because chris christie took too long to say he wasn't running for president this year. jersey governor christie in the faye of renewed rumors and new doubts with rick perry and new public pleading from named republican billionaires saying they want him to run, chris christie asked tonight if if he was going to get in the race, referred the question of a montage on politico.com. the best new things in the world delayed until tomorrow. renewed speculation delayed until his next speech. >>> put to rest. new jersey governor chris christie once again addresses speculation of a 2012 presidential run. >>> day in court. michael jackson's personal

we'll know in the next 10 to 12 days when will chris christie fully change his mind but the door is open a crack. christie's nonannouncement came after a speech on leadership that certainly sounded like he was presenting a case for the presidency. the speech really was a rorschach the test with a little something for everyone. if you were a tea party conservative, this idea fired you up. >> the biggest challenge we must meet is the one we present to ourselves. to not become a nation that places entitlement ahead of accomplishment, to not become a country that places comfortable lies ahead of difficult truths, to not become a people that thinks so little of ourselves that we demand no sacrifice from each other. we are a better people than that, and we must demand a better nation than that. >> independents listening might have had this appeal about broken washington and how to fix problems. each and every time he let an act pass him by, his failure is our failure, too. the failure to stand up for the bipartisan debt solutions of the simpson bowles commission, a report the president asked f

when we booked you in all fairness it wasn't because of your past history of chris christie but, you know, tell me this. we heard from governor romney yesterday. hey, it would be fun if more people once again and he loves governor christie. that's great. yesterday a member of your campaign came on and said that's fine but it still means mitt romney will be the only candidate with private sector experience in the top tier. and herman cain. well, he didn't make that remark but let me ask you about chris christie. is he ready to be president? >> listen, i think chris christie is a close friend, a great guy, great governor. and he's going to make a decision when he makes a decision. that's really going to be up to him. >> you've been in the room when he has to deal with decisions like this. >> yeah. >> so is that reporting -- is that the type of person he is? he really listens to consultants but doesn't take their advice? >> of all the reporting i've heard speculating on whether governor christie was going to run that was probably the most accurate statement. he takes -- he listens to eve

i talked to somebody who worked in chris christie's gubernatorial campaign. that person tells me that while nobody thinks that chriscrist christie's made up his mind, his closest people are asking around, if the governor were to decide to do this, would you be available to help out? >> will he or won't he, will christie run? >> no, in the end he won't for the reason steve said. i think he's a master of timing and i think he realizes this probably isn't quite his time. >> howard fineman of "the huffington post" and msnbc. thanks for joining me tonight, howard. >> thanks, lawrence. >>> coming up, how the constitutionality of the health care reform bill will dominate the presidential campaign next year. >>> and later, what "the huffington post" reports as the supe the middle of the presidential campaign next year. that is the likely result of today's decision by the justice department to skip a step in the federal fight over the president's affordable care act. the obama justice department has asked the supreme court to bypass a possible delaying stage of the app

this is chris christie's shot. it's a shot. >> just go over today on "morning joe" commenting on chris christie tossing his hat into the presidential ring. christie insisting that he's not considering it. >> i'm governor. i want to be governor. i'm not running for president. what do i have to do short of suicide to convince people i'm not running. >> i simply do not have the desire to do it, nor do i think i'm ready. >> but according to his longtime friend and adviser former governor tom cain christie is thinking about it and this week smacks of a campaign swing, visits to louisiana, california including a speech today at the reagan presidential library. the title, real american exceptionalism. mark murray is nbc news deputy political director. mark, christie's words don't seem to jive with his schedule. >> well, right. he is taking -- one of the things he's doing is raising a lot of money both for the new jersey republican party, but also other key republicans. look, even if he doesn't run for president, he is a s

