Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Charlie Crist (file)
As convention-goers gather in Tampa, one former Republican politician is speaking out in favor of President Obama. Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist, an ex-Republican, plans to speak at the Democratic National Convention next week in Charlotte according to The New York Times.
Further cutting ties to his Republican past, the former Florida governor explained his support for President Obama in yesterday's op-ed in the Tampa Bay Times.
"I've studied, admired and gotten to know a lot of leaders in my life. Across Florida, in Washington and around the country, I've watched the failure of those who favor extreme rhetoric over sensible compromise, and I've seen how those who never lose sight of solutions sow the greatest successes," Crist wrote. "As America prepares to pick our president for the next four years — and as Florida prepares once again to play a decisive role — I'm confident that President Barack Obama is the right leader for our state and the nation."
Crist, once a rising star within the GOP, praised the president for his handling of the "deep and daunting" economic crisis of 2009 and his investment "in our retirement security by strengthening Medicare," an important issue for many retirees home state. He didn't let his former GOP colleagues off the hook.
He slammed Obama's opponents that "would end the Medicare guarantee by creating a voucher that would raise seniors' costs by thousands of dollars and bankrupt the program." And he warned of extremist right-wing rhetoric creeping into the Republican mainstream.
"Look no further than the inclusion of the Akin amendment in the Republican Party platform, which bans abortion, even for rape victims. The truth is that the party has failed to demonstrate the kind of leadership or seriousness voters deserve," said Crist, who broke up with the Grand Old Party a few years ago.
Crist ran as an Independent during the 2010 Senate race and lost to the tea party-backed candidate, Republican Senator Marco Rubio.
Leave a Comment:
Tom Browcaw must not remembered the "ObamaCare" comment at the NAACP meeting. As Romney deliberately antagonized the NAACP crowd, he deliberately bated the crowd with the poorly disguised Birther message. So, I'm not fooled and I hope you aren't either. This guy will do anything to win by any means possible. And, he couldn't care less who he offends.
Crist was drummed out of the Republican Party in 2010. He was in the bottom of the barrel of Senatorial Candidates in the Republican Primary that year, and branded as a "bad apple". He pulled out and ran a poor third to the Republican winning candidate, Marco Rubio, and Democrat Party candidates as an underfunded Independant, and nary a tear was shed by any in the Florida electorate, especially registered Republican's in the state.
He is obviously angling for a job in a future Obama administration (good luck with that Chris) being unemployed since 2010. Hint: his claim that Obama did anything other than forestall a normal economic recovery from a financial recession of late 2007 with his runaway deficit spending, threats to raise taxes, excessive redtape regulations on bank lending and business activity, and war on fossile fuel exploration, development, production in our country have worsened the effects of a lingering depression unlike anything we have seen in this nation sive the Great Depression, ruled over by similiar anti-business and banking policies, and deficit spending and tax policies for 4 FDR Democrat Party presidential administrations.
Kenny you my friend need to make sure you vote republican. That runaway spending was never a problem under bush, now all a sudden you're all sweating it. Don't you remember chaney said deficits don't matter or is your memory selectively short?? What about two wars off budget or that great senior prescription plan also off budget, but you blame Obama who's had the lowest federal spending in 50 years but I know facts don't matter to you folks in the GOP/Tea Party. You really think austerity works?? I bet you do, again, facts don't matter, look at Spain, Ireland, Greece and Britain where it's been tried and how's that working there?? But again facts don't matter. Did you really say deregulate the banks?? I can't believe that, that's how and why we got into the mess we're in now, don't you remember the housing bubble, wasn't that related to credit default securities aka creative banking games?? But I know facts, smacks, none of those matter. So Kenny in summary you need to vote republican, maybe this country needs another dose of what they did in the 8 years before President Obama?? Good Luck Kenny make sure you're registered, not on the banned list and have your ID handy. Romney's your man for sure. He'll free the banks, let big oil do it's thing, let polluters do what they do best, repay the Kohk brothers and adelman for their millions in support and return to american exceptionism, whatever the hell that is, sounds like manifest destiny to me but whatever.
