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Chris Christie says President Biden fumbled Nashville shooting response with ice cream joke

WASHINGTON – For someone who says he doesn't know if he's running in 2024, Chris Christie certainly sounds like a candidate, taking aim this week at political rivals on both sides of the aisle.

The former New Jersey governor blasted Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence during a town hall Monday evening, and earlier in the day he slammed President Joe Biden for his response to the Nashville school shooting.

Christie took issue with Biden making small talk about ice cream and introducing himself as "Dr. Jill Biden's husband" just before delivering a formal response to the attack that killed three, 9-year-old students and three staff members.

More: Chris Christie slams Trump, DeSantis, Pence in New Hampshire, considers 2024 GOP campaign

What did President Joe Biden say?

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks while hosting the Small Business Administration's Women's Business Summit in the East Room of the White House on March 27, 2023 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks while hosting the Small Business Administration's Women's Business Summit in the East Room of the White House on March 27, 2023 in Washington, DC.

"My name is Joe Biden. I'm Dr. Jill Biden's husband. I eat Jeni's ice cream – chocolate chip," Biden quipped Monday afternoon before his speech about the "sick" and "heartbreaking" shooting.

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The crowd in the East Room of the White House laughed, and Biden doubled down.

"I came down because I heard there was chocolate chip ice cream. By the way, I have a whole refrigerator full upstairs," he said to more laughter. "You think I'm kidding? I'm not."

When Biden began his speech about Nashville, the president described it as a family's "worst nightmare" and said "we have to stop gun violence."