Christie booted from Amtrak Quiet Car
The N.J. governors frickin ridiculous train tirade terminates his Quiet Car ride.
NEW JERSEY Gov. Christie, who has been quiet as a mouse in Republican presidential polls, roared so loudly into his cellphone while sitting in an Amtrak Quiet Car yesterday morning that he was asked to leave, according to Gawker and CNN.
Amtrak's soothing Quiet Car description borders on faith-based reverence: "Need a quiet space to work or unwind? . . . Guests are asked to limit conversation and speak in subdued tones. Phone calls are not allowed. . . . Low overhead lighting creates a restful atmosphere for all passengers . . . "
Christie shattered that restful atmosphere when he burst into the 9:55 a.m. northbound Quiet Car fresh from appearing on CBS's "Face the Nation," in Washington, D.C., where he claimed that the "Black Lives Matter" movement is "calling for the murder of police officers."
Alexander Mann, a passenger in the Quiet Car, informed Gawker and CNN that Christie, clutching a strawberry smoothie, started by berating a staffer about messing up the seating arrangement.
Then, Mann reported, Christie continued bellowing on his cellphone - a double no-no, violating both the "quiet" in "Quiet Car" and the prohibition against all cellphone calls.
Christie, whose Republican presidential-poll popularity is hovering around 2 percent, liberally sprinkled phrases such as "frickin' ridiculous" and "Seriously? Seriously?" into his Quiet Car tirades.
Passengers reportedly complained to the conductor, who asked Christie to simmer down or leave. He left.
As news of the thunderous governor's Quietgate quickly gained traction on social media, Christie spokeswoman Sam Smith issued an apology.
"On a very full train this morning," she wrote, "the governor accidentally took a seat in Amtrak's notorious quiet car.
"After breaking the cardinal rule of the quiet car, the governor promptly left once he realized the serious nature of his mistake and enjoyed the rest of his time on the train from the cafe car. Sincere apologies to all the patrons of the quiet car that were offended."
On Twitter: @DanGeringer