>> i think there is still a chance chris christie gets in the race. spend a lot of time talking to people in the republican world and i keep hearing from sources that christie is as tom cain the former governor said yesterday, is think iing more seriously than he has before, in some ways about the practical difficulties of getting in. rather than do i want to run it is now a question of can i pull this off? that is a change over the last six months i think. >> and willie the must read from new york sports section, joe namath going after rex ryan. the jets lose a game. namath saying rex brags too much. it is distracting to jets players. and namath is not a guy you want turning against your team. noenchts, the jet to end all jets, often on the sideline, very much a part of that team. coming out publicly saying his ego is getting in the way of the jets talking too much. >> is that fair? >> i don't think so. they've been this close to the super bowl two years in a row. i think they're doing okay. >> but he does talk a lot. >> he talks a lot. the players h

again, i don't know why, all over again this weekend is the blunt-talking new jersey governor chris christie. today, former new jersey governor tom kaine told the national review online that governor christie is, "very seriously" considering a run and the odds are a lot better than they were a couple of years ago, so someone's pushing this story on the inside. kaine is a strong supporter of christie and has urged him to run, but christie has always denied he would consider entering this race in 2012. let's take a look at what he said over time. >> you're still saying, categorically, not running in 2012. >> i'm not running. >> categorically, not running. >> i don't know how else to put it, the answer is no, i'm not doing it. >> you have to be really in your gut and in your heart ready to be president of the united states if you decide to run for that. and i simply do not have the desire to do it. nor do i think i'm ready. >> i'm 100% certain i'm not going to run. >> listen, i threatened to commit suicide -- i did! i said, what do i have to do short of suicide to convince people i'm not runnin

it explains the courtship today of chris christie.elling obama what he and they think of him. mitt romney is a man without an attitude. an attitude is what chris christie is all about. that's "hardball" for now. th

thank you very much. >> pleasure. >> the chris christie fphenome n phenomenon, it's sort -- >> chris christie fund raising phenomenon. if you want to know the value of being talked about as a presidential candidate. ask any governor who isn't being talked about as a presidential candidate. they are desperately trying to make fund raising calls can you help me with the re-election campaign and all the people are waiting for a call from chris christie. >> he's raising money for his gl gubernatorial re-election complain. it's great to be talked about this way. he's smartly allowing it to continue so his political stock price increases. no one can tell you how he would run for president. if he decided this afternoon, called you, he wanted to announce on your show, there is no political strategist who can outline for you here's how you do it. here's who you hire. who's available, just give me the names of the republican political presidential campaign operatives who want to work in a campaign this year and aren't lshd working for perry, romney or the real players. there's so much that is u

>> i appreciate the wonderful things you're says about me. >> new jersey governor chris christie might jump in the race. >> first you wanted bachmann, then perry, now christie. >> this is christie's shot. >> calling that speech real american exceptionalism. >> his chance is not going to come again. >> is chris christie smarter than his party? >> christie continues to say a 2012 run, though, is not in his heart. >> i simply do not have the desire to do it nor do i think i'm ready. >> i don't see him running. >> what do i have to do short of suicide to convince people i'm not running? >> i don't think he's going to run. he's a great guy. >> what does all of the focus on chris christie mean for the republican field? >> every week we add some other idiot. >> rick perry is in trouble. >> no question rick perry had a rough week. >> number ten, lost support from both the whack jobs and nut jobs. >> it's a ponzi scheme. >> the number one sign rick perry campaign is trouble, even michelle o'bachmann thinks he's nuts. >> all due respect, he's not up to primetime. >> it's like the republican prim

presidential race and we're talking about chris christie's weight wasn't really an issue plus a ideal heard only ten years prices at the expiration date of. this number given that we had an apartheid regime right here. i think iraq is evil and well. we never got the show's live or keep him safe get ready because you are free to. get some closure see a story and it seems so. easy to understand it and then you glimpse something else and hear see some other part of it and realize that everything is all going on charge locums a big picture. we just put a picture of a need when i was like nine years old and just you know lived through. the fence and i am in total get of friends that i love rap and hip hop is excellent and. he was kind of the guest today. very. simply. and tonight. you're. it's now been almost two weeks since occupy wall street again a movement to take this country back to have the ninety nine percent join together to the one percent the runs the country and they won't take any more of that russian and the greek they will sit idly by while their country is top did and turne

