Thursday, April 22, 2010

Charlie Crist: he's got the mojo back ... by gimleteye


Whodda thunk it? A surging campaign by Marco Rubio for US Senate would plunge the state GOP into crisis? As The Miami Herald reports this morning, Gov. Charlie Crist-- all but dumped by his party and left for dead on the road side-- turns out not so willing to go quietly into that good night. (That is a reference to Dylan Thomas, the poet.) What did the GOP think? That Charlie Crist who lay flat like a diving board for Marco to spring on? ... I don't think so. And now, apparently, the state GOP leaders in Tallahassee have their panties all bunched up in a knot. Now it is true that Charlie has a problem-- the incredible reckless use of party credit cards as though it were a corporate perk-- but hey, as an independent, Charlie Crist could disavow extremism in his former party and grab enough Dems to make it to DC.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yep, he has this Dem.

Anonymous said...

The stupidity of the Republicans is that here is a guy with a hugely loyal following whose political career is likely to be over if he doesn't run for Senator and he has a rich wife. Do they honestly think he wouldn't make a move? I am a registered Dem and I would probably vote for him in the general election.

Anonymous said...

It's water theme day at EOM!

miaexile said...

Ok, so hopefully this is the final death knell for Marco Rubio:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Former Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday endorsed Marco Rubio in Florida's GOP Senate primary, saying Gov. Charlie Crist can't be trusted to stand up to President Barack Obama's agenda.

David said...

It is interesting to note that no matter how far leaning a politician is to one side or the other of the political spectrum during a campaign, when it comes to actually governing, everyone (just about) is a centrist...or nothing gets done. Crist has my respect for being his own man, not his party's man...and I'm a long time registered Republican. No matter the moniker he carries when he runs, he's got my vote.

Malcolm said...

The Republican Party of Florida has no future. It's Charlie who will leave a dead carcass on the side of the road on some dramatic day before April 30.

Someone who disagrees please describe the electoral coalition that a Marco Rubio rides to victory in November. Tell me how he unites the white property owning natural base (with its racist anti-Hispanic biases) of the GOP with WHO? The mostly non-Cuban Hispanic block in the I-4 corridor? Even the Cuban-American block in South Florida will not be able to get past the positions Rubio has been forced to embrace by the Tea Party yahoos. Black folks ain't gonna vote for no stinking Marco Rubio. Rubio's only hope is that...no that wouldn't work either.

Nationally, the party is even deader. This thing that calls itself the Republican Party is no longer a viable political formation. Its base of religious zealots and white male voters can no longer win national elections. The party is destined to devolve into a small white supremacist splinter group, to sit there alongside the KKK, the Aryan Nations, and various skinhead formations like a carbuncle on the rump of the USA.

Anonymous said...

Charlie Crist over Marco Palin Cheney Rubio or Kendrick "Wackenhut" Meek

Anonymous said...

Malcolm,
Apparently you haven't seen the polls across the country showing GOP candidates winning 8 new US Senate seats, 5 new governorships, and 40+ House seats this November. Obama is even in a matchup to Republican-Libertarian Ron Paul. Yikes! And the Florida GOP is still leading in all 4 statewide races, maintaining a 2-1 advantage in both legislative chambers, and yes, Rubio holding onto the open seat. That's not bad for a party "that's not a viable political formation". Maybe I'm missing something, but just where is the political fallout for the GOP?

Malcolm said...

Last time I checked people weren't elected to office in polls. You can snuggle up at night with your polls but the GOP's nightmare is here.

Again, decribe for me the constituencies that Marco Rubio unites in a 3-way race for the US Senate to win. The Tea Partiers, the racist and xenophobic element in the white electorate, with Florida's Hispanic voters, with the African-American voters, with Florida's elderly whose Social Security they want to squash? All of these combinations are fantastic! Ridiculous!

As to the national party, fast forward to their next convention where you'll have major blocs seperately supporting Sarah Palin and Ron Paul. Somebody wins and their views are polar opposites and they will be irreconcilable with the loser. The Republican Party is finished. It is no longer viable. It will go the way of the Whigs.

sundayniagara said...

Crist runs as an independent, Marco Julio is toast. Couldn't happen to a better guy!