Governor Chris Christie appeared in good spirits and good health when he left a Somerville hospital Thursday night.

With his health no longer an immediate concern, reporters at a news conference outside the hospital quickly turned to whether Christie would be fit enough to mount a run for the White House.

Christie has long denied any intention to seek the presidency in 2012. Even if he were to run, Christie said his health wouldn�t be a concern.

�I certainly don�t think this has any role to play with it all. I think you judge people by what they do every day,� Christie said.

The governor kicked off the most recent speculation about a presidential bid Monday when he visited Iowa for an education summit and to raise money for a local congressman.

�At the end of the day, if I decided that I wanted to run for president, I think you know me Charlie, I�d do it. But if there are people who don�t think I�m up for it, then don�t vote for me,� he said.

Christie was rushed to the hospital Thursday out of an �abundance of caution,� according to spokesman Michael Drewniak.

He was experiencing shortness of breath while en route to an event at a farm in central New Jersey. Doctors spent several hours running tests on the 48-year-old, and found it was due to complications from years of being an asthmatic.

�I took the rescue inhaler that I have � didn�t have the effect it normally has. I started to feel light-headed and spoke to the troopers and said that I wasn�t feeling well, apparently didn�t look all that well,� he said.

�I feel great now. A little tired, but other than tired, I feel fine, you know, relieved,� he added.

When asked if his health scare had anything to do with his weight, Christie answered �I think the weight exacerbates everything.�

�You know, I�ve been pretty candid about that right from the start of my public career,� he said. �The lighter I am, the healthier I�ll be, so I�m sure it affects it. Though I gotta say, I don�t think it had any effect on today. I think it is much of the atmosphere this week. It�s been very humid.�

�In these really humid hot times, that tends to make me asthmatic a little more. The air is a little thick. It�s just a lot more difficult to breathe,� he added.

Maria Comella, Christie�s deputy chief of staff, said the governor�s EKG, blood work and chest X-ray came back �normal.�

�He started to feel a little bit slight of breath, sort of typical for him, not unusual for him dealing with asthma. He alerted the detail,� Comella said. �They�ve ruled out anything else more serious anything to do with cardiac issues have been ruled out.�

(Source: WCBSTV)