
 
 New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat Christie visited the One Nucleus life science company headquarters in Cambridge on Monday. REUTERS/Neil Hall 
 
 CAMBRIDGE, England – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie walked back comments he made here Monday morning calling for "balance" on the measles vaccine debate to allow for parental choice, asserting that "there is no question kids should be vaccinated." 
 
 "The Governor believes vaccines are an important public health protection and with a disease like measles there is no question kids should be vaccinated," Christie's office said in a statement. "At the same time different states require different degrees of vaccination, which is why he was calling for balance in which ones government should mandate." 
 
 With the latest measles outbreak spreading fast, you may be surprised by the state with the best child vaccination rate in the country. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post) 
 
 Earlier Monday, Christie waded into the vaccination debate during his visit to the United Kingdom, telling reporters in Cambridge that he believes U.S. government must "balance" public health interests with parental choice. In a break with President Obama, Christie said parents should have "some measure of choice" about immunizing their children from measles and other viruses and diseases. 
 
 The potential Republican presidential candidate's comments, which came amid a measles outbreak in the United States and a day after Obama urged all parents to get their kids vaccinated, quickly caused a stir. 
 
 “Mary Pat and I have had our children vaccinated and we think that it’s an important part of being sure we protect their health and the public health,” Christie told reporters here Monday. But the likely Republican presidential candidate added: “I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well, so that’s the balance that the government has to decide.” 
 
 Christie’s initial comments came after a laboratory tour at MedImmune, a biologics company that makes vaccines in Cambridge. Christie is on a three-day tour of Britain designed to promote trade with New Jersey businesses and round out his foreign policy resume ahead of a likely 2016 run for the White House. 
 
 [‘Get your kids vaccinated,’ Obama tells parents doubting ‘indisputable’ science] 
 
 Christie was asked to weigh in on the debate in the United States over the measles outbreak. On Sunday, Obama told NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie, “You should get your kids vaccinated.” 
 
 “I understand that there are families that, in some cases, are concerned about the effect of vaccinations,” Obama said. “The science is, you know, pretty indisputable. We’ve looked at this again and again. There is every reason to get vaccinated, but there aren’t reasons to not.” 
 
 Christie, however, said, “There has to be a balance and it depends on what the vaccine is, what the disease type is, and all the rest.” He added, “Not every vaccine is created equal and not every disease type is as great a public health threat as others.” 
 
 [Amid growing vaccination debate, measles continues to spread and is now in New York state] 
 
 Christie also took the unusual step of criticizing the president on foreign soil, saying Obama had been a poor negotiator, specifically regarding the TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. 
 
 “You need an effective negotiator at the top, and, as I’ve said before, I think the president has shown over and over again that he’s not the most effective negotiator, whether you’re talking about the Iranian nuclear talks or whether you’re talking about his recent foray into Cuba,” Christie said. “The president has not proven himself to be the most adept negotiator, in my opinion, on behalf of American interests.” 
 
 Later Monday, Christie was scheduled to be in London for a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street followed by a private dinner with members of Cameron’s cabinet. 
 
 At the morning news conference, Christie was complimentary of Cameron, who is up for reelection this spring, and said some of the austerity measures he had taken in Britain were similar to ones Christie implemented in New Jersey. Christie and Cameron met in 2011, during Christie’s first term as governor. 
 
 “We were comparing notes pretty feverishly back in 2011,” Christie said. “So I hope that part of what we’ll do today is compare notes on progress as well and I think that the prime minister has led some really great progress economically here, especially when you compare it to the rest of Europe.” 
 
 While in Cambridge, Christie and his wife, Mary Pat, laid several wreaths at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, the burial site for several thousand U.S. service members in World War II. The couple knelt at the nave of the cemetery’s chapel for a moment of silent tribute to the fallen soldiers. 
 
 RELATED: The Disneyland measles outbreak and the disgraced doctor who whipped up vaccination fear 
 
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 Why this baby’s mom is so angry at the anti-vaxxers ||||| Chris Christie is pro-choice again—at least when it comes to vaccines. 
 
 The New Jersey governor said Monday that he believes that parents “need to have some measure of choice” over vaccinating their children against measles, despite a recent outbreak of the virus that was caused by parents not vaccinating their children. What a world! 
 
 While visiting Cambridge, England, Christie was asked about vaccinations, according to The New York Times. 
 
 He said that although he and his wife had vaccinated their children, “It’s more important what you think as a parent than what you think as a public official. I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well. So that’s the balance that the government has to decide… Not every vaccine is created equal, and not every disease type is as great a public-health threat as others.” 
 
 Statements like this have long kept Christie on the good side of the anti-vaccination crowd. 
 
