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Eminentoes
Magnificent Irrelevance
Democrats hitch their wagon to a burnt-out star.
What an odd choice by Debbie Wasserperson Schultz, chairwomanperson of the Democratic Party. With all the consequential things going on in America and the world, why invite such an inconsequential personage as Charlie Crist to speak on the final night of the Democratic convention? Why such a lightweight by any measure, just before such heavyweights as the Democrats have? Can the party be that hard-up for speakers?
I guess the charm for Democrats is that Crist, who was a RINO during his single term as Florida’s governor, and then became an independent because he couldn’t keep up with Marco Rubio in the Republican Senate primary in 2010, has endorsed Obama for re-election and has said a bunch of glowing, downright fantastical stuff about him. Veteran Charlie-watchers in Florida expect Crist to register Democrat and run in 2014 against current Republican governor Rick Scott, who is more popular than dandruff, but barely. Republican to Democrat cross-dressing is rare these days, so this was undoubtedly Charlie’s ticket to speak.
Crist’s six-minute witnessing for Obama was mostly fluff, as his speeches mostly are. There were the usual clichés about “common sense solutions” and “finding common ground” with no specifics about which solutions or what common ground on what. Crist wore out these dreary tropes in the 2010 Senate race and lost to Rubio by 20 points.
And Democrats should be skeptical about the few designative things he did say. Crist has a long history of saying one thing before doing something else, and holding such fluid positions on issues that it’s a challenge for him to remember where he stands on anything on any given day.
Crist stiffed Florida Republicans who had donated to his Senate campaign in 2010 by bolting the party, turning in his remaining conservative positions in for new liberal ones, and running against Rubio as an independent. This after saying repeatedly, including once on Fox News Sunday in late winter of 2010, that he would not leave the Republican Party and run as an independent. Crist is well and truly loathed among the conservative Republican base in Florida for these high jinks. And Florida Democrats have no reason to believe Crist won’t stiff them as well when he finds it expedient to do so.
Charlie dragged Ronald Reagan in on his makeover scam, quoting, in reverse, the old cowpoke’s explanation of why he became a Republican. “I didn’t leave the Republican Party — it left me,” Crist said. He even trotted out that recent canard that even the normally acute Jeb Bush has fallen for, that “Ronald Reagan would have been too moderate, too reasonable for today’s GOP.”
Those paying even minimal attention are entitled to wonder about Crist’s conversion. Take a look at some of the things Crist was saying, not years ago, but in 2010 when he was trying to out-conservative Rubio in the Republican primary: Crist continually referred to himself as a “Ronald Reagan conservative.” He said he thought Sarah Palin was a great VP pick. After catching flack for saying he was for Obama’s 786 billion stimulus slush fund, he said he was against it and said Obama was a profligate spender. He said he was pro-life and pro-gun. “You can’t get more conservative than me,” he said at campaign stops.
Barely two years later, Crist is whooping up a party that is anti-gun, incontinent in its spending, and considered Sarah Palin a threat to the republic when she was on the Republican ticket. He’s hamming it up about how the very positions he held two years ago are now “extreme.”
Florida Republicans are having fun at Charlie’s expense. Rubio, who whomped Charlie in the 2010 Senate race, joked that Charlie is “running out of parties” to join. Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry called Crist “a crass opportunist” who is little more than a “political ladder climber.” One who can’t decide which ladder to climb.
“You can’t make up Charlie Crist,” Jeb Bush said on a recent appearance on Fox Business News. “He’s unique. He’s organized his life around his personal ambition and ran in a primary where he was the odds-on favorite, but didn’t offer a compelling reason to be elected to the Senate. Marco Rubio cleaned his clock and beat him in the general and now he’s trying to find a way to get back into the political game.”
There is some evidence that Florida Democrats don’t believe that Charlie is born again. Even if he is, they aren’t keen on letting him start at the top. Several party luminaries have said there are plenty of “real Democrats” available to run against Scott in 2014.
Former State Senator from Gainesville, Rod Smith, now chairman of the Florida Democratic Party, who wasn’t even told Crist would be speaking at the convention, told the Miami Herald, “If he wants to join our church, he’ll be welcome in the congregation, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be preacher. He might not even be the choir director. He’ll have a lot of ‘splainin’ to do.”
