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Political Hay
The Specter of a New Arlen
Charlie Crist has some good news and some bad news for Republicans.
TAMPA — There’s good news and bad for Republican U.S. Senate hopes. Now that it’s near certain that Florida’s rookie Republican governor, Charlie Crist, will run for the Senate in 2010 rather than for re-election as governor, the GOP stands a good chance of retaining the seat current Republican Senator Mel Martinez has said he will not seek re-election to, and would not have won had he done so.
That’s the good news. For reasons that teach more about widespread gullibility than anything else, Governor Crist’s job approval numbers remain in the high-sixties. In an election today, Crist would defeat any of the Democrats likely to pursue the Senate seat.
The bad news, at least for conservatives, is more comprehensive. Crist is a Republican, but a right peculiar one. Republicans face the specter of another Arlen in the Senate if Crist runs and wins.
Though Crist has held the tax increase line in Florida, he’s hardly a conservative. (Even here Crist has come up with an imaginative list of fee increases to help Florida continue to spend as if no recession were on.) When spending cuts are discussed, the quickest way to rile-up voters, Charlie is AWOL. And he supports all manner of costly enviro-nonsense. He’s the RINO’s RINO. Conservative Republicans in Florida would gladly trade Crist to the Democrats for a case of Gatorade and an Olympia Snowe bubble-gum card.
Crist himself prefers the title “populist” to conservative, the most accurate label for him. He’s more an Auh-nuld without the pecs and biceps than a Sarah Palin without the, well, never mind.
While conservatives defend the principles of limited government, the free market, and personal liberty, Crist natters on about bipartisanship (which seems to mean, if Crist’s actions are any guide, Republicans doing things Democrats do).
Crist’s supporters, including editorial writers with Florida newspapers, praise him for “reaching out to Democrats.” Misfortunately, he’s almost never caught reaching out to Republicans.
When Florida Republicans gathered at the Hotel Intercontinental in Miami 10 days after the November elections to lick their electoral wounds and devise partisan plans for a comeback, Charlie was to be found, not with the Republicans, but tête-à-tête with Democratic Florida Senator Dan Gelber of Miami Beach. The conversation, according to Crist, was about the healing properties of bipartisanship, though exactly what bipartisanship requires of Democrats he didn’t make clear (nor has he ever in any of his Kumbaya talks).
If Crist does run for the Senate, he may well be facing this same Dan Gelber. Then we’ll know what bipartisanship means to Gelber. Probably the same as it means to Crist — Republicans doing what Democrats do.
Sarah Palin was at the same conference. She said Republicans will win again if they stick to conservative principles and oppose the Obama administration when it lurches left. In stark contrast, Crist said what the GOP needs to stress is racial inclusiveness, bipartisanship, and civility. “It worked in Florida; it could work nationally,” he said.
The only intelligent response to this Obama-esque bromide is, “Huh?” While Crist had little time for Republicans in November, he had time to appear with our rookie president (the politician Crist most resembles in ratio of substance to style) when Obama whooped up his “stimulus” piñata at a February town-hall meeting in Fort Myers. Crist alienated conservatives by murmuring sweet nothings for days about the Obama spending plan, and then cheesed them off again in March when he appointed a liberal judge to the Florida Supreme Court.
In his strategy of cuddling-up as close to the Left as possible without alienating the conservative base, Crist has been especially solicitous of enviro-socialists. Some of the things Crist has done to court Sierra Clubbers are harmless enough, such as having solar panels installed on the roof of the Florida Governor’s mansion in Tallahassee. Others of his actions could lead to more toxic results.
Charlie put on a dog and pony photo-op in Miami in July of ‘07 (Charlie called it a “global climate-change summit”) with the grand but ambiguous title of “Serve to Preserve.” At the “summit,” held when global warming was scoring better with focus groups, Charlie declared climate-change “one of the most important issues we face this century” and dragged the aforementioned Governor Schwarzenegger to the show to attract television cameras. Auh-nuld shared such keen scientific insights as, “We have to say, ‘hasta la vista, Baby’ to greenhouse gases.”