 While running for governor in 2009, Christie wrote a letter wherein he seemed to acknowledge a link between autism and vaccinations—a theory for which there is no scientific proof. 
 
 “I have met with families affected by autism from across the state and have been struck by their incredible grace and courage. Many of these families have expressed their concern over New Jersey’s highest-in-the-nation vaccine mandates. I stand with them now, and will stand with them as their governor in their fight for greater parental involvement in vaccination decisions that affect their children.” 
 
 Also in 2009, Christie told The Don Imus Show that he struggled with then-Gov. Jon Corzine’s flu-shot mandate and the problems some parents have with vaccines. 
 
 Later Monday, a Christie spokeman issued a statement urging vaccinations for viruses like measles. 
 
 “To be clear: The governor believes vaccines are an important public health protection and with a disease like measles there is no question kids should be vaccinated. At the same time different states require different degrees of vaccination, which is why he was calling for balance in which ones government should mandate.” 
 
 
 
 Asked to confirm whether Christie believes it’s possible that vaccines cause autism, his office did not respond. (It surfaced Monday that then-candidate Barack Obama said in 2008: "We've seen just a skyrocketing autism rate. Some people are suspicious that it's connected to the vaccines. This person included. The science right now is inconclusive, but we have to research it.") 
 
 It’s easy to forget, given Christie’s reputation as a no-nonsense pragmatist, but he often finds himself at odds with the medical establishment and basic common sense on issues of health. 
 
 During the Ebola outbreak in October, Christie quarantined a nurse who had just returned from West Africa for three days. Everyone from the Centers for Disease Control to the Obama administration protested Christie’s decision to keep the woman in a tent, but Christie was unapologetic, saying it was his duty to protect the health of the people of New Jersey. 
 
 Too bad she didn’t have the measles. 
 
 ||||| In remarks that may be too much even for the political party that consistently denies the existence of climate change, Chris Christie says that it's important to strike a "balance" when it comes to vaccinations. Damn, I knew Republicans like to harken back to the 1950s, but bringing back measles as a rite of passage seems extreme. 
 
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 Just yesterday, Barack Obama (in keeping with the recommendations of the CDC, the agency responsible for ensuring we don't all die of preventable bullshit) recommended unequivocally that you vaccinate your children, so fer chrissakes please stop talking about "toxins" and also the study that originally suggested a link between vaccines and autism has SINCE BEEN DISCREDITED and its author driven from the medical profession in shame and disgrace. 
 
 Well, apparently the election cycle has become such a cat-5 hurricane of crap that somebody just HAD to disagree. Ironically, that somebody was Chris Christie of the famous Ebola freakout. I guess he's only worried about scary African diseases, not good old-fashioned American diseases like measles. According to MSNBC, he said: 
 
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 "We vaccinate ours [kids], and so, you know that's the best expression I can give you of my opinion," Christie said when asked if he would urge Americans to vaccinate their children. "You know it's much more important what you think as a parent than what you think as a public official. And that's what we do. But I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well, so that's the balance that the government has to decide." 
 
 When the reporter followed up, asking whether he thinks vaccines are actually dangerous, he replied with this wishy-washy garbled bit of WTF: "I didn't say that – I said different disease types can be more lethal so that the concern would be measuring whatever the perceived danger is by a vaccine and we've had plenty of that over a period of time versus what the risk to public health is. And that's exactly what I mean by what I said." 
 
 YOU IRRESPONSIBLE, PANDERING SHIT-HEAD. We're not even talking about tax cuts or school vouchers, here, some traditional conservative small-government talking point—we're talking about throwing the car in reverse and accelerating away from one of the greatest achievements of the twentieth century toward the goddamn Middle Ages. Your average ancestor circa 1810 would probably rip every hair out of your head if she thought you were seriously considering turning your back on an invention that renders a great scourge powerless. 
 
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 The worst part is, Christie clearly thinks vaccines are safe and important enough that he's gotten them for his own kids and yet here he is, abrogating his responsibility as a public figure with this kind of sure-do-whatever talk. Your opinion as a parent is NOT what matters most here. 2016 is gonna be great, you guys!!!!!!!! Let's hope the ghost of Jonas Salk bursts into a presidential debate, screaming like a banshee about herd immunity. ||||| Tweet with a location 
 
 You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more ||||| AP/Patrick Semansky Liberals, conservatives, and almost everybody in between are hammering New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) after he defended parents' "choice" to not vaccinate their kids against the measles. 
 
 "It's more important what you think as a parent than what you think as a public official," Christie said Monday when asked about recent measles outbreaks in the US, according to The New York Times. "I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well. So that's the balance that the government has to decide." 
 
