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Campaign Crawlers
Joe Wilson, Call Your Office
TAMPA-- Bill Buckley used to tell a funny story about a heroic attempt to survive a faux pas. A young lieutenant is obliged to attend a social event in a prominent hotel with a general. In the lobby, in an attempt to make conversation, the lieutenant says, "Look there, that's the ugliest woman I've ever seen," nodding toward two women in conversation on the other side of the lobby.
"That's my wife," the general said. In an attempt to recover, the lieutenant says, "Oh, I meant the young woman with her." The general says, "That's my daughter."
The lieutenant, who knows he's in deep yogurt now, thinks desperately for a second, finally smiles, looks directly at the general and says, "I never said it."
Charlie Crist, Florida's RINO governor who badly wants to be a RINO U.S. Senator from Florida, is trying to run this same revisionist scam. He claimed on CNN Wednesday that he never supported President Obama's $787 billion "stimulus" slush fund, which he clearly did, on tape, over and over. He's caught so much flak from conservatives for this, and for other un-conservatives acts, that in sheer desperation he's trying to get Florida voters to believe he "never said it."
On February 10, when it appeared the Democrats would be able to push through a $787 billion federal spending bill in the name of stimulating the economy, but before it was finally adopted, Crist traveled to Ft. Myers to appear on the same stage with President Obama who was in Florida to whoop up his budget-busting slush fund. On that day and that stage, Crist not only embraced Obama, but he enthusiastically embraced the idea of the federal government spending nearly a trillion dollars the government doesn't have on the general notion that somehow this would put the ailing economy right.
Here's what he said, while the crowd, enchanted by Obama's presence, repeated fortissimo, "Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can!"
Crist: "We've had to cut about $7 billion the past two years and we haven't raised taxes and we're still in balance. But to be candid, it's getting harder every day. It's getting harder every day and we know that it's important that we pass this stimulus package. It is important that we do so to help education, to help our infrastructure, and to help health care for those who need it the most -- the most vulnerable among us. And let me finish by saying, Mr. President, we need to do it in a bipartisan way. This issue is about helping our country. This is not about partisan politics. This is about rising above that, helping America and reigniting our economy."
A few days later Crist appeared on Chris Matthews' Hardball, and in answer to Mathews' question, "Why are you aboard the Obama bailout bandwagon?" Crist said: " Well, I call it a stimulus for the economy to try to help the people in my state. It's really that simple, Chris." Asked by Matthews why he was supporting the stimulus when so many in his party weren't, Crist said: "Because Florida needs it, frankly. This would mean about $12.2 billion for Florida. It would help us in the areas of education, health care, infrastructure, and that's where we need the help."
Over the next short while, Crist made similar comments, available on the Internet for anyone who wants to see and hear them, on CBS, NBC, and Bloomberg. These statements are as clear as spring water. Please adopt President Obama's "stimulus" plan because it's good policy and will be good for the country, Crist is saying.
Even the White House thinks Crist was on the stimulus team last February. Asked at Thursday's White House press briefing whether Crist endorsed the stimulus plan in his joint appearance with Obama, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said, "I would say yes yes." He said Crist's unambiguous words speak for themselves.
"I think he was very supportive of the legislation and supportive of the benefits that it would have and has had for the state of Florida in seeing positive economic growth," Gibbs said.
Well, that was then, when Obama's approval ratings were at about 110 percent. This is now, when Obama and his policies are less popular. And Crist has been chastened by conservatives -- a major part of the Republican base he needs if he is to have any hope of defeating conservative former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio in next August's Republican Senate primary -- for supporting a bill which clearly is stimulating the living hell out of the national debt but little else.
Now here's an exchange between Crist and Wolf Blitzer on CNN Wednesday:
Blitzer: Let me interrupt for a second, governor. Do you have any regrets about endorsing the economic stimulus package?
Crist: Well, I didn't endorse it. I -- you know, I didn't even have a vote on the darned thing. But I understood that it was going to pass and I wanted to be able to utilize it for the benefit of my fellow Floridians.
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Richard Baker| 11.6.09 @ 6:59AM
The Weasel will be able to work full-time on his suntan next year.
