Hi, I’m Charlie Crist. And I’m running for U.S. Senate
by Michael C. Bender | January 9th, 2010Republican Gov. Charlie Crist came out swinging with his speech today at the Republican Party of Florida, signaling a new enthusiasm for a U.S. Senate race that seems to have confounded him for the past couple of months.
In the 12-minute address, basically the first major speech since announcing his 2010 campaign, he acknowledged supporting the stimulus money and “being nice” to President Obama. He said he would not apologize for either. “Let’s put it out there,” he says a couple of times.
It’s an interesting shift in strategy for the governor. For one, he was caught in some pretty blatant exaggerations last year about his position on the stimulus money. Now, he’s taking some responsibility - a trait that voters don’t often see in their politicians. Whether it’s enough to trump the anger in his party remains to be seen.
He explains his support for the stimulus saying he needed to help Florida. His said he was raised to treat the president with respect (although he does refer to Obama as “that guy” several times).
Crist, who delivered the speech from memory, also reminds Republicans that he campaigned for many of them, a subtle reminder that he could use the same help now.
Read a transcript of the entire speech here.
And continue reading for more scribbles from the annual meeting today.
What people were talking about after the meeting.
1.) Adam Putnam. The U.S. House lawmaker from Bartow delivered a ferocious 10 minutes. Listen to it here.
2.) Putnam, a candidate for state agriculture commissioner, got laughs for making fun of Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize and implying Democrats should move to Canada if they want that health care system. But he also acknowledged that voters angry with Democrats are not necessarily ready to embrace Republicans. Stopping health care reform, he said, was a way to change that.
3.) Sharon Day. The Broward County activist seemed enthused about her campaign for RPOF chairman. She used her speech to the party to announce that she had officially decided to run. That wasn’t the case on Friday when she arrived in Orlando.
4.) Sen John Thrasher. Thrasher was the choice for chairman from the party’s top elected leaders: Crist, Attorney General Bill McCollum, Sen. Mike Haridopolos and Rep. Dean Cannon. He also received a few minutes to address the party. Working hard to meet as many county leaders as possible over the past two days, he said he sure didn’t feel like the “anointed candidate.” His speech here.
5.) Osceola Committeeman Mark Cross also threw his hat in the ring for chairman. Listen here.
5.) The Tea Party. It’s clearly a major concern for Republicans. Both Peter Feaman, chairman of the committeemen’s caucus, and Bob Starr, head of the county chairman’s caucus, devoted nearly their entire update to figuring out a way to harness the energy of that movement. “We think we can bring in thousands and thousands of new voters to our elections in November,” Feaman said.
6.) Feaman’s committee passed a resolution calling on the RPOF to use paid staff to develop a communications program for county parties that can help bring Tea Partiers into the Republican fold and get them to turnout for Repeublican candidates. “We think they’re better off inside the tent shouting out, rather than outside the tent trying to shout in,” Feaman said.
7.) Lt. Colonel Allen West’s YouTube phenomenon. West is getting some attention as GOP candidate this year in his second attempt to unseat U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton. House Republican Leader John Boehner is hosting a fundraiser for him this month. And his speech at the American Freedom tour in Fort Lauderdale in October has been viewed more than 1.6 million times on YouTube. Watch it here.
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Sentenced to die for crimes judged heinous and cruel, inmates await execution in a 9 feet by 6 feet cell.
January 10th, 2010 at 1:08 am
Republican haters and liars. Putnum admits doing his all to destroy any chance of health insurance reform while the very haters following the Republicans go broke themselves with medical bills. And they cheer this? Charlie Crist is a gloset gay republican and the world knows it - his marriage was a sham because crook Rothstien was pushing him on McCain to be the VP candidate (he made the short list of 3)so he rushed into the wedding - one day he will explode like Larry Craig - the Republican Utah Senator who got caught asking for the priviledge of performing oral sex on a black undercover agent at in the airport bathroom. Go republicans!
January 10th, 2010 at 1:24 am
Real American–did you pull that out of the Democrat playbook? Why do you attack the person rather than the party? You’re just mad because you know Obama is going to be a lame duck after the November elections.
