New Jersey Republican governor Chris Christie joined Indiana governor Mitch Daniels on Thursday, offering Republican voters a possible preview of the future of the party.
Introduced as a “dynamic duo,” Mr. Daniels and Mr. Christie took to a college stage on Thursday and answered questions about what they are not doing: running for president.
Speaking Thursday, Mr. Daniels offered his thoughts on the upcoming election, saying he expects President Obama to face a tough challenge.
“Government is a pretty klutzy mechanism, and you ought to be very modest and humble about thinking it can do anything well,” Mr. Daniels said.
President Obama is in “really bad shape” for reelection, the Republican governor added. “I hope our nominee, and there’s lots of time for this, will have a little more confidence in the American people.”
Mr. Daniels, who is promoting his new book, took time to call on Republicans to focus on job creation and reducing the nation’s deficit.
“I hope in some small way through things like this, and maybe more to the point in the way we perform our duties in our respective states, it will embolden some of our national candidates to do something similar,” Daniels said. “I’d like to think, whether it’s by example or encouragement like we just gave, that some of them will take note.”
Mr. Christie struck a similar tone, saying the current field of Republican presidential candidates were focused on soundbites.
“We’re not talking about — on our side or any of the folks — these things in a forthright way,” Christie said during the joint appearance. “They’re dancing around on other stuff and just trying to get four or five sound bites.”
Both Mr. Christie and Mr. Daniels downplayed speculation that they are considering running for the presidency. Mr. Daniels, a Republican, announced earlier this year that he would not seek the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. The Indiana Republican was widely seen as a leading contender.
