New Jersey Had Itself A Gubernatorial Debate Last Night

Highlight of last night’s gubernatorial debate between Chris Christie and Barbara Buono: The challenger telling the guv to “man up” and “own” his record, after blaming the Corzine administration for the state’s crummy economic numbers. (24:00 mark.)

Overall, Buono painted Christie as a Romney-style supply-sider and dinged him for his unwavering–and Romneyesque–presidential ambitions. She said his decision not to fund the ARC Tunnel from Jersey to Manhattan, as many have suggested before, was motivated by his desire to appeal to small-government conservatives in 2016. Christie, Star-Ledger columnist Tom Moran pointed out, struck a softer, less-bullying tone, than usual. He played up his bipartisan bona fides and even said some nice things about Buono’s parenting abilities. Which may or may not have been an actual compliment.