Chris Christie is the sometimes controversial but generally well-regarded governor of New Jersey. But, despite his popularity, every politician is caught in a lie once in a while. For Governor Christie, his lie concerned his favorite cartoon.
During an April 11 town hall meeting in Branchburg, Christie discussed his favorite childhood TV show with a 4-year-old audience member, claiming that his favorite program at that age was Scooby Doo . It was a cute politician/citizen bonding moment, but Politifact just couldn’t let it stand when they discovered that the numbers just don’t add up.
By numbers, they mean age. Chris Christie was born on September 6, 1962 in Newark, according to various public records. This puts his age at 50. He would have turned four in 1966.
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! hadn’t debuted yet. Instead, the show’s premiere and grand entrance into pop culture came on September 13, 1969, when Christie was 7-years-old, not 4-years-old.
Scooby Doo may have been his favorite program, but it’s impossible for that to have been the case when he was 4-years-old.
Of course, after being caught in such a blatant lie, Christie’s reps did their best damage control, lest the fib make national headlines.
“Well, I’m older than the Governor by a year, and Scooby Doo was one of my favorite cartoons too, in addition to the Road Runner and The Flintstones ,” said Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak.
“I don’t think I could have recalled on the fly – or even if my own kids asked me right now — when it was I started watching them. We all just know those characters were a part of our childhoods. I chalk it up to the blur of childhood memories and getting older.”
Sorry, Mr. Drewniak, but we the American people expect nothing but absolute honesty from our politicians. But look at the bright side. Governor Christie will have plenty of time to catch up on Scooby Doo after this lie costs him the next election.
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[Chris Christie image via: Bob Jagendorf , Scooby Doo via: Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com ]