the door slightly open. >> christie left the door slightly open. >> for himself. >> chris christie has left the door open ever so slightly. >> just a sliver open. he left a little sliver open. >> christie's comments especially are a rorschach test, see what you want to see, hear what you want to hear. >> you hear what you want to hear. everyone else hears, i'm not running. a rorschach test? yeah, yeah, it's a rorschach test. it's a rorschach test. tell me what you see. what do you see? [cheering and applause] was that a butterfly humping a mongoose? [laughter] he said no. and if i remember from my freshman dorm orientation correctly, no means no! so back up, no, oh, come on, baby, can't we just form an exploratory committee. come on, let me touch your super pac. no chris christie has given you his answer. stop grinding up against him and asking if you can just put the tip in. [cheering and applause] son of a bitch. at least not all pundits were blinded by their desire to see what they want to see. >> i think that we can take governor christie at his word. i think he kind of put the nai

and now you want chris christie.e you do. >> the folks who criticize my department are ignorant. absolutely ignorant of that and they're criticizing him because he's a muslim american. this sharia law business is crap, it's just crazy. and i'm tired of dealing with the crazies. >> he's talking about you. >> i would love christie to get into this race. the big east deserves a shot in this tournament. that's what i say. >>> up next, president obama's pushing his jobs plan in colorado today. and now he wants to stop a new trend among employers who say in one ad, believe it or not, that the unemployed need not apply. what a great ad that is. predictably, republicans don't like it. should employers be able to bar the jobless from seeking jobs? that's our question coming up next, right ahead. you're watching "hardball," only on msnbc. >>> well, that was our graphic for creating things and building things, which i'm all for. the president, by the way, is finishing up right now a three-state tour out west, with a stop in col

chris christie loning towards getting in the race.saying chris christie rules out a run for the white house. he's basically the rorschach test for republicans right now. it depend on whether you want to see him get in the race. bill: what does it say about how republicans feel about the current field? >> i believe there is some dissatisfaction about the current republican field. i think herman cain had a strong message and that's part of the reason he won. but there is no question there is dissatisfaction with the current field. and there has been this timing for chris christie and other candidates before him. bill: does it suggest a feeling of desperation? >> certainly the woman who asked the question last night sound desperate. practically begging chris christie to get in the race, saying the country needs him. that's the sense among some republican voters. i spent a lot of time talking to people who participated in a straw poll. but i think there are also people who have the sense that this is the president of the united states rig

chris christie says no. but his travel schedule, his speech at the reagan library, only amps up the talk. it underscores the republican unease with the current field. and disaster averted until the next time. the senate strikes a deal to fund the government for about six weeks after abandoning efforts to refill fema coffers. so we're good, well, until before thanksgiving. >>> and a legal move by the obama administration means we could have a supreme court ruling on the contentious health care mandate in the middle of the presidential campaign. is this a sign of how confident the white house is that they're going to win this case? tuesday, september 27th, 2011. this is "the daily rundown." i'm chuck todd. let's get to my first reads of the morning. it starts with chris christie with a third quarter filing deadline looming friday, the republicans running for president are on a final fund-raising push. president obama himself is also doing it. rick perry is in washington this morning where he'll raise money at

we heard this with romney, they all wanted bachmann, they look at rick perry and now want chris christie took a shot at perry on immigration because where he's been in the past he's caused a lot of the tea party's crazies around the environmental protection as well as around the muslim -- the whole muslim thing, so he's got some work to do with the far right of that party. >> maybe he could be on independent candidate, erin? no? yes? no? >> you bring up immigration. he's a very northeastern republican if you want to use that word. second strictest gun laws in the country in new jersey. he's well aware that those issues on social policy would not play in his favor to the republican base and those early primaries. maybe in the northeast but certainly not in the south. >> erick and cornell, thanks for coming in. i want to spend our last minute -- i'm going to cut you off and spend the last minute with our new colleague erin burnett. you're taking over this time slot on monday night. you spent time going around the world because not only is it a global economic challenge but there are a numb

