If Mitt Romney loses Tuesday’s election — a very real possibility given that Nate Silver’s latest forecast gives President Obama an 83.7 percent shot at winning — we now know who to blame it on: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. That’s the gist of what Rupert Murdoch, the man behind Fox News, tweeted early Saturday morning:

Christie, a top Romney campaign surrogate who has been largely critical of Obama in the past, has been a vocal supporter of the president this week in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Putting partisan politics aside, Christie said Obama’s response to the disaster has been “outstanding.”

But rather than applauding the governor for his efforts, Murdoch is warning that this could end up costing Romney the election. At least we now know for sure that Murdoch spends time watching his own cable news channel.

The Huffington Post:

A number of prominent conservatives have worried that Christie’s newfound appreciation for the president could prove to be a decisive liability to Romney’s presidential campaign. Rush Limbaugh, for one, attacked Christie during his show on Wednesday as Obama’s “Greek column.”

It remains to be seen whether Christie, who has presidential ambitions of his own, will alter course in response to conservative blowback. The governor has already dismissed the suggestion that he make a new push for Romney, saying, “If you think right now I give a damn about presidential politics, then you don’t know me.”

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— Posted by Tracy Bloom.

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