Heated debate between Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist starts fast
by Michael C. Bender | March 28th, 2010Who won the debate?
- Marco Rubio (58%, 153 Votes)
- Charlie Crist (34%, 91 Votes)
- tie (8%, 21 Votes)
Total Voters: 266
Loading ...It was seven minutes into their first debate before the most prominent issue of the campaign so far – the federal stimulus package – was even mentioned. But by then, Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio had already argued over political ambition, personal slush funds, “liberal” Supreme Court justices and trust.
“Speaker Rubio views public service as a way to enhance his personal enrichment,” Crist said this morning in his opening statement on the Fox News Sunday debate.
Moments later, Rubio returned the jab: “In 2006, governor, I voted for you. Because I trusted you when you said you’d be a Jeb Bush Republican. You’re record was something very different.”
The debate, which took place in a Washington D.C. television studio, was the first between the state’s top two Republican candidates for U.S. Senate. The race has captured national attention as Rubio, leading by 11 points according to a poll released Friday, has seized on the conservative tea party movement to surge past Crist, who was among the country’s most popular governors just a year ago.
One of the biggest differences in the debate came when Rubio acknowledged he’d support benefit cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Rubio, 38, said Congress should increase the age, currently 62, that Americans could receive Social Security benefits.
“We are going to call upon people … that are far from the retirement age to make difficult but important and necessary choices to ensure that the runaway growth in entitlement programs and federal spending does not diminish our future or bankrupt America,” Rubio said.
Crist said that position “really flies in the face of many of my fellow Floridians.”
But Crist also acknowledged that Congress “might have to make some” Social Security cuts. He would not name a specific change aside from eliminating “fraud and waste.”
“In order for these programs to survive so that my children and my grandchildren have an opportunity to be able to benefit from them, we have to spend less,” Crist said. Crist has no children or grandchildren. His wife, Carole, has two children from a previous marriage.
Crist, calling himself a “pragmatic, common-sense conservative,” admitted he would have voted for President Obama’s stimulus plan had he been the Senate. Only three Republicans voted for the stimulus.
“It was the right thing to do at the time,” Crist said.
“You have to go back and remember what was happening in our economy. It was literally falling off the cliff. Some of these ideas to try to prop up our economy, frankly, began under the Bush Administration.”
Rubio dismissed an implication that he would contribute to “partisan gridlock” in Congress and said he’d work with Democrats on issues like implementing a “flat tax” on income. A flat tax, which Democrats oppose, would tax all income at a certain rate instead of the progressive scale in place now.
Rubio accused the Obama Administration of trying to “fundamentally redefine the role of government in America.”
“We’ve got to stop that from happening. Because once we reach a certain point, we can’t turn back,” Rubio said.
Crist cited a Palm Beach Post story published Saturday and accused Rubio of raising taxes as a West Miami commissioner. Rubio did not address the issue.
The debate moderator, Chris Wallace, had to separate Crist and Rubio several times during the roughly 40-minute segment after his questions sparked arguments between the two candidates.
One of those moments came early in the debate, when Rubio accused Crist of abandoning conservative principles by appointing liberals to the state Supreme Court.
“Who are those liberal Supreme Court justices?” Crist asked.
“Justice Perry,” Rubio said.
Crist shot back: “Justice Perry who Jeb Bush appointed to the court originally is a liberal? That’s astounding”
Crist accused Rubio of misleading Floridians with a political committee he created for the purpose of electing other Republicans. Crist called it a “slush fund,” saying just $4,000 went to candidate while hundreds of thousands were spent on personal expenses. (Here is the background on that issue).
“That’s not what people want. They want people who are not there to enrich themselves, but who are there to enrich the lives of fellow Floridians,” Crist said.
Rubio said those were “outrageous allegations.”
“Governor, you just don’t get it,” Rubio said. “This campaign is not about you and it’s not about me. It’s about the people watching this program, that are watching their country being fundamentally redefined by this administration and this Congress….
