Presidential races

Christie: America ‘weaker’ under Obama

by Jesse Byrnes 03/28/15 12:16 PM ET

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a potential 2016 GOP presidential contender, took aim at President Obama during a speech before hundreds of Michigan Republicans in suburban Detroit this weekend.

“America under Barack Obama has become a defensive, reactive and weaker country both at home and abroad,” Christie told about 800 people gathered at a local Republican party annual fundraising dinner in Shelby Township, according to the Associated Press.

{mosads}“When America doesn’t lead, bad people with bad intentions do lead,” Christie said in the nearly half-hour-long speech. “We need a leader in the White House once again who knows how to lead America and lead the world.”

Christie, who trails a handful of potential Republican presidential contenders in recent polls, focused his criticism of Obama on foreign policy, minimum wage and government entitlements.

“We need to deal with the problem of income equality, not by raising the minimum wage,” he said, according to Bloomberg.

He also dinged Obama for not broaching entitlements — “except to create a new one, which nobody wants,” Christie said, referring to ObamaCare.

On foreign policy, Christie portrayed Obama as a pushover on issues relating to terrorism, Russia, Israel and the Keystone XL oil pipeline, according to Bloomberg.

Should he launch a White House bid, Christie will face a stacked field of candidates. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announced his bid this week, and Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.) are expected to declare for the race in the coming weeks. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush are already expected to run.