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... must have his head really far up his own ass.
and the day before...
(CBS/AP) New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has strongly defended his decision to have flags flown at half-staff Saturday for Whitney Houston, despite receiving emails and other messages disparaging the singer and criticizing him.
The Republican governor said Wednesday that he rejects complaints that Houston "forfeited the good things that she did" because of her struggles with substance abuse.
Pictures: Whitney Houston 1963-2012
Complete Coverage: Death of a pop diva
"What I would say to everybody is there but for the grace of God go I," he said.
Christie ordered flags flown at half-staff at state government buildings on Saturday, the day funeral services are held for Houston at Newark's New Hope Baptist Church, where she sang at as a child.
Twitter was abuzz Wednesday with reaction to the decision by Christie, whose home is in Mendham, a wealthy town where Houston also had lived.
In online postings, there were two main arguments against the honor for the Grammy Award winner who died over the weekend in California at age 48: One was that it should be reserved for members of the military, first responders and elected officials. The other was that it's wrong to honor a drug addict.
Christie said he was not saying that Houston, who was born in Newark and was raised in nearby East Orange, is a role model. Instead, he said, Houston deserves the honor because of her huge cultural impact and as "a daughter of New Jersey."
"I am disturbed by people who believe that because her ultimate demise - and we don't know what is the cause of her death yet - but because of her history of substance abuse that somehow she's forfeited the good things that she did in her life," said the governor during a briefing in northern New Jersey. "I just reject that on a human level."
The governor noted he has ordered flags flown at half-staff for all 31 fallen New Jersey soldiers and every fallen police officer during his time in office. He also ordered flags lowered last year for Clarence Clemons, the saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
The cause of Houston's death at a Beverly Hills hotel has not been determined, and the results of toxicology tests are pending. Investigators found several bottles of prescription medication in the hotel room where she died Saturday, but authorities said they weren't an unusually large number.
Her death certificate shows she will be buried in Fair View Cemetery in Westfield, N.J., where her father, John Russell Houston Jr., was laid to rest in 2003. The document lists the manner of death as "pending investigation," with the immediate cause of death listed as "deferred."
The Republican governor said Wednesday that he rejects complaints that Houston "forfeited the good things that she did" because of her struggles with substance abuse.
Pictures: Whitney Houston 1963-2012
Complete Coverage: Death of a pop diva
"What I would say to everybody is there but for the grace of God go I," he said.
Christie ordered flags flown at half-staff at state government buildings on Saturday, the day funeral services are held for Houston at Newark's New Hope Baptist Church, where she sang at as a child.
Twitter was abuzz Wednesday with reaction to the decision by Christie, whose home is in Mendham, a wealthy town where Houston also had lived.
In online postings, there were two main arguments against the honor for the Grammy Award winner who died over the weekend in California at age 48: One was that it should be reserved for members of the military, first responders and elected officials. The other was that it's wrong to honor a drug addict.
Christie said he was not saying that Houston, who was born in Newark and was raised in nearby East Orange, is a role model. Instead, he said, Houston deserves the honor because of her huge cultural impact and as "a daughter of New Jersey."
"I am disturbed by people who believe that because her ultimate demise - and we don't know what is the cause of her death yet - but because of her history of substance abuse that somehow she's forfeited the good things that she did in her life," said the governor during a briefing in northern New Jersey. "I just reject that on a human level."
The governor noted he has ordered flags flown at half-staff for all 31 fallen New Jersey soldiers and every fallen police officer during his time in office. He also ordered flags lowered last year for Clarence Clemons, the saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
The cause of Houston's death at a Beverly Hills hotel has not been determined, and the results of toxicology tests are pending. Investigators found several bottles of prescription medication in the hotel room where she died Saturday, but authorities said they weren't an unusually large number.
Her death certificate shows she will be buried in Fair View Cemetery in Westfield, N.J., where her father, John Russell Houston Jr., was laid to rest in 2003. The document lists the manner of death as "pending investigation," with the immediate cause of death listed as "deferred."
The men in the photos are mirror images of one another, twin brothers in the crisp dress blues of the Marine Corps.
Inseparable on the streets of North Arlington, Osbrany and Osmany Montes De Oca enlisted little more than a year ago, shortly after graduating high school. They wanted to serve their country and fight those who would harm it, they told family members.
Together, they went off to war in Afghanistan.
