SALON

Tuesday, May 7, 2013 1:22 PM UTC

Chris Christie’s weighty secret

Ten days after telling a former White House doctor to “shut up” about his weight, the governor had lap-band surgery

By

Topics: Chris Christie, 2016 Elections, Obesity, ,

Chris Christie's weighty secretNew Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (Credit: AP/Mal Evans)

I thought there was something remarkable about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s furious outburst at former White House doctor Connie Mariano last February, after she suggested to CNN that his evident obesity was “a time bomb,” and that she hoped he would slim down for the sake of his health.

“I’m a Republican. I like Chris Christie. I want him to run. I just want him to lose weight,” Mariano said. “I’m a physician more than I’m a Democrat or Republican. And I’m worried about this man dying in office.” The White House doctor under George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Mariano revealed that she helped Clinton lose 30 pounds, and suggested Christie could be helped, too.

“If he can overcome this disease, he deserves the White House,” the doctor later told the Newark Star-Ledger. “He’s a tough SOB. And all of us really like him because he’s refreshingly honest. He’s no BS-er. … I want him to lose weight so he can win the office.”

An angry Christie, who had just told David Letterman, “I’m basically the healthiest fat guy you’ve ever seen in your life,” viciously attacked Mariano. “This is just another hack who wants five minutes on TV,” he raged in a tirade that lasted a minute and a half, adding, “She should shut up.” He seemed particularly furious that the doctor had frightened his kids by suggesting he might die young because of it.

I wrote at the time that his volcanic anger, not his weight problem, was the reason Christie would ultimately never be president. His desire not merely to challenge Mariano, but to insult and destroy her credibility, seemed of a piece with a number of public rants and embarrassments where Christie lost control and insulted reporters and constituents over the years.

But now we learn that Christie was about to enter a hospital under an assumed name to have lap-band surgery Feb. 16, in order to do what Mariano advised: lose some weight. It now seems disingenuous that he blamed the doctor for scaring his kids, because Christie admits to the New York Post that he took the extreme measure because of them. “For me, this is about turning 50 and looking at my children and wanting to be there for them.”

The revelation adds a new wrinkle to what, in retrospect, was a bizarre week of mixed messages about his approach to weight in early February. Insisting to Letterman that he was a healthy fat guy while munching a doughnut, Christie revealed that recent medical tests showed his blood sugar and cholesterol levels were normal. But the next day, he told a group of reporters that he was concerned about his size.

“If you talked to anybody who has struggled with their weight, what they would tell you is, ‘Every week, every month, every year, there’s a plan,’” the governor said. “The idea that somehow I don’t care about this, of course I care about it, and I’m making the best effort I can.” Christie confessed at the time that “there is a plan” for him to lose weight once again. “Whether it’s successful or not,” he said, “you’ll all be able to notice.”

Now that reporters have noticed – he’s said to have lost about 40 pounds – Christie decided to come clean about the surgery.

But why hide it in the first place? It’s not the same as Mark Sanford “hiking the Appalachian trail,” of course, going awol as governor to cavort with a mistress, but it’s a little odd for a sitting governor to have a secret health procedure – especially one involving an issue he’s struggled with so publicly.

I’m not a Christie fan, but I’ve defended him against anti-fat bias, and the scolds who insist that if he doesn’t have the discipline to lose weight, he doesn’t have what it takes to be president. There’s often a class bias behind fat prejudice, and I could imagine voters finding something refreshing about Christie thumbing his nose at fat-shamers. Jon Corzine’s efforts to make Christie’s weight an issue in the 2009 governor’s race obviously backfired.

It’s not clear how the revelation of Christie’s secret surgery will play politically. It could compromise the governor’s valued and bipartisan reputation for candor. (Mariano called him “refreshingly honest” while urging him to confront his weight problem publicly). But the news of the secret surgery could also make voters even more sympathetic to Christie’s human frailties. It seems to reflect the shame so many overweight people feel about their weight.

One thing no one should believe, however: Christie’s claim that his surgery had nothing to do with his 2016 plans. “I know it sounds crazy to say that running for president is minor, but in the grand scheme of things, it was looking at Mary Pat and the kids and going, ‘I have to do this for them, even if I don’t give a crap about myself,’” he said. But New Jersey insiders disagree. A top political donor told the New York Post: “This means he’s running for president. He’s showing people he can get his weight in control. It was the one thing holding him back.”

Joan Walsh

Joan Walsh is Salon's editor at large and the author of "What's the Matter With White People: Finding Our Way in the Next America." More Joan Walsh.

