No one in recent history, since Ronald Reagan, has told it like it is better than Chris Christie !   That this story was even in the NYT tells me they thought it would be detrimental, controversial, or uncomplimentary to Gov. Christie.  I thought it was a hoot, happy dance reason, and a stand up and cheer moment!  As an example;

"The governor has a direct, pithy speaking style — the sharp rise in property taxes in the past decade, he said, “is not a mystery; it’s a mandate” — often leavened by humor. And he is relentless, willing to hammer any message repeatedly and take on any critic, and he rarely meanders or evades a question.

When a reporter called him confrontational at news conference, Mr. Christie said, “You must be the thinnest-skinned guy in America,” adding that the reporter had never seen him when he was furious.

The few public opinion polls conducted so far show that he has not had the sharp drop in approval that often accompanies serious budget cuts, though most of the pain from those cuts has not yet been felt."

At least the blue-close-to-being-out-of-business rag known as the NYT acknowledged that his popularity has not gone down.  They're probably scratching their heads in wonderment.  Not me!  This is a breath of fresh air governor, and one who epitomizes what we need in OUR White House!  If Christie refuses to stand up and commit for the American people, I pray there is another just like him with the cojones to do so!