Chris Christie Addresses Libertarian Audience As 'Committed Conservatives', Crowd Groans

» 11 comments

New Jersey Governor and potential Mitt Romney running mate Chris Christie delivered the keynote address at Washington DC's libertarian Cato Institute as the keynote speaker on Friday night, but things got off to a rough start when he referred to the audience as 'committed conservatives.'

'It is a pleasure to be here tonight to celebrate the work of the Cato Institute and tonight's honoree Mao Yushi. People ask me why did you decide to accept this invitation on a Friday night, leave all that is exciting in New Jersey on a Friday night, come down here to this sleepy little hamlet, and speak before a small group of committed conservatives. It is really simple. It is because the Milton Friedman Award is being granted tonight.'

Christie's 'committed conservative' remark was reportedly not well received by the crowd. Yahoo News' Chris Moody reported there were audible groans:

The Daily Caller's Michelle Fields was also in attendance at the event and noticed a palpable tension in the room. 'I think he was expecting big claps, but only a few people clapped and most of the room just looked really uncomfortable and groaned,' she observed. 'I spoke to some of the Cato scholars afterwards who told me that everyone at Cato was really upset and angry that he was invited and that Christie was so completely unaware of libertarian views.'

Watch Christie's speech below via C-SPAN:

(h/t Chris Moody)

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• Libertarian in the sense of fiscal issues, not even close on social issues. Learn the definition my friend. 

• Odd choice for a speaker and poor form on Christie's part to re-imagine libertarians as 'committed conservatives'

• Also, Christie was nuts to agree to this gig in the first place. There's a death struggle going on for control of Cato's soul at this time, as the Kochies seek to squeeze all humanity out of the joint & turn it into the borg. Saying 'Welcome true conservatives' at this point isn't even a bad joke, but especially from a machine politician of the thugee bent.

• This man is ignorant. Libertarians CANNOT BE conservatives. People have no idea what these labels mean. Ayn Rand was libertarian in the US sense. She hated God and religion with a passion. She thought the point of life is just to be left alone to do what you liked unless someone physically attacked you, broke a contract or stole from you, in which case the government should help you by sending the police and engaging the courts. It is an impoverished way to look at life, but that is what she stated over and over.

  On the other hand, conservatives believe in traidional values, national borders, usually some sort of God and have a strong sense of belonging. They certainly do not think life is just about money, essentially. A true libertarian would be incosistent if s/he wanted to exclude others from a country, for example. A conservative isn't the same sort of animal. Strictly speaking, you are as likely to find conservatives among people who say they are liberalsas those publicly seen as conservatives. Is Obama less conservative than Ann Coulter? Seriously!! The world is topsy turvy because money is getting people all confused.

  Libertarians don't exist. It is a silly thoery. Christie is no more conservatve than Jimmy Cater. Christie is a corporatist. It is a huge difference.

• Since Christie is more of a liberal on social issues, he is effectively more a libertarian than conservative. 

• I await the comments blaming Obama for this

• Christie is a confirmed bully and food addict (aka blimp)

• WHAT? This is completely false. 

• It's Obama's fault. I have no idea how it's his fault but it's definitely got to be.

• The movement is as big a farce as the 'Tea Party' patriots pretending they were all about taxes.

  Both 'Pauls' could care less about the liberties of homosexuals and consider them every bit as sub-human as the rest of the factions in the GOP's 'big tent'. And the incident at the Rand Paul campaign stop where one of his thugs helped take down then stomped the head of a dissenter pretty much makes a mockery of First Amendment Rights or any notion that they are defenders of personal liberties.

  It's really just an excuse to be selfish, Nothing more ' nothing less.

• YAWN