Here we see a wonderful example of the bully pulpit at work:
Christie really knows how to use his position effectively, doesn't he? Calling out individuals can be extremely hazardous. It can make you appear mean and, well, like a bully... hence the name.
However, calling out an individual in a position of power who is using that power to cheat taxpayers out of their money seems, to me, a perfectly acceptable use of Christie's position. I don't think many are going to fret over his attack on a guy who is the furthest thing from helpless. Frankly, this weaselly bureaucrat is exactly the kind of person who needs to be called out.
Still Christie needs to be careful. He has to walk a tight rope on these kinds of attacks. He should continue to call out the wasteful and greedy government bureaucrats who hurt his state but he should use these direct personal salvos sparingly.
They're certainly effective if used correctly but they're corrosive to if used excessively. Given Christie's ability to toe the line between toughness and meanness thus far I doubt he'll have a problem figuring out how to use this tactic appropriately. After all, Christie hasn't been prancing around issues thus far and New Jersey seems to love that.