Christie, Paul Feud Plays Out on Debate Stage

Christie began by discussing what he witnessed during 9/11, and the importance of striking a balnce between respecting liberty and protecting citizens. We lost friends of ours in the trade center.

When Christie noted that he also hugged the victims of the September 11 terror attacks, Paul gave a very overt eye roll.

PAUL: I want to collect more records from terrorists, but less records from innocent Americans.

Christie told moderator Megyn Kelly he stood by comments suggesting Paul should be brought to testify before Congress for his opposition to National Security Agency data gathering.

Paul Jeffrey, president of the Ortley Beach group, said that his organization wants Christie to work to replenish the dunes to help prevent serious damage from future storms.

Toni Granato of the Sierra Club said her organization believes that “Christie has been the worst governor on record for environmental protections”.

The issue that got them hot behind the collars was warrantless collection of Americans’ phone records and whether a president should be allowed to order the use this technique, bypassing the regular court system and going before the secret FISA court that was established after 9/11.

Chris Christie (R) and US Sen.

CHRISTIE: And – and, Megyn?

Paul declared in response, “Use the Fourth Amendment”.

Debate sponsor Fox News announced Tuesday that Christie, just barely, had made the cut for the 10-candidate debate, which airs 9 p.m. ET Thursday on Fox News. The governor, speaking to Iowa voters at a Cedar Rapids town hall meeting, signaled he’s not letting up on attacking Paul for his hand in blocking the extension of the Patriot Act over concerns of the government collecting millions of Americans’ phone records.

Paul, a libertarian critic of U.S. military intervention and the National Security Administration’s metadata collection program, lashed out at Christie for his support of such anti-terrorism measures.

Said Kelly, summing it up: “That was an interesting exchange”. “When you’re responsible for protecting the lives of the American people…” Here’s the problem Governor. I’m talking about searches without warrants.

While the seven other Republican hopefuls spent much of the first debate doing their best to hammer home the message that Hillary Clinton represents four more years of President Obama – they also didn’t have billionaire Trump on stage to contend with.

Then Paul threw a sucker punch, recalling the moment after Hurricane Sandy in 2012 when Christie embraced Obama in New Jersey and wondered whether Christie wanted to “give him a big hug again”.