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Christie: First lady has ‘no business being involved’ in what people eat

by Jesse Byrnes - 01/19/16 9:20 AM ET

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie tore into first lady Michelle Obama’s healthy food initiative Monday during a campaign stop in Iowa.

“The first lady has no business being involved in this,” the Republican presidential candidate said during a town hall at a Village Inn in Council Bluffs.

{mosads}”If she wants to give her opinions [about what people should have for breakfast, lunch or dinner] that’s fine,” Christie said. “But using the government to mandate her point of view on what people should be eating every day is none of her business.”

His remarks came in response to a question from an 11-year-old boy who said he used to eat crispitos and “square pizza” before Obama’s health-food push.

“What are you going to do about the lunches?” the boy asked Christie, lamenting that his lunches “were fine when Mrs. Bush was the first lady” but have deteriorated under Obama.

Christie said that he supported people eating healthier foods but didn’t support the first lady’s push for putting healthier foods in schools.

Christie said what students eat should be of concern to their parents, but, as president, “I don’t care.”

Tags 2016 GOP primary Chris Christie Let's Move Michelle Obama Michelle Obama