“Everyone knows that you won’t stand up to the Obama agenda. Just a year ago, you were campaigning it for it.”
Where's the money? Use The Post's interactive database of who wants and who's getting federal dollars.
Use these interactive graphics to find and contact Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast legislators.
March 28th, 2010 at 10:14 am
Meek on Crist-Rubio debate: “We witnessed why voters can be turned off by politics”
http://bit.ly/b53WNq
March 28th, 2010 at 10:17 am
Sorry to say the Governor won this won hands down. Rubio was very weak
March 28th, 2010 at 10:35 am
in the know, is not in the know
March 28th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Voting for Crist is a vote for Obama.
Voting for Meeks is a vote for Obama.
It’s Marco in November.
March 28th, 2010 at 11:21 am
Wake up people. Rubio is out for no one but himself. He sponsored a bill to allow “illegals” the right to pay instate college tuition. he alsong with his little buddy Bogdanoff tried toi turn automobile insurance upside down two year ago. State Farm and AlState were solidly behind this effort. Lock him away in Miami where he belongs and don’t allow him to ruin Florida or the Nation
March 28th, 2010 at 11:28 am
Amid all the hubbub about Rubio he is no conservative. Florida has been getting the short end of the stick, when it comes to us senate races. We were told, at least republicans and conservatives, that Martinez was better than Harris, and what did we get. Nada!! And the funny thing is Harris had a long reliable record and Martinez next to nothing, mayor of Orlando… Rubio is the same thing, he is just a sit in for Jeb Bush. Check out this story on Rubio and why he is just a CINO. WTR!!
http://bit.ly/cH2cYK
well worth the read
March 28th, 2010 at 11:43 am
The lesser of the two evils is Crist. Crist is more center while Rubio is far right. Crist has a better chance of bring peopl together. Rubio is my way or the highway. Crist waffles and Rubio is arrogant. Crist follows the direction of the wind where Rubio has been bought by corporations. Rubio is corrupt and unethical while Crist lacks conviction. If you want more Bush and Cheney, pick Rubio. You decide.
March 28th, 2010 at 11:51 am
“in the know” — you made your decision 43 minutes BEFORE the debate started??
typical leftist loon……..
Crist believes the 16 M drivers in FL can choose not to drive IF they don’t want that increase??
Crist wants to ferret out Waste, Fraud and Abuse from SS – that is all we need to do to save SS?? SS has no large component of WFA – a few dead people are caught collecting, but 99% is on the level. It is Medicare “governor” that has Waste, Fraud and Abuse.
Crist wants no Amnesty, just send them to the back of the line… Is that line in Mexico where they will never be allowed to return because our legal quotas have been quadruple maxxed out for generations???
Crist wants to enforce Immigration and Employment laws — but has chosen not to do so for his entire time in Tallahassee. It was against the law for his teachers to call ICE on Illegal Aliens students…
Crist was petty, Rubio held to the values we admired in Jeb Bush.
Crist called a Sales Tax “regressive”?? Yes, IF you are a “progressive”.
FL got $8 Billion in SPENDuLUST funds? Floridians will pay $60 Billion in the Federal loan repayment to finance SPENDuLUST – over the next 100 years of American bankruptcy!
March 28th, 2010 at 11:55 am
Rubio all the way. What we need is a return to free market philosophy in wages, benefits, and pensions for all public employees. I can’t see paying out pension payments till death do we part for any public employees; fire fighters and police included. A simple buyout of all present pensions at $1,000 per year of vesting would be appropriate by my estimate. These people are , by and large tea party supporters and so the free market should appeal to them. Let them invest in their own futures.
March 28th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Rubio ate Crist’s lunch! The Governor could not keep himself from engaging in repeated ad hominem attacks on Rubio. Governor, we’re not interested! Floridians want a “BIG PICTURE” Senator, one who will stand up to the MAObama machine that is trampling the Constitution and stomping the shreds into the mud!.
