In Annual Address, Christie Turns Focus From Scandal to Policy Gov. Chris Christie walked the aisles after he delivered his State of the State address in Trenton on Tuesday. Facing the worst political crisis of his career, Gov. Chris Christie told the voters of New Jersey on Tuesday that they deserved better. The last week has certainly tested this administration. Mistakes were clearly made. And as a result, we let down the people we are entrusted to serve," he said at the opening of his State of the State address. I know our citizens deserve better. Much better. He said the wave of disconcerting revelations last week - that members of his staff and his appointees had sought to punish local officials who had not supported his re-election campaign last year - "does not define us or our state." The speech provided Mr. Christie's first public remarks since his marathon apologia on Thursday, when he appeared in a televised news conference to say he was a "heartbroken" man who accepted responsibility for his staff's role in closing traffic lanes to the George Washington Bridge. The closings led to gridlocked streets in Fort Lee, N.J., for four days last September and an explosive political scandal for Mr. Christie. "I am the governor and I am ultimately responsible for all that happens on my watch - both good and bad," he said. He then sought to move the conversation forward, citing his accomplishments over the last four years and saying that he was focused on the daily job of governing. "This administration and this Legislature will not allow the work that needs to be done to improve the people's lives in New Jersey to be delayed for any reason," he said. I am the leader of this state and its people and I stand here today proud to be both. But also, those of you who know me, know I am always determined to do better. He outlined plans to extend the school day, lower taxes for homeowners and reduce urban crime. The level of detail was a marked change from his remarks last year, when he spent two-thirds of his speech recalling the toll that Hurricane Sandy had taken on the state, with tales of individual fortitude largely taking the place of policy initiatives. In contrast to previous years, his office this year released a copy of his prepared remarks in advance, an attempt to direct attention to matters other than the political drama. But with Mr. Christie's administration facing both federal and state inquiries, questions about the ways his administration have used the power of the state to punish political rivals are unlikely to go away any time soon. Just before the speech, the state Democratic Party released a video attacking the governor. After playing clips of comedians mocking Mr. Christie, the words "The State of the State?" appear on screen. The answer: "Embarrassed." Even as he remained under siege by opponents and new revelations about the lane closings threatened to overwhelm other initiatives, Mr. Christie, who is believed to have presidential aspirations, said the state must move past political division, and he called for a renewed spirit of bipartisanship and cooperation throughout New Jersey. It is an optimistic message with obvious appeal to a national audience, yet it was delivered under a jarringly different environment than that of last year. In the State of the State address for 2013, Mr. Christie basked in adulation for his performance after Hurricane Sandy, projecting himself as "America's governor" and burnishing an image as an elected official lawmaker who stood above the petty politics of the day. "Maybe the folks in Washington, in both parties, could learn something from our record here," he said then. This year, Mr. Christie argued that his recent travails should not overshadow a four-year record of working well with officials from both parties, and he urged further cooperation on a host of challenges. "Let us choose to invest in better schools, and not a status quo in which we leave some children behind and put the rest at risk of being swallowed by a rising tide of mediocrity," he said. Let us choose the path of safer streets, and not leave our families vulnerable to the heartless carjackers who would destroy our quality of life. Let us celebrate every life by creating an opportunity for every citizen, through an excellent education, a productive job and a thriving community. He called for both a longer school day and a longer academic year, a proposal whose popularity has grown in urban school districts across the country. "Life in 2014 demands something more for our students," Mr. Christie said. He was also spoke about the need to reduce crime in cities that remain plagued by violence, like Camden and Newark. "Every New Jerseyan should be concerned when violent crimes occur right before our eyes," Mr. Christie said. He recalled a recent shooting at the Mall at Short Hills in Millburn. Last month, a young lawyer went to open the door of his vehicle for his wife after an evening of pre-Christmas shopping. He was set upon by thugs who wanted to carjack his S.U.V. and, in front of his wife, he was shot in the head and left for dead on the deck of a mall parking garage," he said. While four suspects were arrested, he said more needed to be done. How can we tolerate such violence in our midst? The answer is obvious: We cannot. He said the state should reform its laws so that criminals who are deemed a threat to the public can be held without bail, as is the case in the federal system. The speech was replete with mentions of togetherness, rehabilitation, recovery and choice. Mr. Christie said that he was determined to look out for those who were in danger of falling through society's safety nets, saying that he viewed every life as precious. In the most emotional moment of the speech, he recounted the experience of Craig Hanlon, who struggled with addiction as a teenager and later was hired by Mr. Christie, who was then the United States attorney for New Jersey. "His life was at risk, but treatment saved him," Mr. Christie said. If you need proof that reclaiming a life is possible and that every life has precious value, then that proof is standing before you today. Mr. Hanlon, who was seated next to the governor's family, then embraced Mr. Christie in an extended hug as lawmakers rose from their seats to cheer. Mr. Christie concluded the speech with a look to the future. "Centuries ago, a philosopher wrote "choice, not chance, determines your destiny,'" he said. And this remains true for New Jersey today. Our destiny is not set - it is the product of the choices we make. Our future is not set - it, too, is the product of the choices we make from this day forward. So let us choose wisely.