http://www.nationalreview.com/node/430928/print Christie Revels in Rubio Takedown — But Did It Come Too Late?
By Tim Alberta — February 7, 2016
Exeter, N.H. — Chris Christie said Sunday that Marco Rubio is no longer “the anointed one” after he tripped up during last night’s presidential debate, responding to Christie’s criticisms with a performance that has indeed disrupted the momentum of his ascent nationally and in New Hampshire.
But with dozens of polls over the past month showing Christie stuck in single digits here — and the Granite State’s primary two days away — New Jersey’s governor was also forced to confront questions about whether he should have attacked Rubio earlier in the Republican debate season.
”No. Listen, you all are the junior political analysts here. I actually do this for a living,” Christie told a crowd of dozens of reporters here outside a local pub, as his entourage roared with laughter.
Pressed on the last-minute nature of his confrontation with Rubio, Christie said, “I picked when I wanted to do it, and I did it. So no, I don’t have any second thoughts.”
Prior to Saturday, Christie spent much of the GOP debate season refusing to criticize his rivals for the nomination. Aside from regularly articulating the differences between governors and senators — often to break up testy exchanges between Rubio and Cruz — Christie has refrained from engaging opponents directly. On several occasions, he even scolded his competitors for fighting among themselves, arguing that they should instead turn their fire on the Democratic party and Hillary Clinton.
That strategy shifted abruptly in Manchester — which was the plan all along, according to Christie, who said he “didn’t make any secret” of his forthcoming assault on Rubio prior to the debate.
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