Commenters suggested I re-read the Atlantic piece about how Bruce Springsteen hurt Chris Christie’s fee-fees but not inviting Chris Christie backstage (or whatever it is that Christie wanted from Bruce), that it seemed to be making fun of Chris Christie a bit. I re-read it and that’s true, though Godlberg does seem to take Christie’s side on the “the Boss should recognize Christie’s a good guy” stuff (maybe that’s inadvertent).
But fellow douchebag Clive Crook makes it quite explicit:
I take away two things. First, Christie is impossible to dislike. The man is an original. Second, Springsteen owes him a beer. There’s something very petty and disappointing about his refusal to acknowledge the governor’s enthusiasm for his work. He’s better than that, surely.
There’s thousands of people who go to lots of Springsteen shows. Is Springsteen supposed to have a beer with every one of them? No, that’s not what Crook is saying, he’s saying Springsteen owes Christie a beer because Christie is a big swinging dick who goes to lots of Springsteen shows. The rich and famous need to have their feelings attended to at all times.
If Joe Shmoe moocher/looter goes to lots of Springsteen shows, he shouldn’t expect anything in return. He probably bought the tickets with entitlement money or welfare money or dirty union money anyway, so fuck him. He should just be thankful that he’s not living in a Foxconn dormitory, contemplating suicide.
But if a quasi-Galtian like Christie goes to a lot of shows, he deserves to have his ass kissed in return. I mean, think of all the jobs he’s created or all the big gubmint waste he’s reduced, think of his Hayekian humility.
greennotGreen
A lot of very bad people have had enthusiasm for their work (insert Godwin reference of your choice here); that does not make anyone a good guy.
PeakVT
Crook is more of a wanker than a douchebag. But no matter what proper term might be, he still should be strapped to a rocket and fired into the Sun. Or, at the very least, demoted to Newsweek.
smintheus
So take that you Christie dislikers.
Keith
The comments on TheAtlantic re: Clive Crook are great.
Liberty60
Crook exemplifies the typical Peasant Courtier mentality of the Villagers. Endlessly fawning over the Emperor, obsequiously marveling at his every shite, giggling like a schoolgirl at the occasional word of praise.
Christie? “impossible to dislike”??
My only hope is that Crook’s grandchildren will still feel shame at bearing the same last name as the man who wrote that.
smintheus
Serious question about rightwingers: What kind of a tough guy yearns for somebody else’s approval?
Caz
He won’t entertain Christie because he’s a raging liberal, not because he thinks Christie shouldn’t be above anyone else. You can bet that he’d entertain Obama or Holder or Pelosi if they came to see him. It’s a partisan thing, not a treat-everyone-equally thing.
DougJ
@smintheus:
So I read a few things by right-wingers about the article and that is what they said too.
This is more about the media’s man-crush on Christie than a right/left thing. They might do the same with Evan Bayh if get snubbed by the Nuge.
smintheus
@Caz: So he should become an inside-the-Beltway cocktail party kind of schmoozer?
MattR
For some reason I got a real kick out of the exchange between Goto Tengo and CAVincent in comments at the Atlantic.
Goto Tengo – It’s my understanding that occasional presidential near assassin John Hinckley had a fervid passion for the actress Jodie Foster, a solid performer, which may exceed the enthusiasm of Christie for Springsteen. Does Mr. Crook believe that Mr. Hinckley’s discerning taste in thespians and strong public support of them also make him impossible not to like? Is it sour grapes on Ms. Foster’s part that she doesn’t reply to Mr. Hinckley’s mash notes? Perhaps she, like Mr. Springsteen, owes her number one fan a beer.
CAVincent – Jodie Foster was an 18 year old girl when the “romantic” obsession of Hinckley with her because of a film made when she was 12 almost resulted in the assassination of a sitting American President. I get that you are deliberately exaggerating the analogy, but you’re pushing it… let’s say, a bit too far for good taste.
Goto Tengo – Yes, it’s almost like I proposed that the Irish could solve their famine problems by eating their children.
CAVincent – * bows in defeat *
Maude
The unemployment rate in NJ is around 9%.
Christie isn’t likeable, he’s too busy insulting people.
He may have some problems with the halfway houses and his links to the funding.
Whatever drug Clive is taking, I want some.
PeakVT
Christie seems like yet another example of how conservatives have compartmentalized minds. He goes to Springsteen shows endlessly, yet governs in way that hurts blue-collar Jerseyites. It reminds me of Paul Ryan, who listens to RATM but legislates for the 1%.
Yutsano
@Caz: It’s always nice to know when you don’t have a point. Enjoy voting for Willard.
Nylund
Politics aside, he’s always struck me as an obnoxious jerk. Even if he was a progressive Democrat, I’d still think he was a major league A-hole. Granted, sometimes I wish some Democrats would act a bit more like Christie, but that doesn’t mean I’d actually like them as people.