So perhaps Charlie’s excellent new political arrangement is not a true marriage, but just a six-minute late summer romance. Even so, what was Debbie Wasserperson Schultz thinking?
About the Author
Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.
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Darin| 9.7.12 @ 6:41AM
Why Charlie Crist? Possibly because no other Democrats wanted to speak and be tied to Obama. How many prominent Democrats have avoided the convention? How many are distancing themselves from Obama? The bloom is coming off the rose.
Aristocat| 9.7.12 @ 7:59AM
Yes, it was a freak show....better than the bar scene from "Star Wars"....Very entertaining if you enjoy watching a bunch of whining losers make fools of themselves on national TV.
Alan| 9.7.12 @ 8:27AM
Adding Granholm to the peanut gallery only added to the effect. I live in Michigan, and 8 years of the Berkley wench running a state into the ground qualifies one for national stardom somehow.
TLP| 9.7.12 @ 10:25AM
They invited a SLUT to speak, while Disinviting GOD.
President Muslim held Muslim Prayers for two hours, just before the beginning of Fright Nights I, II, and III, while Disinviting Jerusalem as the Capitol of Israel.
Jimmy Carter was there. Michael Dukakis was there. The Rapist was there. As was the High Priestess of Death - Kathleen Sebilious.
There was a short film on Mary Jo Kopechne's Murderer.
Juanita Broddrick's Rapist introduced the America Hating President.
Judas Crist was given a Speaking role, which brought the number of Whores who spoke at this thing, up to 2.
Our Judeo-Christian GOD was met with a shower of Boos, while Murdering Our Unborn Children became the Central Theme, as the Convention's Occupyers Heralded it as the Highest form of Compassion, and Good Heartedness. To be against this Mass Extermination of Children, was to be Backward, and Against Women. A Troglodyte. A Knuckle Dragger. Someone who'll put all these Broads "Back In Chains" when they could be out there Whoring it up, all over town.
This whole Convention was more about DEATH, than it was, about LIFE.
Does that surprise anyone?
Von Mises Jr| 9.7.12 @ 11:11AM
They disinvited God since he might scare the hell out of all the devils in the lineup, TLP.
It started with Satan lying to Eve in the Garden of Eden that if she ate the Forbidden Fruit, she would be a god. It has degenerated to the 2012 Democrat Convention. Same shit, different day.
You have to wonder if poor old Eve was as shallow and insecure as all those women in the audience that want to marry the government.
TinaB| 9.8.12 @ 11:20AM
I have decided to become your head cheerleader too, VonM. I may be going on 63, but I have energy to cheer on the guys who fearlessly tell it like it is in these postings. Gooooooooooo Truth!
Occam's Tool| 9.7.12 @ 11:52AM
Magnifique, TLP.
Al Adab| 9.7.12 @ 2:13PM
TLP:
That screed makes the "best of TLP" list. Very on point. You left out my favorite DWS who should be featured on every GOP ad. She is so delusional it makes Baghdad Bob look legit. What must it be like to live in such a world of ones' own imagination?
TLP| 9.7.12 @ 6:37PM
You Humble me, Al Adab.
I'm Humbled.
Hat Tip - Roger, on American Dad.
Every weeknight on Cartoon Network, at 10 and 10:30.
Check it out.
You won't be disappointed.
Trust Me.
TLP| 9.7.12 @ 6:34PM
Occam.
Where were you, yesterday, when I held a Contest on Ben Stein's Column?
I want you to go to yesterday's Ben Stein Column, and check out the Contest.
You will not be disappointed.
It was HILARIOUS.
TinaB| 9.8.12 @ 11:16AM
Ladies, and gentlemen, drumroll please, allow me to introduce, more drumroll, the Democratic Party of 2012!
TinaB| 9.8.12 @ 11:17AM
That was for Timmie's 10:25 am post. I am his head cheerleader. Self-appointed.
MK48| 9.7.12 @ 9:57AM
Ya.......where was Hilary ?
Occam's Tool| 9.7.12 @ 11:54AM
Hillary was, quite literally, on the other side of the Earth. Go to the antipodal website, put in Charlotte, and see what it shows.
TLP| 9.7.12 @ 6:38PM
You.
Go to yesterday's Ben Stein Column.
Check out my Contest.
You'll piss your pants.
