The words cut like a knife. “What the hell are we paying you for?” Gov. Chris  Christie asked of President Obama.

The New Jersey Republican has a gift for getting to the heart of things, and  his broadside against the president over the debt bomb is Exhibit A. His  assertion, framed as a question, makes the case against Obama better than  anything heard from the actual candidates.

Christie’s decision not to run remains a disappointment, but he is a valuable  player who can help sharpen the fuzzy aim of Mitt Romney, the man he supports.  Christie’s consistent theme is that Obama has defaulted on the responsibility to  provide presidential leadership during a national crisis.