ABC, NBC Eagerly Promote Governor Christie’s ‘Football Controversy’
On Sunday, Governor Chris Christie (R-N.J.) will attend the Green Bay Packers/Dallas Cowboys playoff game with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Christie’s decision has drawn the ire of many football fans in New Jersey for not supporting either the Philadelphia Eagles or New York Giants, both of which have large fan bases in New Jersey.
During their Sunday morning broadcasts, ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s Today did their best to play up the alleged football controversy, giving the story nearly six minutes of coverage. NBC’s Kristen Welker went so far as to insist despite Christie’s long support for the Cowboys “fans in the New Jersey region are crying foul. Some even saying the presidential contender has lost their vote.”
After Welker suggested Christie’s football allegiance could cost him political capitol, the NBC reporter played up “a new battle. The potential presidential candidate has infuriated some of his most devoted constituents by rooting for his region’s enemy, the Dallas Cowboys.”
Welker continued to her promotion of Christie angering New Jersey sports fans and noted how “some took to Twitter to slam Christie. One New Jersey newspaper even depicting him as a cheerleader.”
Over on ABC, GMA co-anchor Dan Harris introduced the network’s Christie coverage by proclaiming “Chris Christie, the colorful governor of New Jersey doubling down on a football controversy.” Harris then turned to Kendis Gibson to add more fuel to the Christie football dust-up:
Chris Christie and his now infamous orange sweater expected in Green Bay, hours ahead of the Cowboys/Packers playoff matchup and perhaps more scenes like this. The New Jersey governor taken to task over the sky box bro hug with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones last weekend.
The ABC reporter then hinted that the New Jersey Republican may have violated ethics rules for accepting tickets from the owner of the Dallas Cowboys before turning to ABC’s Rick Klein to argue that “this may be fun in football but Chris Christie is on thin ethical ice when it comes to accepting these tickets, accepting flights from the Cowboys owner.”
The segment concluded with Gibson taking one last swipe at Christie for sitting in the owners box “with the millionaires.” While ABC and NBC were quick to push the controversy over Christie’s support for the Cowboys, in 2007 played up Hillary Clinton’s so-called “home” of Chicago and her sudden allegiance to the Chicago Cubs baseball team.
See relevant transcripts below.
NBC’s Today
January 11, 2015
LESTER HOLT: Let’s talk a little bit more about football, football allegiance. As we mentioned football fever is sweeping the country whether you're a fan of the college game or the pros we have all the angles covered this morning. We begin with the Dallas Cowboys who once again have a lucky charm at their do-or-die playoff game against the Packers today.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will be in Green Bay for the big game hoping to give Cowboys owner Jerry Jones another big hug. And even though he's paying his own way, the trip is not sitting well with some in its state. NBC News’ Kristen Welker has more for us. Kristen good morning.
KRISTEN WELKER: Lester, good morning. Governor Chris Christie says he's going to Green Bay to help his beloved Cowboys win tonight's critical game. A spokesperson telling NBC News that Christie and his now famed orange sweater, which you just saw there, which he’s worn for the past several big Cowboy wins, has been dubbed a part of the team's mojo.
But fans in the New Jersey region are crying foul. Some even saying the presidential contender has lost their vote. But not surprisingly, Christie isn't backing down. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has never shied away from a good fight.
CHRIS CHRISTIE: Sit down and shut up.
WELKER: Now a new battle. The potential presidential candidate has infuriated some of his most devoted constituents by rooting for his region’s enemy, the Dallas Cowboys.
UNKNOWN PERSON: I have a hard time trusting anybody who’s a Cowboys fan.
WELKER: Tempers flared last week when Governor Christie traveled to the big D on the Cowboys dime. The politician seen on camera in the sky box with owner Jerry Jones. The two hugging awkwardly after the touchdown.
CHRISTIE: It was pandemonium in there
WELKER: Some took to Twitter to slam Christie. One New Jersey newspaper even depicting him as a cheerleader.
CHRISTIE: I’m not going to be one of these politicians who changes their sports team loyalties just to score political points.
