New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has taken off the gloves against GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump.
The tough-talking Christie has kept away from Trump, who famously hits back ten times as hard when attacked. But that strategy seems to have changed,
Politico notes, as the brash Christie has gone after the at least equally brash Trump at Iowa campaign appearances over the past few days.
"We do not need reality TV in the Oval Office right now," Christie told one group of supporters in reference to the real estate mogul's "Apprentice" television show. "President of the United States is not a place for an entertainer," he told another group, according to Politico.
"While the race may have been entertaining before, it’s deadly serious now,” Christie told a crowd in Iowa Falls. "Now’s not the time to have fun anymore with this."
On Sunday morning, Christie was asked by
"Face the Nation" host John Dickerson about Trump's suggestion to profile Muslims to combat terrorism.
"Well, all I'd say that this is the difference between having the experience and the understanding of how you do this, and not having any experience," Christie said.
Rather than profiling, he said, there should be increased surveillance that comes about by working with mosques and the Muslim American community as was done after 9/11.
"You need a president who has had the experience and know-how to do this," the former U.S. attorney said, "not someone just going to talk off the top of their head."
Christie's newfound anti-Trump rhetoric comes just days after the New Hampshire Union Leader endorsed him for president. The influential newspaper's publisher, Joseph W. McQaid, said Christie is the only qualified candidate "who can who can take the fight to Trump, Hillary, ISIS."
For his part, Christie said he is glad Trump is in the race taking the spotlight off Christie's own occasional outbursts.
"I'm the second most psychoanalyzed guy in the race," Christie told an Iowa crowd. "But he's first and I'm second, it's OK."
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