Rubio will stand up against ObaMAO and for liberty, freedom and the Constitution. Crist will merely give ObaMAO a hug.
March 28th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
No question Rubio is more conservative than Crist. The fact that Crist has to harp about rep credit cards while ignoring the revelation his aides did far worse says it all. He wants to change the subject, which is his record and embracement of the stimulus scam and Obama. Crist is a populous chameleon, he lacks conviction and staying power, he would be bought eventually.
March 28th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
MARCO!!!
Charlie, if you can’t be honest with yourself, you can’t be honest with the people.
Meeks will rubberstamp Obama.
March 28th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Wouldn’t trust Rubio in the outhouse with lockjaw……..least I know what Crist would do but he’s no better.
March 28th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
My family came from Cuba in 1967. They waited two years before they were able to come to the US. Ilegal aliens need to be deported. Once back in their country they can fill out work visas and come into the country legally. They must respect the laws of this nation. No excuses.
March 28th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Between the two, Crist is much more level-headed and able to make the difficult decisions in D.C.; Rubio will base his decisions on one thing only – strictly based on party-lines. That is no way to function in business or in life. We cannot decide to say “no” just because the guy across the line says “yes”.
As an Independent, at this point my vote is with Gov. Crist.
March 28th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
Rubio is just another lying, thieving Cuban. We have people who came over on the Mariel boatlift who are still getting governement handouts while pretending to have a business. Thousands of Cubans
opened stores on the handouts from the government- none of them very successful-
but all suppoorted by the handouts- they should have been made to get real jobs- not pretend business owners.
March 28th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
John
free-market is what almost ruined us- the US is populated by some many ugly, lying thieving people- mostly Republicans- that free enterprise without regulations- stiff regulations- at least as strict as what FDR did that kept us safe for so many years from the sharks that pose as free enterprisers-
will never work in this country. We should send the defective personalities types to Iraq and Iran where they would fit right in with the liars and thieves pretending to be religious.
March 28th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Marco Rubio is not a friend of mine. He fails to address the concerns of the common man and I would bet any amount of money that he looks out only for his own kind. He was spawned by Jeb Bush and subscribes to his beliefs. Notice he mentions NOTHING about his Catholic “faith.”
March 28th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
JimC “free-market is what almost ruined us- the US is populated by some many ugly, lying thieving people- mostly Republicans- that free enterprise without regulations- stiff regulations- at least as strict as what FDR did that kept us safe for so many years from the sharks that pose as free enterprisers”
Sorry Jim-Bo But the free market is what works best. It is GODS plan. Observe nature – survival of the fittest. There will all-ways be winners and losers, nothing like hunger pains to encourage the lazy to get off their butts and work. Even lawn care is better than collecting nanny-state food-stamps. Put the illegals out of work-under-bid their jobs. Keep your pride, don’t ask a better man for a hand-out
March 28th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Crist = RINO
Meeks = Obama Zombie
Rubio = Right Choice
March 28th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Crist won. Rubio is not a real republican when he has answered the questiones posed to he and Crist.
He has the wrong approach to our problems because he is looking out for Rubio and noone else
March 28th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Florida Republicans are so out of touch with reality. Crist is the lesser of two evils but hopefully they will attack each other enough to make the public realize just how ill-suited both are to represent the people of Florida!
March 28th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Governor Crist admitted (almost proudly) that if he were in the Senate last year, he would have voted along with Snow, Collins, and Specter, for the Stimulus bill. That should decide the primary right there and I’m glad he had the courage to clear that up. What else is there to say? Since he says he will not run as an independent, I guess there will be one more job-seeker in the private sector wishing those in Washington understood how jobs are really created.
March 28th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
I JUST TRIED TO VOTE (2 DIFFERENT TIMES) FOR RUBIO & BOTH TIMES IT SAYS I ALREADY VOTED IN THIS POLL!!! THE DEBATE JUST HAPPENED TODAY & THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO TRY & VOTE!!! WHAT IS THIS…ONLY ONE SIDE IS ALLOWED TO VOTE NOW???
