposterous. Taft served in that office from 1909-1913. The role, the demands, the responsibilities, the expectations of the Presidency in the 21st century, to say nothing of the American polity and society itself, bears almost no resemblance to that of one hundred years ago.

    PeakVT (#109): As a grizzled veteran of this place, has it been your experience that calls for reason and moderation are usually heeded?

  144. 144.

    Kola Noscopy

    October 3, 2011 at 7:41 pm

    @Steve:

    It’s dumb to talk about his weight because it’s so obviously non-substantive that it makes you sound like you have no good objections to the guy, because if you did you’d surely be talking about those instead.

    No, your comment is dumb.

    Who thinks like this? Do you really believe it is impossible to talk about only ONE thing per candidate per election cycle? This thread is about Christie’s dangerously high weight. There have been other threads about his performance/policies. It is possible to discuss both. But you knew that…

  145. 145.

    Kola Noscopy

    October 3, 2011 at 7:43 pm

    @Steve:

    Heck, I hate Christie with a passion and I still get annoyed by the fat stuff, just because it’s such a reliably cheap way to mock anyone you don’t like.

    Not a deep thinker, are ya?

  146. 146.

    Kola Noscopy

    October 3, 2011 at 7:48 pm

    @Redshift:

    What is not immediately obvious on-screen is that he’s a bully and a major asshole, and I’d rather spend my time making sure more people know it than plugging his name into every fat joke you’ve ever heard.

    So wouldn’t you agree that a person who is both fat (fat people are the targets of lots of bullying) AND a bully to others has some real seriously fucked up issues going on? Wouldn’t we expect a fat person to be LESS of a bully to others?

    So why is it wrong to consider the fatness as a factor in his psychological makeup when assessing Christie as a political candidate?

  147. 147.

    Kola Noscopy

    October 3, 2011 at 7:51 pm

    @eemom:

    This bending over backwards to pretend that those facts are TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT to his fitness to serve as president is, in fact, pure PC bullshit.

    Oh my.

    How intemperate and uncivil. I feel the need to rest…

  148. 148.

    OGLiberal

    October 3, 2011 at 7:53 pm

    Speaking of fat – and I only mention this because I logged into my twitter account for the first time in months and because, for some reason, I’m following him – but did Marc Ambinder regurgitate another human being sometime over the past couple of years?

  149. 149.

    Kola Noscopy

    October 3, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    @Amir Khalid:

    Because your side are supposed to be the good guys. And the good guys never hit below the, um, belt — even when the bad guys do. I’m not saying this to be glib.

    How old are you and in what fantasy land to you live? This is a legit issue, first of all, and I wish the fucking dems would hit below the belt on ANY issue at all, one, just one, any one…

  150. 150.

    No one of importance

    October 3, 2011 at 8:03 pm

    @Lojasmo:

    Obesity is independently correlated with decreased cognitive function.

    I bet my fat stupid brain can run rings around your skinny stupid one even on a bad day. Go fuck yourself.

  151. 151.

    Kola Noscopy

    October 3, 2011 at 8:05 pm

    @Baron Jrod of Keeblershire:

    And I suppose if I fail to call Herman Cain a nigger that makes me a black apologist. And if I fail to call Michele Bachmann a c#nt I’m a woman apologist.

    Hysterical much?

    And nice to know you equate being black or female with being morbidly obese…

  152. 152.

    Neddie Jingo

    October 3, 2011 at 8:08 pm

    @Kola Noscopy:

    Not a deep thinker, are ya?

    There was a young man of Calcutta
    Who thought he would try a neat trick
    He anointed his arsehole with butter
    And in it inserted his prick
    His attempt was not borne out of avarice
    Nor was it for thirst after pelf
    It was simply because he’d been told
    To bloody well bugger himself.

    Consider the invitation renewed.

  153. 153.