Anthony| 9.7.12 @ 6:52AM
The pantheon of political lowlifes and reprobates has many candidates on display. Charlie Crispy Crist, the ambulance chasing lawyer,cum Judas, is a combination of JohnEdwards and Mayor Bloomberg, he is indeed one of the lowest of the low.
Although never an R, let alone a conservative, nonetheless, Crist demonstrated he has even less shame than Clinton and more fake color and hair plugs than Joe Biteme and Chief sitting bullshit Warren.
Last night was a sickening demonstration of what the D Party has devolved into. These truly delusional and dangerous bastards are America's real enemies. Oh, and God's, as well. They should have had Judas Crist do that platform vote, it would have been more fitting, with his pockets full of gold.
We must win in November and rid America of this sickness known as Leftism.
TLP| 9.7.12 @ 9:17AM
The Beach scene in Lord of the Flies.
Hat tip Mike 3/505.
He was one of the two Winners of yesterdays' Contest, and he received an IPod containing every Comment Purp has ever made, that you can only use in Europe.
The Losers hot Dinner with Jack in Wis. at a German Restaurant of Jack's choosing, and I gave Alanwhyisn'tanythingcomingthroughthegloryhole their telephone numbers, so he can call them, just in case something DOES come through the hole.
I noticed that MOST OF YOU didn't play.
You're Loss.
TLP| 9.7.12 @ 9:19AM
The losers "GOT" Dinner
Can we PLEASE get a MFing Edit App, you Assh*les?
John Navratil| 9.7.12 @ 10:01AM
TLP,
I was intrigued, but didn't know what you were doing or how to find it. I must have missed the message somewhere. I agree - my loss :(
TLP| 9.7.12 @ 10:26AM
Go to yesterday's Ben Stein column.
We got a lotta funny guys out there.
Ya gotta check it out.
Dodd2| 9.7.12 @ 7:11AM
"Even so, what was Debbie Wasserperson Schultz thinking?"
What makes you think this loathsome woman is capable of thinking?
Appleby| 9.7.12 @ 7:16AM
Kind of reminded me of the Hunger Games, looking at Charlie Crist.
rjh| 9.7.12 @ 7:25AM
I have one minor disagreement. "burnt-out star"? Crist was never a star.
Indy| 9.7.12 @ 7:44AM
Never forget the GOP establishment who supported Charlie.
2Anglico| 9.7.12 @ 8:44AM
Exactly!
Alice Moore| 9.7.12 @ 9:41AM
Did Peggy Noonan crossover as well? I heard that Obama's acceptance speech was written by her.
jbeckner| 9.7.12 @ 11:51AM
no - read her column in tomorrow's Wall St Journal (online today)
jbeckner| 9.7.12 @ 11:51AM
"I didn't leave the Republican Party -- it left me" - thank God, I am so glad we left him.
Cobalt| 9.7.12 @ 12:34PM
Charlie Christ may be a "burnt-out star," but he has never had star quality, nor even stardust, not even hidden in his man purse.
Anthony| 9.7.12 @ 1:02PM
" I never was a Republican to begin with, so it couldn't leave me, but you fools can believe anything you want.
I'm here to save my ass and that of the Muslim Marxist, how's my tan??? Hey, do I do a great Bill Clinton or what??
Hello, I'm Charlie the ambulance chasing lawyer Crist, doing my best Arlen Spector imitation, and I approve this speech for the Muslim Marxist.
Vote Purple, along with me and the midget, Mike Bloomberg."
JFGalt| 9.7.12 @ 12:48PM
I remember Charlie Crist being useless as governor of Florida on so many issues and almost as bad as Debbie Wasserman Schultz was as my representative. Every election she would go around a tell the seniors that they would lose everything if it wasn't for her. She would tell the jewish seniors that they would lose everything including Israel if it wasn't for her. Now she is ready to cut Israel loose because her new boss is a muslim. Opportunists extraordinaire but then you can say that about most professional politicians.
Kwan| 9.7.12 @ 1:43PM
Crist is solid Democrat Party politician material: A vacuous empty-suit whose main talent is being able to flim-flam the IQ challenged imbeciles that vote for Democrats, into believing that if they vote for him he's going to make sure that they get an extra helping of dat dere Gub-a-mint Cheese.
Purp| 9.8.12 @ 4:36PM
"Burnt Out Star" - you mean like Artur Davis, the opportunistic Black Congressman who switched to the Republicans because they licked his boots?