By Carl Golden
When confronted with a question about spending so much time out of state, Gov. Chris Christie dismissed the veiled criticism, quipping "I can walk and chew gum at the same time."
Gov. Christie has spent 55 percent of the time travelling this year, mostly in pursuit of the Republican presidential nomination. And, there's every indication that the walking and chewing will accelerate as the Iowa caucuses and the primary election in New Hampshire draw closer.
His airy response implies that in this day of high-tech communications, he may be thousands of miles away for days at a time, but he's never more than a few seconds away and can make decisions and set the levers of governmental power in motion instantly.
True as far as it goes, but no amount of cell phones, iPads or emails can substitute for the face-to-face, across the desk involvement when negotiating with legislators, for instance, when subtlety, nuance and body language are as revealing as verbal communication.
While some may scoff at the notion that taking the measure of adversaries by looking into their eyes or being sensitive to changing tones of voice should be trusted, such interaction provides an insight impossible from cell phone conversations or brief emails.
Staff briefings lose a good deal in the translation when done on the fly and cabinet officers seeking guidance may face delays, misunderstandings or be reluctant to act if unable to make their case to the governor personally.
A governor's presence is crucial in emergencies and disasters to provide calm assurance that the situation is under control at the highest levels of government.
Gov. Christie's response when Hurricane Sandy struck nearly three years ago was a tour de force, catapulting him into national prominence and driving his job approval ratings above 70 percent. Two years earlier, he was subjected to a storm of outrage when a snowstorm buried the state and he refused to return from a Disney World vacation because he didn't want to disappoint his family.
There is no better or sharper contrast than these two events in demonstrating what the public expects from its leaders in times of crisis.
The persistent and prolonged absences - particularly for purely political reasons - creates a perception that the state's problems are being ignored while the governor is occupied delivering speeches to voters in a state whose residents he considers more important than those who elected him at home.
There has, for instance, been no appreciable movement toward resolving the dispute over funding the state's public pension and health benefits system and it is anticipated the Transportation Trust Fund will run dry in less than a year.
The recent operational difficulties of NJ Transit's commuter rail service have focused increased attention on the deteriorating condition of the system and drawn the wrath of users who absorbed a 9 percent fare increase this year and face the prospect of another hike next year.
At the same time, the level of anxiety and angst is on the rise as dire predictions grow increasingly intense that the state faces a transportation and economic disaster if it becomes necessary to close one of the two rail tunnels into Manhattan to repair equipment severely damaged by flooding produced by Hurricane Sandy.
Polls have consistently shown deep dissatisfaction over Gov. Christie's absences, including a majority who feel he should step down if he intends to continue to pursue his national ambition.
Gov. Christie has been clear that he will not relinquish his office and can be a national candidate and governor without missing a beat. He appears more than willing to accept the criticism over his absences while brushing aside complaints that he's turned his back on the state's problems.
It comes at a price, though, because while walking and chewing gum at the same time is not terribly difficult for anyone, at some point the walk will become tiring and the gum will lose its flavor.
Carl Golden is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University.
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