Christie clarifies comments on measles vaccine, calls for ‘balance’

[garbon]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/02/02/christie-breaks-with-obama-over-measles-vaccine-calls-for-balance/

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Monday walked back comments he made calling for "balance" on the measles vaccine debate, asserting that "there is no question kids should be vaccinated."

"The Governor believes vaccines are an important public health protection and with a disease like measles there is no question kids should be vaccinated," Christie's office said in a statement. "At the same time different states require different degrees of vaccination, which is why he was calling for balance in which ones government should mandate."

The Republican governor and potential presidential candidate caused a stir Monday when he broke with President Obama and said the government must "balance" public health interests with parental choice.

"Mary Pat and I have had our children vaccinated and we think that it's an important part of being sure we protect their health and the public health," Christie told reporters here Monday. But the likely Republican presidential candidate added: "I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well, so that's the balance that the government has to decide."

Christie's initial comments came after a laboratory tour at MedImmune, a biologics company that makes vaccines in Cambridge. Christie is on a three-day tour of Britain designed to promote trade with New Jersey businesses and round out his foreign policy resume ahead of a likely 2016 run for the White House.

Christie was asked to weigh in on the debate in the United States over the measles outbreak. On Sunday, Obama told NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie, "You should get your kids vaccinated."

"I understand that there are families that, in some cases, are concerned about the effect of vaccinations," Obama said. "The science is, you know, pretty indisputable. We've looked at this again and again. There is every reason to get vaccinated, but there aren't reasons to not."

Christie, however, said "there has to be a balance and it depends on what the vaccine is, what the disease type is, and all the rest." He added, "Not every vaccine is created equal and not every disease type is as great a public health threat as others."

Christie also took the unusual step of criticizing the president on foreign soil, saying Obama had been a poor negotiator, specifically regarding the TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

"You need an effective negotiator at the top, and, as I've said before, I think the president has shown over and over again that he's not the most effective negotiator, whether you're talking about the Iranian nuclear talks or whether you're talking about his recent foray into Cuba," Christie said. "The president has not proven himself to be the most adept negotiator, in my opinion, on behalf of American interests."

Later Monday, Christie was scheduled to be in London for a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street followed by a private dinner with members of Cameron's cabinet.

At the morning news conference, Christie was complimentary of Cameron, who is up for reelection this spring, and said some of the austerity measures he had taken in Britain were similar to ones Christie implemented in New Jersey. Christie and Cameron met in 2011, during Christie's first term as governor.

"We were comparing notes pretty feverishly back in 2011," Christie said. "So I hope that part of what we'll do today is compare notes on progress as well and I think that the prime minister has led some really great progress economically here, especially when you compare it to the rest of Europe."

While in Cambridge, Christie and his wife, Mary Pat, laid several wreaths at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, the burial site for several thousand U.S. servicemen in World War II. The couple kneeled at the nave of the cemetery's chapel for a moment of silent tribute to the fallen soldiers.

[Sheilbh]

No-one should vote for him now

[Admiral Yi]

Bad move Fat Boy.

[crazy canuck]

No-one should vote for him now

Given the amount of anti-science gibberish, especially surrounding vaccines, he might even gain votes.

[Gups]

Doesn't sound that bad to me.

[CountDeMoney]

Doesn't sound that bad to me.

"Not every vaccine is created equal and not every disease type is as great a public health threat as others."

No...that's a pretty fucking stupid thing to say, man.

TABLE 13–1.
Comparison of Twentieth Century Annual Morbidity* and Current Morbidity of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases of Children in the United States

DISEASE                      TWENTIETH CENTURY ANNUAL MORBIDITY              2000†                     PERCENTAGE  DECREASE
Smallpox                                       48,164                                                 0                           100
Diphtheria                                     175,885                                                4                           99.99
Measles                                        503,282                                                81                          99.98
Mumps                                         152,209                                                323                         99.80
Pertussis                                      147,271                                                6755                       95.40
Polio (paralytic)                              16,316                                                0                              100
Rubella                                          47,745                                                152                          99.70
Congenital rubella syndrome                823                                                7                            99.10
Tetanus                                           1314                                                 26                           98.00
Haemophilus influenzae type b         20,000                                               167                         99.10

________________________________

*Typical average during the 3 years before vaccine licensure.
†Provisional data

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/guides-pubs/downloads/vacc_mandates_chptr13.pdf

[DontSayBanana]

If you ever want to get an idea of how New Jersey residents view Chris Christie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDlLwEnMFhc

The sad thing is that so much of what that man does needs to be set to Yakety Sax.

[garbon]

If you ever want to get an idea of how New Jersey residents view Chris Christie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDlLwEnMFhc

The sad thing is that so much of what that man does needs to be set to Yakety Sax.

[DontSayBanana]

The moral of the story is it's impossible to take seriously somebody who always sets off a mental soundtrack of the Benny Hill theme.

[DGuller]

   I don't think you speak for all New Jersey people.

[Admiral Yi]

Maybe DSB meant himself and at least one other New Jersyite.

[celedhring]

That chair is so "no fucking way" in that clip.

[garbon]

Maybe DSB meant himself and at least one other New Jersyite.

[Kleves]

I guess once they're out of the womb, it's open season.

[garbon]

The moral of the story is it's impossible to take seriously somebody who always sets off a mental soundtrack of the Benny Hill theme.

Because he fell and then someone looped the clip over and over?