    Kola Noscopy

    October 3, 2011 at 8:11 pm

    @Baron Jrod of Keeblershire:

    My 400 lb. friend bikes 10-20 miles a day and eats far more healthful food than my 190 lb. ass. Every single time he gets a checkup he’s told that his cardiovascular health is as good as they come.

    Wow. I kind of think you’re lying. How about some links to photos and documentation? This “friend” of yours is a modern medical miracle.

    BTW, I live in a house of solid gold and I shit fresh blueberries.

  154. 154.

    No one of importance

    October 3, 2011 at 8:14 pm

    @eemom:

    I’ve officially gone off you. You’re like the kind of ‘liberal’ who thinks they can throw around homophobic slurs because they believe in gay rights. Or use ‘nigger’ “ironically”.

    Go to hell.

  155. 155.

    AA+ Bonds

    October 3, 2011 at 8:22 pm

    No, I think we should bust on Chris Christie by any fucking means necessary.

    I mean, do I care if people are fat? No, fuck that. I’d have to move overseas. But if there’s a way to bust these assholes down to size, playground-style like they and their tribes understand, go ahead and do it.

  156. 156.

    No one of importance

    October 3, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    @Jenny:

    Being morbidly obese, not simply overweight, is significant risk of sudden death.

    YOu know what else is a significant risk of sudden death?

    Being alive.

    Jogging, cycling, and playing contact sports.

    Eating.

    You know what? Christie’s a corrupt arsehole, but all this ‘concern’ for the fat people’s health is just bullshit. You sound like all those ‘loving’ Christians who only hate gays because their ‘lifestyle’ will kill them – not, you know, because they just can’t stand the idea of people living differently.

    Lots and lots of things people do aren’t good for them. Being fat is just one. If you smoke, drink alcohol, drive a car, get pregnant, eat any kind of processed food, engage in any activity which involves leaving your house and crossing the road, you could be killed, get sick, or drop dead.

    And frankly, I wish you and all the other weight moralists would experience the latter option.

  157. 157.

    Kola Noscopy

    October 3, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    @No one of importance:

    I bet my fat stupid brain can run rings around your skinny stupid one even on a bad day. Go fuck yourself.

    Double OH MY. Even your bitterness is overweight.

  158. 158.

    Cassidy

    October 3, 2011 at 8:25 pm

    This is dumb. The Big CC is a prick and deserving of scorn. But hatin’ on the fat is just dumb. I’m 215. I exercise regularly. I can run 2 miles in less than 16 mins. I can do hard calisthenics for an hour, without a break, and feel good afterward. I still stay around 205-215. I’m never gonna be a middleweight, short of having my diet and exercise supervised by a trainer and dietitian. Weight is not the only indicator of health.

    It is legitimate to have concerns about a Presidential candidate’s health. It is also legit to observe that our fat-phobic society will not put a fat guy in a position of power, much less a fat woman.

  159. 159.

    Kola Noscopy

    October 3, 2011 at 8:28 pm

    @No one of importance:

    I’ve officially gone off you. You’re like the kind of ‘liberal’ who thinks they can throw around homophobic slurs because they believe in gay rights. Or use ‘nigger’ “ironically”. Go to hell.

    Goodness gracious.

    It really is interesting how this subject of FATNESS is bringing out the knives. Alliances are being broken! Ageless friendships destroyed, all for the sake of CORPULOCITY!

    The humanity…

  160. 160.

    AA+ Bonds

    October 3, 2011 at 8:29 pm

    I don’t know if people exactly understand how dangerous Chris Christie is. Go back and watch him personally wile out on his Town Hall critics on all those YouTubes, I’m not going to link to ’em.

    The only reason I kept talking about Perry within was because Christie didn’t seem likely to run. Christie is the paranoid style of politics personified, and I believe him to be completely free of personal conviction or beliefs.

  161. 161.

    AA+ Bonds

    October 3, 2011 at 8:29 pm

    Also anyone who isn’t talking about Chris Christie in this thread get out

  162. 162.

