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Political Hay
The Many Faces of Charlie Crist
One way or another, Obama’s greatest admirer in the world is determined to come to Washington, the better to serve and photo-op with him.
TAMPA — A friend of mine, puzzled by Charlie Crist’s frequent and opportunistic changes of positions on issues, asked me, “Do you think Charlie is two-faced?” My answer: “Why stop at two?”
Less than four months ago Crist, Florida’s mercurial governor who pines for a softer job as a U.S. Senator, was a Republican in name only. Today he’s a Democrat in everything but name. I believe I see a third face emerging.
Crist has changed his positions on the major issues of the day to suit his new circumstances. It’s been a metamorphosis that even Ovid would find impressive. Right to left across the board. But then Crist’s positions on issues have always been more entrepreneurial than ideological. The product is Charlie himself, and he’s always pushed this product with whatever line of patter was necessary. On issues, when it’s required, Charlie can turn on a dime and give you nine cents change.
Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio put paid to Crist’s 17-year career as a Republican (though never a very reliable or consistent one) by running a campaign for the Republican Senate nomination on conservative themes that resonate with grassroots Republicans, the type who vote in primaries. By spring Rubio so far outdistanced Crist in polls of the Republican race that Crist decided his only chance to win was to run as an independent.
Crist made it official April 30, dropping all pretense to being a Republican. He stopped telling Floridians he was the second coming of Ronald Reagan. It’s now Harry Truman he really wants to be when he grows up (an unlikely event).
This worked for a while. Democrat money flowed in and Crist enjoyed remarkably high levels of support from Democrats for a guy just off of a long GOP career, where he had held three statewide offices as a Republican. He also enjoyed more support from Republicans than you’d expect for a guy who now holds consistently liberal positions on almost all issues, and who takes every opportunity to agree with and praise President Obama. For a few weeks, longer than many expected, including me, Crist led in Florida’s Senate three-way.
Crist was helped along by the Democratic Senate candidacy of Jeff Greene, a grotesque of a Palm Beach billionaire who made a packet on Wall Street betting that people would not be able to keep up with their mortgages. Greene, who is self-financing his campaign, led Miami Congressman Kendrick Meek in the polls for a few weeks. Now, with Democratic heavyweights like Billy-Bob Clinton campaigning for him in Florida, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi making robo-calls for him, Meek has opened up a double-digit lead over Greene, and will probably be chosen as the Democratic nominee in the August 24 primary.
This is bad news for Crist. He’ll lose many of his newfound Democratic supporters who will consider their flirtation with Crist just a summer romance and will vote for Meek in November. These are the folks who couldn’t stomach Greene, and would have voted for Crist as a protest against their own party putting up such a hopeless hairball.
Much of the 20 to 25 percent of Republicans Crist will need to have any chance of winning will be out of reach as well as it sinks in how liberal Crist has become, and how much of a consistent Obama enabler he is. The polls are already showing this.
A Rasmussen poll last week showed Rubio ahead of Crist by 38 to 33 and Meek at 21 if Meek wins his primary. Saturday Mason-Dixon released a poll also showing Rubio ahead of Crist 38 to 33 with Meek trailing at 18.
The same Mason-Dixon poll shows voter approval of the job Crist is doing as governor sinking. Not surprising as Florida unemployment remains north of nine percent, the state apparently not that much refreshed by the Obama “stimulus” slush fund that Crist supported. And Floridians aren’t much impressed by the endless series of photo-ops Crist indulged in during the Gulf oil spill crisis in lieu of exercising any real leadership. Not many are amused that Crist is about the only non-Democratic official in the lower-48 willing to say that Obama did a good job in the oil crisis.
More and more Crist is appearing like a candidate who knows he can’t and won’t win a Senate seat and is angling for a position in the Obama administration. This makes a lot of sense for Crist. An appointment as deputy secretary of this or that would keep him off the street for at least a couple of years. And being the political bi-sexual that he is, Crist could easily convince himself that he could weasel his way into a job with a Republican administration if there is one beginning in 2013.
