Requiem for a Governor Before He’s in the Ring: Michael Kinsley

Sept. 30 (Bloomberg) -- Look, I’m sorry, but New JerseyGovernor Chris Christie cannot be president: He is just too fat.Maybe, if he runs for president and we get to know him, we willoverlook this awkward issue because we are so impressed with theway he stands up to teachers’ unions. But we shouldn’t overlookit -- unless he goes on a diet and shows he can stick to it.

That’s not a very liberal attitude. It’s discriminatory.It’s patronizing. It’s coercive. What business is it of ourswhether Christie weighs too much (and who gets to define “toomuch”)? Why should we even care, as long as we like hispolicies? These points will all be made by politicalcommentators if word goes out to the vast right-wing conspiracythat it’s time to get behind Christie.