    AA+ Bonds

    October 3, 2011 at 8:30 pm

    Kola work for the cause

  163. 163.

    AA+ Bonds

    October 3, 2011 at 8:32 pm

    Kola I seen you arguing the proper line up there I don’t know where you’re going with this situationist adventurism

  164. 164.

    Cassidy

    October 3, 2011 at 8:32 pm

    Lots and lots of things people do aren’t good for them.

    On a long enough timeline, everything is terminal.

  165. 165.

    mikefromArlington

    October 3, 2011 at 8:33 pm

    “they deserve a shot at that job, whether they’re black, white, brown, gay, straight, Jewish, Christian, atheist, thin, fat. ”

    I think all but the last you’re born with though. The last comes from laziness or a compulsive behavioral problem…perhaps depression. He’s not just a little fat either.

  166. 166.

    AA+ Bonds

    October 3, 2011 at 8:35 pm

    Let’s put it this way: we could have saved some trouble if people started busting on mustaches in certain countries at certain times

  167. 167.

    No one of importance

    October 3, 2011 at 8:36 pm

    @Neddie Jingo:

    I wuv U.

  168. 168.

    AA+ Bonds

    October 3, 2011 at 8:37 pm

    And I had a mustache for three years, that is the context in which I’m saying this

  169. 169.

    Cassidy

    October 3, 2011 at 8:44 pm

    @mikefromArlington: You would be wrong. Some people are just big. Are all Samoans skinny people trying to break out?

  170. 170.

    Samara Morgan

    October 3, 2011 at 8:45 pm

    @Amir Khalid: this is a pointless thread and the MasterTroll is trolling you.
    It doesnt matter what liberals think about Christie– they are not gunna vote for him.
    the juicers are just breakin’ they arms pattin’ themselves on the back pretending they would ever vote for Christie even tho he is obese...

    so where do you wanna discuss the flaws in Mehdi Hasan’s article you linked?
    Might is well be here…this is a useless thread.
    :)

  171. 171.

    Suffern ACE

    October 3, 2011 at 8:51 pm

    @Cassidy: Yes, but Christie is not a Samoan. If he wants to be president, he could start by shedding 50 pounds.

  172. 172.

    eemom

    October 3, 2011 at 8:52 pm

    @No one of importance:

    good. Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way off.

    You’re like the kind of ‘liberal’ who thinks they can throw around homophobic slurs because they believe in gay rights. Or use ‘nigger’ “ironically”.

    You don’t know jack shit about what kind of liberal I am, lady.

    Guess what — this ain’t all about YOU and your obvious self-esteem issues.

  173. 173.

    Jenny

    October 3, 2011 at 8:56 pm

    If Christie was 78 years old, no one would have a problem saying he’s too old to be president. I know this because no one had a problem saying Bob Dole (74) and McCain (72) were too old to be president.

    Isn’t being morbidly obese at 350 lbs similarly disqualifying as being a septuagenarian?

    Again, if he was 10 to 30 pounds overweight, it would be irrelevant. But he’s 200 lbs. overweight.

  174. 174.

    lacp

    October 3, 2011 at 8:56 pm

    @Suffern ACE: You can bet if Christie were Samoan, the Steelers would have drafted him.

    Also, has Jonah Goldberg weighed in on this issue yet?

  175. 175.

    eemom

    October 3, 2011 at 8:57 pm

    @No one of importance:

    engage in any activity which involves leaving your house and crossing the road, you could be killed, get sick, or drop dead.

    yeah, but you kind of up your odds when you step out in front of a speeding truck. Or drive drunk. Or share needles. Or fuck strangers.

    Or eat yourself into a state of physical dysfunction.

    I kind of suspect you know that already.

  176. 176.

    Irony Abounds

    October 3, 2011 at 9:09 pm

    I will never vote for anyone that would have to pay for two seats on Southwest Airlines. Or will have to get around via Scooter One.

    There, I said it. And all of those above who are offended by fat jokes can kiss Cristie’s HUGE ass. I’m so tired of PC bullshit.

