Chris Christie built his keynote address to RNC on theme of the tough truths to America . But even the most successful convention-speech-as-launch-pad of recent times -- the keynote delivered at the 2004 Democratic convention by a then-little-known Illinois state senator named Barack Obama -- lavishly praised Sen. John Kerry , the party 's nominee that year . Errol Louis : the New Jersey governor has to know the tough truths about his own state . New Jersey 's unemployment rate is high , and there are questions about finances , he said . Louis : Christie 's speech went over well , but he did n't mention Romney until late in his talk .
Chris Christie built his keynote address to RNC on theme of the tough truths to America . Errol Louis : the New Jersey governor has to know the tough truths about his own state . New Jersey 's unemployment rate is high , and there are questions about finances , he said . Louis : Christie 's speech went over well , but he did n't mention Romney until late in his talk .