FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CHRIS CHRISTIE’S BEACH DAY

1 CHRISTIE- ONLY BEACH

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie got blistered online Monday after he was photographed Sunday enjoying a New Jersey beach that he had closed to the public over the Fourth of July weekend. Christie ordered the shutdown of non- essential state services over the holiday weekend in a state budget stalemate.

2 INTERNET MEMES

Commenters mocked the governor as selfish and arrogant and cracked wise about the sight of the heavyset Christie in beachwear. The photo soon found itself inserted into an Oval Office picture and scenes from Planet of the Apes, From Here to Eternity, and The Sopranos. One commenter joked that Christie was promoting the state’s whale- watching industry. Another shared video of a simulated tsunami, saying it was the aftermath of Christie jumping into the water.

3 SPINNING THE STORY

“I didn’t get any sun today,” Christie told reporters at a news conference later in the day in Trenton. Then, when told of the photos, his spokesman told NJ.com that what the governor said was true because Christie was wearing a baseball hat.

4 MEH. ¯\ _(ッ)_/ ¯

Christie said he had previously announced his plans to vacation at the state- owned governor’s beach house and that the media simply “caught a politician keeping his word.” “That’s the way it goes,” he said. “Run for governor, and you can have the residence.” After he was photographed on the beach, he sarcastically called it a “great bit of journalism.”

5 ABYSMAL RATINGS

Christie is heading into his final six months in office with approval ratings at an abysmal 15 per cent. But the two- term governor regularly says the only time popularity counts is when you’re running for something — and he’s not. “I don’t care,” he said recently when asked about the fall in his ratings.