Aariz| 11.8.09 @ 10:19PM
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Buck Schotte| 11.6.09 @ 7:52AM
How come chaingang/windsock always seems to be quoted on left wing news channels? Is he dodging us conservative crackers who are watching Fox?
Melvin| 11.6.09 @ 7:55AM
"Weasel" is to good of a term to describe Charlie Crist. He's a lying no good snake in the grass politician who isn't fit to hold the office of Sanitation engineer of a dog run.
This country has enough blue haired silver tongued devils in Washington D.C. as it is. Florida doesn't need to send a another chronic liar to Washington.
2Anglico| 11.6.09 @ 9:07AM
Crist has also been the driving force behind the State of Florida's government run property insurance scam. The State of Florida would shut down any insuror who's risk to surplus ratio exceeds 3:1. Crist's "Citizens" ratio is 66:1.
In laymans terms, if a major hurricane hits Miami (the area with the highest probability of a hurricane strike), the State of Florida could be on the hook for upward of $50 billion! Dead broke.
Arthro| 11.6.09 @ 5:14PM
Right on target.
And today, news broke about the SEC investigation into the Florida State Board of Administration - the guys who handle the investments for the state's pension funds and...ta da...the Hurricane catastrophe fund. Seems like there may be some fraudulent investments made with Cat Fund money and Florida pension funds .
So, not only is Crist trying to get State Farm (a financially stable insurer who paid billions in the 2004-2005 hurricanes) out of Florida, he created a "public option" property insurer (Citizens) which is now the largest insurance company in the state and one of the largest in the world . Then he massively expanded the Cat Fund which provides reinsurance to all Florida property insurers. No big deal except if we get a hurricane - it's $18 billion short!!! They only have $3.5 billion in reserves - you know...the money that the State Board of Administration invests so carefully for us. So the state is on the hook for billions it doesn't have, which means all you guys in the north will be paying my insurance claims through another bailout when the Cat Fund goes broke and Crist runs to Obama for the "Florida Stimulus Plan" - and you won't even know it's coming.
Nice going, Charlie. You set the pace on "public option" insurance in Florida. And then your cronies invested the reserves in potentially fraudulent investments. You've set up the rest of America for another bailout plan. I wonder when we would have figured it out - after a hurricane maybe???
The truth is that Crist is a big govt, poll watching, Obama kissing panderer, and if he wasn't catching so much heat from the right and being challenged by Marco Rubio for the Senate seat, he'd be up in DC right now sucking for more Obama points and "embracing" and endorsing Nancy Pelosi's crazy healthcare plan.
Crist is a poster child for what's wrong with our govt. He needs to go. And, as long as he's part of the leadership in the Republican party, I will never give them another dime.
Adam Smith| 11.6.09 @ 9:52AM
Thanks Mr. Thornberry.
I needed a light hearted read this morning and the image you gave of Crist flopping around like a spastic tadpole on a hot griddle to get away from himself....got a smile.
Good Luck to Marco Rubio in this race and Charlie Crist when he runs as a Democrat next time.
Like Lindsey Graham, he seems to be positioning himself well for that.
Turk| 11.6.09 @ 10:06AM
Though back in Ohio to stay in old age, I was nevertheless a resident Floridian for a little less than 10 yrs part of which was in the pan-handle in Okaloosa County probably the most Republican County in Florida. While there I was a v.p. in the Okaloosa County Republican Club. The club met monthly in the American Legion of Ft Walton Beach, home of that great patriot Col Bud Day, and it was a force in Fla politics. Back when Martinez snagged the Senate seat he just vacated the whole mob in the primary came to the club to vie for our support. I'm sure Marco and the rino will appear there this go-around and if I know the folks there at all I'm betting on Marco. Though in Ohio to stay, I hope to be in FWB the night the 2 of them square off (assuming the Rino doesn't duplicate the move of NY's 23rd Rino and drop out)
I believe this race is of momentus importance as the party of Conservatism tries to rid itself of left wing light rinos who dilute and confuse, all to the benefit of the Democrat socialist(and worse) left.
Turk| 11.6.09 @ 10:46AM
And another thing. If you have seen Marco Rubio articulate his political philosophy, I defy you to not almost have that feeling down your leg ala the ditz chrissy mattuse.
