Crist: ‘God bless’ Obama for vacationing in Florida
by Dara Kam | August 14th, 2010Gov. Charlie Crist praised President Barack Obama for bringing the First Family to Florida’s Gulf Coast for a brief vacation.
“It’s the biggest single commercial you could imagine. God bless him,” Crist said before meeting with Obama, his wife Michelle and a handful of Panama City business owners at a waterfront Coast Guard station.
Republicans have blasted Obama for what they called a “27-hour guilt trip” to the region where the economy suffered as tourism plummeted during BP’s massive oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
Crist brushed off the criticism.
“On behalf of Florida and as Florida’s sitting governor, I couldn’t be more grateful that the president and the First Lady of the United States are taking the time to come to our Gulf Coast and highlight Florida and promote tourism and jobs for our people. There’s no other way to look at this,” he said.
Crist broke with the Republican Party earlier this year to run as an independent in the U.S. Senate race after polling showed he was trailing in a potential primary against former House Speaker Marco Rubio.
Crist, who gained notoriety for the now infamous hug with Obama, sidestepped questions about whether Saturday’s visit with Obama would help Crist’s effort to draw support from Democrats to his campaign.
“I don’t know. I have no idea. But I think what’s important is that I’ll stand with anybody who’s going to help promote Florida tourism and our economy. It would be ridiculous not to,” Crist said. “I’m very, very grateful that the President and the First Lady…put such a spotlight on Florida tourism.”
Tags: 2010 campaigns, 2010 elections, Barack Obama, Charlie Crist, Marco Rubio, tourism
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.
August 14th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Obama Allies Boosting Crist in Florida
Democratic allies of President Barack Obama are coming to the aid of independent Senate candidate Charlie Crist even though he will square off against a Democratic opponent in November’s general election. Obama wants Charlie Crist to be his next senator from Florida because he knows Crist will stoop to any level of corruption to acheive his goals! Corruption breeds corruption!
The Florida governor has recently brought several Democratic operatives into his campaign, including a pollster and consultant, The Wall Street Journal is reporting today.
Also, Alfredo Balsera, a member of Obama’s national finance committee in 2008 and a leading presidential adviser on Latino outreach, is now advising Crist and is planning to host a fundraiser next month that will bring together mostly Obama supporters.
Crist “has successfully courted top Democrats — including some with close ties to President Barack Obama and the White House — to work on his campaign, even though two Democrats are making serious bids for the Senate seat,” The Journal disclosed.
In late April, Crist trailed former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, a conservative tea party favorite, by 30 percentage points in the race for the Republican nomination, a lead so insurmountable that Crist left the GOP to run as an independent.
Now he is seen as the front-runner, leading both Rubio and the likely Democratic candidate, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, in the polls. A Quinnipiac University poll in June showed Crist with the support of 51 percent of independents, 28 percent of Republicans, and 37 percent of Democrats.
Crist defended his credentials as a Ronald Reagan conservative in an interview with Newsmax as recently as February. But he has moved to the center since abandoning the GOP to run as an independent.
He vetoed two Republican-backed bills, one dealing with abortion and the other with teacher tenure, winning praise from many teachers and liberal women’s groups. Although he insists he is “pro life,” he told The Journal that he would not seek to overturn Roe v. Wade.
In March, he vowed he would fight to repeal the Democrats’ healthcare reform plan. But last week, he said the plan should only be “modified.”
Last year he opposed the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia Sotomayor, but he now says he “probably” took that position under pressure from the GOP primary. Asked by The Journal if he feels differently now, he said: “Perhaps.”
Crist has not promised to caucus with the Democrats if he wins the Senate seat. But he has met twice in recent weeks with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for discussions, The Journal noted, “that signal that he may be moving in that direction.”
August 14th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
It appears Charlie goes whichever way the wind is blowing, that’s why he had to drop out of the Republican race and become an Independent. Flip-flop!
August 14th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Give em hell Charlie!
