New Jersey Governor and former Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie on Tuesday morning chimed in about the 2005 video of Donald Trump making vulgar comments about grabbing women by the pussy.
On CBS Sports’ Boomer and Carton radio show, Christie talked about the footage that surfaced last week, while serving as a guest host that morning.
The clip showed Trump talking to TV and radio host Billy Bush about his attempt to have sex with a married woman, and saying that when it comes to beautiful women, “I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.
“Grab them by the pussy,” Trump added. “You can do anything.”
Christie, who was with Trump when the Washington Post published the video Friday, did not try to justify his comments on the radio show.
“On the video itself, let’s be really clear: It is completely indefensible, and I won’t defend it, haven’t defended it,” Christie said. “That kind of talk and conversations, even in private, is just unacceptable.”
He said that while he does believe Trump is sorry for what he said, the apology could have been better.
“He should have been much more direct and much more focused on just saying, ‘I’m sorry,’ and only, ‘I’m sorry,’” Christie said of Trump.
Despite this, the governor said that he would continue to support Trump in the presidential race.
When asked if he thought the video was enough to sway undecided voters one way or another, Christie acknowledged that it was important to consider.
“I don’t think it’s immaterial, but I don’t think it’s the only way you should make a judgment,” he said.
“I’m really upset about what I heard, but in the end, this election is about bigger issues,” he said.
He also said that part of the responsibility of supporting a candidate is choosing when, and how, to disagree with them.
“If you’re with somebody, your job is to make them better," he said, adding that when he disagrees with Trump, he tells him in private.
When mid-morning host Evan Roberts, a registered Republican, told Christie that he shouldn’t have supported Trump and offered the possibility of a third candidate like Gary Johnson, the New Jersey governor shut it down.
“If you’re a Republican, a vote for Gary Johnson is a vote for Hillary Clinton. If you’re a Democrat, a vote for Gary Johnson is a vote for Donald Trump,” he said.