The perfect GOP candidate?

I don't blame TPM's Benjy Sarlin for scratching his head over the latest Chris Christie boomlet (I'm confused, too). He's probably thinking: wait, lemme get this straight. Christie is the new Republican Savior? How can that be? Does Christie have a twin or something? Because the guy who Sarlin has reported on has "sagging approval ratings in New Jersey, called Republicans’ sharia panic 'crap' spread by 'crazies' while condemning politicians of all stripes for even discussing the Park 51 community center in Lower Manhattan. Oh, and he’s moderate on immigration and believes climate change is real, man-made, and a problem." Right. The pundits want you believe that the Republican base (the same folks who just booed gunslinger Rick Perry off the stage for being too soft on immigration) will just love this Jersey Shore dude. Talk about a twisted "Situation."