 Mitt Romney may be the Republican Party’s presidential nominee and Paul Ryan the ­running mate, but Chris Christie takes a back seat to no one in the GOP. Josh Haner/The New York Times 
 
 TAMPA, Fla. — Chris Christie, the sharp-tongued governor of New Jersey, on Tuesday extolled Mitt Romney as an exceptional leader willing to speak hard truths to a nation weary of President Obama‘s policies and ready to make a much-needed change. He called the election a test of whether Americans are ready to hear the truth about the nation’s future and he said he is confident that those who challenge the voters will be rewarded. “If you’re willing to hear the truth about the hard road ahead, and the rewards for America that truth will bear, I’m here to begin with you this new era of truth-telling,” he said. “It takes leadership that you don’t get from reading a poll,” Mr. Christie said, directing his remarks at Mr. Obama. Real leaders change polls.” 
 
 But primarily, the speech offered a challenge to the country to change course from an administration that he said was letting the nation’s economy drift. “It’s time to end this era of absentee leadership in the Oval Office and send real leaders to the White House,” Mr. Christie said, according to prepared remarks.
– Charismatic New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie last night ripped into the Democrats and the "debacle" of ObamaCare, and hailed a presidential candidate ready to "talk hard truths" and make tough decisions to cut costs to restore the nation to economic health. The Democrats "believe the American people need to be coddled by big government," and will "whistle a happy tune while they drive us off a fiscal cliff," he told a wildly enthusiastic crowd in his keynote address at the Republican National Convention. "They believe in teachers unions, we believe in teachers. Our ideas are right for America, theirs have failed America. America needs Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, and we need them right now." As his speech wound up, Christie called conventioneers to their feet, saying: "I'm here to begin with you this new era of truth telling. Tonight we stand up for Mitt Romney." Christie launched his speech with a tribute to his late mom, the second speaker—after Ann Romney—to pointedly court the female vote. In his family, "my dad was just a passenger," quipped Christie. "My mom was in the driver's seat." He repeatedly called himself "my mother's son."