now you want chris christie. sure you do. >> the folks who criticized my policy are ignorant, absolutely ignorant of that and criticize him because he's a muslim-american. this sharia law business is crap. it's just crazy. and i'm tired of dealing with the crazies. >> he's talking about you. >> joining me now, editorial director for aol, "huffington post" and msnbc analyst howard fineman. howard, thanks for joining me tonight. >> hey, lawrence. >> howard, you at "the huffington post" have done this fascinaing poll of what you call the 160 republican power outsiders. you've gotten their attitudes about these potential nominees. tell us about that. >> well, in iowa, new hampshire and south carolina, the big three, first three primary caucus states, we are having our patch.com local editors and reporters go out and talk to dozens and dozens and dozens of local influential republicans in those states. elected officials. party leaders. businesspeople and so on. so we have close to 200 of them we talk to every week. an

new jersey governor chris christie steered clear of any presidential talk at a rally for louisiana governor bobby jindal. >> we want there to be more and more successful people in louisiana and america. >> reporter: republican insiders tell cbs news christie is seriously considering jumping into the gop race, putting the odds at 50/50. >> i've had a slow week, very low key. you haven't seen me around at all. >> reporter: the first-term governor repeatedly rejected growing calls for him to run. but this week supporters unhappy

new jersey governor chris christie steered clear of any presidential talk at a rally for louisiana governor bobby jindal. >> we want there to be more and more successful people in louisiana and america. >> reporter: republican insiders tell cbs news christie is seriously considering jumping into the gop race, putting the odds at 50/50. >> i've had a slow week, very low key. you haven't seen me around at all. >> reporter: the first-term governor repeatedly rejected growing calls for him to run. but this week supporters unhappy with the current gop field begged him to change his mind. with the first primaries only a few months away, political analysts say christie will have to make up his mind soon. those already in the race are busy trying toe break out of the pack. >> if you're prepared to go through the level of change i'm describing, we'll get to a balanced budget and pay down the debt. >> reporter: newt gingrich unveiled his contract with america thursday hoping the economic plan would give hoom a boost and jon huntsman is moving his campaign headquarters from florida to new hampshire wh

is this chris christie's window?f he doesn't jump now, in 2016 will be competing against marco rubio or a sitting republican president? probably not. i think certainly chris christie the time. >> greta: who does the white house fear the most? >> mitt romney creates the most problems for them, because he's the most polished candidate, running a general election campaign while the rest of the field is running for the nomination. mitt romney just -- you know, at a cursory glance appears to be somebody that's strong on the economy,f that could be a problem for the white house. >> greta: during the 1980s, the type of job that he had is the type of job where you go in, many times you buy companies, dismantle them, like a job destroyer, not a job creator. has anyone done the rigorous investigation to see if indeed he has that experience in he might have the other experience. >> that's a big knock on governor romney. basically what you just described. a lot of jobs were shipped cutting jobs. certainly he's vulnerable on that

chris christie out of the race. megyn: let me ask you before i let you go because he's been denying it, and yet the reports have continued to bubble up including just yesterday the former new jersey governor coming out saying he's seriously considering it, how sure are we about this report today that he has officially made the decision now once and for all he's out? >> reporter: well, people who have been engaged in the attempts to recruit chris christie are now recognizing and in some cases sharing the idea that they will not prevail, that he's not going to change his mind. and realistically it's important to understand that there are an awful lot of republicans who are unsatisfied with the existing field, and they're hoping existence hope that christie might change his mind. it's not just an expression of their support for the new jersey governor, but also of their lack of satisfaction, their lack of confidence and enthusiasm in the rest of the field. so anything can perhaps happen, but when a candidate has been a

