Gov. Chris Christie Forcefully Calls Out “Crazies” in His Own Party

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is now the driver of the Straight Talk Express.

Sen. John McCain once made a living off his refreshing honesty in the face of political double-talk and half-truths, but he abandoned that bus some time on the road to the 2008 Republican nomination.

Now it’s Christie in the driver’s seat. Sometimes his comments are abrasive and mean and antithetical to what many Americans would call progress. But he usually, if not always, means what he says. And while many disagree with his positions, and while his approval rating in New Jersey has slipped considerably (now 44 approve/47 disapprove), there’s a reason he’s being drafted behind closed doors to take a run at President Obama in 2012. He tells it like it is, no prisoners taken.

So when conservative Islamophobes, nationally and in his home state, began giving him guff over his appointment of a, gasp, Muslim to the state superior court, Christie headed to the nearest microphone and fired back at his critics. Sohail Mohammed, he said in near-disbelief last week, would not be imposing Islamic Sharia law on poor, defenseless Americans, and any claims to the contrary are utter crap. Here are just some of the choice words from the governor:

“Sharia law has nothing to do with this at all. It’s crazy. It’s crazy. The guy’s an American citizen who has been an admitted lawyer to practice in the state of New Jersey, swearing an oath to uphold the laws of New Jersey, the constitution of the state of New Jersey, and the Constitution of the United States of America. This sharia law business is crap. It’s just crazy. And I’m tired of dealing with the crazies. It’s just unnecessary to be accusing this guy of things just because of his religious background.”

Here’s Christie’s full statement on the matter:

It’s nice to see someone get forceful with the “crazies.” John Cole is dead-on when he wrote, “We need more of that. Not less. MORE DAMNIT. Do what Christie did- be confident, speak your mind, and if the truth is on your side, everyone who questions you can just go fuck themselves.”