Chris Christie doesn't want to talk about his weight.
But, the Republican candidate in New Jersey's gubernatorial race is in a tight spot after a none-too-subtle attack ad launched by Gov. John Corzine accused him of "throwing his weight around" to get out of traffic tickets.
It was a heavy-handed attempt to question Christie's ethics while poking fun at his girth.
Christie called Corzine's attack ad -- which shows the Republican moving in extreme slow motion -- "silly" and "stupid," the New York Times reported today.
But, it appears the message might be working, for now. A new poll from Monmouth University revealed that when voters were asked to say the first thing that came to mind about Christie,“fat” was one of the most frequent responses. A political analyst told the Times that the ad seems to try to link Christie's weight with his political ability -- subliminally telling voters that he lacks self control.
Christie, 47, has said little publicly about his weight, calling it a private matter. He did joke on a radio show in March that he has an inability to pass up a doughnut -- a trait many share.
He told the Times he's been heavy since his teens and has become "numb" to fat jokes. Perhaps this explains the somewhat tepid response to the ad -- especially from a man who promotes himself as a corruption buster and is known as a bit of a bulldog.
Local
Christie said he's tried to lose weight in the past, only to gain it back.
Though New Jersey is one of the leanest states in the nation -- thousands of residents struggle with weight and body image concerns.
“It is a lifetime battle,” formerly overweight New Jersey State Senator Bill Baroni told the Times. “And it’s made harder when people that you expect better from make fun of you.”
