He thought about running before he ran, then stopped before running again

Despite apparent comments to the contrary, former Eagles tackle and newly signed San Diego Charger Jon Runyan will indeed retire from football at the end of the season to run for congress, says Burlington County Republican spokesman Chris Russell. On Tuesday, Runyan signed with the Chargers for the rest of the season, declaring it the end of his football career and the beginning of his run for Congress in New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District. But on Wednesday, Runyan told San Diego sports reporters that he has not “fully committed” to running for a House seat and that he was still “exploring my options.”

Russell, however, said the response was the mark of a different kind of congressional candidate—one who has a playful relationship with the press and is not dependent on “canned sound bites” – even if all of his statements so far about his congressional run have been just that. “When he gets back here and when he starts running, you’re going to see a guy who’s pretty candid and likes interacting wit the press,” said Russell.

Of course it's easy to be candid when there's really nothing to say, especially about issues that matter like health care and Afghanistan. Besides, he can always do a "John Kerry" and say he was a congressional candidate before he became a football player and stopped being a congressional candidate, and then say he is a congressional candidate again after he stops being a football player.

Will Jon Runyan be as tough in Congress?

Prospective GOP 3rd district congressional candidate and current San Diego Chargers offensive lineman Jon Runyan got some faint praise from one of his new teammates. In a recent interview with ESPN the Magazine, Chargers Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman was asked which offensive lineman is the game's toughest.

"Jon Runyan, on Philly," Merriman said. "He'll curse, spit, scratch, bite, anything. He's a nasty dude."

That makes him perfect for New Jersey politics.

Is Lou Dobbs going soft?

Former CNN anchor and prospective US Senate candidate from New Jersey Lou Dobbs softened his harsh anti-illegal immigrant rhetoric during an interview Tuesday, telling the viewers of the Spanish-speaking network Telemundo that “I am one of your greatest friends.”

“I want to engage in a meaningful and constructive dialogue and work with those who will work toward real solutions,” said Dobbs, who once falsely accused illegal immigrants of carrying leprosy into the United States.

I guess this means he'll will accuse them of bringing in measles instead.

Let's hope he wears a helmet

Hours after he was signed by the San Diego Chargers for the rest of the football season, former Eagles tackle Jon Runyan today announced that this will be his last season in the NFL and that he will run for Congress next year.

"Yesterday, I received an offer to pursue my professional dream of winning a Super Bowl, and have decided to sign with the San Diego Chargers for the remainder of this season through the playoffs. Win or lose, these will be my final games as an NFL player,” said Runyan in a statement. “Last night, I personally informed the Republican County Chairmen in NJ's 3rd Congressional District that after the season is over I plan to officially retire from football and pursue a campaign for the United States Congress. I want to thank all of the people who have been encouraging me to run next year and let them know that I look forward to a successful end to my career on the field, and a spirited campaign against Congressman Adler in 2010."

So instead of meeting voters and learning about issues that affect the district he'll be discussing health care reform with LaDainian Tomlinson.

Christie gets his hands on Thanksgiving dinners for the needy

Asked about whether he agreed with Gov. Jon Corzine on getting emergency food and energy relief for New Jerseyans during the lame duck session, Chris Christie said he is “willing to work with everybody on everything, but “The fact of the matter is we’re broke… and it’s getting worse, not better.”

“I’m going to work with the governor on things that are of absolute necessity, but this is the attitude that continues to get us in trouble to get along,” he said. Christie made the comments in response to a question during a press conference at St. Lucy’s Shelter, where he toured the shelter’s dormitory and then spent about 10 minutes packing Thanksgiving dinners for the needy.

I wonder if he was "packing" or pilfering.

Maybe he forgot they had elections

Records from Burlington County, N.J., indicate ex-Eagles player, and likely GOP congressional candidate in the third district, Jon Runyan missed voting in four of nine general elections between 2000 and 2008. He also hasn’t voted in a Republican primary in the last decade and only registered with the GOP this month.

Spokesman Chris Russell responded, “With all the issues the country’s facing, we don’t think three or four missed elections the last 10 years is going to be a deciding factor for voters.”

