Gov. Chris Christie makes the media rounds for a second  day today starting with a “scolding” of Townsquare Media New Jersey 101.5 host Jim Gearhart about the political motivations of his proposed 10% income tax reduction and continuing with an appearance on the CBS Morning Show and a discussion about his national aspirations.

Christie told Charlie Rose that he “can’t imagine” himself being a Vice Presidential candidate. “I can’t imagine Romney doing it,” Christie told Charlie Rose. “Now, I have said that I think it’s rude to say no to a job that you haven’t been offered yet, but if you’re a betting man, Charlie, which I suspect you are, I would bet on me being the governor of New Jersey after November of 2012.”

The Governor also told Rose and Erica Hill that Romeny should not be ashamed of his wealth amassed while running the private investment firm Bain Capital.  He disputed a New York Times article printed Thursday that characterized Romney’s wealth as a political problem.

Earlier on Thursday morning Gearhart offered the opinion that when politicians are in trouble they will offer up an income tax reduction. He cited as examples Governor Christie Todd Whitman and Bob Dole during his 1996 Presidential campaign against incumbent Bill Clinton. The Governor “corrected” Gearhart, emphasizing  his reduction will be phased in. It was Gearhart’s second conversation with Christie in two days.

Jim Gearhart’s conversation with Governor Christie (1/19/12)

Christie’s second appearance of the morning was on Fox Business Channel



On Wednesday morning Senate President Steve Sweeney criticized the proposal with  New Jersey 101.5 host Jim Gearhart, Christie quickly called in to rebut Sweeney’s comments explaining that the reduction would be phased in over 3 years.

Jim Gearhart’s conversation with Senate President Steve Sweeney

Jim Gearhart’s conversation with Governor Chris Christie

In the afternoon he talked to Jeff Deminski & Bill Doyle and again made the case for his tax reduction plan.

Deminski & Doyle talk to the Governor

The Governor defended his proposal with MSNBC host Joe Scarborough on Morning Joe explaining that the reduction should be phased in over three years calling it the “responsible way” to do it.

Earlier, appearing on NBC’s Today show Wednesday, Christie says he believes Mitt Romney will release his tax returns sooner rather than later. Christie supports the Republican presidential candidate, who has resisted calls to release his tax returns. Christie makes his public after filing extensions.

Christie feels Romney should “put them out sooner than later because it’s always better to have full disclosure.”

Romney’s taxes have emerged as an issue days before the South Carolina primary. He agreed in Monday night’s debate to consider making his tax returns public, and then committed to releasing them on Tuesday.

But the multi-millionaire candidate now is on the defensive after acknowledging that his effective tax rate is 15 percent, saying most of his income came from investments and speeches rather than earned income.

Christie also says he and Romney have had “zero” discussions about Romney picking the New Jersey governor as a running mate but he wouldn’t rule it out.

Christie is appearing on national programs to tout his tax-cut plan that he unveiled during his State of the State address Tuesday.

Democratic lawmakers say high-income people would get most of the benefit and school budgets could suffer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More From 94.3 The Point