Chris Christie has one thing to say about the bad press he's gotten recently from "folks in the media elite":
"I have The New York Times in my media gaggle every day. And when you do things like I've done in New Jersey ... they just want to kill ya, and that's what they try to do to me every day," the New Jersey governor said Thursday at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. "And here's the bad news for them: Here I am. And I'm still standing, I'm gonna continue to do it. Because what matters more is the fact that I wake every morning knowing how to fight for the people of my state."
Christie comes to CPAC this year with a souring image, and his recent polling has been unimpressive, both nationally and in-state. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who, like Christie, will be using this year's CPAC to drum up support for a presidential run, has managed to poach some of Christie's highest-profile New Jersey donors. Christie's appearance today was a chance to get back into the party's good graces, prove his worth to donors, and reset his image yet again—something he could use in what has been a series of rough weeks if he's building a presidential campaign.
And CPAC's moderator, conservative radio-show host Laura Ingraham, was certainly wondering about that run, asking Christie how he plans to overcome the polling deficit, that has him far behind Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Rep. Rand Paul among likely Iowa Republican caucus-goers.