Christie is a fair bet to be the Republican nominee at some point. The party can only take so many thrashings trying to sell the same old medicine before it will look around for an alternative. And then guys like Christie, Huntsman, and some less prominent young folk will be there.

It’s not a matter of overriding importance that Christie acknowledge the reality of AGW right now. Only that he acknowledge the legitimacy of reason and fundamentals over the desire to toe the line laid out by Rove etc.

By and by, if he’s committed to taking positions because there are good reasons behind them, he’ll come around on AGW.