Charlie claimed he would gather “the brightest minds” to help him fight the threat (which it almost certainly isn’t) of man-caused warming. The bright minds Charlie gathered in Miami, other than Auh-nuld, who confused juvenile action-movie lines with considered public policy, included such as Robert Kennedy, Jr., Franklin D. Roosevelt, IV, and a couple of EU greenies and weenies. The title of Kennedy’s latest book demonstrates how even-minded, objective, and expert he is on environmental matters: Crimes Against Nature: How George W. Bush and his Corporate Pals Are Plundering the Country and Hijacking our Democracy.
With “experts” like these, who needs activists? Crist’s strategy seems to be to fight greenhouse gasses with greenhouse gasbags. After the summit, Crist has eagerly reinforced his enviro-nutter credentials by spending time with and being photographed with other environmental experts such as rocker Sheryl Crow, Laurie David (producer of Al Gore’s hysteria flick, An Inconvenient Truth), Robert Redford, and the Prince of Wales.
About the Author
Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (39) | Leave a comment
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Michael L. Hauschild| 3.24.09 @ 8:08AM
I sincerely hope, you chauvinistic buffoon, that the Sarah Palin "oh never mind" referred to her conservative principles.
dudette| 3.24.09 @ 8:34AM
is there not ONE conservative in Florida? Isn't Jeb Bush at least slightly more conservative? This is exactly the problem of the Republicans---nominating moderates. 2010 is coming faster than we know so we have to get it together unless we want to end up living in soft tyranny as tocqueville called it.
Pingback| 3.24.09 @ 8:43AM
Topics about Climate » Archive » The Specter of a New Arlen links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
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Topics about Crimes » The Specter of a New Arlen links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 3.24.09 @ 8:56AM
Topics about Plants » Archive » The Specter of a New Arlen links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Anthony| 3.24.09 @ 9:22AM
"It worked in Florida; it could work nationally" I believe then Gov. George W. Bush said the same thing about his ability to change the culture in Washington. Either Gov. Crist is not a student of history, or his massive ego is on par with the fools that currently occupy the Congress. Then again, he sounds exactly like the RINO that he is.
Crusader| 3.24.09 @ 9:52AM
Crist is McCain without the "war hero" card. Remind me how that worked out again?
Judy| 3.24.09 @ 10:25AM
Mr. Thornberry is dead on in his assesment of Crist. I cannot find one conservative republican that is happy with him. He has disappointed ALL the grassroots that worked so hard to get him elected. I do not know WHO the polls are surveying because know one I know has a high opinion of Crist. They must be polling more Dems.
BoFL| 3.24.09 @ 10:53AM
Never elect anybody who does not own a property (the responsibility issue here). If, I am not mistaken Crist never owned a property.
Jack| 3.24.09 @ 11:11AM
I live in Florida. Tallahassee, in fact. I can tell you that Crist is a man without principles. He's been a disaster as governor, despite his popularity, and he will be worse as a Senator. I won't be voting in the election if he is the R nominee.
Doplar| 3.24.09 @ 12:03PM
Geeez MLH, women have BREASTS, men don't. How chauvinistic to notice, you PC, fascist buffoon.
John M| 3.24.09 @ 12:06PM
Let's hope this guy can be defeated in the Florida primary. If the Republicans continue to put up RINO candidates, then it is over for the GOP.
Jim| 3.24.09 @ 12:07PM
If the GOP thinks they can continue to give conservatives no choice in elections, well, they'd better think again.
Pingback| 3.24.09 @ 2:12PM
Senator Charlie Crist the new Arlen Specter?… | GrassrootsPA links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Go Go Gadget Democrat| 3.24.09 @ 2:52PM
Dan Gelber is must win this Senate seat. Dan stands up for the issues that are really bothering Floridians and not to the special interests of Christ and Palin. There is no one fighting harder for education and a balanced budget that focuses on priroirites, and not republican pet projects for their autocratic friends.