Add in his actual politics, and heck no do I like him.
I guess that means I don’t really exist, given that such a thing apparently defies the laws of physics or something…
smintheus
@DougJ: Ok, but the tough-guy act is a right wing thing, yet they’re as big suck ups as anybody…whether it’s to politicians like W or entertainers or even cheesy pundits/blowhards/bloggers. I think it’s part of the incoherence of the authoritarian personality with its suck upward, kick downward thing.
Mnemosyne
@Caz:
Funny how a sports star refusing an invitation to the Obama White House is free speech, but a singer refusing to meet Chris Christie is, like, totally partisan you guys!
shortstop
“Christie is impossible to dislike”?
Rather than put that sentence out there with a straight face, might as well wear a shirt that says, “I’m a huge asshole and I don’t even know it.”
YellowJournalism
There are a lot of teachers in New Jersey that do not like him. Of course, they aren’t actually people.
Amir Khalid
Who are the fans that Springsteen does acknowledge? In Boston, a seriously ill little boy picked by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In Italy, a guy who got tickets for his birthday, but died of cancer a few days before the show. (Fellow fans organized an online petition to have Bruce dedicate the show to him, and Bruce responded.) Chris Christie might remember that there are other fans whom Springsteen considers more deserving of acknowledgement, and show a little class by not demanding that Springsteen kiss his ring.
Liberty60
@Caz: He is a raging liberal because its a treat-everyone-equally thing.
cathyx
I will bet a large sum of money that Christie didn’t buy his ticket. Someone gave it to him.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
I never thought the day would come when Jeff Goldberg would be my choice in a comparison between Atlantic writers (especially without Sullivan and McMegan out of the competition). Clearly I misunderestimated the douchiness of Clive Crook.
gocart mozart
@Caz:
So?
Todd
Christie is the obnoxious fat kid in movies, the one that every viewer hates. When he’s not whining “wait up, you guys” because his betters walk faster than him, he’s farting at the school assembly.
In the “what they became” credits, he becomes a wrestling coach or a cop.
JGabriel
__
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If I were an artist with a fan that held Christie’s political beliefs and took the actions Christie has taken, I wouldn’t want to meet him either. That guy would make me feel like I’d failed him as an artist, and who wants to hang out with that?
.
TheMightyTrowel
@Todd: He flunked out of police academy and became a wrestling coach by default.
RSA
I’d be happy to chip in for a $4 coupon to be sent to Christie’s office. Maybe there’s an Applebee’s nearby. They have bars at Applebee’s, don’t they?
MikeBoyScout
Maybe Bruce should recognize the governor the next time he shows up at a concert?
Maybe Bruce could ask the audience if they’d like the governor to be escorted out of the show?
Of course, it would only be fair if Bruce shook his hand as Christie left … with no refund.
catpal
If these guys had ever been to a Springsteen concert or read anything about Springsteen, it would be very easy to figure out that it is easy for Springsteen to LOATHE Christie and everything he stands for. Especially that Christie is a Bushie guy and Springsteen spoke out very loudly Against the Bush-Iraq War-LIE-of-No-WMDs.
Add all of the other things to Loathe about Christie, like his self-importance-attitude of Driving down the Wrong Way of a One Way street and Crashing into a motorcycle driver, and blaming the motorcycle driver, etc. the list of dislikes goes on and on.
gocart mozart
Also this
Todd
Every time I see Christie, I think of Mr Creosote.
gocart mozart
Next concert, he should dedicate this song to Christie (Corzine also)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppd9UndKfME
John Weiss
Ol’ Christie is I’m sure a fine family man. Which is not to say that he’s not a overweight stinking turd.
Cap'n Magic
And speaking of ring kissing, a Fox News correspondent will be heading to the Vatican to be its new “media advisor”.
gocart mozart
@Todd:
That is a wafer thin analogy.
Baud
And thus Christie’s dream of following in the footsteps of Courtney Cox were shattered.
flounder
The least Springsteen could do is ride in Christie’s limo from where the helicopter landed in the parking lot.
Amir Khalid
@cathyx:
I read somewhere that Chris Christie buys his tickets at face value, through either Max Weinberg or Steve Van Zandt.
Amir Khalid
@Baud:
Would you please pass the brain bleach?
hitchhiker
Every time I see another example of suck-up media hos sucking up to the great and powerful people they’re supposed to be keeping us plebes informed of, I’m shocked all over again.
I really am.
How the HELL does a nicely compensated writer for a major publication not notice that he’s turned into a sycophant? It’s so embarrassing.
Mr. Christie deserves notice from his favorite rock star because — unlike everybody else — his position/personality/fandom entitles him to it.
It still shocks me that somebody could say that with a straight face, which I guess I’ll take as a good thing.