why wouldn't they support chris christie? substantively when you look at the things they support, there's not much daylight between chris christie and mitt romney. they're offering the same things roughly speaking on the most important policy issues. maybe it's not a matter of substance. maybe it's a matter of style. >> you don't send your children to public schools. you send them to private schools. so i was wondering why you think it's fair to be cutting school funding to public schools? >> what's her name? >> what's her name, guys? real quick. the governor's talking. what is it? >> gale, first off, it's none of your business. i don't ask you where you send your kids to school. don't bother me about where i send mine. i as governor am responsible for every child in this state, not just my own. the decisions i make is to try to improve the educational opportunities of every child in this state. so with all due respect, gale, it's none of your business. >> you're not compensating me for my education and you're not

chris, are you looking at chris christie?t the moment? yes. we talked about it on your show and i talked about it with every other political person and most everyone said still not running. we know big speech tonight whether he is running or not at the reagan library about american exceptionalism and a popular topic in the field among activists at the moment. i'm interested to see if he expects it at all. major donors trying to get him to run. he is thinking about running. does he mention it or rule himself out yet again. i for one will be going from 10:00 p.m. tonight. >> a big republican fund-raiser tweeted out that his brother is not running despite what tom cain who is in the inner circle said. he is in missouri which is a key swing state to atherton, california and talking to meg whitman and more importantly as the new ceo. then the reagan library and the personal invitation of nancy reagan. that looks like a candidate to be. >> i take him at his word, but you put it right. looks like a candidate to be. maybe he's not, b

some are -- chris christie must jump into the race.sten to this little change last night. >> do it for my daughter, our grandchildren. our sons. please, sir, we need you, our country needs you to run for president. >> that's extraordinarily flattering, but by the same token, that heartfelt message you gave me is also not a reason for me to do it. that reason has to reside inside me. and so, that's what i've said all along. is i know without ever having met president reagan that he must have felt deeply in his heart that he was called to that moment to lead our country. and so, my answer to you is just this. i thank you for what you're saying and i take it in and i'm listening to every word of it and feeling it, too. and please don't ever think for a second that i feel like i'm important enough in this world that somehow what you're saying is a problem for me. it's a great, great honor. i'm flattered and i really appreciate you being able to stand up and say it with the passion you did. >> joining us is cnn political advicer roland mart

chris christie is not running until president until, he is -- maybe. the only thing we know for sure is many republicans want him to run desperately. christie is enjoying every single moment of it and delivered a speech fit for a presidential candidate at the reagan library. >> insists that we must tax and take and demonize those who have already achieved the american dream. that may turn out to be good re-election strategy, mr. president, but it is a demoralizing message for america. >> sold. you could feel the crazy for christie vibe at the reagan library. >> my italian mother, she told me to tell you that you've got to run for president. >> we need you. your country needs you to run for president. [ applause ] >> the "daily beast" says republicans unhappy with the current field of candidates have a messiah complex. they want a conservative, authentic man's man. you mean like rick perry? seems just yesterday conservatives were begging rick perry to run, but that was then. christie is now. so the "talk back" question today -- why do republicans love ch

and now you want chris christie.ure you do. >> the folks who criticized my appointments of mohammed are ignorant, absolutely ignorant of that, and had criticize him because he's a muslim american. the sharia law business is crap. it's just crazy. and i'm tired of dealing with the crazies. >> jon: he's talking about you. we'll be right back. ( cheers and applause ) >> jon: welcome back. my guest tonight, he is a congressman from the great state of texas who is also a republican candidate for president. please welcome back to the program congressman ron paul. ( cheers and applause ) >> jon: nice to see you again. >> thank you very much. >> jon: how are things going? are you feeling the love from the people? >> oh, all the time. especially the media. they really love me. >> jon: what do you think that is? you know, you ran in 2008. you had a nice, strong showing. you've improved upon that. you came in a very close second in the aims straw poll... (one person cheering)... and obviously some of the straws are here tonight

