Irony! College-age Christie glad to break news on an open bridge

The Sideshow

Here's a little-known fact dug up by Hunter Walker, national affairs reporter at Talking Points Memo. Back when he was a bright-eyed college student at the University of Delaware, future New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was pleased to announce (if his photo is any indication) that a bridge was being kept ... wait for it ... open.

Walker posted a copy of an old newspaper article to his Twitter account, detailing how Christie, then president of the Delaware Undergraduate Student Congress, commented that a campus bridge's construction would not affect an upcoming graduation ceremony.

Via the paper:

"Construction on the walking bridge will begin this January, but the bridge itself and traffic crossing it will not be affected until January 1985," Christie said. "There will be no impediment for June 1984 commencement, at least as planned now."

Of course, this dusty old story has absolutely nothing to do with the Christie administration's current problems regarding "Bridgegate," but it does add a humorous and ironic twist.

Christie aide Bridget Anne Kelly was fired last week after it was reported she conspired with Port Authority executive David Wildstein to temporarily close lanes of the George Washington Bridge.

The state is investigating whether the lane closures were part of a plan to enact political revenge on a Democratic New Jersey mayor who withheld an endorsement from Christie, a Republican.

Christie has said he had no knowledge of his aide's actions.

"I am embarrassed and humiliated by the conduct of some of the people on my team," Christie said in a press conference last week. "I am who I am, but I am not a bully."

Follow Mike Krumboltz on Twitter (@mikekrumboltz).