Look at what he’s doing. Crist echoes Obama’s vigorous support for building of a mega-mosque and Muslim community center near Ground Zero, using the same tone-deaf and beside-the-point freedom of religion arguments. No vote getter in Florida. He’s bad-mouthed the Arizona immigration law, which is very popular in Florida. He praises Obama for spending a weekend on Florida’s Gulf beaches, thereby, Crist says, helping save jobs in the Florida tourism industry. He says nothing of the many more jobs lost by Obama’s oil-drilling moratorium.
Crist is being absolutely sycophantic toward Obama and Company. But this is nothing new for Crist. When he wanted to be on the Republican ticket with John McCain in ‘08, he did everything but roll over and put his tummy up for scratching. In the spirit of bipartisan self-love, why should he act differently toward a Democrat who can save him from being thrown into the private sector, for which Crist has neither the taste nor the skills.
Crist’s current behavior makes more sense if his new goal is to be one of Obama’s spear-carriers in Washington. He’s taking too many Obamaesque positions that a majority of Floridians don’t fancy for someone who really thinks he can win the Senate race. This is just a theory rather than a complaint. I wouldn’t mind seeing Crist out of Florida, working in D.C. as Deputy Secretary of Windmills. Far better that ciphers like Crist hold jobs that don’t really matter. It gets them out of the way of people attempting real work.
Three faces in one election cycle may not be a record, but it’s damned impressive. And there’s more than two months to go. We may not have seen them all.
About the Author
Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (44) | Leave a comment
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Dan| 8.18.10 @ 6:49AM
This is a very good summation of Charlie Crist. I live in Florida. I have a front row seat to the show titled " The many faces of the traitor and flake, Charlie Crist." For further enlightenment, just google Crist and U S Sugar land purchases. Yup
U S Sugar is his biggest donater here in FL.
drudge ette obama| 8.18.10 @ 7:27AM
Has Charlie Christ held a tar-covered bird yet? Why haven't we seen Obama, Michelle and the noncamp-going daughter in yellow gloves, cleaning the damaged birds with liquid Dawn? Who the hell is in charge of the White House p.r.? Oh, that would be Valerie Jarrett......
Valerie Jarrett has a better idea - call a Miami designer and ask for a coat for September 1st, maybe something with birds in an oil slick.
tom7001| 8.18.10 @ 7:15AM
Rubio, under federal investigation, has failed to file his '09 tax returns. We won't see those till after the election! With the disclosures of Rubio's previous tax forms, its obvious Rubio sold out his position as Speaker of the House. The millions of taxpayer dollars funneled to F.I.U, Jackson hospital, and the tollway deal, Then getting consulting fees, and work from these outfits! The old republican "wink, wink, nod,nod" type business as usual! Feathering his own nest, at the taxpayers expense! Claiming to be a "deficit hawk", his personal life cries otherwise, with abuse of republican credit card [still under federal investigation] getting back rubs and hiring his relatives and having his own home foreclosed upon!
drudge ette obama| 8.18.10 @ 7:23AM
Come on, Charlie. Use your real name. We all know that tom7001 is really Charlie Christ spelled backwards.
Tom| 8.18.10 @ 7:49AM
Ok, that was officially my first laugh of the day.
Chris Crowley| 8.18.10 @ 12:39PM
tom7001 is a liar and this is nonsense. All Good Time Charlie Crist can do is sling mud, lie about Rubio, and stick his finger in the wind to make decisions.
JmsA| 8.19.10 @ 1:53AM
I don't think the fish are biting today, Tom.
