JAKE TAPPER: What is your reaction to this move by Governor Christie? Should he have appointed someone, in your view?



DICK ARMEY, FORMER REPUBLICAN HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER: Well, of course. Of course he should have.



And this is what really rankles conservatives. There's not a Democrat governor alive that wouldn't have seized the opportunity to appoint a Democrat senator, no matter what the status. As a matter of fact, in some states, they might even go try to sell it and get rich off it, as they did in Illinois.



But all Christie had to do is appoint a Republican. That's the correct move for him to make. Now, I put it down as debilitating stupidity, because the first rule of politics is don't lose the friends you already have for the friends you're never going to get.



And if he thinks the Democrats are going to love him for being the guy who plays fair, rather than takes the political opportunity, he's crazy. Democrats hate Republicans. Democrats aren't going to vote for Republicans. They're not going to get a break from the Democrats. They will use him -- Obama will use him for political cover, as he's done twice now, and then actively campaign against him.



He will just have to learn the hard way, the way most fair-minded Republicans end up learning. I will do the right, fair thing, and you will cut my legs off and throw me under the bus. That's what will happen to Christie.



TAPPER: I just want to make sure I heard right. Did you just accuse Governor Christie of debilitating stupidity?



ARMEY: Yes, it's not the first time I have said that about political -- people that run for office in politics make political decisions, rather than policy decisions, often commit debilitating stupidity. Most often, it's not by the left, but it's frequently done by Republicans as well.