Crist is wasting his time, Rubio is going to beat him.
January 10th, 2010 at 1:34 am
Us Republicans Hated what Crist did by supporting Obama! And now Crist does not regret it?!!!! Thank you Governor Crist for reminding us why we are going to vote against you!!!!!! Go Rubio!!!!!!
January 10th, 2010 at 6:49 am
republicans have been in control of florida senate and house way too long. look at the shape florida is in !1 in 4 children in poverty. 1 in 4 floridians recieve some type of food stamps.4,000 floridians losing heath care coverage every week. taxes and fees skyrocketing.. all with republicans at the helm. enough already ! vote florida blue
January 10th, 2010 at 7:04 am
The Biggest TRAITORS among us hold Elected Office.
While you play your political game and blab at each other.
You have lost your economy and your democratic society and Republic.
You are having more taxes and laws passed against you.
You are LAZY and will not March and Protest.
Those who sacrafice Freedom for Security desrve NEITHER.
Your Economy is going to get much much worse. Your Countries wealth was stolen and given to Banks that now reap massive profits in the worse econommy in years, ask why????
Your loosing your way of life, your jobs and your childrens rights to a job and a life as a free human being without surveilasnce on them.
They will grow up- with Cameras on them everywhere they go.
You deserve to lose your FREEDOM
January 10th, 2010 at 7:27 am
The only job that I would vote Charlie the Liar Crist in for is DOG POOPER SCOOPER.
He is a worthless bag of S==T.
A lying SOB
January 10th, 2010 at 7:56 am
alright Charlie! You go girl, I mean, er, well you know what I meant. Hypocrite.
January 10th, 2010 at 8:08 am
Last I heard Charlie was denying he supported the Stimulus. Lets see, he was supporting it when he hugged Obama in Fort Myers. Then when someone questioned it he was in favor of a stimulus but not necessarily Obama’s stimulus. Then later he openly denied he was ever in favor of any stimulus. Now he is back in favor of the Obama stimulus and taking all he can get. Is this getting confusing? “I THINK” you can honestly say he was for it before he was against it! But you can also say, he was for it before he was against it and he was against it before he was for it. “I THINK” (Two of Crist favor words) If the same idiots vote for him that voted for his mentor Obama, he won’t even have to be trained, he fits right in to both houses of congress’ mentality (Or, lack thereof) I simply support POLITICIANS WITH INTEGRITY AND BRAINS~ Is that asking too much?
January 10th, 2010 at 8:24 am
“I Think” there is no doubt about Charlie being what he hoped was a closet g a y. Problem is word got about about his “man” Bruce Carlton Jordan who is on state probation and living in Sumter County, Florida. Apparently Charlie cut some deals for his lover when Charlie was Attorney General and Jordan didn’t spend much if any time in the slammer. It seems Jordan stole thousands of dollars from the Florida Funeral Directors Ass’n. All this information except the Crist connection is available at the Florida Department of Corrections website. The Charlie Crist, Bruce Carlton Jordan story is available on google. One of the previous bloggers eluded to the Scott Rothstein connection pushing Crist on McCain for VP and the Beard marriage to make things look good. But, they left out the part where Crist and Greer committed mutiny on the McCain campaign after Crist was not chosen for VP. Right down to blocking the distribution of MaCain materials such as signs, stickers, video’s and anything that might have promoted McCain-Palin for president. In other words, don’t just blame the Obama organization with Acorn and others. Place the blame right here in Florida where it belongs. Crist, Greer and cronies are more responsible for the Obama presidential win than the Deomcrats are. PUT THE BLAME WHERE IT BELONGS. CHECK THE REC’S AND THE RPOF RANK AND FILE FOR THE REAL STORY. THEY WILL TELL YOU THEY RECEIVED NO HELP TO ELECT MCcAIN PRESIDENT.