He is not 'unemployed.' He's doing just fine, thanks. The Republicans pretty much booted him when he had the audacity to welcome President Obama to Ft. Myers when he made a visit to discuss the bad economy there. The horror! I give the man kudos, and welcome him to the Democratic Party, as he is a sane moderate.
Yes the all ethical Florida republican party. Going to rid govt of corruption and insider politics. Thats why you voted in Rick Scott. Defrauded medicare of Billions, then used that money to buy his way to governor. Then the new messiah of the republican party, going to fix Washington Teapublican Rubio. The reason he wasn't picked as a VP, because you know they wanted him so badly for the Hispanic background. Could not pass vetting, the corruption he was involved in Miami as a state level politician will never be overlooked. They pulled the wool over Florida voters eyes as did Scott. But not in Natl politics.
Keith is lying,,,again. Crist (glad to see you got the spelling right this time) left the GOP of his own accord when they became so fractionalized and dysfunctional that they didn't have a cognizant message to send. He wasn't "drummed" out of anything.
They're still like that...and so is Keith.
Unable to win the Republican Party, and trailing badly in the polls, Crist ran for the Senate in Florida in 2010 as an Independant, and he finished third to the Republican and Democrat canditates. Where is the lie in that, Eyes Wide Shut.
The Republican Party had no home for him after that, and he was "drummed out", shunned, persona non gratis in Party circles or financing. So now he is looking for a job in a future Obama Administration, which is a slim to none proposition.
The majority of voters in this country identify themselves as slightly conservative according to pollsters that have bothered to ask the question. And the majority of voters when asked how they would catagorize President Obama and Gov, Romney, answer: President Obama - too liberal, Gov. Romney - slightly conservative. In ther words, Eyes Wide Shut, the majority of American voters see Gov. Romney as being more in line with their views than do they see President Obama. Stay tuned!
You say drummed out , shunned by Republicans like that is a bad thing... It puts him in good company with the rest of us who are not right extremist. Glad you guys don't like him we are happy to have him.
Well, there you go again..acting like you went rogue and gettin' all mavericky and such. But you were still lying about him being drummed out of the GOP. He left because he wanted to for reasons already explained to you.
I see you're still dreaming that somebody appointed you as the spokesman for "the majority of American voters". My, my...what grandiose thoughts...much like Mitt thinks he's going to win this election.
I can see why you're simpatico with him...
Charlie Crist is a good man, who will protect, our enviornment our money our education and our women. SINCERELY< with all my heart
MICHELLE CORY
Governor Christ was a excellent Governor for Florida. He is the last republican I have supported. But because he did not tow the party line, he was drummed out. It was sad because he would have been one of the few that would work for the people and not the party.
Interesting that MSNBC, which is so far up Obama's backend with their perpetual arse kissing that its habitual viewers can't see the light of day, boycotted Artur Davis's speech last night in their coverage of the Republican Convention. Is that responsible journalism, or are they just conducting themselves as an adjunct of the Obama re-election campaign?
Get your gavel to gavel unbiased coverage from C-Span folks, and if you want balanced political commentary, watch CNN. This bottom of the network in ratings network is determined to stay there, in the gutter too, as they supplanted coverage of Artur Davis with the inane racebaiting comments of Al Sharpton, running his mouth about "racist coded language" and "dog wistles" in the Republican speeches. This clown of the Shawhan Tawley and Duke Lacross Rape race rabbling background sees a Klu Klux Clan cloak on even Afro-American former Democrat Congressman Artur Davis.
But Keith...YOU"RE here habitually viewing Lawrence all the time...
Oh-oh...Mitts calling for you...better practice your pucker. Come into the light, Keith.
I always liked Crist. He seemed more about actually governing than politicking. Now Florida's got Rick Scott, the Medicare fraudster. Sometimes I wonder how the FL electorate can go go from a good man like Crist to a worthless bobblehead like Scott.