"And on this you have my pledge - unlike in the past, when you stood up and did what was right, this governor will not pull the rug out from underneath you - I will sign strong reform bills"

In this quote, Chris Christie, the previous guv of New Jersey, is making a firm guarantee to his audience, arguably to constituents or stakeholders involved in governmental reforms. His declaration is both an acknowledgment of past drawbacks and a dedication to future action. A detailed interpretation reveals several layers:

To start with, Christie refers to a "pledge", showing a solemn guarantee or commitment. By using this term, he is attempting to build trust with his audience. He acknowledges that a promise of this nature has significant weight and is not to be ignored.

Christie then contrasts his future intentions with past actions: "unlike in the past, when you stood and did what was right, this guv will not pull the rug out from beneath you". This conveys an understanding that previous leaders (or potentially even Christie's own earlier actions) may have betrayed or pull down those who acted with integrity or advocated for essential reforms. The metaphor of "pulling the carpet out from beneath you" represents an abrupt loss of assistance or betrayal, evoking a sense of instability and abrupt disappointment. By resolving this, Christie acknowledges a history of unmet expectations or damaged pledges, a common grievance amongst citizens and reform supporters.

Lastly, Christie states, "I will sign strong reform costs", signifying his dedication to concrete legal action. This promise tries to ensure his audience that under his governance, efforts towards reform will be realized through main means, unlike previous situations where advocacy efforts did not equate into concrete changes. The mention of "strong reform costs" highlights his objective to pursue meaningful and effective policy modifications instead of superficial or useless measures.

Overall, Christie's quote can be understood as a tactical effort to restore faith in his leadership by acknowledging past failures and vigorously asserting his commitment to impactful governance.