January 10th, 2010 at 8:44 am
Why would Crist and Greer sabatoge the McCain for President campaign? First plan “A” was they placed big hope on the fact that McCain would chose Crist for his Vice President. Based on McCain’s age everyone though he would be a one termer at best. This would have given Crist a possible shoo in to the Oval Office without much competition. When Crist was not chosen Vice President they moved to plan “B”
which was to do everything possible to help the Democrats defeat McCain-Palin. Knowing if McCain-Palin won, most likely Palin would succeed McCain as President putting Crists plans for the Whitehouse on a long distant course. Politically assuming Obama would cause such a disaster he would be easily defeated in 2012, Crist and Greer did everythng within their power to sabatoge the McCain-Palin ticket. Obviously they helped to defeat the McCain ticket. The next step in plan “B” Martinez will resign and Crist will send his former Chief of Staff to hold the Senate seat after making out like he was considering others, until he is elected without any opposition because his friend Jim Greer will fend off any potentially dangerous
opposition. Herein the plan has began to fail. To anyone who cares to research these facts, with a little work they are readily available. The Scott Rothstein investigation is wide and deep. Is Rothstein singing like a canary? You bet he is! Shaving years off that sentence in exchange for names, dates, places and deals. What will come of all this? Lord only knows! Right now I don’t know anyone who wants to trade places with Crist and Greer and a few other of their cronies.
January 10th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Any registered voter in the State of Florida would have to be deaf, dumb, and blind as well as obliviously ignorant of the past several years of Christ’s “reign” as govenor (like locked in a box under a blanket with their collective heads barried in sand) to even consider voting for him let alone helping him get elected. If there are still people out there “voting for their party” out of misplaced party loyalty he may stand a chance. I hope their are wiser voters out there than that. I used to be a Republican until “W” came along, then I started looking harder at the candidate than the party they represent before placing my vote. I am now changing my registration to Independant. Christ and his cronies will finish destroying Florida if him and his cronies are voted in. People vote for the lesser of the evils at election time!
January 10th, 2010 at 10:06 am
CRIST IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LIBERAL SOCIALIST EMPTY SUIT WITH A TAN JUST LIKE HIS BUDDIES OBAMA AND PELOSI AND IT SHOWS. HE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO WIN A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY IN FLORIDA. HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO WIN A REPUBLICAN PRIMARY IN NEW YORK OR MASSACHUSETTS BUT NOT HERE IN FLORIDA. RATHER THAN CHANGE PARTIES HE SHOULD CHANGE STATES?
January 10th, 2010 at 10:50 am
It amazes me to hear Adam Putnam revel in the fact that his leadership has brought the GOP the label of “The Party of No.” He offers no ideas, other than to say he wants to stop any corrective measures for the GOP actions that nearly collapsed the world’s economic system. He rails against unions, because he knows Putnam Groves primarily employs illegals. Finally, he refuses to admit that Democratic programs, flawed though they may be, are actually working — saving homes, saving jobs, and, yes, saving lives. Putnam is a spoiled rich kid, whose party was soundly whipped twice under his leadership — 2006 and 2008. He should sit down and shut up. The adults are in charge now.
January 10th, 2010 at 11:36 am
Hey John Sargent, why are you hacks so afraid of someone with guts and brains? I mean you can spout off all kinds of stuff about Putnam but he’s not running for congress, he is running for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. His republican opponent hates bull nutz and has no experience growing any crop other than wackey weed. Sounds to me like with your wackey statements you would be a wackey weed customer.How about another one of those left handed cigarettes and some more of your brillient comments.
January 10th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Hey John, Where are you? Are you out with your uncle Harry and his school buddy CharLIE Crist beating the Bushes
and trying to figure out what to do next? Talking about a little rich kid uncle Harry keeps you and CharLIE both in the funds!
January 10th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Tea Partiers, the calculus is simple. Florida is a swing state. Crist has crossover appeal and a record to prove it, and will win thw swing electorate. Rubio is Fox-News Brand conservative, and will not carry many swing voters bu may mobilize a few far-right ideologues that would not come out otherwise. However he will also mobilize moderates who, believe it or not, are offended by Rush Limbaugh style conservatism.
Nominate Crist = Republican moderate in Senate.
Nominate Rubio = feeling of self-satisfaction for yourself until the election when Meek beats Rubio.
Do the math.