Imagine an articulate former speaker of the Florida House; from Miami; of Conservative Cuban lineage----proceeding to the United States Senate and making us proud with his political bravery as opposed to a sniveling rino who just wants 'to get along!! To please the the establishment/political correct, beltway crowd! What a breath of fresh air and what a force to kick political butt!
Anthony| 11.6.09 @ 11:10AM
This white haired clown makes Bagdad Bob out to be a piker. So according to Crist, his support for the stimulus plan wasn't really support because he could not vote on the legislation. Yet his non support support was to make sure he was first in line on the gravy train so he could spent our tax dollars to save his profligate spending sorry ass!!
For Crist's sake I'm sick of these white RINOs. No wonder they're an endangered species and anthropogenic global warming has nothing to do with it. I can't wait for the National Geographic special on the extinction of white RINOs.
marko in wv | 11.6.09 @ 11:19AM
I don't even live in Florida, and I'm disgusted with Charlie Crist. I've been following Marco Rubio, and all I can say is YES HE CAN!!!
Pingback| 11.6.09 @ 1:42PM
Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : Joe Wilson, Call Your Office [specta links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
danny| 11.6.09 @ 3:37PM
yes he can, amd most certainly will. bet on it.
danny| 11.6.09 @ 3:38PM
and. sorry, hard to type correctly when i am this enthused.
Pingback| 11.6.09 @ 7:16PM
The American Spectator : Joe Wilson, Call Your Office | Do not call up date today links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 11.6.09 @ 11:35PM
Office Cleaning Business. | valuetips links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
LB100| 11.7.09 @ 1:22AM
Doesn't Charlie Crist play sleazy Roger Stirling on the AMC Madmen series?
Brian| 11.7.09 @ 9:16PM
Supporting then un-supporting the stimulus. Thats classic Crist we in Florida see everyday. Like trying to nail jello to a wall
Adjoran| 11.8.09 @ 4:11AM
After the many slaps in the face from the NRCC, NRSC, and DNC, including the Crist and Dede fiascoes, my only reply to their onslaught of plaintive entreaties to contribute is: "Not a brass farthing!"
Let them eat cake, I say - or better still, consume it in suppository form.
Bob| 11.8.09 @ 9:09AM
So which is better, to denounce the stimulus and take the money anyway, or to be honest and say the money will help? I heard a number of Republican Congressmen say they were against the stimulus and then went back to their neighborhoods and touted that they were bringing back the bacon. If Rubio were governor at the time, he would not have been "principled". It's easy to be principled when you have nothing at risk and are playing to the right wing extremist base.
Even Palin was unprincipled by quitting when the job became too hard and making money writing a book was too easy as she didn't even have to do any writing.
I agree that the stimulus was ill formed and most of it was just pure lard with little payback, but it doesn't make any difference whether politicians are Democrat or Republican, they don't really care about the people -- they only care about getting lobbyists and extremists to give them money to get reelected.
Nick| 11.9.09 @ 6:23PM
Don't waste your time with 3/5 Bob folks.
In case you didn't know, until recently (last June), 3/5 Bob thought that blacks had 3/5 of a vote under the U.S. Constitution, as originally written.
He also doesn't know when biological HUMAN life begins because he is not sure when "ensoulment" takes place.
And I just learned he falsely claimed to have translated the Bible from the original Aramaic when he was 15.
He is a pseudointellectual, ignore him.
Richard Baker| 11.8.09 @ 11:36AM
Bob:
You need to review Henry Morgenthau Jr's statement in 1939 about "stimulus" and its effect on ending the Great Depression. My man, thought is hard sometimes, you should really try it.
Yosemeti Sam| 11.9.09 @ 12:17AM
RINO and LIAR.
What other 4-letter words do this charlatan
deserve?
Alan Brooks| 11.9.09 @ 1:39AM
And people say the '50s was dull?
this is the worst decade-- so far.
Richard Baker| 11.10.09 @ 8:24PM
Nick:
Pseudointellectuals are so tedious, aren't they? I enjoy your reference to him as 3/5ths Bob. He knows a few $5 words and thinks he's smart. Prattling on without wisdom much less knowledge.