that's why people are looking for chris christie. even though rick perry and mitt romney are the frontrunners, the gop elites don't like what they see. >> it is a scattered fields for republicans to get behind. who do they want to be their leader? when we have to talk about this, we can't not bring up chris christie. i want to read you a piece from this weekend saying, the only reason perry got into the race in the first place was that republicans yearned for an alternative to romney. this weekend, they were drunk-texting chris christie. but for now, perry is proving to be romney's best asset. so again this morning, the office of chris christie is saying that he isn't budging saying that he is not interested in becoming a viable option at this time. at what point do you believe people will leave him alone? >> i believe every politician when presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be president of the united states or at least your best shot, i have a hard time believing anybody would say no to that. while he's publicly sayi

why has there been demand with chris christie to get in?is something the perry campaign believes at the end of the day is still on their side, which is they're not mitt romney. that's the whole reason why there was a vacuum. that's why he so easily filled it. frankly why if chris christie changed his mind, and he's certainly keeping a schedule like a national candidate for something with the big reagan library speech coming up this week, fund-raisers around the country and including a republican hotbed like missouri. so, you know, i know that christie is saying no, no, no, but i feel like he's doing this. keep calling. stop calling. >> right. >> keep calling, stop calling. so something -- sometimes you sit there and you're, like, well, something's going on here. but ultimately if i were the romney folks, this would be a flashing yellow light to me because they didn't come and vote for him at the straw poll. they voted for herman cain. >> you know, to your point about chris christie, if he wanted to just quiet this all down and put out the f

chris christie saying no. but maybe not as emphatic as he has been. last night he said he knows what it takes to be president. philip lucker is a national political reporter for the washington post. let's start with the obvious here. he said no. he said no. he said no 15, 20 times. what is it going to take for chris christie to say it and have people believe him. what will he have to say or do? >> he will have to say no he is not running. he didn't do that last night at the reagan library speech. he never mentioned the speculation in his 30-minute speech. it was in the question and answer session that he was put on the spot about it. he had an interesting response to it. >> we've got that. i want to show folks. >> the message you gave me is also not a reason for this me to do it. that reason has to reside inside me. oh, please. please, please stop asking me to be leader of the free world. [ laughter ] it's such a burden. >> a little sarcasm there at the end there. but you were saying that his response last night did it sound genuine to you? >> it did

chris christie and bill clinton. joining us now from grand rapids, michigan to explain the purveyor of dick morris.com. mr. morris. you heard the christie debate. what say you? do you think he is going to run? >> no, i don't think he is going to run. i'm sick and tired of his teasing the united states. i think that he should either cut bait or fish. put up or shut up. stop this bs of waltzing around the issue and being so could you tell use in his denials and get up there and say if nominated i refuse to run. if elected i refuse to serve. sermon. >> bill: does he hurt the republican party by the dance. >> yes. candidates can't raise money people are not focusing on the message enough. people are rooting on the man that isn't there. this entire nominating race has been overshadowed by people who self-indulgently floated their name adulation and then said ooh no thanks. we had three months of donald trump. we had one month of mitch daniels. we had mike huckabee. we have sarah palin running all over the country in buses

chris christie, of course, last night. and we're going to get to that -- >> get more highlights to the speech. a speech the country needed to hear from someone. >> no, it's a great speech. also, of course, willie geist today game 162, and then the american league -- >> no, it's the final game. boys across america, girls that love baseball. that 162nd game, the last game played today. it's the last game of the season in this -- but anyway. the red sox. >> we're with ya. >> highs for the wild card, they stepped up one game left, tied, and then in the national league, the braves, the team of my youth. >> the braves are challenging the red sox in the meltdown. >> i actually think the braves' meltdown, seriously, is worse than the red sox. >> i watched it last night. it was kind of extraordinary. a game with the phillies. the phillies need to lose this game. >> right. st. louis, the drama also comes in the other games where you have the new york yankees throwing every game to the rays to keep the red sox down. but also, you hav

