Christie goes on Trump attack in Eastern Iowa campaign stops

IOWA CITY — New Jersey Gov. and GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie said during a campaign stop Tuesday that he supports a 'no fly zone' and 'safe zone' in Syria — protected by Americans — rather than allowing Syrian refugees into the United States.

Christie said Syrians would prefer to stay in their homeland if they could do so safely. And he asserted that the United States can't vet refugees quickly enough to keep pace with the influx while guarding against infiltration by Islamic State militants.

'Yes that means some sacrifice on our part, but it is sacrifice that doesn't implicate our national security,' Christie told about 75 diners and media members at the Hamburg Inn in Iowa City. 'It is sacrifice that means I have to send some folks overseas to protect that no fly zone and safe zone from (Syrian President Bashar al-Assad) and the rebels, but I think that is a much smarter investment to make than allowing refugees in.'

The stop was on the second of a three-day tour of Iowa, which also included a Tuesday evening visit to The Fieldhouse in Cedar Rapids.

At the Hamburg Inn, a political hot spot for candidates, Christie spoke for about five minutes before taking another 50 minutes of questions.

He said he supports state educational standards over Common Core, building up the military, more transparency in higher education costs, reforming entitlements such as Medicare and restoring more surveillance authority to the National Security Agency, in contrast to rivals Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

Christie said he believes climate change is real, but international terrorism is a greater priority, which is why he is critical of the timing of President Barack Obama's participation in a climate change summit this month.

On the climate agreement signed by world leaders, Christie said he would have walked away because the agreement does not hold China to the same standards as others.

Christie cast himself as a tested executive who's not afraid to make tough decisions, including deploying troops when American lives and interests are at risk. He is ready to be president, he said, unlike many of his GOP and Democratic rivals.

'I am not here to get a Fox News talk show or a book deal,' Christie said. 'I am here because I want to be president of the United States, and I believe in my heart I am the best person to clean up this mess Barack Obama has created for us because he didn't know what he was doing.'

'You can't replace a person who didn't know what they were doing because they lacked the experience with another person who you might agree with more but who also lacks the experience,' he said.

But Christie's biggest jabs came for one of the Republican front-runners, Donald Trump, who had blasted the governor Monday at a campaign stop in New Hampshire. Trump leads in Granite State polls, but Christie has surged into the top tier.

'Something happened in the last three or four days that made Donald lose his Christmas spirit,' Christie said. 'This is not a game where you are puffing out your chest to be the biggest, toughest guy in public. This is about who can run the country.'

While gaining in New Hampshire, Christie continues to lag behind the crowded field in Iowa, polling in the low single digits. He acknowledged time is dwindling as he made his pitch to Iowa voters.

'You are not electing the entertainer-and-chief,' Christie said in another Trump dig. 'This has been an entertaining campaign. This is what I tell Iowa. There's 34 days to go. Show time is over. It's game time. It's game time. You and the people of New Hampshire are the most powerful people in America. You are going to take this race from 13 people to four or five, and I know you will take your job seriously.'

Some diners were on hand by coincidence. Others, such as Lee Noel, 81, of Iowa City, brought his daughter and granddaughter, who were in town from Wyoming, for a slice of Iowa politics.

Noel said he's been drawn to Christie since early in the campaign because in him, he sees courage and conviction.

'I am not sure how much time and effort he's spent here compared to other candidates,' Noel said. 'But I think if people listen to him, his message will resonate.'