The American Spectator : The Specter of a New Arlen

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The Specter of a New Arlen

Charlie Crist has some good news and some bad news for Republicans.

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At the "summit," Crist issued executive orders obliging Florida utilities to produce 20 percent of their electricity using "alternative fuels." This means boutique fuels such as wind and solar which are unreliable, unavailable (when the wind dies down and we have clouds and night), and costly. Fortunately, these orders require implementing legislation. The Florida Legislature is currently considering such legislation. With luck, these guys and gals are bright enough not to impose sharply increased energy costs on Floridians during a recession.

Crist has also ordered state regulators to whoop up renewable energy programs and to look with disfavor on coal-fired plants. Succinctly put, it's Charlie's policy that Florida produce energy with fuel that doesn't exist rather than with fuel that does exist. Utility executives have caught on and are not even going forward with plans for coal-fired plants. Too bad you can't create electricity from self-centered arrogance. Charlie could light half the state on his own.

For those wondering why a governor with such high approval numbers for governing should wish to become a U.S. Senator, a review of Crist's political history provides a clue. From when Charlie first won a seat in the Florida Senate in 1992, he's been the poster child for PADD (Political Attention Deficit Disorder). His six years in the Florida Senate were his longest tenure in any of the many Florida offices he's held, and the Florida Senate is the only office he's run for re-election to. He's always had his eyes on the next prize.

In '98 Crist left the Florida Senate to run for the U.S. one in a kamikaze mission against popular Democratic Senator Bob Graham. He lost that one big, his fans saying Charlie was "taking one for the team." But subsequent events have left little doubt that Team Charlie is the only team that matters with Crist. The loss increased Crist's statewide name recognition and helped him win an election as Florida Education Secretary in 2000.

Crist knows next to nothing about education, and, again, events showed he didn't care much about it either. He'd barely gotten the seat in his education secretary office warm when he was planning a run for the Florida Attorney General's office, which he won in 2002. After four years as Florida's lawyer, he ran and won the governor's office, announcing he had the job he'd always wanted.

After claiming for two years that he wanted eight-straight as governor, an open Senate seat changed everything. Now Crist says he'll announce after the current session of the Florida Legislature which office he'll seek. No reason for this sudden coyness other than a change of mind. I've talked with Republican political consultants and savvy folks with Republican organizations. Not one of these worthies thinks Charlie will run for re-election as governor.

The reasons are easy to parse. Crist would be term-limited if he remains Florida's governor through 2014. So long as political skills don't desert, he could stay in the U.S. Senate forever (see Ted Kennedy, Robert C. Byrd).

Florida has serious problems, and as governor, Crist could be held responsible at some point if he doesn't deal with these problems competently. He's promised much in the areas of property tax relief and property insurance rate relief while delivering almost nothing. Voters will eventually notice.

Responsibility is diffuse to non-existent in the Senate. Show-boaters like Charlie can pose, make speeches, and blend into the background or point fingers at others when things go wrong. A second term as Florida's governor could see Charlie's popularity tank as badly as the economy has. He's smart enough to know this.

So here we have it, Charlie Crist, Senate candidate, and the specter of an Arlen in the making. With good news like this….

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About the Author

Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (22) | Leave a comment

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!!!!

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