Chris Christie: Hillary Clinton Is 'Mrs. Happy Talk' on ISIS

ByJORDYN PHELPS ABCNews logo
Sunday, December 20, 2015

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie accused Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton of trying to "happy talk her way to the presidency" for her suggestion in Saturday night's debate that the U.S. is finally where we need to be in the fight against ISIS.

"With dead bodies in Paris, dead bodies in San Bernardino and no plan from this administration to deal with it, we're finally where we need to be?" Christie rhetorically asked ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in an interview on "This Week" Sunday morning.

"Mrs. Clinton is 'Mrs. Happy Talk' and she just wants to happy talk her way to the presidency," he added. "She is a personification of this administration: Are you going to believe me or your lying eyes?"

Christie has argued the United States is already in the midst of a World War III situation with the ongoing struggle against ISIS and so-called lone wolf terrorists, a situation he blames on the Obama administration and Clinton's role in shaping its foreign policy.

Christie also blasted Clinton for not taking responsibility on Libya, saying she dodged a question during Saturday's debate on what responsibility she bears for the continued struggles of the African nation where the United States aided in the military efforts that ultimately deposed dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

"If Libya had turned out to be a shining success and was a democracy, Mrs. Clinton would be dancing around the stage, talking about how it was her idea and how she recommended it to the president and she got it implemented, but when there's a downside she takes no responsibility," he said.

Christie also hit back at Republican frontrunner Donald Trump for insisting there were "plenty of people cheering" "the September 11th attacks in New Jersey.

"I was in New Jersey on September 11," he said. "Thousands of people simply were not celebrating in Jersey City."

On the topic of his recent surge in New Hampshire and whether the scandal over his political appointee's involvement in traffic lane closures on the George Washington Bridge will be an issue in his candidacy going forward, Christie said there is no issue.

"I don't even know what the issue is," Christie said. "There is no issue."

Responding to a video clip of Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul attacking him for the lane closure scandal known as "Bridgegate" in the Republican debate earlier this week, Christie wrote off Paul's behavior as that of a struggling candidate and predicted that he will soon drop out of the race.

"That was commentary from a desperate candidate on the last night of his campaign. He was flailing away at everybody on that stage," Christie said. "He reminded me of Bobby Jindal in the undercard debate last time when all he did was flail away at people and then a few days later he dropped out. Maybe that's Rand Paul's fate."

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