Christie jabs Obama: ObamaCare a ‘failure’

In what could be the latest move toward a 2016 presidential bid, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) offered a wide-ranging critique of President Obama’s domestic and foreign policies.

Speaking to reporters at the National Governors Association on Saturday, Christie labeled Obamacare, the administration’s signature legislation, a “failure on a whole number of levels” and said it should be repealed.

{mosads}“But has to be repeal and replace with what. It can’t just be about repeal,” Christie told the audience. “What I’ve said before is, what Republicans need to be doing is putting forth alternatives for what should be a better healthcare system.”

He also urged his GOP colleagues to keep bringing up their opposition to same-sex marriage, even though a series of court decisions have overturned many statewide gay marriage bans.

“I don’t think there’s some referee who stands up and says, ‘OK, now it’s time for you to change your opinion,’” according to Christie.

Christie also said the latest outbreak of violence between Israelis and Palestinians was partly the White House’s fault because the administration “does stand up for our friends.”

The president should be “speaking firmly and forcefully on behalf of Israel,” he said.

Christie, who chairs the Republican Governors Association, will make a trip to Iowa on July 17 to raise funds for the group and, in turn, raise his profile in the crucial state.

The New Jersey lawmaker vowed to do everything he could to help the GOP maintain its hold on the majority of state Houses around the country.