State Sen. Richard Codey, who has publicly fought with Gov. Chris Christie several times, came to the governor’s defense today after a newspaper story poked fun at his weight.

Codey, a former governor, was offended by a New York Post article about Christie’s visit to Israel headlined “The whale at the wall,” saying the paper should be “ashamed.”
“The article is insulting not only to the governor but to those who hold those sites sacred. It is also a slap in the face to journalists who take their work seriously,” said Codey (D-Essex).

Aside from the headline, the article said Christie made a “huge impression” at the holy site known as the Wailing Wall, or Western Wall, and “brought his political heft” to it.

“Governor Christie and I have our disagreements, but no one should be subjected to the kind of grammar school innuendos and stupid puns that are splashed throughout the headline and story,” said Codey.

READ MORE: NJ STAR LEDGER