Which story is it?

On Monday, 3/23/2015, Robert Kennedy Jr. (son of the former US Senator from NY; nephew of the former President) spoke at the State House in Trenton, NJ. He discussed the issue of vaccine choice and stressed his concerns over the Center for Disease Control (CDC). He framed the importance of choice around his belief that the CDC is a “cesspool of corruption.”

When the event opened for questions I was very curious to find out if he planned to meet with Governor Christie during his visit. I asked him and he did not answer my question. You can watch the exchange here.

You may recall the controversy that resulted after Christie’s remarks about vaccines during a trip to the United Kingdom in February, including his belief that “parents need to have some measure of choice” when it comes to vaccinating their children. You can read exactly what was said here. 

I was a little annoyed that he didn’t answer my question, but my interest was also piqued. Was there a secret meeting? Why wouldn’t he just answer “yes” or “no”? So, of course, when I had a moment to interview Kennedy one-on-one outside of the event, I asked again: “Are you meeting with the Governor today?” He answered this time saying “I was on a tight schedule, and we made the offer to Governor Christie, and I would love to talk to him at some point.” You can watch his answer here.

I was eager to tweet my exclusive tidbit. That being said, the lack of a meeting didn’t surprise me at all. Why would the Governor go anywhere near the topic when there was such a backlash last time. Even Hillary piled on the attack with a tweet encouraging vaccinations and her now famous hashtag #GrandmothersKnowBest.

And that was it. I thought.

That night, Governor Christie did his monthly radio appearance on NJ101.5 for “Ask The Governor”. The host told him that Kennedy was in the State House today. Christie’s response? “Was he? I didn’t know. He didn’t stop by to say hello.” Watch here starting at 42:49.

Wait, what? According to Kennedy he asked for a meeting. According to Christie he didn’t even know he was in town. There is definitely the possibility that Kennedy did request the meeting and Christie’s gatekeepers never let him know. There is also the possibility that one side is being dishonest.

Forget the Polls?

Wondering who voters are most excited about? You can look to a poll, but the most telling numbers might be a lot easier to come by. Social media followers provide an interesting glimpse into the popularity of a candidate.

With Senator Ted Cruz’s announcement that he’s running for President via Twitter this morning, it adds to the idea that social media will hold a tremendous amount of power in this election cycle.

Let’s take a look, keeping two things in mind: Senator Cruz’s numbers have likely taken a jump since announcing this morning, and social media followers/likes change regularly.

March 23, 2015 Twitter followers
*Does not appear to be an active account.

I chose a handful of people who are rumored to be considering a Presidential run (along with Senator Cruz who is no longer rumored). I also included multiple accounts for a candidate, if they were verified accounts. There are other social media platforms, but Twitter provided a simple way to take a quick glance at the field.

It’s no surprise that Clinton and Trump are in the lead. Clinton’s run against President Obama in the 2008 Democratic primary made her a household name, if her marriage to the former President hadn’t done so already. Then her role as Secretary of State kept her in the spotlight. And Trump’s long-time run with NBC’s Apprentice, his real estate empire, along with his ability to attract media attention have certainly helped his numbers.

As for the rest of the group, it’s about a 645K follower spread. What do a few 100K followers mean for a potential presidential contender? Do followers translate into votes and movement on election day? Well, maybe. I follow a handful of people on this list and obviously can’t vote for all of them. And the difference between polls and follows, is that you can actually learn about the potential voter in a poll. A person might follow a candidate she hates and wouldn’t vote for – that differentiation can be shown in a poll. While I don’t think we’ll see Twitter followers replace the need for polls, the numbers do speak to the popularity of a candidate and the potential impact she can have with 140 characters or less.

Social media is a fun and exciting part of modern politics. Politicians are more accessible and interactive. They have the ability to share their message without the filter of the press or the cost of advertising. 2016 has begun and I can’t wait to follow it. #2016election

President Christie?

At Governor Christie’s 131st town hall in Freehold, NJ, one person addressed Governor Christie as “President Christie.” I have heard comments like this at previous town halls, and comparatively, the response was lukewarm. Christie did not indulge and simply answered the man’s question regarding property taxes.

What do you make of the response? Does it surprise you?

“I can walk and chew gum at the same time.”

Governor Christie said this during his first town hall of 2015 in Moorestown, NJ. This was his 128th town hall since he became Governor. Some in New Jersey believe he may care more about a 2016 Presidential run than leading the state. At this town hall he noted he still has not made up his mind about a possible 2016 run.

“I can walk and chew gum at the same time.”
~Governor Christie, February 25, 2015, Town Hall 128