Philorida | 8.19.10 @ 7:57PM
This is Ground Control to Major Tom7001...your Liberal cover has been blown. Please return to base.
fredcpa1962| 8.19.10 @ 7:51PM
ahem, uh, tom? i am a cpa, here in wash dc. just wntned to pass along an FYI: tax return due date isnt until 10/15/2010. just an fyi. i am on vacation in the outer banks and when i get home i will be finishing something like 75 extensions until oh, about 7pm 10/15/2010. for 09 returns. so whats the point there dude? can i assume the rest is bullcrap too? nevermind. i know. nice try though charley, i mean tom!! peace bro.
JF| 8.21.10 @ 7:56PM
Perhaps Mr. Rubio is just taking a cue from little Timmy Geithner, who failed to pay FIVE YEARS
Sam C| 8.18.10 @ 7:56AM
I really love the "bisexual" comment....Everyone in Florida including his new wife (who looks the other way) knows Charlie is a closet Homo, Bi, Faggot.
UbiquitousA| 8.19.10 @ 10:19AM
Nice. Stay classy, there.
mapson| 8.19.10 @ 7:03PM
Everyone in Florida knows Charlie would change his sexual preference for a vote
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 8.18.10 @ 8:03AM
Florida does have some stupid citizens. Remember the Bush election where groups of morons from Florida went on national T.V. and claimed they didn't know what they were doing when voting?
If they elect Crist, think Collins, Snowe, Crist. Three stooges.
Mark| 8.19.10 @ 1:00PM
What do you mean, "*claimed* they didn't know what they were doing when voting"?
They obviously didn't, did they? Nor have they ever!
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 8.18.10 @ 8:03AM
Florida does have some stupid citizens. Remember the Bush election where groups of morons from Florida went on national T.V. and claimed they didn't know what they were doing when voting?
If they elect Crist, think Collins, Snowe, Crist. Three stooges.
Purple Lips| 8.18.10 @ 8:38AM
The title of this piece should be thus, "The Many Tanned Faces of Charlie Crist." I thought liquid tan went out with the Betamax and Twisted Sister.
RCV| 8.18.10 @ 12:07PM
Tell it to John Boner.
Tim*| 8.18.10 @ 4:43PM
Maybe Charlie's daddy was Barack Obama Senior too .
Notadema| 8.18.10 @ 8:31PM
That's right, bro.
JimH| 8.18.10 @ 9:21AM
Could be his real color. Maybe his father was a umpa-lumpa.
Philorida | 8.19.10 @ 8:02PM
LOL! You could be right JimH! Charlie's Wonka Chocolate Factory is melting. Big difference is--the umpa-lumpa's need jobs too.
Petronius| 8.18.10 @ 10:08AM
Another wannabe eyes admission to the beltway clique as he shops for just the right shade of brown lipstick.
Yosemeti Sam| 8.19.10 @ 1:30AM
LOL.
Or, he could recycle some of the brown on his nose and apply it to his lips for a super tan effect.
fantum| 8.18.10 @ 11:55AM
A Marine's Wife Confesses
I sat, as did millions of other Americans, and watched as the government under went a peaceful transition of power a year ago. At first, I felt a swell of pride and patriotism while Barack Obama took his Oath of office.
However, all that pride quickly vanished as I later watched 21 Marines, in full dress uniform with rifles, fire a 21-gun salute to the President. It was then that I realized how far America's military had deteriorated. Every one of them missed the bastard.
Democrats Sliding Off Air Force One...
http://usataxpayer.org/htm/vids.asp?A=99761191
Billboards...
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martin j smith| 8.18.10 @ 12:11PM
I do not live in Florida but my inlaws do and they CAN'T STAND Chaqrlie C. He has one thing in common with Obama: The more he talks--that is good, because more people are paying attention this year especially. I would not take the word of some people who are or pretend to be " out of it".
People know what is going on. So Charlie--keep talking.
David Williams| 8.18.10 @ 12:29PM
Crist is Arianna Huffington in drag.
