Should Chris Christie join the Republican race?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has said "no" just about every way imaginable when it comes to a presidential run in 2012.
But with a splintered Republican field and lack of enthusiasm, many GOP donors are hoping that "no" really means "yes."
And this time it might. Former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean tells the National Review that Christie is "very seriously" considering running.
Politico reports that he will decide in about a week.
As Rick Perry seems to be fizzling out, supporters think there's a rare historic opportunity for Christie to jump in.
Here's the thing: Chris Christie is the rare politician who does what he says.
As New Jersey governor, he's made tough budget cuts and taken on teachers unions and other entrenched interests.
Christie is pro-life - but not an ideologue - and he doesn't engage in the more extreme rhetoric of the tea party.
As one top Republican who watched Rick Perry's debate performance put it, Christie "can string a sentence together."
Christie's aides tell the Wall Street Journal that the governor has received a "relentless" stream of calls over the last week urging him to run; but they insist that his answer is still "no."
And there are several reasons Christie might yet decide to sit this one out:
He has no national fundraising apparatus. He's been governor for less than two years - which limits his record.
Christie himself has said he doesn't feel in his heart that he is "ready"... and Politico reports a source close to Christie says the governor doesn't think he's prepared on all the issues and is "leery of learning on the fly."
Here’s my question to you: Should Chris Christie join the Republican race?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Are Rick Perry's 15 minutes up?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Turns out Rick Perry may be all hat and no cattle.
Opponents lobbed the same criticism at another Texas governor and pretend cowboy, George W. Bush.
Watching Perry's most recent debate performance, it looked like he got his cowboy boot stuck in his mouth.
The Texas governor may be fading out of the Republican race as quickly as he shot to the top of the polls last month.
The signs of trouble are stacking up everywhere around Perry, starting with Mitt Romney closing the gap in the national polls. Although Perry is still at the top of the pack, Romney polls stronger against President Obama.
On the state level, Perry is losing one straw poll race after another:
In Florida, businessman Herman Cain pulled a surprise landslide victory. Cain's 37% win topped Perry and Romney combined. Perry was expected to win the Florida straw poll at the start of the weekend, but his underwhelming debate performance put him a distant second.
In Michigan's straw poll, Perry also finished second, this time to Romney, a native of Michigan.
And last week, Perry placed a distant second to Ron Paul in a California straw poll.
These straw polls are only mock elections and don't necessarily reflect how the primaries will go. But, if you are the Republican front-runner, there is an expectation that you win some of them.
An adviser to Jon Huntsman's campaign suggests it is becoming increasingly clear Perry can't perform, saying he has a case of "electile dysfunction."
Perry's people claim the Florida straw poll is a big loss for Mitt Romney, who has been in the campaign for much longer.
Here’s my question to you: Are Rick Perry's 15 minutes up?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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