-- A defiant Gov.

appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" to defend his badly listing New Jersey job approval polls as the effect of incessant media attacks, rather than his true record.

Asked why his job approval dropped from 70 plus percentage ratings to the current 36 percent low, Christie answered, "How 'bout nightly specials on this network, for like, five months, calling me Attila the Hun? How 'bout relentless attacks from the New York Times and the media?"

However, he also acknowledged the negative effect that his decision to seek the GOP 2016 nomination was taking.

"Then," he said, "then, you also wind up deciding to run for president. And when you do that, inside your own state -- and you see that with Scott Walker, you see it with Bobby Jindal -- the people in your own state go, 'Aww, you're leaving us? You don't care about us as much?' and your numbers go down. Each one of the governors who's running, their numbers are down in their states, and that's just the way it goes."

Fellow GOP 2016 hopeful, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal saw his job approval numbers sink to an abysmally low 27 percent in March, though they have since rebounded to nearly 50 percent approval. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has not declared his 2016 candidacy, but earlier this spring, his job approval numbers had also fallen to a three-year low.

Of his own job approval rating with Garden State voters, Christie was certain that Garden Staters would have a better view of him once he was his party's nominee.

"It'll cycle back up," he said. "After I'm the nominee, it'll cycle back up."

Pressed on why he'd seen such stark changes from low to high to low in approval, Christie acknowledged what he called "the bridge stuff" but said it had more to do with a style of governance.

"I spend my political capital," said Christie, "I don't frame it and put it on the wall and say, 'Oh, isn't that pretty?' and then don't do anything, because it might have to come off the wall. You get political capital; you spend it on (teacher) tenure reform. You spend it on pension and benefit reform. That's what you do."

Gov. Christie Walks in the Wolfeboro, NH, 4th of July Parade 25 Gallery: Gov. Christie Walks in the Wolfeboro, NH, 4th of July Parade

Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com