New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, rumored to be on Mitt Romney’s short-list as a vice presidential candidate, is in Israel this week in what has become a popular stop for politicians seeking to bolster international street cred and appeal to Jewish constituents.

While Christie certainly expected to be criticized in some quarters as positioning himself for a future run with this trip, he couldn’t forsee how the New York Post would choose to cover his visit to Israel:

Former New Jersey governor and State Senator Dick Codey said the article was not only insulting to Christie, but “it is also a slap in the face to journalists who take their work seriously.” He also noted that the paper should “ashamed” of the headline and other puns included in the story, like Christie making a “huge impression” and bringing his “political heft” to Israel.

According to the Star-Ledger, Christie appreciated Codey’s defense and told reporters from Israel, “It’s unfortunate that the Post decided it wanted to go there. In the end as I’ve told people many times that kind of stuff doesn’t really bother me. If that’s the way they want to sell newspapers that’s up to them. But I can tell you this much: There’s no one over here who hasn’t taken me seriously in every way in terms of the message we brought.”