Christie/Oliver Deal Should Be Praised for Bipartisan Effort

The local media has been quite taken with a recent story that has materialized between Speaker Oliver and Governor Christie. Every time I see a new headline that expands a bit further on the issue I just find myself wondering, “why?”

In short, Governor Christie spoke at a fundraising dinner organized by the infamous Koch brothers a few months back, just after the tremendous victory on pension reform made its way into law. At the dinner the Governor told a behind the scenes story of how the Assembly came to pass the reform bill.

Rumors were flying around that the Assembly Democrats would be mounting a challenge to Sheila Oliver’s position as Speaker. The threat was apparently so high that she was scared to even post the pension bill for a vote. She needed the support of the GOP caucus if the bill had any chance of passing.

I want to post the bill, but I think when I go on the floor, my own party’s going to take a run at me to remove me as speaker. . . Can you work it out?

And work it out he did. Christie reportedly went to the Republican caucus, who knew of the coup rumors but were not quite sure how they would respond, and pleaded with them to support Oliver if the challenge arose.

Probably for the only time in my governorship I’m going to actually ask you to vote for a Democrat … So if they take a run at her on the floor, I need all of you to vote for her for speaker. . . Are you with me or aren’t you?

After getting the thirty-three Republicans on board to keep Oliver as Speaker, the bill was posted, and the rest, as they say, was history.

Of course, now Democrats from all over the state are denying that any threat of a coup ever existed within their ranks. Why? Because theres no actual proof lying around so what would be the point in admitting it?! While Democrats may be fiscally slow and notoriously short sighted, they are a bit savvy when it comes to politics, and even the simplest among them knows that a story like this being corroborated by members from their caucus would be infinitely damaging, especially less than two months out from the election.

Speaker Oliver has been denying everything up and down, and throwing around insults at the Governor. Dick Codey thinks it was disrespectful to repeat the story. The end.

So my question remains. Who cares?! I understand that the media wants to bring attention to the fact that this was a Koch event, and they want to use that to smear Governor Christie. But honestly, I think that clear narrative being put forth by the media is more politically disgusting than any deal that went down between the Speaker and the Governor.

The fact is, the move was brilliant, and its the way that divided government gets things done. It is the epitome of bipartisanship unfolding right before our eyes. I would even venture to say this was the single greatest bipartisan action in Trenton in as long as I can remember.

The Governor and the Speaker, diametrically opposed forces in the state house, found themselves on the same side, the correct side, of the same issue for one of the first times since Christie took office. They were a red and blue united front against a minority of Democrats who so badly wanted to hold on to the status quo and sink our state further into economic decline and budgetary disaster.

The Speaker went out of her way to do what was best for the state. She sided with the Governor on pension reform because it was the right thing to do. So what type of leader would the Governor be if he did not support his ally in this effort?

By reaching across the aisle and supporting the Speaker, Christie and the Assembly Republicans were able to make a better New Jersey. Instead of slamming the Governor for retelling his story of cooperation and compromise, the media should be praising his willingness to support someone who has so terribly attacked him at every possible turn.

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