Gov. Christie, in a brief break from talking presidential plans and labor relations, weighed in Wednesday on another hot topic -- the "sad example" being set by troubled actor Charlie Sheen.
"He's obviously consumed by drugs and alcohol," the New Jersey Republican said in an interview with NBC New York. "It's a sad example for our kids to see what he's doing now."
Sheen has spent the week blurting bizarre, sometimes violent, rants in a multi-day media and Twitter frenzy.
"It's entertaining to hear some of the goofy stuff he says," Christie went on, "but in the end what I really see there is a troubled guy who needs help and I hope he gets it."
Christie added that his work with a drug and alcohol center for teens gives him some insight into what Sheen is going through.
In the sit-down with NBC New York, the governor also elaborated on an interview he gave to the National Review, in which he stated he "could win" the White House in 2012.
"I didn't say I would win, I said I could win," Christie said Wednesday. "But that's not a good enough reason to run for president."
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He added that he does not feel ready, and when asked why, he said: "I've only been governor for 13 months."
"It's a feeling, it's a hard-to-describe feeling sometimes, but in my heart I don't believe I'm ready to be president, so why would I run?" he said.
As to whether he would run as vice president if he was offered the slot on a ticket -- an idea he has seemed to leave open in the past -- he said he would not.
If asked to run on a ticket, Christie said he'd say "I'm flattered. No thank you."
Sources close to Christie say his denials of any interest in a 2012 run are not meant to close the door on a possible bid in 2016.
Christie's national profile has been elevated in part because of his battle with the public employee unions -- even before Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's disputes with labor erupted in his state.
Christie insists, however, that he still believes in collective bargaining, as long as it is "fair and adversarial."
State workers demonstrated in Trenton last week, and some were accused of calling in sick to protest.
With police and firefighters planning on doing the same Thursday, the combative governor was asked what would happen if there is an outbreak of "blue flu."
"People who call in sick better be sick," Christie warned.
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