Christie Talks Keynote, Akin Remark, Shore Economy - Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will take center stage next week at the Republican National Convention.

In Asbury Park on Monday, Christie explained why GOP candidate Mitt Romney chose him to give the keynote address, and why there's one U.S. Senate candidate for whom he won't campaign, FOX's Brenda Flannigan reported.

Schmoozing the boardwalk crowd, Christie pointed to thriving businesses and said his leadership of New Jersey's economic comeback persuaded Romney to offer him the keynote.

"If you're not doing a good job, I don't think they want to put you in front of a national TV audience as the person who's going to lay out the vision for the Republican Party over the next four years," Christie said.

His keynote speech will focus on hard choices in tough times, and he had harsh words for Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin. The congressman claimed women's bodies can prevent pregnancy in what he called "a legitimate rape situation."

Akin apologized, but Christie said of the remarks, "It's absolutely asinine, ridiculous statement by the congressman. It's reprehensible. He should be ashamed of himself."

Christie won't campaign for Akin, and he won't pull punches in Tampa, saying, "I don't think they have any expectation, nor have they requested, that I have a personality-ectomy, you know, between now and next Tuesday."

Christie says he spent his vacation working on his speech. He's on the seventh draft. He says this one has to be all him.