Compared to having no experience in government or political activism, and exhibiting little if any knowledge of relevant issues, I don't think his voting record will be a deciding factor. In fact, considering his political ignorance maybe it's just as well he didn't vote.

From offensive tackler to artful dodger

During an exclusive call-in interview on WIP-AM 610 sports radio, ex-Eagle football player and presumptive GOP candidate for Congress Jon Runyan was asked what he stood for.

"What do I stand for?" Runyan repeated the question. "I mean . . . I really believe, you know, the way these career politicians have been and they've gotten us to the point we're at, there needs to be change, and we really have to look at how to change that type of stuff."

His answer doesn't exactly compare with the Gettysburg Address, but at least he's politically savvy enough to know how to answer a question by not answering the question.

If he can dodge tacklers as well as he dodges questions maybe he should go back to football as a running back.

Lunch with Christie: "What's in it for me?"

Gov.-elect Chris Christie sent a strong message to an audience of municipal politicians and workers gathered here today: Stop thinking about yourselves, or you will be voted out.

After embracing outgoing Gov. Jon Corzine at the head of a long banquet table, Christie delivered a forceful speech in which he said he would use "every tool at my disposal to force change."

"The people of the state of New Jersey will no longer stand for us asking, 'What's in it for me,'" he said at the luncheon at the annual League of Municipalities convention.

When Christie got through with the buffet they were asking, "What's left for me?"

A simple "yes" will do

When Bill O'Reilly asked former CNN anchorman Lou Dobbs if he will consider running against U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez in 2012, Dobbs refused to rule it out. "A lot of things are on my mind, I'm not going to be coy about that," Dobbs said.

He's not being coy, just evasive.

At least we know Jon Runyan can follow orders

Brian Propp, who played fifteen seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, was recruited by state Sen. Diane Allen to run for State Assembly in her district as a Republican in 2007. However, he did not come close to unseating the Democratic incumbents.

Propp believes that former Philadelphia Eagles star Jon Runyan could be a viable candidate, and will not face several of the obstacles that his own candidacy faced. "He probably has a lot more notoriety than I did," said Propp, who thinks that athletes can make powerful political candidates with the right guidance.

"We've been coached all our lives. If we have a really good coach showing us what to do, we can exceed at it," he said.

That's great. Why don't we just send Andy Reid to Congress instead?

Chris Christie says "everything is on the table"

Chris Christie was discussing the budget at a meeting with State Treasurer David Rousseau and two officials from the Office of Management and Budget. At a press conference talking about that meeting, Christie and his two top budget advisors did not get specific about how dire the forecasts from the Department of Treasury were, and gave no hint of what areas of the budget they would cut. Christie said that "everything is on the table."

That is, until he starts getting hungry.

Can Bob Menendez keep his eyes off Lou Dobbs?

In an appearance on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor" host Bill O'Reilly welcomed Dobbs for his first cable news appearance since resigning from CNN last week. "Now, there's been speculation you might run for the Senate in New Jersey. Is that on your mind?" O'Reilly asked.

"A lot of things are on my mind," Dobbs responded. "I'm not going to be coy about this....I'm thinking — my wife and I are thinking about a lot of opportunities. I'm very blessed to have a lot of opportunities. I can guarantee you 100 percent I'm going to remain in the public arena. These issues that matter so much to me, many of the same that matter to you, are not changing. What is immutable here is, I'm going to remain in the public arena."

A spokesman for NJ Senator Robert Menendez said "the senator's focus is on jobs, not Dobbs."

I hope so. I hate to think Menendez has a man crush on the guy.

Christie is going to "weigh in"

Chris Christie and Gov. Jon Corzine have come to a simple agreement when it comes to major appointments and policy decisions in lame duck: if Corzine wants to do something, he'll fill Christie in.

"The understanding that the Governor and I came to was we would be talking to each other about it. There was no agreement that we made that either certain appointments, or any appoints, would or would not go forward," said Christie at a press conference today in the Meadowlands. "He's the governor until January 19. I'm going to certainly weigh in, and he offered me the opportunity to weigh in."

I guess that means Christie plans on "throwing his weight around".

In Xanadu did Chris Christie A stately pleasure-dome decree

Chris Christie and Kim Guadagno toured the new Meadowlands football stadium and the Xanadu project Friday, with Christie giving a passing grade to the Xanadu interior.

