Overweight US politician Chris Christie stars in 'Elephant In The Room' magazine cover

HE HAS been nicknamed 'Pufferfish' in the past but this loaded magazine cover about a prominent politician has got commentators fuming.

Mr Christie is often the subject of weight jokes. Picture: AP

CHRIS Christie, the plain-speaking governor of the US state of New Jersey, is tipped to be a future president.

He's also overweight, which is why this TIME magazine cover featuring Mr Christie and the headline 'The Elephant In The Room' was savaged as a "cruel" fat joke this week.

Not very subtle: The magazine cover. Picture: Supplied

The issue focused on the governor's "outsized influence" in the Republican Party - but many commentators saw it as an attack on obese Americans.

"It's fat-shaming," fumed Mary Elizabeth Williams, a writer for the pop culture website Salon in the piece 'Don't call Chris Christie an Elephant'.

Political pundit Emily Shire agreed: "Enough with the Chris Christie fat jokes," she wrote for The Week. "It's immature and it's ubeffective to boot ... Tasteless and unfunny."

If kids were responsible for this @TIME cover, they'd be expelled for bullying. @TheWeek: http://t.co/Kra0cOP3J6

— BreneBrown (@BreneBrown) November 8, 2013

Didn't think Time was right to put the title of the cover w Christie "elephant in the room." You shouldn't fat shame anyone. Men or women.

— liberalgal (@liberalgal_) November 9, 2013

RT if you're making Chris Christie is fat jokes but secretly know that you could probably stand to lose a pound or two yourself.

— Peter Atencio (@Atencio) November 6, 2013

The magazine's 'elephant' reference is loaded with several other meanings - the thick-skinned mammal is also a symbol of Mr Christie's party.

TIME's executive editor Michael Duffy defended the cover in a US TV interview.

"Well, he's obviously a big guy. He's obviously a big Republican," he said, adding Mr Christie had achieved something "big" in being re-elected as the state's governor last week.

Mr Christie is not ashamed of his weight and has even turned into a running gag, scoffing down a jelly doughnut on David Letterman's late night comedy show.

Letterman said the White House vegetable garden would be doomed if he was elected the country's leader.

Christie was also nicknamed 'Pufferfish' by the campaign of last year's Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney.

Mr Christie underwent lap-band surgery earlier this year, sparking speculation that he is shedding the kilos in anticipation of running for US president in 2016.

Fat chance the weight jokes will stop anytime soon.

Chris Christie won a second term as governor last week. Picture: AFP

###