Mark Shepler- Jupiter, FL| 8.18.10 @ 4:18PM
As I predicted Charlie is coming to be seen more and more as a stealth Dem alternative. I agree with Mr. Thornberry's idea that he's angling for a post in the administration or some reward from Obama. By playing up to the liberals and Dems he's gathering votes (read: bargaining chips) away from the probable Dem candidate, Meeks. Because he won't be drawing them from Rubio any more, certainly not after the primary. So, the game may be to wait until after the primary a bit and then, with enough time for the liberal vote to fully realign to Meeks before the general election, bow out of the race for his price.
Buc Schotte| 8.18.10 @ 5:50PM
Larry et al: I think there is now enough material about our boy Chain Gang for an operetta, musical or maybe even a ballet. All we need is a good title. Heck, Charley might even want to play himself if the qualitiy is there.
Radioman777| 8.18.10 @ 6:59PM
Good thing Charlie lives in Florida, where the 10% tanning tax is easier to avoid.
Dave| 8.18.10 @ 9:29PM
Since when is the First Amendment "beside-the-point?"
UbiquitousA| 8.19.10 @ 10:24AM
When it isn't convenient in supporting one's own specific poutrage, apparently.
PCP Smoker| 8.18.10 @ 10:48PM
You have been on him like stink on shit right from the very start, and Crist is literally shit. Keep it up.
Charles Crist| 8.19.10 @ 2:59AM
I hate Charlie so bad I want to change my name so bad because folks ask me all the time if we are related.
Fawkes21| 8.19.10 @ 8:47AM
Recall the NY House race awhile back, where the RINO incumbent, hopelessly trailing the "tea party" candidate, dropped out and endorsed the Democrat, who narrowly won. IMHO Crist's only hope is for the reverse to happen -- Meek drops out and endorses him. After all, Meek is guaranteed at least 99% of the black vote as long as he stays in the race, and they certainly won't vote for Rubio.
UbiquitousA| 8.19.10 @ 10:26AM
Don't think so. Meek isn't really known at all outside of Broward County, and while I certainly don't think he'll drop out, and he may win the primary, I don't think he'll beat Crist in the fall. Crist has state-wide recognition, he's a sitting governor, and he's pretty well-liked by Dems and Independent voters here.
Elaine| 8.19.10 @ 4:18PM
Do you think he can be stopped from winning in Florida? I hope so. Ever since I saw him and his wife at one of the dinners at the White House you could tell they both were kissing up to Obama and Crist's wife was overly flirting in my opinion. They need to stop Grayson & Meeks, also. I know Grayson belongs to that Progressive Movement of Van Jones & I think Meeks does, also.
BirdGirl| 8.19.10 @ 9:29PM
What a perfect slimeball. Has he given Republican contributors their money back yet?
BirdGirl| 8.19.10 @ 9:30PM
Pingback, does html code work here?
nathan| 8.19.10 @ 10:54PM
As a resident here in Florida, I have yet to speak to anyone supporting Crist. I have actually seen more Meek supporters than I thought I would. I do think once Floridians do focus on the Senate race, many will be saying, "What have you been doing for us lately, Charlie?"
bluecollarbytes| 8.19.10 @ 11:40PM
Crist would make a fine addition to a new 'bipartisan administration' after Obama gets walloped by wide-spread Democrat losses this Nov.
PopMedia will trumpet Obama's new wisdom as it portrays Republicans according to Democratics. . No effort will be spared in demonizing the right and its latest/newest leaders. Obama's unofficial journolistas will race to define them all.
The second coming of Obama is still a possibility.
business as usual
AL| 8.20.10 @ 2:09AM
I KICK my self every time I think that I voted for this idiot here in FL.
Oh if I could turn back the calendar!
Mark Anderson| 8.29.10 @ 5:40PM
I'm a Florida Democrat and I'm voting for Crist. His changes of position are simple, now he can afford to tell Republican litmus testers to go to hell. Have a very nice and much smaller conservative party Republicans, the demographics are all going Democratic, this year's your last hope. Maybe if you get the House you can try to make being Democratic illegal.