  177. 177.

    Lojasmo

    October 3, 2011 at 9:09 pm

    @No one of importance:

    Um… I am at least thirty pounds overweight.

    Piss up a rope, dude (tte)

  178. 178.

    Baron Jrod of Keeblershire

    October 3, 2011 at 9:18 pm

    @Irony Abounds:

    I’m so tired of PC bullshit.

    Ad I’m tired of people who pretend that being a bigoted asshole is actually standing nobly against political correctness.

    Sorry, it’s just being a bigoted asshole. Nothing more.

  179. 179.

    Cassidy

    October 3, 2011 at 9:25 pm

    @Suffern ACE: Not the point. Mike discounts fat as a personal choice. Not all fat is a “failure” of willpower. I would imagine that the large majority of fat people are not fat by choice.

  180. 180.

    Dream On

    October 3, 2011 at 9:42 pm

    It’s the same argument if some woman was running and she had like big giant titties. Those big yabos don’t mean she ain’t qualified, just that it will be an issue and probably a disqualifying issue.

    Who is this candidate you speak of? Sounds good to me.

  181. 181.

    fraught

    October 3, 2011 at 9:44 pm

    The problem is not that he’s fat, it’s that he looks fat. It’s about the optics.
    Although, there are loads of folks who will vote for him because “he looks like us.”

  182. 182.

    different-church-lady

    October 3, 2011 at 10:07 pm

    Here, I’ll shorten this for you: one shouldn’t focus on his weight because it’s just a cheap shot, and it gets dismissed as a cheap shot.

    In other words, it’s what republicans do.

  183. 183.

    The Spy Who Loved Me

    October 3, 2011 at 10:20 pm

    @Jenny:

    John Candy wasn’t just overweight. He smoked like a chimney and drank like a fish. While any one of these could have contributed to his early death, it was more likely a combination of all three. Or, since we really don’t know for sure, it could have been hereditary. Look at David Letterman. Thin as a rail, but required a quadruple by-pass.

    My father-in-law’s second cousin is in his early eighties. He must weigh at least 350 lbs., he smokes over a pack a day, drinks like it’s his job, and yet he remains very active on his farm and seems to be pretty mentally fit to me. His excess weight doesn’t seem to be holding him back.

    I think making fun of fat people must be the last discrimination allowed in polite company. Or at least as polite as the company is hereabouts.

  184. 184.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    October 3, 2011 at 10:28 pm

    Call me kooky, but shouldn’t this entire discussion be postponed until, you know, the nasty corrupt governor of NJ actually runs for the R nomination? Not that it isn’t interesting to see how vehemently people feel about the subject.

  185. 185.

    Admral_Komack

    October 3, 2011 at 10:28 pm

    @eemom:

    Govenor Christie’s obesity calls into question his fitness to be President.

    If others don’t like people bringing up his weight, tough.

    As far as I’m concerned, it is a legitimate line of inquiry.

    And I am glad it is being brought up now.

    Oh, and NOTHING is stopping anyone from bringing up how the Governor is bad for New Jersey, and by extension, the nation.

    Anyone gonna talk about THAT, or are you going to bitch about people talking about “Krispy Kreme” Christie?

    http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/28/nation/la-na-0927-christie-20110928

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkuTm-ON904&feature=relmfu

    http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/08/gov_christie_blames_washington.html

  186. 186.

    Irony Abounds

    October 3, 2011 at 11:01 pm

    @Baron Jrod of Keeblershire:

    Sorry, but you sir are a sanctimonious prick. God forbid anyone says anything at all that is offensive to anyone. Can’t let that happen, oh no.

  187. 187.

    TXG1112

    October 3, 2011 at 11:10 pm

    @Gwiwer

    Nice strawman you got there. The Democratic party isn’t saying Christie is fat, it’s the media and pundits. There isn’t any need to defend Christie, he’s a big boy (heh) and is perfectly capable of defending himself. I’m getting tired of watching people pushing and shoving to be captain of the circular firing squad.

