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u.s. news Dialuna 29 november 2021

Chris Christie aims to shape future for GOP and for himself

(AP) — Chris Christie is As candidates largely break
everywhere. into pro- and anti-Trump
camps, “there is a thing to be-
The former New Jersey gov- ing in a unique lane that does
ernor and onetime Repub- in fact endorse some of Presi-
lican presidential candidate dent Trump’s policies but at
denounced “conspiracy theo- the same time doesn’t hesi-
rists” during a September ap- tate to criticize where Chris-
pearance at the Ronald Rea- tie would disagree with him,”
gan Library in California. He said longtime GOP pollster
followed up with a speech Adam Geller. He worked on
this month to influential Re- Christie’s two winning New
publicans in Las Vegas, warn- Jersey gubernatorial cam-
ing that the party will only paigns as well as Christie’s
succeed if it offers a “plan for 2016 presidential bid, fol-
tomorrow, not a grievance lowed by Trump’s.
about yesterday.”
Others aren’t so sure, arguing
In between, he’s been inter- that Christie aligned himself
viewed by everyone from with Trump until it was no
Laura Ingraham on Fox longer politically convenient.
News to David Axelrod, a
former adviser to President Christie and Trump have had
Barack Obama, on CNN. a complicated relationship
during the nearly 20 years
On its face, Christie’s pub- ture and wouldn’t until after One of the biggest questions Larry Hogan, who have taken that they’ve been “friends.”
licity campaign is in service next year’s elections. But he that hangs over the 2024 high-profile stands against As a U.S. attorney, Christie
of “Republican Rescue,” his was blunt in saying he would campaign is whether Trump Trump. successfully prosecuted the
new book that offers a simple run if he believes he can be will run again. If the former father of Trump’s son-in-law,
prescription for his party: elected. president does, polls suggest Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Jared Kushner. Trump and
stop talking nonsense about he would easily clinch the and Mike Pompeo, Trump’s Christie were fierce competi-
2020 and focus on the future “If I see a pathway to win- nomination. But until that’s former secretary of state, have tors for the GOP nomina-
— or keep losing elections. ning, I’ll run,” he said. “And decided, Christie is testing pitched themselves as fierce tion in 2016. After Christie
But the frenzied pace of his I feel like I have the skills and the openness of GOP voters Trump loyalists. Former Vice dropped out of the race, he
appearances and the increas- the talent and the ability to to someone who largely sup- President Mike Pence has became the first major elect-
ingly obvious jabs at Donald be able to make a difference ports Trump’s record but dis- tried to find something of a ed official to endorse Trump,
Trump suggest Christie is in our party and in the coun- misses Trump’s lies that the middle ground, highlighting a move that lent legitimacy to
plotting a political comeback try. And I’m certainly, at 59 last election was stolen. his work alongside Trump the eventual president’s cam-
with the 2024 campaign in years old, not ready to retire. but noting the two hold dif- paign.
mind. But I’m not going to do it if It’s an approach that pits him ferent views about the cir-
I don’t see a pathway to win- against other Republicans cumstances surrounding the “The line of supporting
In a recent interview, Christie ning. So that’s why I’m not who may run in 2024, in- Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Donald Trump starts behind
said he hadn’t made a deci- making any decision now.” cluding Rep. Liz Cheney of Capitol. me,” Christie recently told
sion yet about his political fu- Wyoming and Maryland Gov. Ingraham.

Will flight restrictions help as new virus variant emerges?

(AP) - A new coronavi- The moves have renewed a the entry of new variants, said
rus variant identified in debate over whether flight Mark Woolhouse, a professor
southern Africa is leading bans and other travel restric- of infectious diseases at the
to a new round of travel tions work to prevent the University of Edinburgh.
restrictions just as many spread of new variants. Some “Travel restrictions can delay
had finally begun to ease. say at best the restrictions but not prevent the spread of
can buy time for new public a highly transmissible vari-
The risks of the variant, called health measures to be put in ant,” he said.
omicron, are largely un- place. At worst, they do little
known. But the World Health to stop the spread and give a Johns Hopkins University
Organization has called it a false sense of security. infectious disease specialist
“variant of concern” and gov- Dr. Amesh Adalja says the
ernments around the world The Africa Centres for Dis- travel restrictions only give
are not waiting for scientists ease Control and Prevention the public a false sense of
to better understand the vari- said it strongly discouraged security and should stop be-
ant to impose flight bans and imposing travel bans on peo- ing the “knee-jerk” reaction countries with direct flights would have a bigger impact
other travel restrictions. ple coming from countries by public officials. Adalja to the affected areas. than when the delta variant
where the variant was re- noted imposing restrictions “It is basically impossible to first emerged.
The U.S. said Friday it will ported. makes politicians “look as keep track of all travel flows,”
ban travel from South Africa if they’re doing something” Tegnell told the Expressen “The surveillance is so good
and seven other African na- DO TRAVEL RESTRIC- but doesn’t make sense when newspaper. in South Africa and other
tions by non-US citizens be- TIONS SLOW THE countries now have counter- nearby countries that they
ginning Monday. European SPREAD OF THE VI- measures such as rapid tests COULD IT BE DIFFER- found this (new variant),
Union nations agreed earlier RUS? and vaccines. ENT THIS TIME? understood it was a problem
in the day to impose a ban on They might buy countries Meanwhile, Sweden’s chief Jeffrey Barrett, director of and told the world very fast
travel from southern Africa to more time to speed up vac- epidemiologist, Anders Teg- COVID-19 Genetics at the about it,” he said. “We may
counter the variant’s spread. cination and introduce other nell told a local news agency Wellcome Sanger Institute, be at an earlier point with
The U.K., Canada and other measures, like masking and said he does not believe that thought that the early detec- this new variant so there may
countries have imposed simi- social distancing, but they a travel ban would have any tion of the new variant could still be time to do something
lar restrictions. are highly unlikely to prevent major effect, other than for mean restrictions taken now about it.”