WELKER: Christie who says he's been a fan for life has taken to talk radio to defend himself.
CHRISTIE: I would take all the abuse that I’ve taken from some of these folks in return for Cowboys playoff wins.
WELKER: As Christie prepares to attend tonight’s playoff game, his spokesperson tells NBC News “the governor will be paying for travel and tickets for himself.” This comes as many expect Christie to enter the knockdown drag out sport of presidential politics where he’ll take on potential challengers like Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney and Rand Paul.
LYNN SWEET: If Chris Christie makes it clear that he's always been a Cowboys fan, this will not be politically damaging to him.
WELKER: Now Christie also has a little rivalry going on the sidelines with Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker who's expected to attend the game and who also might make a run in 2016. Should be interesting. Lester, back to you.
HOLT: All right Kristin. Welker. That is a high ten that didn't happen.
ERICA HILL: Didn't happen yeah. The sport of football, the sport of politics, got to love when they intercept.
ABC’s Good Morning America
January 11, 2015
DAN HARRIS: Moving on now, now to Chris Christie, the colorful governor of New Jersey doubling down on a football controversy. Last week you may remember this. This was the hug heard around the world.
Christie in a rather awkward embrace with the owner of the Dallas Cowboys after the victory and then came the questions about who was paying for Christie's tickets to travel to the game? Despite it all the possible presidential candidate is back at it today going to the Cowboys game in Green Bay. Maybe we'll see another hug like that. ABC's Kendis Gibson is on the story. Hey, Kendis.
KENDIS GIBSON: Hey, Dan. And one can only hope. What a hug it is indeed. Chris Christie claims to have been a lifelong Cowboys fan. Nothing wrong with that, even as governor of a state with football fans who absolutely despise the Cowboys. What is raising eyebrows, his relations with the owner of the team.
This morning Chris Christie and his now infamous orange sweater expected in Green Bay, hours ahead of the Cowboys/Packers playoff matchup and perhaps more scenes like this. The New Jersey governor taken to task over the sky box bro hug with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones last weekend. The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart questioning his loyalties.
JON STEWART: You lead a state, Christie, that's half Giants fans, half Eagles fans, and you're groping the owner of the Dallas [ bleep ] Cowboys.
GIBSON: And more questions amongst New Jersey lawmakers. With Christie's office admitting this week that Jones gave the governor tickets to three Cowboys games this season. Even providing the private plane transportation to last week's matchup in Dallas.
RICK KLEIN: This may be fun in football but Chris Christie is on thin ethical ice when it comes to accepting these tickets, accepting flights from the Cowboys owner.
GIBSON: In a statement Christie's press secretary calling the controversy “silliness.” However, assuring “Governor Christie, his orange sweater and his son Andrew will all travel to Lambeau Field this weekend to attend the game against the Green Bay Packers. The governor will be paying for travel and tickets for himself, his sweater and his son.”
The relationship could also spark a conflict of interest investigation with Jones being a partial owner of a hospitality company that will operate the observatory and restaurant at One World Trade Center. The Port Authority oversees One World Trade and that agency is run by the governors of New York and New Jersey. Okay, so Christie is expected to be back in the owner's suite for this afternoon's game. His potential 2016 presidential rival, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, tweeted he will be sitting with the fans in the stands. The race has started.
HARRIS: So, Walker is a man of the people.
GIBSON: Yes.
HARRIS: Christie is up in the sky box.
PAULA FARIS: And he likes Orange sweaters.
GIBSON: With the millionaires.
HARRIS: Yeah.
GIBSON: The Orange sweater kind of makes you feel as if he's one of us.
FARIS: And he's wearing that and he's worn it the last couple of games. It's superstition at this point.
GIBSON: All this may be moot if the Cowboys lose today.
FARIS: Dan wears the same tie and nobody seems to notice.
HARRIS: Nobody notices. I also use it to clean crumbs off my face. That's an entirely different topic. Kendis, thank you.
— Jeffrey Meyer is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Jeffrey Meyer on Twitter.
