HispanicBusiness

After days touring the devastation at the Jersey Shore and across New Jersey, Governor Christie said there was a highlight to his emotional week: finally getting the chance to talk to Bruce Springsteen, his music idol.

Christie and his family chatted with Springsteen on Friday night at Rockefeller Center, where the musician was participating in NBC's telethon to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

"We hugged," Christie said as a crowd of volunteers in Monmouth County cheered at the sound of Springsteen's name Monday afternoon "Yeah, we hugged and he told me it's official: We're friends."

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Until Friday, the conservative governor's love of the liberal musician was unrequited. Being on opposite sides of the political aisle, the men had met twice before, but only exchanged formal pleasantries.

Christie has been out campaigning and raising money for GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney while Springsteen has headlined fundraisers for President Obama.

On Monday, Springsteen was accompanying Obama to Wisconsin and Ohio, two key swing states. Christie put his campaigning on hold over a week ago as Hurricane Sandy headed for New Jersey.

Christie has been to more than 130 Springsteen concerts and, despite their difference in political opinion, has held Springsteen in high regard.

But the destruction brought by Sandy seems to have started a relationship between the two men.

Christie got to speak to Springsteen again Monday. The Boss happened to be flying on Air Force One with Obama, getting in some last-minute campaigning, when Christie was giving Obama an update on the recovery in New Jersey

"I told the president today actually that the hug was great and that when we got home there was a lot of weeping because of the hug," Christie said. "And the president said, 'Why?' I said, 'Well, to be honest, I was the one weeping. Everyone else was fine.'"