  188. 188.

    Jenny

    October 3, 2011 at 11:38 pm

    @The Spy Who Loved Me:

    I think making fun of fat people must be the last discrimination allowed in polite company.

    Where did I make fun of Christie?

  189. 189.

    Uncle Clarence Thomas

    October 4, 2011 at 1:30 am

    .
    .
    Jenny and eemom are simply arguing that since black men have a higher mortality rate than caucasian women, everybody should have voted for Hillary.
    .
    .

  190. 190.

    stormhit

    October 4, 2011 at 1:33 am

    @Kola Noscopy:

    It’s almost as if you didn’t read the post that was linked to.

  191. 191.

    suzanne

    October 4, 2011 at 2:40 am

    God. Could this thread be more shit-splattered? Some of you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. (Hi, eemom! Here’s the negative attention you’re craving!)

    Some of you need to stop fooling yourselves that you actually give a fuck about Christie’s health. The visceral reaction, calling him a “disgusting fat fuck”, proves that health isn’t the point. I am not a doctor nor a medical scientist. I’ve seen studies say that fat isn’t a determinant of health, I’ve seen others that say otherwise. IT DOESN’T FUCKING MATTER. Why does it matter if he eats a lot or not? Sounds a lot like “Poor people can stop being poor if they pick themselves up by their bootstraps HAW HAW HAW!”. Or “Gay people can just go to counseling and become un-gay!” And yes, there’s loads of evidence that each of us has a set range for our weight, and it’s very difficult, almost impossible, to drop below or rise above that point for a sustained amount of time short of starvation measures or life-threatening surgery. There’s also all kinds of evidence that anti-fat prejudice has resulted in fat people making 2/3 the income of skinny people, even when controlling for all the other usual factors, and that fat people get worse medical care, even for issues that have fuck-nothing to do with weight.

    Almost everyone, including the vast majority of our elected officials, has at least one bad health habit. But McCain having cancer didn’t being out comments like, “What a DISGUSTING FUCK to get CANCER. Too lazy to wear sunscreen? OBVIOUSLY CAN’T BE MY PRESIDENT!” Christie may indeed be too unhealthy to be president (in good judgment), but we can’t tell just by looking. However, we sure can tell who the bigots are. That’s crystal-fucking-clear.

    Chris Christie is a belligerent fuckwad, and he would be unfit to be the president even if he was a fucking marathoner because of that. But judging people based on their appearance is absolutely anathema to what it is that liberals are SUPPOSED to stand for… you know, judging people not by their appearances, but by the content of their CHARACTER. Oh, right, THAT.

    @Irony Abounds:

    I’m so tired of PC bullshit.

    You know who else says that, often? Limbaugh, Coulter, Beck. Awesome intellectual company you keep there.

    We’re supposed to be the people that actually give a fuck about making the world a better, more fair place for others. Hating on fat people furthers that goal… how?

  192. 192.

    Hbin

    October 4, 2011 at 2:48 am

    @Jenny:

    Serious question, why are you so worked up over this? Were you fat as a child and people made fun of you? Did you lose a family member because of obesity? If you did, I’m sorry. Otherwise, your holier-than-thou fat hating, fat-shaming attitude is just unbecoming and really, fits that stereotype about liberals who wants to control every aspect of people’s lives including what they eat and how much they weigh. And we don’t actually want people to think that about liberals.

  193. 193.

    Samara Morgan

    October 4, 2011 at 6:23 am

    @suzanne: you are simply fucking insane.
    Christie is UNELECTABLE because he is visually repulsive in contemporary American culture.
    Its not a universal judgement on teh Fat, and I would guess the electorate is pretty unpersuadable on this.
    Your save-the -whale campaign is foolish and misguided.
    We’re supposed to be the people that actually give a fuck about making the world a better place
    you have got to be fucking kiddin’ meh. you go be Don Quixote why dontcha.
    Are you still wearing that preggo fat suit post natal? is that why you are so invested in this?
    wallah sign up for weightwatchers on line and take an aerobics class.

