Christie: 'Now is not my time'

By: CNN Producer Gabriella Schwarz

(CNN) - Republican Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey announced Tuesday he will not run for president in 2012.

The first-term governor said the pressure he received over the past few months caused him to consider throwing his hat in the ring - after repeatedly shooting down rumors - but that ultimately he is committed to his position in the Garden State.

"Now is not my time. I have a commitment to New Jersey that I simply will not abandon," Christie said at a press conference in Trenton. "That's the promise I made to the people of this state when I took office."

Christie fielded recent calls to run for president and spent time discussing the possibility of a White House bid with his family, friends and operatives. Now, having decided against a bid, Christie said he does not "feel any sense of regret at all."

"I felt like it was my obligation as I said before given the seriousness and the amount of people who were coming to me and asking me to reconsider to reconsider and I did," Christie said. "In the end I came back to the same place I was in the whole year."

He pushed back against reports that his family was skeptical throughout the process, saying they supported him, whether he decided to run for president or not.

When asked about the rest of the GOP presidential field, Christie said his decision was not affected by the strength or weakness of the pool.

"None of them were a factor," he said before adding that he was not prepared to make an endorsement.

He also brushed aside suggestions, in his typically brash fashion that he would serve in the No. 2 spot on the Republican ticket.

“Listen, I don’t imagine I’m going to be asked. I don’t think I have the personality to be asked,” Christie said. “I mean, seriously, can you imagine? You know, the guy would probably want to get a food taster. I don’t know, seriously, I don’t see it.”

The newly minted vice chair of the Republican Governors Association said he is now focused on making sure President Barack Obama only serves one term as president.

"He's failed the American people because he's failed that absolute litmus test to be President of the United States and that's to know how to lead and how to decide," Christie said.

Christie light heartedly addressed the coverage of his weight that escalated in recent weeks, particularly among comedians. As long as the jokes are funny, he is OK with the coverage, he said.

"For me, their job is to be funny. And if one of the things they want to make fun of is my weight, it's fair game," Christie said. "I'm a public figure … All I care about is that they actually are funny so that I can at least laugh about it while they are mocking me."