Obama, accompanied by Christie, visits N.J. today to mark end of combat operations in Afghanistan

Source: By Jonathan D. Salant | NJ Advance Media NJ.com

on December 15, 2014 at 6:15 AM, updated December 15, 2014 at 12:50 PM

WASHINGTON — President Obama, accompanied by Gov. Chris Christie, will head to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst today to mark the end of combat operations in Afghanistan and thank the troops stationed there for their service to their country.

The president was scheduled to fly via Air Force One to the base, the only U.S. facility serving three branches of the military, and deliver remarks before returning to Washington.

Christie, a potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate, was to meet Obama at the landing field. The two men bonded over the federal response to Hurricane Sandy, touring hard-hit New Jersey towns shortly before the 2012 election in which Obama defeated Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Christie was criticized by some Republicans for embracing the Democratic president so close to the election.

U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez (both D-N.J.), are also scheduled to attend the event.

Read more: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/12/obama_visiting_nj_military_base_to_mark_end_of_afghanistan_combat_operations.html