    BTW….Why aren’t the teabaggerGOPlibertarians weepily pleading with Scott Brown to enter the race?
    He would be their best shot at 2012.

  194. 194.

    Samara Morgan

    October 4, 2011 at 6:29 am

    sry edit fail.

    We’re supposed to be the people that actually give a fuck about making the world a better place

    So do GOTV for Obama and quit cher whining about how the world hates teh Fat.

  195. 195.

    suzanne

    October 4, 2011 at 3:47 pm

    @Samara Morgan: Let me explain this to you slowly. (You may indeed have Asperger’s, but that’s not responsible for your stupidity, only how you perseverate on boring topics.) THIS IS A SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE. You may be aware of the fat acceptance movement–you call yourself a “social justice warrior”, so I assume you do. Fat people, AS A CLASS, are treated like shit in this society. Some studies say that fat hate is more prevalent and more harmful than sexism and homophobia, which may or may not be true, but certainly sheds light on the degree to which it is a problem. Fat people make less money, get worse health care even for issues unrelated to weight, and have to endure the sniping bullshit that indicates every goddamn day that their bodies are somehow EVERYONE ELSE’S BUSINESS just because they dare to go out in public. And it is fucking SHAMEFUL.

    The reason I care about this issue is because I am a feminist and a humanist, and I spend a shitload of my time and effort and energy trying to make a world in which people are judged by the content of their character and not by their appearance. (And for the record, I do a LOT of GOTV and volunteering.) More fat dudes have been elected president than women, and yet I am not convinced that a vagina is a disqualifier, either. I am well aware of anti-fat prejudice. It’s even more shameful coming from the left, because we are ostensibly the people that actually do care about those who weren’t born on third base.

    Whether or not Christie’s fat is a health issue is his business and his doctor’s business. And if he truly is *unhealthy*, that’s our business as an electorate. But no one here truly gives a fuck about his HEALTH. I don’t know about you, but when I express concern about someone’s HEALTH, I don’t say things like “that disgusting cancer-ridden fucker”. And if we did truly care about HEALTH, we would ask every one of our elected officials if they ate vegetarian diets and exercised regularly. Since we don’t, I’m going to conclude that the issue isn’t REALLY his health, but that he has the gall to believe that he has the right to be fat and still be judged on his merits.

    I am well aware that Christie is a victim of appearance-based prejudice. That isn’t his problem; it’s ours.

    And, BTW, your speculating about my physical appearance is really touching. In a previous thread, I posted a link to a picture of myself. Go hunt it down if you really care. It reminds me of when you called me “fat” while I was pregnant. The fact that you really want me to be fat so you can dismiss my opinion ON THE FUCKING INTERNET shows how truly ingrained this shameful prejudice really is.

  196. 196.

    Samara Morgan

    October 4, 2011 at 4:04 pm

    @suzanne:

    I am well aware that Christie is a victim of appearance-based prejudice. That isn’t his problem; it’s ours.

    not my problem. obesity, like mormonism and evangelical christianity, is a choice, unlike race, gender, and age. :)
    and it isnt “our problem”….its Christies bases problem. Sure, his Fat makes him unelectable, but its not like any of us were going to vote for him….unless you were LOL!

    It reminds me of when you called me “fat” while I was pregnant.

    i didnt “call you fat”. I said you were wearing a fat suit for nine months.

    Go hunt it down if you really care.

    idc.
    but i think you are fat in your head.
    you are awful touchy about the plight of the gravity challenged.
    Christie is an unelectable grossly overweight pig.
    I dont have any empathy for him.
    or for you. you swing on me and punch yourself in the neck everytime.

    but that he has the gall to believe that he has the right to be fat and still be judged on his merits.

    nope, he has the gall to believe he can be grotesquely OBESE and still get elected president.
    he cant…and its simply a grevievous waste of spacetime to discuss it.

