This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 12, 2011 - Perhaps with Missouri's presidential caucus in mind, Republican hopeful Mitt Romney tapped some Missouri voters to join a celebratory teleconference Tuesday afternoon that featured his most prominent new supporter, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Listeners -- including this reporter -- were apparently picked at random and without any advance warning. The telephone rang, and then Christie's recorded voice boomed on the line: "If you stay on the line, you can listen to Mitt and me, live."
Once the teleconference began, Romney spoke first, followed by Christie. Both emphasized the chief Republican contention that President Barack Obama has failed to provide the policies and leadership to combat the nation's economic troubles.
Romney contended that Obama has been unable to "create the jobs and higher incomes'' and asserted that the Occupy Wall Street movement should be directing its ire at Obama for undertaking "a presidency of divide and conquer."
Christie, in turn, called Romney "far and away the best person to lead our party and defeat Barack Obama."
But Romney left the call when it was time for listeners to pose questions. And perhaps it was just as well.
An early questioner, identified as "Frank from Missouri," asked Christie why he wasn't supporting Texas Gov. Rick Perry instead. Christie replied that he viewed Romney as "a better candidate and will be a better president."
Another caller, from a different state, exhorted Christie at least to agree to be Romney's running mate, assuming that Romney wins the GOP nomination.
All in all, a number of the listeners who posed questions appeared to be more enamored of Christie -- which may or may not mean anything by the time Missouri's caucuses roll around in March.
