Christie: 'Damn right I'd be more ready' in 2016

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said in an interview published Sunday that he would be "more ready" to mount a presidential bid in 2016, after declining to run in the last presidential cycle.

"Yeah, you’re damn right I’d be more ready," Christie said in an interview with the Newark Star-Ledger.

In 2011, Christie considered jumping into the race for the Republican nomination before ultimately deciding against a run. At a press conference with reporters, Christie cited his "loyalty to this state" in opting against a bid.

"In the end what I always felt was the right decision remains the right decision today: Now is not my time," Christie said.

Christie said in the interview Sunday that he believes he's growing as a politician.

"In the end, what I’ve learned is that there’s still a lot for me to learn," he said. "And I can get better."

Christie cited a recent meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres as an example of a learning moment.

"Governor, I’ve really looked forward to meeting you," Peres said, according to Christie. "I’m like, 'You’ve got to be kidding me. You look forward to meeting me? Are you kidding? You’re like a walking history book.'"

Christie said he then had to ask himself: "Are you a complete, like, Justin Bieber fan, sitting there fawning over Shimon Peres, or can you actually learn to conduct yourself with some measure of control and maturity?"

Christie also said his experiences campaigning with Mitt Romney excited him about the possibility of seeking national office.

"I was jazzed. I was like, 'OK, here we go.' And Romney could tell," Christie said.

Christie has seen a sizable bump in his statewide approval ratings in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, and his path to reelection became easier when Newark Mayor Cory Booker said last month that he would not challenge Christie for the governor's mansion.

But a bid for the Republican nomination could prove difficult, with many in the GOP still upset by the governor's full-throated embrace of President Obama in the days after Sandy. Some conservatives have suggested Christie's kind words for Obama helped the president in the final days of his campaign.

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