Christie showed flashes of irritation at traffic-scandal questions. Christie doesn't meet press in D.C.

For governors descending on Washington for the National Governors Association winter meeting this weekend, it was a chance to promote their work in the states, made the media rounds and talk up their respective parties’ chances in elections this fall.

For Republican Governors Association Chairman Chris Christie, not so much.


“What don’t you get about me not talking to you?” an unsmiling Christie told a POLITICO reporter while he and aides waited for a walk signal on a street corner in downtown Washington on Saturday, after slipping out of the NGA gathering.

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The New Jersey leader is skipping several of the weekend’s traditional events as he fights off a traffic scandal at home, showing the balance he is forced to strike between leading Republican governors into the 2014 elections and managing his response to a distracting crisis under review by state and federal investigators.

Many colleagues and conference-goers greeted Christie with goodwill on Saturday, posing for selfies and asking for autographs on the streets of the nation’s capital. He was set to attend several private RGA meetings over the weekend as well, his office said.

But publicly, Christie spent much of his time shuttling from meeting to meeting surrounded by a crush of reporters, aides and security guards. He showed flashes of irritation at traffic-scandal questions that he mostly ignored. Democrats pounced on the fact Christie is not scheduled to go on the Sunday shows with many of his colleagues, as predecessor Bobby Jindal did last year, or attend an RGA press conference set for Monday.

( PHOTOS: Who’s who in the Christie bridge flap)

Christie’s also skipping town before a bipartisan governors’ dinner at the White House on Sunday night.

He wasn’t completely missing from action on Saturday. Before the opening session, he appeared to chat amicably with General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt, a keynote speaker. Christie donned glasses and adopted a studious look at the session’s head table, with wife Mary Pat nearby.

He also rubbed elbows with fellow governors of both parties. Republican Gov. Gary Herbert of Utah appeared to give Christie an encouraging pat on the back, and both Herbert and Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker said they were open to appearing publicly in their home states with Christie in his capacity as chairman of the RGA.

Meanwhile, the RGA kept up a steady stream of news to stress that Christie is doing just fine politically, thank you. The organization told CNN on Friday that it has raised $18 million under Christie so far, a new record. An official confirmed on Saturday that Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will raise money with Christie in Boston next week.

( WATCH: DGA head defends not hitting Christie)

But signs of Christie’s frustration were evident, too. Asked if there had been talk of the traffic scandal by fellow governors, Christie told The Washington Post: “No, just by you guys.” He ignored questions from other state and national reporters about whether ally David Samson should resign from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the agency that runs the bridge at the heart of the traffic scandal; what has been learned about the matter from his office’s internal review so far; and whether he may have to dismiss any other aides over the matter.

Christie has denied any personal involvement in the scandal.

Neither his office nor RGA officials specified which other NGA events he is attending over the weekend. He is set to leave Sunday morning, with aides citing his daughter’s upcoming 18th birthday celebration and his budget address to the state legislature on Tuesday. His next town hall-style event, following one last week where the traffic scandal did not come up, is set for Wednesday.

James Hohmann contributed to this report.