Vermin Supreme mocks Christie in N.H.

DERRY, N.H – The man with the thick prophet's beard and an upside-down rubber wading boot on his head yelled through a bullhorn at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's campaign bus.

"Chris Christie, we have you surrounded," Vermin Supreme said. "Come out with your hands up and your pants down, Chris Christie!"

There was no reaction from the governor or his entourage. "Chris Christie's a chicken," said Mr. Supreme, a political prankster who has run for president every four years since 2004. He added clucking noises as a local police officer shooed him back toward the public sidewalk. If elected president, Mr. Supreme says, he will give every American a pony.

"Chris Christie, why do you hate ponies?!" It was all just part of the full-frontal New Hampshire primary day experience.

Christie, with his presidential ambitions on the line, was here to mingle with the lunchtime crowd at T-Bone's Great American Eatery – and get midday television coverage in Boston and Manchster, N.H. - in between visits to polling places and campaign offices where his volunteers were hard at work to turn out the vote.

People surrounded Christie as he followed a New Jersey state trooper through the restaurant. He shook hands, dispensed hugs and chatted.

"All right, baby, the No Labels Problem Solvers are in the house," Christie said as he approached one booth, hugging a woman in a t-shirt from the group, which promotes bipartisanship.

Every few feet, someone else congratulated him on his debate performance Saturday, when he hammered Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

"That debate was the greatest thing I've seen in American politics," said a man by the bar.

Responded Christie: " Thank you. I had fun."

Somebody shouted, "What's your favorite Springsteen song?" Christie turned. "Thunder Road, baby."

"Great debate," said a supporter in a puffy down coat.

"Thank you, I had fun."

"You opened questions that were just incredible. Very sincere."