'No One Comes to Iowa Unless They Want To Be President'

We can dream, can't we? Actually, now that we have a Governor here in New Jersey that we can finally be proud of, I'm tempted to say hands off, he ours. Now he's also promised he's not running in 2012 and I take his word for it, although he'd be an extremely tempting VP selection for someone. Actually, The Big Guy is heading to Iowa as part of a tour pushing GOP gubernatorial candidates and an endorsement from him is good as gold these days.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, already a tough-talking, budget-slashing, union-bashing regular on cable news talk shows, denies he's considering a presidential run whenever he's asked.

But that's not keeping him from planning a trip next month to Iowa, the state with the nation's first presidential caucus that makes it a destination for those with big political aspirations.

"He's becoming a national politician on a platform to compete with 36 other people who want to be president in 2012," said Steffen Schmidt, a political science professor at Iowa State University. "No one comes to Iowa unless they want to be president."

This year, the Hawkeye State has been graced by visits — or will be soon — by Republican luminaries including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Schmidt said.

Christie is headlining an Oct. 4 event in West Des Moines to raise money for Terry Branstad, who served as governor from 1983 to 1999 and is challenging Democratic Gov. Chet Culver in a bid to get his old job back.

Schmidt said that though it's a crowded stage for big-name Republicans in Iowa, Christie has made himself known there.

Christie is a former federal prosecutor who unseated a Democratic governor last year in New Jersey, a state that leans Democratic. In his first eight months on the job, he's closed an $11 billion budget gap without raising state taxes, imposed a 2 percent cap on increases to local property taxes, and tussled frequently and unapologetically with the state's main teachers union.

He's also not shy to criticize President Barack Obama. Asked at a town hall event on Tuesday why he cut a program, he responded: "Unlike the president, I can't print money."

As to possible VP speculation, he maintains his sense of humor.

Asked if he might consider being someone’s running mate, Christie said, "Is there anybody around here who thinks I could be a number two to anybody?"