January 10th, 2010 at 5:57 pm
They don’t even bother grammar checking these things anymore? What the heck…
January 10th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
James F. ; if anyone checked and corrected the grammar on these blogs most of the folks reading them would not understand what was being said. This is 2010 Since the beginning of the 80’s there has been no education ‘cept what was forced on some by parents who really cared. I just found out recently from a 30 year old journalist that they did not have US American History in school at all. No wonder they don’t know shet from shinola, huh.
January 10th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Thank you Gov. Crist for putting aside party lines and supporting the President of the United States of America. I wish we had more people in politics like Gov. Crist.
January 10th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
my reply :: AND? Congress is, in fact, the opposite of progress. I don’t expect anything worth anything from congress. Go get your perqs and easy money mr. crist
January 10th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Charlie got elected with the support of “the base” because he basically lied continuously during his first campaign. Remember how he spent the entire campaign basically saying Jeb! was the finest human who ever breathed, and he wanted to be just like Jeb!? The he won the election and turned into a tree hugging populist and fired all the Jeb! cronies and canned all the Jeb! programs, and now he thinks he can pander to “the base” and make it through the primaries? Not a chance Charlie! Even the most moronic right wing moron can tell the difference between a panderer and another true blue moron fellow traveller. The true blue moron is gonna win this primary in a landslide.
January 10th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
Legislation needed to eliminate party designation for primary’s. This way Americans can vote for issues rather than a party…
January 11th, 2010 at 8:43 am
What happens when, err, if Crist loses tonight’s straw ballot in Pinellas?
http://bit.ly/6Coold
January 15th, 2010 at 6:01 am
————————-Not Affiliated with Crist or Rubio Campaigns———————–
I have done research on Rubio’s past Bills and found several troubling Bill attempts that died in committee. Please note them all and especially the last one (latest date) where he made an attempt to keep “working papers” (such as dead Bills) from seeing the light of day to the public. We pay these politicians and they work for us and we are the Boss not them. In a nut shell his Bills would have allowed illegal aliens an education on the taxpayers dime! A Bill would have allowed a “self pay” (no insurance) for medical care without the hospital collecting a balance on the hospital Bill. Again this would serve illegal Aliens by protecting them from detection. This is not about party but what is right and wrong.
Phil Davis
———-
HB 1125
GENERAL BILL by Sansom and Rubio and Cannon (CO-SPONSORS) Arza Public Records: Exempts from public records requirements working papers, including all documentary or other information, prepared or maintained by the Legislative Sunset Advisory Committee in performing its duties under ch. 21, F.S., to conduct an evaluation and prepare a report; specifies that information received for such purpose that is confidential and exempt shall remain confidential and exempt; provides for future legislative review and repeal; provides a statement of public necessity. Effective Date: July 1, 2006, if House Bill 1123 or similar legislation is adopted in the same legislative session or an extension thereof and becomes law.
Last Event: 05/05/06 S Died in Committee on Governmental Oversight and Productivity, Link/Iden/Sim/Compare passed, refer to HB 1123 (Ch. 2006-146) on Saturday, May 06, 2006 1:11 AM
This Bill (HB 1125) which is the last one, was an attempt to hide work which never became law!
