This diary is not about digging deep into political machinations of either Christie or Obama. It is a look at how loss and grief prompts one to see others. It is deeply personal, deeply emotional. It is also deeply real.
As I heard on the news, by the time Obama landed, Christie was emotionally exhausted. He seemed to grab onto Obama as if grabbing to a life raft. And Obama was, indeed, that life raft. He offered hope, expertise, resources, a metaphorical shelter in the storm.
In contrast, during this time of deep loss and grief, Chris Christie also heard from Mitt Romney. And Mitt Romney asked Chris Christie for a favor. He asked Chris Christie to use the storm and the loss and the grief to help Mitt Romney get elected.
If we turn this tale into a fable, it is like Christie is a son who loses his last parent. He is grief stricken and overwhelmed. There are two people who visit. One brings him food, sits with him, offers to help him in whatever way he needs. That would be Obama. The other person comes to the house and starts looking over the property of the deceased. Instead of offering aid and comfort, he starts asking for the things he has always coveted from the deceased. And that would be Mitt Romney.
If you were Chris Christie in the midst of grief and loss and exhaustion, which person would you turn to?