Chris Christie Endorses Donald Trump and Calls Marco Rubio ‘Desperate’

nytimes.com ^ | 02/26/2016 | Maggie Haberman

[Trumpinator]

Chris Christie Endorses Donald Trump and Calls Marco Rubio ‘Desperate’

12:49 pm ET By Maggie Haberman

Updated, 1:54 p.m. | Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey endorsed Donald J. Trump on Friday, a major turn in a wild race and one that gives the New York businessman a significant boost as he heads into the pivotal “Super Tuesday” contests.

Mr. Christie was a candidate for president himself until he came in sixth place in New Hampshire’s primary. Seeing his political career facing an abrupt conclusion after his failed presidential campaign, he expressed his anger Friday at Senator Marco Rubio, whom he was said to be upset with, blaming the “super PAC” backing the Florida senator for halting his momentum in New Hampshire with a string of slash-and-burn ads.

The endorsement came a day after Mr. Rubio, in a withering debate performance, turned his guns on Mr. Trump for the first time, and followed up with his attacks on Friday morning, calling Mr. Trump a “con artist.”

At Friday’s news conference announcing the endorsement, which was peppered with demeaning insults of Mr. Rubio by the two men, Mr. Christie repeatedly attacked Mr. Rubio, calling his behavior at the debate “desperate” and reflective of a “losing campaign.”

[DoughtyOne]

[Defiant]

We shall see. But I don’t think he would want to be President for one term only to be thrown out, and he would be if he got in and then disappointed all of the people who put him there. So I think he will do the important things he said. Shut the border and no amnesty. Make some new trade agreements. Reduce taxes. Stop Muslim immigration. That will be more than enough for a start.

[The Iceman Cometh]