Chris Christie: ‘Shut Up’ to Doctor Worried About His Weight

Updated: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took on a former White House doctor Wednesday who said he was at risk of dying in office because of his weight, calling her a “hack” and telling her to “shut up” unless she examines him.

Dr. Connie Mariano, who was President Clinton’s doctor in the White House, went on CNN and said, “I’m worried about this man dying in office” after Christie confronted his own weight issue head-on at a press conference Tuesday.

“I find it fascinating that a doctor in Arizona who has never met me, never examined me, never reviewed my medical history or records, knows nothing about my family history, could make a diagnosis from 2400 miles away,” the traditionally tough-talking governor said. “She must be a genius. She should probably be the surgeon general of the United States, I suspect, because she must be a genius.”

Christie, who has not ruled out a 2016 presidential bid, also said his children watched the CNN segment, and his 12-year-old son asked him, “Dad, are you going to die?”

“This is just another hack who wants five minutes on TV,” Christie said. “And it’s completely irresponsible, completely irresponsible … and people who have a medical license, who have the privilege of having a medical license, should in my view conduct themselves more responsibly than that. If she wants to get on a plane and come here to New Jersey and asks me if she wants to examine me and review my medical history, I’ll have a conversation with her about that. Until that time she should shut up.”

Heh. Good for him.