Jersey's Gov. Christie to Student: 'Idiot'

Getty Images

NJ Governor Chris Christie

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie knows when he's created a YouTube moment, and his shouting match with a Rutgers University law student is definitely one of them.

Christie called William Brown, who is unhappy with the Republican's plan to merge the Rutgers law school in Camden with Rowan University, an "idiot" during a town hall meeting Thursday.

Brown, a Democrat who made an unsuccessful run for the New Jersey State Assembly last year, repeatedly interrupted the governor. As Brown was being escorted from the meeting, Christie -- a former federal prosecutor -- told him that if he conducts himself like that in a courtroom, "your rear end's going to get thrown in jail, idiot."

Christie later told the audience he tried to be patient with Brown, a former Navy SEAL. "Every time I tried to answer, he started yelling over me again. Damn, man, I'm the governor. Can you just shut up for a second?"

Total Cost: $58,065Tuition: $43,840Room & Board: $13,980Fees: $245Claremont McKenna, located near downtown Los Angeles, accepted only 12.4 percent of its applicants for the class of 2016, a rate that admissions counselor Brandon Gonzalez said ensures that students here will be going to school only with other top students.�The class of 2016 will be one of the most talented groups of students we have ever seen,� The school will charge these students a tuition of $21,920 per semester, or $43,840 for the entire academic year, incurring a total cost of

Christie, a rising GOP star often touted as a candidate for president or vice president, is frequently blunt. A video clip of him telling a woman who asked why he enrolls his children in private school that it's "none of your business" is frequently played on news shows as an example.

The video above is from Calkins Media, which covered the town hall meeting and has posted the video on YouTube.

This story first appeared in USA Today.