August 14th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
This is why the State is such turmoil!! People in office, and running for office, don’t give a rats ass about the people who put them in office!!! Charlie Crist is just like Bill McCollum. Neither one of them cares anything about this State or the unemployment this State has12%. I say vote them all out of office!
August 14th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Don’t you mean Allah, Charlie?
August 14th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
How can we trust Charlie Crist, he turns on a dime.I voted for him in the past, but I am now a Marco Rubio supporter.
August 14th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Promoting Florida and tourism are great causes. No one can sanely criticize this effort.
August 14th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Charlie walked lockstep with the Republican party for years. When extreme partisanship developed in the party he cut those ties. Why shouldn’t he? Extreme partisanship is killing this country. Why shouldn’t a politician change his mind when he receives new information or sees his party as becoming nothing more than obstructionist. Do you always stick to your original position even after you learn that it was wrong?
August 14th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Obama is so wonderful and great and has done so much hoping and changing of this country. It is good to see the Obama family taking a well deserved vacation after stopping the oil leak that big oil caused because corporations don’t care about the environment. If you don’t agree you are clearly a racist.
August 14th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Welcome to Florida Mr. President and the first family. We thank you for your visit and God Bless Governor Crist as well.
August 14th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
If they really wanted to promote the Gulf, Michelle could have spent her vacation and hundreds of thousands of dollars there. This is guesture is sooo empty.
August 14th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
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!
August 14th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
tom7001 Says:
Rubio, under federal investigation, has failed to file his ‘09 tax returns.
—————————————
If Rubio filed for an extension he very legitimately has until October to get that return in.
August 14th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Crist is a whore. Mike, #9, thinks if we don’t agree with him…we are racist. Rather close minded of you Mike.
August 14th, 2010 at 3:47 pm
God Bless the President of the United States, his family and Charlie Crist.
August 14th, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Pandering at it’s finest, Charlie!!
Let’s face it, you’re toast!
August 14th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
anyone who votes for this fool deserves the economy they get and stands strong for what french has been saying about us we are a disgrace.
August 14th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
We don’t need the Monkey or that White trash here !! We already have enough saps here just with the New Yorkers !!
August 14th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Charlie when are you going away, political career is over, see ya!
August 14th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
#9 Mike the Liberal Dweeb poster….. you’re in a dream land !! get the hell out of florida and take your liberal trash with you !!!
August 14th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Obama did you get your photo opp.
I know of a good actor who became a great President. This is a first a President who wants to become an actor.
August 14th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Who cares, call me a recist, I’m not. I have never offended, discriminated against anyone. Get over your complex of being Black, be proud of it, don’t use it as a cruch to try to get something for nothing. Work hard and earn your way, no more handouts.
August 14th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Give em hell Charlie!
Rubio=Palin=Coulter=Morris=Angle=Paul
August 14th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Charlie Crist believes the Obama’s have taken a vacation in Florida. The rest of the world knows it was a meaningless photo op. This is not good for Crist or Obama. They think Americans are stupid. We are not.
August 14th, 2010 at 9:01 pm
Thanks Charlie, for saying you agree with Obama about the GZ mosque. You just insured a double digit victory for Rubio!
August 14th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Give em hell Charlie?? Give who hell?? Floridians?? Anyway ole Charlie is about as tough as a wet donut. They are both rather incompetent and should find another line of work.
August 15th, 2010 at 12:57 am
CHARLIE IS RIGHT HIS JOB IS TO HELP FLORIDA RESIDENTS,HE DESERVE TO REPRESENT FLORIDA’S PEOPLE IN THE SENATE NOT THE REPUBLIC OR DEMOCRATIC PARTY,BUT FLORIDA.HE IS THE REAL CANDIDATE WITH AN OPEN MIND AND READY TO DO THE RIGH THING NOT AS MCCAIN WHO CHANGES HIS MIND WHEN IS LOSING THE SUPPORT OF THE HARDCORE REPUBLICANS
August 20th, 2010 at 5:28 am
Who cares if Obama is making the trip to Florida out of guilt? He is making it and hopefully it will provide a great boost to the Florida Tourism industry.