HB1573 CS (See HB119 CS HB127A to compare)
JOINT RESOLUTION by Rubio (CO-SPONSORS) Altman; Murzin; Traviesa; RECOMMENDED by Education Council Equal Opportunity to Obtain a High Quality Education: Proposes the creation of s. 8, Art. IX of the State Constitution to provide that every child deserves an equal opportunity to obtain a high quality education, regardless of his or her family’s income, religion, or race; to provide that funding for a high quality public K-12 education through classroom instruction is fundamental; to provide that to make adequate provision for a high quality public K-12 education, the Legislature shall ensure that funding provided for public schools shall primarily be used for classroom instruction rather than administration; to provide that classroom instruction and administration shall be defined by law; to provide that students in prekindergarten through college who have disabilities, are economically disadvantaged, or meet other legislatively specified criteria may participate, as provided by law, in education programs that include nonpublic schools; to provide that the Legislature may enact and publicly fund prekindergarten through college education programs, without regard to the religious nature of any participant or nonpublic provider, notwithstanding any other provision of this Article or the last sentence of Section 3 of Article I of the State Constitution; and to provide that this amendment to the State Constitution does not establish a right to an education program that is not provided by law. Effective Date: Not Specified
Last Event: Died on Second Reading Calendar on Saturday, May 06, 2006 12:01 AM
HB119 CS
GENERAL BILL by Zapata (CO-SPONSORS) Arza; Bucher; Bullard; Cantens; Davis, M.; Garcia, R.; Harper; Jordan; Kottkamp; Llorente; Patterson; Planas; Reagan; Richardson; Rivera; Robaina; Roberson, Y.; Rubio; RECOMMENDED by Education K-20 Resident Status for Tuition Purposes: Provides an exemption from payment of nonresident tuition at community colleges and state universities for certain students meeting eligibility criteria; reenacts provisions relating to general requirements for eligibility for state financial aid, to incorporate the amendment. Effective Date: This act shall take effect July 1, 2003
Last Event: Died in Committee on Appropriations on Friday, May 02, 2003 6:15 PM
HB127 A
GENERAL BILL by Zapata (CO-SPONSORS) Arza; Davis, M.; Harper; Homan; Jordan; Kottkamp; Murzin; Rivera; Robaina; Roberson, Y.; Rubio Resident Status for Tuition Purposes: Provides an exemption from payment of nonresident tuition at community colleges and state universities for certain students who are not permanent residents of the United States; reenacts provisions relating to general requirements for eligibility for state financial aid, to incorporate the amendment. Effective Date: This act shall take effect July 1, 2003
Last Event: Died, Not Introduced on Tuesday, May 27, 2003 11:16 PM
HB715 CS
GENERAL BILL by Llorente (CO-SPONSORS) Garcia, R.; Murzin; Planas; Prieguez; Rivera; Roberson, Y.; Rubio; Zapata; RECOMMENDED by Health Care Self-Pay Patients: Provides legislative findings; requires hospitals to develop and make available two payment allowance programs for qualified self-pay patients; provides program guidelines and requirements; provides exclusions; provides a definition of patients qualified for such programs; provides exceptions; prohibits hospitals from pursuing civil remedies against such patients. Effective Date: upon becoming a law
Last Event: Died in Subcommittee on Health Appropriations on Friday, April 30, 2004 11:40 PM
HM1727
MEMORIAL by Gannon (CO-SPONSORS) Adams; Allen; Altman; Ambler; Anderson; Arza; Attkisson; Ausley; Baker; Barreiro; Baxley; Bean; Bendross-Mindingall; Bense; Benson; Berfield; Bilirakis; Bogdanoff; Bowen; Brandenburg; Brown; Brummer; Brutus; Bucher; Bullard; Byrd; Cantens; Carroll; Clarke; Cretul; Culp; Cusack; Davis, D.; Davis, M.; Dean; Detert; Domino; Evers; Farkas; Fields; Fiorentino; Galvano; Gardiner; Gelber; Gibson; Gibson, H.; Goodlette; Gottlieb; Green; Greenstein; Harper; Harrell; Harrington; Hasner; Henriquez; Holloway; Homan; Jennings; Johnson; Jordan; Joyner; Justice; Kallinger; Kendrick; Kilmer; Kosmas; Kravitz; Kyle; Littlefield; Llorente; Machek; Mahon; Mayfield; McInvale; Meadows; Mealor; Murman; Murzin; Needelman; Negron; Patterson; Paul; Peterman; Pickens; Planas; Poppell; Prieguez; Quinones; Reagan; Rich; Richardson; Ritter; Rivera; Robaina; Roberson, Y.; Ross; Rubio; Russell; Ryan; Sansom; Seiler; Simmons; Slosberg; Smith; Sobel; Sorensen; Spratt; Stansel; Stargel; Sullivan; Troutman; Vana; Waters; Wiles; Wishner; Zapata Children’s Health Insurance: Urges Congress to extend the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and appropriate sufficient funds to allow each state, using an appropriate match, to extend health care coverage to every child in America. Effective Date: Not Specified
Last Event: Died in Committee on Procedures on Friday, April 30, 2004 11:40 PM
You can find the information here:
Website: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/SEctions/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4180&SessionId=42