March 28th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
Chris Wallace was so one sided. I counted the number of rebuttals allowed. He allowed Rubio to rebut 7 times and Crist only 2. Crist should have known FOX would be unfair and partial. I laughed when Rubio said he was disappointed Crist become a JEBBIE…thank GOD….half of FL’s problems right now are due to JEBBIE’s ineptness. The debate was 50/50 and Crist would have won if Wallace wasn’t kissing Rubio’s behind. Let Crist run as an independent, then he’d cipher votes from the GOP and allow Meeks to win….YES!! Rubio says he’s a Palin Republican…OMG!!! I wish he’d give himself for credit, anyone is brighter than that bimbo.
March 28th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
OOPs….above: I meant Crist did not become a Jebbie,,,,,,
March 28th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
No, Charlie, the economy wasn’t “literally” falling off a cliff. Since it’s not a concrete object, it can’t fall off a cliff. Duhhhhh…
March 28th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
The debate is useless because they have absolutely no idea what solutions to propose, nor are they brave enough to offer any that their highly paid consultants don’t pre-approve and strip of substance. Notice how they claim Social Security must be cut, but say absolutely NOTHING about the elephant in the budget room which is Defense. Defense account for over $515 BILLION in expenditures for the 2009 federal budget while Social Security was only $8.4 BILLION, its a joke to suggest that Social Security is a deciding budgetary handicap when people like Donald Trump only pay Social Security tax on the first $100,000 they make. The Defense expenditures is certainly made worse by the Iraq fiasco W got us in.
March 28th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
“USELESS”:
Defense = Security + VA + HLS = $844 BN.
Social Security = $703 BN.
You picked the right name – the WH OMB has a website…
============
Chris Wallace did just fine – he let Charlie sink himself alluding to be “as conservative as Collins, Snow and Spector”…”would’ve voted for SPENDuLUST”…”won’t run as an independent or another office”…
Marco should’ve skewered him with the fact Floridians will pay over 5 % of SPENDuLUST or about $50 Billion over the next decade – just like we pay on every Federal Dollar spent!! Why sell out Floridians Charlie with only $8 Billion coming back with strings attached??
The simple little dirty secret about the SPENDuLUST is to bail out the abject failed Democrat states…and tie future formulas to their higher ones!
We already see analysis that proved Democrat districts got two times the funding that Republican districts got!! Pure Komrade Gestapo deals…
CA, IL, MI, NJ, etc. all put up another 50% on elective NannyState formulas. THEN, the new standard becomes their higher rate – that is how SCHIP got doubled and is now called CHIP as the Feds will take it over…
Florida is far better off to keep its tax money at home and make its own decisions. We balance our budget every year, while CA is over $25 BN short again…looking for Fed bailout!
Florida is one of only four states with adequate pension funding. Dem states need Fed bailout!!
The NannyStates are bankrupt! Now we must boldly cut back to temporary safety net assistance only. Merge the 128 Federal programs into 5 basic plans with one stop control!
Marco Rubio failed to get support from his Republican colleagues on changing FL tax base to 6% Sales Tax – WITH NO EXEMPTIONS & NO Property tax. You heard Crist explain he failed to support it “as regressive”. THAT is the hue and cry of a “progressive liberal”!!
March 28th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Damn shame we can’t have a couple more choices to vote for
March 29th, 2010 at 9:48 am
Did anyone count how many times “CharLIE” used the words “I THINK?” I do believe I saw it twice in the same sentence. “I THINK and ITS ABOUT EDUCATION” along with Attacking Rubio for hair cuts and back waxes he paid for on his own coin is the “SUM TOTAL” OF CharLIE’s ability to speak. Me Thinks he has lost the teleprompter he was using in his last election. Maybe he should go “Hello Barry, can you send me a teleprompter down here to Florida? This poop is getting deep!”
Sorry CharLIE! You’re to skinny to catch. We like our tuna with meat on its bones!