Kathy in St. Louis
Here’s a thought…perhaps, just perhaps, Bruce doesn’t like Christie or his political stance. Should he be forced to have him back stage just because Governors or important? Let’s talk presidents. If Obama were at, say, a Toby Keith concert, would he be invited backstage by the country and western music’s answer to the Star Spangled Banner? Um, probably not. But you wouldn’t hear a peep out of these whiners/pundits.
zoot
funny, i put christie near the top of one of the most reviled humans on the planet, the pig is pure scum. I’d be happy to puke my beer all over him.
different strokes.
Liberty60
@Todd:
The Senator and Mrs. John Blutarsky
Kathy in St. Louis
@YellowJournalism: No, but never forget that corporations are.
Kathy in St. Louis
@Cap’n Magic: I almost lost my cookies over that one. I’ve already lost my faith and all I have left are cookies.
chopper
tell that to the employees at old country buffet.
Tonal Crow
Christie deserves to have a song written about him. Oh wait! Springsteen already did that!
Suck up the truth, Republicans!
DougJ
@Kathy in St. Louis:
Actually, Toby Keith supports Obama.
rita forsyth
@Caz: CAz you are soooo correct Springstein spent most of his life “working” for the “working man” he respects those that help that cause he is devoted to blue collar working men grew up in a household that suffered from “the man” taking advantage. You want him to bow to christie who has been taking on the teachers???? Hey man the teacher unions need twiking but the Corporations are running away with our democracy inequality is rampent the teachers is the last place to look. Pleeze Christie is a sleeze bag just read about the latest him and his friend making tons of money on half way house standing by why they pay the guards and workers low wages get some facts straight Bruce is the Man and he doesn’t need to bend to emperor chrisite. rita forsyth
rita forsyth
@Caz: CAz you are soooo correct Springstein spent most of his life “working” for the “working man” he respects those that help that cause he is devoted to blue collar working men grew up in a household that suffered from “the man” taking advantage. You want him to bow to christie who has been taking on the teachers???? Hey man the teacher unions need twiking but the Corporations are running away with our democracy inequality is rampent the teachers is the last place to look. Pleeze Christie is a sleeze bag just read about the latest him and his friend making tons of money on half way house standing by why they pay the guards and workers low wages get some facts straight Bruce is the Man and he doesn’t need to bend to emperor chrisite. rita forsyth
rita forsyth
@Caz: CAz you are soooo correct Springstein spent most of his life “working” for the “working man” he respects those that help that cause he is devoted to blue collar working men grew up in a household that suffered from “the man” taking advantage. You want him to bow to christie who has been taking on the teachers???? Hey man the teacher unions need twiking but the Corporations are running away with our democracy inequality is rampent the teachers is the last place to look. Pleeze Christie is a sleeze bag just read about the latest him and his friend making tons of money on half way house standing by why they pay the guards and workers low wages get some facts straight Bruce is the Man and he doesn’t need to bend to emperor chrisite. rita forsyth
Jebediah
@Baud:
For the image now in my mind – of Christie white-guy-dancing on Springsteen’s stage – for that, you will pay.
ETA: It occurs to me that having the image pop up in your own mind first might have been painful enough for me to call it even.
kth
The best analogy, imo, is if Bruce’s hero Woody Guthrie were incongruously admired by Joe McCarthy (perhaps in his chronic drunken stupor, he thought “This Land Is Your Land” was some kind of folk version of “You’re a Grand Old Flag”), would Woody be expected to tip his cap?
AHH onna Droid
@RSA: if you call t that watered down grog alcohol, they do.
Dan
To me, the most ridiculous thing is all that all these strangers are giving unsolicited advice to Bruce Springsteen about running the Bruce Springsteen business, a job he’s done pretty well at for the past several decades.
Steve M.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Bob2
I would about die laughing if Springsteen pulled him up on stage and then told the audience that Christie is the man fucking NJ over.
And maybe submitted it to youtube.
Gladys Cravitz
“But if a quasi-Galtian like Christie goes to a lot of shows, he deserves to have his ass kissed in return…
alas, where would one start…..
Linda
@smintheus:
Of course it’s possible to dislike Christie. In fact, his most virulent likers are people like himself: ass-kissers and glommers onto people higher up in status, and bullys and ass kickers to people to people lower down the food chain. This is what passes for “toughness” among fellow bullies.
Lee Hartmann
The winner: at nomoremisterniceblog:
Victor said…
“I compartmentalize,” Christie says.
I guess that’s what happens when you have 4 stomachs.
Kathy in St. Louis
@DougJ: He did at the time of the election. Then he got the memo about how his fans feel and that changed.
Jado
@YellowJournalism:
And a lot of New Jerseyians who like teachers don’t like him as well.
But a bunch of North Jersey rich A-holes LURVE him – he slashed their taxes while cancelling the new Hudson River tunnel project cause it “might end up costing NJ too much.”
It’s almost like Christie is a standard run-of-the-mill Republican. What a surprise…