Christie gets in digs at Obama with Oprah

There was push and pull between Oprah Winfrey and Gov. Chris Christie on President Barack Obamas job performance during an interview aired Sunday night.

Christie attempted on several occasions to blame Obama for gridlock in Washington. Even after Winfrey walked the Republican governor away from the topic, Christie came back to get in some shots on the Democratic president.

Winfrey was a prominent supporter of Obama in the 2008 presidential campaign.

After initially declaring to have no interest in a White House run, Christie showed interest last fall in getting into the race, then finally withdrew from consideration. He has endorsed GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney.

The needle never moved from no to yes. It moved from no to, Im listening. In the end, inside me, it never felt right, Christie told Winfrey.

Christie said its too early to tell if he will be a presidential candidate in 2016 but added, Ill be much more ready for it four years from now than I am now.

Christie said supporters rallied around his potential campaign because of dissatisfaction with partisan national politics.

Thats why I think they like whats going on in New Jersey because I work with Democrats, Christie said. We fight like crazy in public. But then we get in a room together and we say there is a boulevard between getting everything you want and compromising your principles. I wont compromise my principles, but I acknowledge I wont get everything I want. And I think thats whats not happening in Washington right now, and I think the only person who can make that happen is the president.

Christie also said: Those who underestimate Barack Obama underestimate him at their own peril. Hes as good a politician as Ive ever seen, and so where I think the shortcoming has been is in governing.

The hourlong interview was taped at Christie's home in Mendham, N.J., and aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

The two traded stories about their weight control battles.

Christie said jo! kes abou t his girth on late-night TV shows didnt bother him.

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Winfrey said, It didn't bother you? Because let me tell you, when David Letterman was making jokes about me, it bothered me.

Winfrey opens the show telling viewers that Christies in-your-face style and public feuding with teachers has made him a YouTube sensation.

Winfrey highlighted some of the occasions when Christie has drawn national attention since becoming New Jerseys governor in January 2010.

The thing thats been most amusing to me about all this is Im called intriguing because I just say what I think, Christie said. Why doesnt everybody just say what they think? I dont think thats some special talent. A lot of people seem to think it is. It just comes naturally to me. I wouldnt know any other way to be.

Christie also talked about the close relationship he had with his late mother, Sondra, and a poignant exchange in her final hours.

Its an incredible story, it really is, because I think will tell you everything you need to know about my relationship with my mom. She was dying and it was her last couple of days. She was kind of in and out of things and I sat there for a while, Christie said.

Christie said when his mother realized it was a weekday morning, she reached over and she grabbed my hand and she said, Go to work. Its where you belong. Theres nothing left unsaid between us.

Christie told Winfrey he met his wife Mary Pat when both were undergraduates and involved in student government at the University of Delaware in 1980s.

Christie said he was attracted to Mary Pat because she was fun and very spontaneous, and when pressed by Winfrey for an example, told how his future wife suggested they break into the schools dining hall and steal some of the doughnuts being baked.

"She was fun in a different way than I'd ever experienced with anybody I'd ever dated, he said.