You Might Also Like

More Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

7 motorist-friendly camping sites

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 9

Sponsored Post

  • White River National Forest via Lower Crystal Lake, Colorado
    For those OK with the mainstream, White River Forest welcomes more than 10 million visitors a year, making it the most-visited recreation forest in the nation. But don’t hate it for being beautiful; it’s got substance, too. The forest boasts 8 wilderness areas, 2,500 miles of trail, 1,900 miles of winding service system roads, and 12 ski resorts (should your snow shredders fit the trunk space). If ice isn’t your thing: take the tire-friendly Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway — 82 miles connecting the towns of Meeker and Yampa, half of which is unpaved for you road rebels.
    fs.usda.gov/whiteriveryou


    Image credit: Getty

  • Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest via Noontootla Creek, Georgia
    Boasting 10 wildernesses, 430 miles of trail and 1,367 miles of trout-filled stream, this Georgia forest is hailed as a camper’s paradise. Try driving the Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway, which saw Civil War battles fought. If the tall peaks make your engine tremble, opt for the relatively flat Oconee National Forest, which offers smaller hills and an easy trail to the ghost town of Scull Shoals. Scaredy-cats can opt for John’s Mountain Overlook, which leads to twin waterfalls for the sensitive sightseer in you.
    fs.usda.gov/conf


    Image credit: flickr/chattoconeenf

  • Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area via Green Road, Michigan
    The only national forest in Lower Michigan, the Huron-Mainstee spans nearly 1 million acres of public land. Outside the requisite lush habitat for fish and wildlife on display, the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area is among the biggest hooks for visitors: offering beach camping with shores pounded by big, cerulean surf. Splash in some rum and you just might think you were in the Caribbean.
    fs.usda.gov/hmnf


    Image credit: umich.edu

  • Canaan Mountain via Backcountry Canaan Loop Road, West Virginia
    A favorite hailed by outdoorsman and author Johnny Molloy as some of the best high-country car camping sites anywhere in the country, you don’t have to go far to get away. Travel 20 miles west of Dolly Sods (among the busiest in the East) to find the Canaan Backcountry (for more quiet and peace). Those willing to leave the car for a bit and foot it would be remiss to neglect day-hiking the White Rim Rocks, Table Rock Overlook, or the rim at Blackwater River Gorge.
    fs.usda.gov/mnf


    Image credit: Getty

  • Mt. Rogers NRA via Hurricane Creek Road, North Carolina
    Most know it as the highest country they’ll see from North Carolina to New Hampshire. What they may not know? Car campers can get the same grand experience for less hassle. Drop the 50-pound backpacks and take the highway to the high country by stopping anywhere on the twisting (hence the name) Hurricane Road for access to a 15-mile loop that boasts the best of the grassy balds. It’s the road less travelled, and the high one, at that.
    fs.usda.gov/gwj


    Image credit: wikipedia.org

  • Long Key State Park via the Overseas Highway, Florida
    Hiking can get old; sometimes you’d rather paddle. For a weekend getaway of the coastal variety and quieter version of the Florida Keys that’s no less luxe, stick your head in the sand (and ocean, if snorkeling’s your thing) at any of Long Key’s 60 sites. Canoes and kayaks are aplenty, as are the hot showers and electric power source amenities. Think of it as the getaway from the typical getaway.
    floridastateparks.org/longkey/default.cfm


    Image credit: floridastateparks.org

  • Grand Canyon National Park via Crazy Jug Point, Arizona
    You didn’t think we’d neglect one of the world’s most famous national parks, did you? Nor would we dare lead you astray with one of the busiest parts of the park. With the Colorado River still within view of this cliff-edge site, Crazy Jug is a carside camper’s refuge from the troops of tourists. Find easy access to the Bill Hall Trail less than a mile from camp, and descend to get a peek at the volcanic Mt. Trumbull. (Fear not: It’s about as active as your typical lazy Sunday in front of the tube, if not more peaceful.)
    fs.usda.gov/kaibab


    Image credit: flickr/Irish Typepad

  • As the go-to (weekend) getaway car for fiscally conscious field trips with friends, the 2013 MINI Convertible is your campground racer of choice, allowing you and up to three of your co-pilots to take in all the beauty of nature high and low. And with a fuel efficiency that won’t leave you in the latter, you won’t have to worry about being left stranded (or awkwardly asking to go halfsies on gas expenses).


    Image credit: miniusa.com

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 9

Related Videos

Comments

 66 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>

follow salon

Most Read

Popular on Reddit

links from salon.com

vote
Let's Stop Screwing Around and Impeach James Clapper: After lying to Congress about all the different ways the NSA's spying on us, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper lies about how he lied. Call the White House at 202 456-1111 and Tell Obama to Get Rid of Clapper
354 points355 points | 18 comments
vote
Let's Stop Screwing Around and Impeach James Clapper: After lying to Congress about all the different ways the NSA's spying on us, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper lies about how he lied. Call the White House at 202 456-1111 and Tell Obama to Get Rid of Clapper
217 points218 points | 25 comments
vote
Machiavelli doesn’t belong to the 1 percent | "The Prince" is oft-quoted on Wall Street, but its author was a hero of the working class who despised elites
85 points86 points | 33 comments
vote
Let's Stop Screwing Around and Impeach James Clapper: After lying to Congress about all the different ways the NSA's spying on us, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper lies about how he lied. Call the White House at 202 456-1111 and Tell Obama to Get Rid of Clapper
59 points60 points | 7 comments
vote
“Whistle-blower” now means “homegrown terrorist” And other definitions from the new dictionary for our post-9/11 security state
49 points50 points | 2 comments

From Around the Web

Presented by Scribol
listener_new_rect The Listener: "The Joker": Laughing at life's deepest sorrows