i think in the case of chris christie. right now the land that i call huh dockistan, fox and the "wall street journal" and all that. those people and that whole crowd in new york loves, loves, loves chris christie but joan is wright. if he's going to just screw around with them he needs to cut him off because eventually they will get mad. >> i think he's running for vice president. the way he's going he's going to get on the ticket for vice president. he's revving himself for an offer and better accept it after all of this. >>> coming up, the republicans keep saying president obama is playing class politics and class warfare but for 30 years the republicans have helped make the rich richer by lowering their taxes. just look at the numbers. let's find out who is actually waging this class warfare. you're watching "hardball" only on msnbc. so, at our company, we pay about the same, even though i'm a great driver and he's... not so much. well, for a driver like you, i would recommend our new snapshot discount. this little bab

. >> what about chris christie? is he the toughest possible opponent for the president in that he's got this sort of real deal flavor? >> i don't know that chris christie is tougher than any of the other republicans. if this were a movie, it would be called mitt romney, they're just not that into you. if you look at the course of this campaign, they've floated everybody from mitch daniels to rubio to jeb bush to pataki, on and on and on. and it's not because all those candidates would be so great in the republican primary. it's because mitt romney may well end up the republican nominee. but it's not because he's their favorite choice, it's because they've exhausted all other possible options. >> is this a case of sort of like high school dating when you finally do settle on your spouse or your intended that you forget about all the other guys that came before? >> no. i -- this is a situation, there are a lot of attractive folks out there. people who like romney, like romney, perry, gingrich, you find a group of cand

but, first, we begin with chris christie. it's not often that a politician makes news for what he doesn't say. but that just proves the buzz surrounding the new jersey governor and a possible run for the white house. how many times does a guy have to say no before it sinks in? >> you folks are an incredible disappointment as an audience. the fact that that took to second question. shows you people are off your game. that is not american exceptionalism. >> jim acosta, hopeful supporters still only heard one thing, he didn't say no. any reason to believe that he's reconsidering now? >> yeah, the buzz is exceptional, kyra. yes, there is reason to think that he is reconsidering for a governor who is known for his new jersey brand of straight talk. chris christie never really came out and said last night whether or not he's running for president. unlike what he has done in the past. he sounded very much like a candidate in a speech at the reagan presidential library out in california. the new jersey governor accused the president

and we know chris christie said he's not running. we also are going to hear in the coming days that same followup question diane asked him a few months back, which was, why not? here's how he answered her and i want to get your reaction here. >> if you see things falling apart, most people have the impulse to go in and try to save the situation. >> good way to put it. you don't make a decision to run for president of the united states based on impulse. i don't feel ready in my heart to be president and unless i do, i don't have any right offering myself to the people of this country. >> so, we heard him say then, he doesn't have it in his heart. but in politics, can you change the heart quickly? >> that is the big question right now. and there is a concerted effort by big name and big money republicans to get chris christie to reconsider. and if he does change his mind, he would have serious explaining to do. but the bigger obstacle would be putting together a campaign organization quickly. as rick perry's disappointing show i showin

a lot more jon huntsman. >> i think chris christie probably would do a little better than that, but christhe northeastern elite conservatives, including "the wall street journal" endorse jon huntsman or his economic -- >> his plan. >> you know what i mean. the northeast money that hassant committed itself yet hasn't got itself a candidate and certainly hasn't got itself a candidate the main stream republican primary voters seem to be interested in. >> is this chris christie's time? he is unapologetic and it is all about strong leadership. so, that's a real question. only been in office two years and he doesn't feel ready, but is this his time? >> the national stage is different, as rick perry is seeing. >> there have been concerns about his health. they popped up. he's quite overweight. he said he's trying to tackle that. quite overweight and something about breath and asthma. can that affect him and does that change when he gets into a race. does that guy have stamina and run that anyway? >> that was a blip that concerned a lot of people, especially those supporting him. you never unders