Monday, the Department of Defense gave word that only one would be coming home alive.
Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca died Friday in Helmand Province. He was 20.
"They were always talking about the Marines," an uncle, Adriano Moreta, said outside the family home Monday night. "It’s what they always wanted to do."
The twins’ passion for the Corps persuaded their older brother, 22-year-old Sandro Moreta, to enlist a few months after them, relatives said. He had not yet been deployed.
Both surviving brothers were en route to North Arlington Monday evening, Adriano Moreta said. A third brother is a student at North Arlington High School.
The Department of Defense provided no detail about Montes De Oca’s death, saying only that he died while supporting combat operations. Family members, their eyes red-rimmed, said they were not ready to speak about the incident or talk at length about Montes De Oca, who trained as an infantry mortar man.
Based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
On his Facebook page, Montes De Oca poses in uniform with his girlfriend, whom he calls "the love of my life," and writes, "I do have a future. I am a United States Marine."
An aunt, who provided only her first name, Teresa, said Montes De Oca spoke often of his desire to fight for his country in the Marine Corps.
"He truly loved what he was doing," she said.
Another relative, an older woman, began to cry as she cradled framed photos of the two middle brothers.
"Twins," she repeated. "Twins."
Across the street from the home, at the Tradicione Mi Peru restaurant, employee Carmen Mendoza recalled seeing the brothers frequently around the neighborhood before they enlisted.
"They were always together," said Mendoza, 23. "They’re lovely guys. Handsome."
She said their mother, Miriam, runs a hair salon next door to the restaurant.
A memorial wreath hung from the front door of the Montes De Oca home Monday, the wind tugging at ribbons on which someone had written "Osbrany" and "Rest in Peace." A small American flag was tucked into the arrangement.
Montes De Oca is the 42nd service member with ties to New Jersey to be killed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001. An additional 102 service members from New Jersey have died in Iraq since 2003.
Adriano Moreta, the brothers’ uncle, said his nephew seemed too young to die in a war.
"Twenty years old," he said, his voice tinged with grief. "He’s just a little kid."
Inseparable on the streets of North Arlington, Osbrany and Osmany Montes De Oca enlisted little more than a year ago, shortly after graduating high school. They wanted to serve their country and fight those who would harm it, they told family members.
Together, they went off to war in Afghanistan.
Monday, the Department of Defense gave word that only one would be coming home alive.
Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca died Friday in Helmand Province. He was 20.
"They were always talking about the Marines," an uncle, Adriano Moreta, said outside the family home Monday night. "It’s what they always wanted to do."
The twins’ passion for the Corps persuaded their older brother, 22-year-old Sandro Moreta, to enlist a few months after them, relatives said. He had not yet been deployed.
Both surviving brothers were en route to North Arlington Monday evening, Adriano Moreta said. A third brother is a student at North Arlington High School.
The Department of Defense provided no detail about Montes De Oca’s death, saying only that he died while supporting combat operations. Family members, their eyes red-rimmed, said they were not ready to speak about the incident or talk at length about Montes De Oca, who trained as an infantry mortar man.
Based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force.
On his Facebook page, Montes De Oca poses in uniform with his girlfriend, whom he calls "the love of my life," and writes, "I do have a future. I am a United States Marine."
An aunt, who provided only her first name, Teresa, said Montes De Oca spoke often of his desire to fight for his country in the Marine Corps.
"He truly loved what he was doing," she said.
Another relative, an older woman, began to cry as she cradled framed photos of the two middle brothers.
"Twins," she repeated. "Twins."
Across the street from the home, at the Tradicione Mi Peru restaurant, employee Carmen Mendoza recalled seeing the brothers frequently around the neighborhood before they enlisted.
"They were always together," said Mendoza, 23. "They’re lovely guys. Handsome."
She said their mother, Miriam, runs a hair salon next door to the restaurant.
A memorial wreath hung from the front door of the Montes De Oca home Monday, the wind tugging at ribbons on which someone had written "Osbrany" and "Rest in Peace." A small American flag was tucked into the arrangement.
Montes De Oca is the 42nd service member with ties to New Jersey to be killed in Afghanistan since the war began in 2001. An additional 102 service members from New Jersey have died in Iraq since 2003.
Adriano Moreta, the brothers’ uncle, said his nephew seemed too young to die in a war.
"Twenty years old," he said, his voice tinged with grief. "He’s just a little kid."
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