Chris Christie Blasted By Dems Over Keynote Teacher Comments

Today, a day after Governor Chris Christie delivered the keynote address at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, a New Jersey Democrat is blasting him for what he calls “divisive rhetoric……that sought to undermine the foundation of workers’ rights.”

“While the Governor’s speech was teeming with hypocrisy, perhaps the most glaring was his insistence that he supports teachers,” says Assemblyman John McKeon. “Coming from someone who has made them public enemy number one since taking office, and gone so far as to call them drug mules, I find his statement all the more disingenuous.”

Early on his speech last night Christie said, “They said it was impossible to speak the truth to the teachers union. They were just too powerful. Real teacher tenure reform that demands accountability and ends the guarantee of a job for life regardless of performance would never happen. For the first time in 100 years with bipartisan support, we did it.”

McKeon says, “You cannot profess to be a leader that supports education and teachers when you spend two and a half years refusing to come to the table with the largest organization representing teachers in our state. This has been Chris Christie’s problem from day one. He confuses leadership with bullying.”