  197. 197.

    Samara Morgan

    October 4, 2011 at 4:15 pm

    @suzanne: and one more thing.
    the reason our culture punishes fat people…..is social brain hypothesis.
    Fat is unhealthy, a burden on the tribe, and on the community.
    Revulsion is a natural reaction to fat people.
    Now you wanna reprogram humans to be more “accepting” of Fat People.

    but i dont care. i really, really do not care.
    fat people should try to loose weight.
    its better for them.
    :)

  198. 198.

    Amir Khalid

    October 4, 2011 at 4:37 pm

    @Samara Morgan:
    I’ll be happy to discuss Mehdi Hasan’s article with you in any thread here where it is the subject of the post.

  199. 199.

    suzanne

    October 4, 2011 at 5:00 pm

    @Samara Morgan:

    the reason our culture punishes fat people…..is social brain hypothesis.
    Fat is unhealthy, a burden on the tribe, and on the community.
    Revulsion is a natural reaction to fat people.
    Now you wanna reprogram humans to be more “accepting” of Fat People.

    Absolute unmitigated bullshit. Fat used to be considered beautiful and desirable in the Western world (and still is, in some places) when food was far less affordable and accessible. Being fat used to be considered a class privilege. Now it is considered low-class to be fat, so we think it’s undesirable.

    Fat is not always a choice. Many studies indicate that body type is largely an inherited characteristic, and that naturally skinny people can no more become fat than fat people can become thin. And even if it were 100% a choice, someone else’s body is NOT MY BUSINESS. Just like how it’s not my business who people fuck, and it’s not my business if women have abortions or not, or how poor people spend their money.

    I don’t want to “reprogram” anybody. I want people to make the conscious choice to not be assholes in public. Starting with you.

  200. 200.

    suzanne

    October 4, 2011 at 5:02 pm

    @Samara Morgan:

    but i think you are fat in your head.

    What in the name of Pete does that even MEAN?

    you are awful touchy about the plight of the gravity challenged.

    For someone who ostensibly cares about social justice, you’re awfully cavalier.

  201. 201.

    Larv

    October 4, 2011 at 5:53 pm

    Wow, this thread is a real peach. Did is miss the announcement that there would be a contest for who can be the biggest asshole on a BJ thread? I think Jenny is winning, but there are several contenders for the prize.

    Like Suzanne said above, several of you sound just like the right-wing jerks who say that poor people should just get up off their asses and go out and get a job already. Are some people poor because they’re lazy and indolent? Sure, and some people are fat for the same reasons. But just as there are lots of other reasons for being poor (bad luck, expensive medical conditions, etc…) there are lots of reasons a person might be overweight (bad genes, medical conditions, etc…). In both cases, there’s no reliable way to distinguish between an “acceptable” reason and an unacceptable one without prying into the details of the person’s life, and that’s just not anyone’s damn business.

    For the record, I have no problem with jokes about Christie’s weight. He’s a public figure, that’s part of the deal. I think it’s a little superficial, but if I had a problem with that I wouldn’t hang out here. But several people have taken this beyond Christie into repeated slurs on all fat people. Some of the holier than thou bullshit on this thread is just fucking unbelievable coming from ostensible liberals.

    Oh, and not that it should matter, but I’m not what anyone would call fat. I’m not as skinny as I was ten years ago, but not overweight either. Maybe I’m just “fat in my head,” whatever that means.

  202. 202.

    Jado

    October 5, 2011 at 9:06 am

    “But I haven’t heard of it affecting his ability to be governor or to be a federal prosecutor.”

    Yeah, it’s not his weight that prevents him from being a good governor, rather the large head injury (I assume) that led him to think Republican. He cut school funding and gave tax breaks to the rich. I know, shocker from a Republican, but it’s still a total dick move.

    But it didn’t happen because he’s fat. It happened because he’s cruel.

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