Christie casts himself as best prepared to keep America safe

WOLFEBORO, N.H. (AP) — In a race increasingly focused on national security, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is making the case that he’s best prepared to lead in a dangerous world.

Christie is seeing momentum in New Hampshire, in part because of the new national focus on security and terrorism in the wake of attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California. And he’s suggesting two of his chief Republican rivals — Sens. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) of Texas and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) of Florida — don’t have the right experience or priorities to keep the country safe.

Christie told The Associated Press that Cruz made the country weaker by voting to end the National Security Administration’s bulk collection of phone records, and he says the country can’t afford the on-the-job training that Rubio would need.