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Christie tries to move past scandal with comedy

By WTOP Staff

JILL COLVIN
Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Gov. Chris Christie’s latest appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” not only proved the man can bust a move and take a joke. It also provided an opportunity for the potential Republican presidential contender to put the traffic scandal in his rear-view mirror.

Christie poked fun at himself and the George Washington Bridge furor on Thursday night during his first late-night TV appearance since the story that has cast a cloud over his 2016 White House prospects broke several months ago.

Wearing a polo shirt and pleated, high-waisted khakis, he swiveled his hips and threw up his hands as he and Fallon demonstrated dorky, middle-aged dance moves in a comedy bit called “The Evolution of Dad Dancing.”

When Fallon began to show off a move called the “This Bridge Is Closed,” the governor pretended to walk off the stage in a huff.

Later on the program, Christie joked that as bad as the lane-closing scandal has been, the dance performance was far more humiliating to his family “because I actually did that.”

Within minutes, videos of the appearance were flying around the Internet. The website Gawker chided Christie for dancing “like a buffoon that makes you want to scrub your eyes with bleach.” Business Insider said the video would “blow your mind.”

If it looked unpresidential to some viewers, the Christie camp didn’t seem to be worried.

The governor’s office eagerly promoted the appearance, sending out a news release to reporters Friday that read, “The Gov & Fallon Dance, Dish, And All Around Embarrass The Kids on The Tonight Show.”

Mike DuHaime, who has served as the governor’s campaign strategist, said it showed off Christie as a “down-to-earth” guy with the ability to have fun. He rejected any suggestion the footage could come back to haunt Christie if he decides to run.

“I think the fact that he has got a sense of humor, I think people appreciate that,” DuHaime said. “I think he was out there enjoying it, and if somebody wants to attack his dancing for political reasons, so be it. I’m not too worried about that.”

The appearance brought Christie full circle in a way: He initially made a joke out of the traffic story, then took it seriously when it was reported that some of those around him engineered the gridlock last September in an apparent act of political payback. He has denied any role in the scheme.

Some observers saw the “Tonight Show” appearance as part of a larger effort by Christie to revive his national poll numbers and earn the confidence of key GOP donors who may have been scared off by the scandal.

“I see it as part of his very purposeful rehabilitation effort, his very purposeful effort to say nationally that, ‘Hey, I’m still Chris Christie, I’m still here, nothing’s different,'” said David Redlawsk, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling in New Jersey.

In other words, he said, Christie’s jokes and dance moves were his way of announcing: “I’ve got my national mojo back.”

Either way, the appearance drew enormous attention. A video of the dad segment posted on the show’s official YouTube page had been viewed over a million times by Friday evening. And the performance came up repeatedly during an online chat Christie conducted from Facebook’s Silicon Valley headquarters, in which he was also asked about medical marijuana and whether he’s planning a trip to Europe anytime soon.

“I like the way you shake your booty, please run against Hillary, she scares me! Love you!” wrote one user, referring to former secretary of state and potential 2016 Democratic contender Hillary Clinton. “Thanks you…I think,” the governor typed back.

If Christie does run for president, he will join the list of White House candidates and victors who showed they could lighten up on TV.

President Barack Obama “slow-jammed” the news on Fallon’s previous show, “Late Night”; candidate Bill Clinton donned dark sunglasses and played the saxophone on “The Arsenio Hall Show” in 1992; Vice President Al Gore put on goggles and smashed an ashtray with a hammer on David Letterman’s show in 1993; and Richard Nixon uttered “Sock it to me” on “Laugh-In” before the 1968 election.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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