The New Jersey governor, once seen as a beacon of moderation in the Republican Party, has joined in the hysteria against Syrian refugees. Asked by a radio host if the U.S. should bar even 5-year-old Syrian orphans from entering the country, Christie said yes.
It’s worth remembering that in 2011, Christie not only appointed Sohail Mohammed as a judge, but also defended the Muslim-American when he was attacked by bigots who claimed that Sharia law was on the horizon in New Jersey.
“This Sharia law business is crap. It’s just crazy, and I’m tired of dealing with the crazies,” Christie said at the time. “It’s just unnecessary to be accusing this guy of things just because of his religious background.”
Unfortunately, Christie’s willingness to stand up to the “crazies” ended when he started running for the GOP presidential nomination, since the “crazies” are too big a part of the base to alienate.