 The comment drew immediate rebuke from observers who accused Christie of embracing anti-vaccination conspiracy theorists. Some parents say measles vaccines are linked to autism and choose not to vaccinate their kids; this idea has been widely debunked by the federal government and medical community, which say the anti-vaccine movement has contributed to a resurgence in measles cases. 
 
 Former CNN anchor Campbell Brown was one of many who predicted Christie's comment would actually doom his potential 2016 presidential campaign. 
 
 "Insane. Christie is done," Brown wrote on Twitter. 
 
 Republican strategist Rick Wilson fired off several tweets declaring Christie just "disqualified" himself from the White House. 
 
 "I'm as libertarian as it comes, but the social contract includes not letting your kids die of preventable diseases or spread them to others," Wilson said. "Not dinging Christie because I have another dog in the 2016 fight. It's because this statement is wildly irresponsible for a public figure." 
 
 The media also joined in on the Christie criticism. 
 
 "Wow, I'm getting really sick of politicians who deny basic science," Political Wire's Taegan Goddard wrote. 
 
 Noah Rothman, of the right-leaning news site Hot Air, contrasted President Barack Obama's "correct" stance on vaccinations with Christie's. Obama said in a pre-Super Bowl interview Sunday that "the science is indisputable" and that parents should definitely vaccinate their kids. 
 
 "This comment was a bizarre one," Rothman said of Christie. "It is an unforced error. It has hurt his political brand and made Barack Obama appear a model of guileless honesty in comparison. What was Christie thinking?" 
 
 Business Insider asked Christie's office if it wanted to clarify or add additional context to the governor's remarks. A representative said Christie had nothing to add. 
 
 According to The Daily Beast, this is not the first time Christie defended those who do not want to vaccinate their kids. Christie reportedly wrote a letter in 2009 allying himself with anti-vaccine advocates who opposed "New Jersey's highest-in-the nation vaccine mandates." 
 
 "I have met with families affected by autism from across the state and have been struck by their incredible grace and courage," Christie reportedly said then. "I stand with them now, and will stand with them as their governor in their fight for greater parental involvement in vaccination decisions that affect their children." 
 
 Update (10:25 a.m.):Christie's office subsequently sent a statement to reporters with the full transcript of his vaccination comments on Monday. Kevin Roberts, a Christie spokesman, added: "To be clear: The Governor believes vaccines are an important public health protection and with a disease like measles there is no question kids should be vaccinated. At the same time different states require different degrees of vaccination, which is why he was calling for balance in which ones government should mandate." 
 
 Update (10:39 a.m.): With The Daily Beast report. 
 
 NOW WATCH: Disneyland Measles Outbreak Shows Why We Should Ban Unvaccinated Kids From Schools
– NJ Gov. Chris Christie is now pulling back on statements he made earlier today—in response to the recent measles outbreak—that parents should have a "choice" whether to get their kids vaccinated. "The Governor believes vaccines are an important public health protection, and with a disease like measles there is no question kids should be vaccinated," a statement from his office read this morning, as per the Washington Post. But the outrage from his call for "balance" had already been incited, as evidenced by the following reactions: At the Daily Beast, Olivia Nuzzi says statements like the ones Christie originally made today keep him "on the good side of the anti-vaccination crowd"—extra support that may come in handy if he runs for president next year—and reminds readers of a letter he wrote during his gubernatorial run in 2009 that seemed to acknowledge a link between autism and vaccines. As Sam Biddle writes on Gawker, Christie believed "public health [trumped] individual discomfort" in the case of Kaci Hickox, the nurse he involuntarily quarantined as a precaution against Ebola. "Except in the case of the Ebola nurse, it was unfounded and unscientific," Biddle notes. "If only Christie could take his 'I'm the boss, f---in' deal with it' stance against paranoid, negligent anti-vaxx parents, instead of a nurse with a fever." Some of the strongest criticism against Christie comes from Kelly Faircloth at Jezebel, who calls him an "IRRESPONSIBLE, PANDERING S---HEAD" (all-caps hers) and writes, "I guess he's only worried about scary African diseases, not good old-fashioned American diseases like measles." Faircloth adds, "Your average ancestor circa 1810 would probably rip every hair out of your head if she thought you were seriously considering turning your back on an invention that renders a great scourge powerless." Other heated responses, as per Business Insider, include GOP media guru's Rick Wilson's Twitter feed this morning (in which he calls Christie "wildly irresponsible," among other things), as well as that of Taegan Goddard of Political Wire, who posted, "Wow, I'm getting really sick of politicians who deny basic science." Former CNN news reporter Campbell Brown kept her tweet short and sweet: "Insane. Christie is done."