NJ gov. in hospital, but 'fine and in charge'

By ANGELA DELLI SANTI, 

SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) — Blunt-talking Gov. Chris Christie, who someRepublicans have been trying to persuade to run for president, wastaken to a hospital Thursday after he had difficulty breathing.

The48-year-old governor was driven to Somerset Medical Center by his statepolice security detail out of an "abundance of caution," said Christiespokesman, Michael Drewniak. Christie suffers from asthma and allindications are the governor will be OK, Drewniak said.

MariaComella, Christie's deputy chief of staff, told The Associated Pressthat Christie is "fine and in charge." Close friend and adviser BillPalatucci said Christie was "getting tests and working from thehospital."
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno was in her office at the Statehouse.

Christieattended an education conference and a congressional fundraiser in Iowaon Monday, where he again told reporters he was not running forpresident

The governor, who took office 18 months ago, has longstruggled with his weight, which he said he started putting on afterhigh school when he stopped playing organized sports.

He's tried dozens of diets over the years with varying success and has shed some pounds in recent months.
Hisweight came up during his 2009 campaign against Democrat incumbent JonCorzine, who ran an ad accusing Christie of "throwing his weightaround" to get out of traffic citations while he was U.S. attorney.Christie confronted the ads head on, telling Corzine to "man up and sayI'm fat."

The married father of four was named the state's topfederal law enforcement officer after playing an important role inPresident George W. Bush's 2000 campaign in the state.

He soongained national exposure by overseeing two major terrorism convictionsand the convictions of dozens of public officials on corruption charges.

In2007, Corzine was seriously injured in a car accident on the GardenState Parkway. Corzine's femur bone was broken in two places and hesustained a broken sternum, six broken ribs on each side, a headlaceration and a minor fracture on a lower vertebrae.