“I can assure you this, for those who haven’t been inside — it’s much nicer inside than it is on the outside,” said Christie, who was sharply critical of Xanadu’s multicolored exterior while on the campaign trail. “Although that’s a low bar, they’ve exceeded that low bar of how bad it looks from the outside, by making it much better on the inside.”

That would be a nice reversal from how his Republican predecessors governed the state.

George Gilmore waits to hear from Jon Runyan but says he has "viable candidates"

Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore is not ready to roll over and anoint former Eagles tackle Jon Runyon as the Republican nominee for Congress in the 3rd District. First, he at least needs to hear from Runyan, who lives in Burlington County.

"I'll wait for Mr. Runyan to make contact and we'll take it from there, but obviously there are a lot of viable candidates out there," said Gilmore.

Big fat slob runs for office (no, it's not Chris Christie)

Former Philadelphia Eagles star Jon Runyan confirmed today that he’s interested in running for Congress in the 3rd Congressional District.

“I am seriously considering becoming a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District. Our great country is headed in the wrong direction, and it’s clearer every day that career politicians are incapable of solving the problems we face,” he said in a statement issued this afternoon. “I am grateful for the tremendous support and encouragement I have received while talking to people throughout South Jersey about running for Congress and I look forward to having more to say on this subject in the weeks ahead.”

I wonder what kind of "people" he talks to besides GOP politicians and the handful of Eagle fans who can still remember who he is.

Len Lance should be scared; very scared

According to a story posted on PolitickerNJ there has been more talk about a challenge to Republican Congressman Leonard Lance from the right than the left. His vote in favor of the cap and trade bill - together with two other New Jersey Republicans - brought forth threats of a primary from conservatives.

"Lance will absolutely have a primary. He is the most likely to have one - he has no friends," said conservative political consultant and former Lonegan strategist Rick Shaftan.

That's more friends than Shaftan has.

Ocean County "Boss" George Gilmore picks a Congressman

PolitickerNJ reports that Republicans across the state are in awe of George Gilmore, the Ocean County GOP leader who delivered a 70,000 plurality for Chris Christie. That's bad news for U.S. Rep. John Adler, who is preparing to seek re-election next year to a second term in Congress. Republicans have struggled to find a candidate and are way behind in fundraising - Adler has $1 million in his campaign account and has raised more money than any other freshman. But now Christie and Gilmore are positioned to raise some serious money, and there's a fairly good chance the GOP will just let Gilmore pick a candidate.

Which one of his stooges will Gilmore choose?

Joe "You Lie" Wilson was just expressing his concern

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., the congressman who gained notoriety by yelling "You Lie," to President Obama, urged participants at Sunday's Tea Party rally to "make a difference" by knocking on doors and supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie.

Wilson, who holds town hall meetings in his congressional district every three months, said the participants' strong reactions should not be dismissed as exaggerated emotions.

"They weren't angry. They were concerned," he said.

Like an obnoxious Congressman yelling "You Lie" at the President.

Monty Python's "The Life Of Christie"

Members of Monty Python are considering suing Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie, according to a report in the Huffington Post. The group believes that Christie used scenes from one of their copyrighted skits without receiving permission.

The TV ad, which also appeared on Christie's YouTube campaign site before being removed Sunday, featured attacks on Gov. Jon Corzine. It used scenes from "Monty Python's Flying Circus" TV show that features Michael Palin, the report stated.

"It is totally outrageous that a former U.S. Attorney knows so little about the law ...," Monty Python's Terry Jones told the Huffington Post.

Not to mention science and math.

Christie disses teabaggers

Jeffrey Weingarten, president of the Morristown Tea Party organization, said his group is a little perplexed on why Christie has distanced himself from it.

"The way he's acting is strange to some of us," Weingarten said.

Maybe the way they act is strange to him.

Christie will keep his promises (at a lower level)

According to the New York Times Chris Christie no longer said he would fully restore property tax rebates. Christie responded that his campaign rhetoric has not changed. “What I’ve always said is we’re going to restore property tax rebates, we just have to determine at what level we’re going to restore them."

That's like Christie saying he has a safe driver record, if you don't count the tickets and the accidents.