newjerseynewsroom.com

BY STEVE ADUBATO

COMMENTARY

I recently interviewed Governor Chris Christie for another edition of “Christie: On the Line,” a live call-in program that aired on several public television stations including NJTV and WNET, as well as radio stations WOR 710 and WBGO, and online at NJ.com.

As usual, Christie was blunt, engaging, at times confrontational and never at a loss for words. He took on every caller and every question, no matter what the subject. You could see when he was put off by a question, but he still answered directly. At a certain point, we got in to a spirited exchange on the subject of same-sex marriage. The governor made it clear that he had always said he would veto any legislation that passed and reached his desk, which is exactly what he did.

I pressed him further on the issue asking why he would support a referendum knowing that in other states, including California, such referendums had failed, even if public opinion polls had previously shown support for same-sex marriage.

Governor Christie pushed back, challenging me very directly, saying that the public could express themselves and their views on this issue and that again, he had never changed his position on same-sex marriage largely because of his religious beliefs that marriage should be between a man and a woman.

At a certain point, the governor made it clear that the issue had been debated enough and there were other issues to consider, particularly jobs and the need to cut taxes. When I said that I felt that we could try to do those things and still deal with same-sex marriage, it was even more clear, without him saying a word, that Christie was absolutely done with the subject.

At that moment, I felt compelled before we moved on to say something on the air about our previous governor, Jon Corzine. You see, we used to do a show called, “Corzine: On the Line,” and when the subject of same-sex marriage came up on that program, Corzine consistently talked about his enthusiastic support of same-sex marriage. Unlike Christie, he had no religious beliefs that stood in the way of signing such legislation if it were to get to his desk.

But what I said on public television was that in spite of then Governor Corzine’s publicly stated position, he never lifted a finger to fight for same-sex marriage or to push Democratic legislators when they controlled both houses of the legislature, to get the bill passed and on to his desk. He never fought for what he said he believed in. The fact is, this issue of same-sex marriage is a perfect example of what separates Governor Christie from Jon Corzine.