WOLFEBORO, N.H. -- On the campaign trail, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) has emphasized his national security credentials, typically opening marathon town hall meetings with a harrowing recollection of how the Sept. 11 attacks affected his own family.

But at a recent event in this picturesque New Hampshire vacation town, a woman took the microphone to ask the Republican presidential candidate an atypical question for a GOP gathering in the current climate, as fears of terrorism continue to dominate the political discourse.

The woman noted that she had taught at several American universities the Middle East and had developed an affinity for young Muslims.

How would you, as president, address the misconception that a lot of Americans have that all Muslims are terrorists? she asked.

Christie began his answer by noting that New Jersey has the second largest Muslim-American population in the United States, then recalled touring mosques around the state in the wake of Sept. 11 to meet with members of the community, so that they could see me and I could see them.

And then he related another story -- this one far less uplifting, but no less stirring -- about what happened when he nominated a Muslim-American lawyer to a judgeship in New Jersey.

Watch the video above to see it.