Rove: Bridge-gate Apology Was 'Classic Christie'

Republican operative Karl Rove called the New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's bridge-gate apology "classic Christie. Direct, blunt, to the point. There was no equivocation."

But Christie will regret saying "I'm not a bully," Rove predicted on Fox News Channel's "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren" on Thursday. Opponents will be certain to bring the phrase back up, said Rove, who has run successful political campaigns, including those of former President George W. Bush.

Rove also took Christie to task for saying only that he fired his deputy chief Bridget Anne Kelly because she lied to him about her involvement in the scandal. He also should have said he fired her because her actions were wrong, Rove said.

Kelly and others exchanged emails plotting the four-day shutdown of lanes on the George Washington Bridge as retaliation for Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich not supporting Christie's re-election.

"Christie is now hostage to the truth," conservative columnist Krauthammer said on Fox News' "Special Report With Bret Baier."

"If he did know about this thing he's toast."

But even if, as he says, Christie was unaware his aides had lanes shut down to punish Sokolich he still faces problems, Krauthammer said.

People could lose confidence in Christie since it happened under his watch, Krauthammer said. Whoever replaces Barack Obama in The White House will be scrutinized on the issue of trust, he said, because Obama has gone through several scandals of his own and claimed he had no prior knowledge.

"Christie's strength is how tough he is. But it can become a negative if it's a petty toughness," Krauthammer said. But, "If he told the truth, he'll put this behind him."

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