Christie's four-letter rant at reporters at charity comedy event as Republican White House hopeful says he 'doesn't give a s*** any more'

• 'We don’t give a s*** about this or any of you,' he quipped
• The annual event was supposed to be off the record, but a news publication released audio anyway of Christie cursing out local reporters
• Called out several reporters by name, including one who once asked for a special question on his birthday
•  'He looks at me and goes, "So how is New Hampshire?" 'Christie said his reaction was, 'Are you f****** kidding me?' 

By Francesca Chambers For Dailymail.com

Published: 13:14 EST, 22 May 2015 | Updated: 13:50 EST, 22 May 2015

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican White House hopeful whose chances of winning the Oval Office have taken a considerable hit as a result of the Bridgeate scandal, entertained reporters at a dinner this week with an expletive-filled rant.

The annual charity event, the New Jersey Legislative Correspondents Club Show, was supposed to be off the record, the New York Times says. But the International Business Times released obtained audio anyway of Christie cursing out local reporters at the Wednesday evening event.

At one point, explaining why his administration didn't bother to put together a humorous video for this year's roast, Christie said, 'we just don’t give a s*** anymore.'

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican White House hopeful whose chances of winning the Oval Office have taken a considerable hit as a result of the Bridgeate scandal, entertained reporters at a dinner this week with an expletive-filled rant

The annual charity event was supposed to be off the record. But a news publication obtained audio of Christie cursing at local reporters and decided to release it anyway. Christie is pictured here speaking at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference this afternoon

'We don’t give a s*** about this or any of you,' he quipped.

Christie's knocks on the press didn't stop there. 

Commenting on a car accident involving a reporter that occurred on the way to the event, Christie told the press, 'Why wasn’t the car bigger and why weren’t more of you in it?'

And he characterized reporters at the state's largest newspaper, The Star-Ledger, as a bunch of 'angry drunks.'

While many of his jokes were targeted at the press generically, he specifically called out the president of the state's correspondents association, Claude Brodesser-Akner, formerly of TMZ.

'I’m not even going to try the last name, not because I can’t pronounce French last names or whatever it is, but because, again, I don’t give a s***,' Christie said of the NJ.com reporter.

Noting than Brodesser-Akner constantly wants to know where he is and whose dime he's travelling on when he's not in the state, Christie said, 'This is a guy who says he doesn’t know what I’m doing every day.

'Then just get the f*** away from me,' Christie said. 'Every time I turn the corner in New Hampshire, you and that beard are there. So here’s my suggestion: Open your eyes, clean the s*** out of your ears, and pay attention.' 

Christie has frequently traveled to nearby New Hampshire, an important primary state, as he ramps up for his presidential bid. He's made three separate swings through the state in the last month alone. 

Taking aim at NJTV's Michael Aron over his coverage of the presidential contest, Christie recalled a time when the veteran reporter begged him for a question at a New Hampshire event.

'He said, "Governor, it’s my birthday, please as a birthday present would you answer a question for me," ' Christie said. 'Just to show that I’m not the heartless b****** I was portrayed as tonight, I said sure Michael, I’ll take your question.'

'He looks at me and goes, "So how is New Hampshire?" '

Christie said his reaction was, 'Are you f****** kidding me?'

'The rest of these jokers are in the back cracking up, ' Christie claimed. 'Seriously, that is what he came up with. I was absolutely stunned.'

Christie called at the president of the state's correspondents association, Claude Brodesser-Akner, formerly of TMZ. 'I’m not even going to try the last name, not because I can’t pronounce French last names or whatever it is, but because, again, I don’t give a s***,' Christie said of the NJ.com reporter

The two-term had reason to be riled up after reporters who performed ahead of him did a rendition of Macho Man replacing macho with 'nacho' - a reference to Christie's weight - and spoofed the song I'm So Excited, instead singing 'I’m So Indicted.'

The latter song was a direct shot at Christie over the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge organized by at least one of his staff members and a political appointee.

The Republican governor has maintained his innocence, but the former head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, David Wildstein, a former ally of Christie's, has said Christie was complicit.

Christie made a joke at his own expense about the Bridgegate scandal, as well, and his alleged involvement, telling the press that they'll likely need new material before next year because 'the trial will probably be over by then, so you guys won’t have anything left to talk about.' 

IBT acknowledged in it's article that organizers told the publication the 'event was officially off the record, although many attendees, based on previous years' experience, believed it to be on the record.'

'In any case, when you’re running for president, nothing is ever off the record,' it said, justifying the betrayal of trust. 'Ask Mitt Romney, whose comments about the “47 percent” at a fundraiser closed to the press went viral.'

It also quoted a section of Christie's bit during which he seemed to acknowledge that his remarks were not off the record.

'I can be like this tonight on the record because [Christie Communications Director] Maria Comella is not here,' he said, 'because let me tell you everybody - I’m as scared of her as all of you are.'

Christie has frequently traveled to nearby New Hampshire, an important primary state, as he ramps up for his presidential bid. Several of his jokes at the Wednesday evening event made fun of reporters' questions about his incessant travel to the state. Christie's pictured here in New Hampshire on Monday

Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts told the New York Times when asked about the brutal jokes that his boss' bit was consistent with the spirit of the event.

'All of the songs and acts of the night, including the governor’s obvious parody of himself, were in jest,' he said.

While the comedy event was generally meant to be lighthearted and fun, Christie's jokes, much like the jokes made by President Barack Obama at his correspondents dinner this year, contained kernels of truth.

Allegations of wrongdoing stemming from the Bridgegate scandal and broadcast by the press ruined Christie's reputation and flattened his national poll numbers.

Appearing on CNBC the morning after the dinner, Christie suggested that reporters owed him an apology for their coverage of the Bridgegate charges: 'I do believe there's an absolute bias and a rush to judgment.'

'You all know this, you saw the coverage of me 15 months ago. I was guilty, I had done it,' he opined. 'Now we're 15 months later, where are the apologies pouring in? Not one thing I said the day after the bridge situation has been proven wrong.'

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