(Newser)
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Charismatic New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie last night ripped into the Democrats and the "debacle" of ObamaCare, and hailed a presidential candidate ready to "talk hard truths" and make tough decisions to cut costs to restore the nation to economic health. The Democrats "believe the American people need to be coddled by big government," and will "whistle a happy tune while they drive us off a fiscal cliff," he told a wildly enthusiastic crowd in his keynote address at the Republican National Convention. "They believe in teachers unions, we believe in teachers. Our ideas are right for America, theirs have failed America. America needs Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, and we need them right now."
As his speech wound up, Christie called conventioneers to their feet, saying: "I'm here to begin with you this new era of truth telling. Tonight we stand up for Mitt Romney." Christie launched his speech with a tribute to his late mom, the second speaker—after Ann Romney—to pointedly court the female vote. In his family, "my dad was just a passenger," quipped Christie. "My mom was in the driver's seat." He repeatedly called himself "my mother's son."
