Chris Christie Goes After Obama, Minimum Wage, Obamacare And Entitlements At Republican Fundraiser

With 2016 closing fast in the political world, potential Republican presidential candidates have started getting a little more vocal about their negativity towards President Obama. Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey, is among them, and recently lambasted the president in a speech to Michigan Republicans at a fundraiser in Detroit.

Though not among the most consistently conservative candidates, Christie has a personality to make up for it. He has so far branded himself as a straight-talking conservative with a grassroots appeal, but he’s also known for his infamous outbursts, such as his use of profanity and telling people to “shut up already.” Whether this attitude has helped him thus far is arguable: according to a CNN poll, he is currently tied with Marco Rubio in sixth place for potential candidates.

While his momentum has not always been in the right direction, his speech to Michigan Republicans could earn him some favor.

“America under Barack Obama has become a defensive, reactive and weaker country both at home and abroad… When America doesn’t lead, bad people with bad intentions do lead. We need a leader in the White House once again who knows how to lead America and lead the world.”

Christie also had plenty to say on the subject of income inequality, which dealt with both entitlement programs and the idea of raising the minimum wage.

“We need to deal with the problem of income equality, not by raising the minimum wage. Do you think there’s a family sitting around table anywhere saying, ‘If only our daughter could make a higher minimum wage, all our dreams would be realized’?”

“You never hear him talk about entitlements, except to create a new one, which nobody wants, and we need to get rid of in Obamacare,” he added.

He continued by calling Obama weak, saying that he was unwilling to compromise, and that “When America doesn’t lead, bad people with bad intentions lead — we need a leader in the White House.”

While his often-controversial attitude may arguably help him with some voters, many who might interpret it as strength and confidence, his governorship has also been plagued by other more serious controversies. Christie is currently facing a federal criminal investigation after claims that he fired his county assistant prosecutor after he brought attention to the fact that Christie was dismissing indictments against his allies. There was the infamous Bridgegate scandal.

Christie seems to believe he has a chance as he goes after Obama, however, and though he didn’t speak to the press, his speech had a confident note.

“If you stand with me, I will stand with you, and we’ll retake America again.”

[Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images]