Christie’s temper flares on Seaside Heights boardwalk

By Sam Wood, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Posted: July 07, 2012

Gov. Christie got into a verbal smackdown at the Jersey Shore with an unidentified man who reportedly made snide remarks about the governor's education policies, according to TMZ.com

A video posted on TMZ.com shows Christie gripping a vanilla ice cream cone as strides down the Seaside Heights boardwalk while launching into a boardwalk battle of words.

"You're a real big shot, you're a real big shot shootin' your mouth off," Christie yells at the man.

"Just take care of the teachers," the man responded, according to TMZ. He may as well have kicked sand in the governor's face.

Christie turns up the heat. The shaking cellphone footage shows the Republican aggressively strutting towards the man, barking "Keep walking away ... keep walking."

Christie cools down after a towering member of his entourage puts his arm around the governor's shoulders and escorts him away.

The governor's press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Seaside Heights is no stranger to noisy blowups. It was, after all, the home of Jersey Shore.

The governor's angry display was the second this week in which he publicly berated a perceived foe.

During a news conference about a state water emergency last Saturday, Christie lashed out a reporter who veered off the topic.

Chris Harris of the Bergen Record innocuously asked: "On Monday, are you going to be addressing the Legislature?"

It was enough for the governor to blow a gasket.

""Did I say on topic? Are you stupid? On topic! On topic! Next question," Christie retorts, without taking another question. "Thank you all very much and I'm sorry for the idiot over there.

Contact staff writer Sam Wood at 215-854-2796 or samwood@phillynews.com.

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