VOTE GELBER 2010!!!!!!!
Mary| 3.24.09 @ 2:59PM
here is one Floridian that will work my tail off to get Charlie "RINO" Crist out of the GOP and Florida... he is a disgrace to the founding fathers of this great nation!
Pingback| 3.24.09 @ 3:57PM
Topics about Energycrisis » Archive » The Specter of a New Arlen links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Austin| 3.24.09 @ 4:52PM
As a resident of Florida I can tell you that the author could have been much harsher on Charlie if he wanted to. In viewing some of his decisions the words foolish and idiotic come to mind. The only positive about him running for the Senate would be that he would no longer be Governor. Also I think he has to move on because if he stayed in as Governor the odds are that some of his moves would then be exposed for the short term populist shams that they are.
jr| 3.24.09 @ 5:13PM
I thought I would be better off leaving Maryland and going to Florida and probably am. But Crist is an Obama flag waving RINO and pro-bailouts. He pushes welfare type of programs.
jpl| 3.24.09 @ 5:26PM
Crist lost my vote permanently after he forced State Farm out of the home owners insurance business in Florida.
I'm through voting for RINOs, I'll throw my vote away on Libertarians before I'll vote for another "moderate" republican like Martinez or Crist..
Agnes Tillerson| 3.24.09 @ 8:13PM
I truly hope the Republican Party in Florida will find a conservative to run for the Senate seat.When living in Florida, I knew Charlie Christ when he was a neophyte in politics and did support him.However..I would not vote for him now. He has become the quintessial politician and party platform and philosophy mean nothing. Winning is all that matters to him. He would be another McCain,Snowe,Collins and Specter... a RINO RINO's!
BigMac| 3.24.09 @ 8:47PM
Heard all of that. Graham was more conservative. Even the old He-Coon, on some things.
Wankel| 3.24.09 @ 9:38PM
>> Isn't Jeb Bush at least slightly more conservative?
Please, dear God no! Can we move beyond being like enablers in a family with an alcoholic?
Heather| 3.26.09 @ 12:27AM
Crist's face screams RINO!
Dennis| 5.23.09 @ 12:01PM
The comments here show why Democrats have all of the power. First, they'll beleve anything that any bonehead writer throws at them. The other is that they don't get that politics is about filling the chambers with more (R)s than (D)s.
Christ is a savvy politician who will be a loyal (R) in washington. He clearly has presidential aspirations, so he must cater to the party to secure their support in the future.
Without 51 (R)s in the senate, we get Democratic control. So those of you "throwing away" your votes are to blame. You may feel good about yourself, but you do so alone. Because no part of your agenda will ever be implemented as long as you continue to do so.
The article fails to point out that Crist appeared with Obama to help secure a waiver on the "strings" attached to education money on the stimulus from the Obama administration. Its a small price to pay to get some criticism from a bunch of blowhard bloggers to save Floridians a couple of billion dollars. He's the kind of politician that knows how to play the game.
Pingback| 9.1.09 @ 4:27PM
What Will Craven Crist’s Senate Seatwarmer Do on Climate? | GlobalWarming.org links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 10.6.09 @ 1:00AM
Charlie Crist: Barack Obama will be one-termer (charlie crist) | Today's Hot Stories links to this page.
Pingback| 10.6.09 @ 1:20AM
Charlie Crist bends truth on KidCare (charlie crist) | Today's Hot Stories links to this page.
OMAR| 11.17.09 @ 6:50PM
WE WILL NEVER VOTE FORT THAT LIBERAL SELLOUT RINO OBAMA LOVIN "CRIST!" OUR VOTE IS WITH "MARCO RUBIO" A TRUE REPUBLICAN!!!!
Pingback| 4.14.10 @ 4:52AM
Dockery, Bondi, Rubio, Adams win tea party straw poll | WizzBoom! links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
pricila| 4.24.10 @ 9:52AM
personally bankrupting them - with many proven false allegations of corruption. He's not, apparently, clued-in that we, too, know it. ecommerce software