The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
Republican political maladroitness is, of course, legendary. So it is especially welcome to see the emerging conservative electoral wave catalyzing a tendency towards self-immolation amongst some of our friends on the Left. Yesterday, we explored Senator Barbara Boxer’s uncertain command of budgetary statistics. Today, Hot Air's Ed Morrissey brings us Florida Governor, former Republican and current Independent senate hopeful Charlie Crist—perhaps not so much a liberal as a protean politician utterly devoid of principle—taking Republican Marco Rubio to task because he “turned his back”—I kid you not—“on his Hispanic family.”
As you might expect, Mr. Rubio knocks this slow pitch out of the park.
Morrissey ties a bow around Crist’s breathtaking hypocrisy.
It’s bad enough playing identity politics when one is of the identity in question. It’s doubly offensive when it comes from someone who shares nothing of the ethnicity they purport to represent. In Crist’s case, though, it qualifies as high satire. Isn’t Crist the candidate that just “turned his back” on the political party he led in this state only because Rubio was kicking his rear end in primary polling, and then spent the next several months reversing almost every policy position he ever held? Crist has the nerve to lecture Rubio on political ambition?
Fortunately, Governor Crist will soon have a lot more personal time to sort out what, if anything, he truly believes. An October 13 Quinnipiac poll shows Rubio leading Crist 44 to 30 percent, with Democrat Kendrick Meek in third position with 22 percent of likely voters.
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Jun '10
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
In my near six decades, I've seen a fair amount of unprincipled "it's-all-about-me" politicians at work, but they're all minor leaguers (even people like Biden, Schumer, Pelosi) in the face of the marvelous Charlie Crist: the single most unprincipled politician in the history of the Republic (even Aaron Burr, who might have committed treason, looks to be a paragon of virtue compared to Charlie).
For those who remember the Mary Tyler Moore Show, he's the Ted Baxter of politics (so incredibly over-the-top it's amazing he wasn't created by someone like Rob Long).
Maybe CNN's next disaster will be pairing Charlie with Eliot Spitzer (can you imagine anything so exquisitely bad??).
Edited on Oct 18, 2010 at 11:21amMay '10
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
I believe Charlie Crist's first job was working in the in-house legal department for Minor League baseball. What a perfect metaphor.
Sep '10
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
Is this the same Crist that was anointed by the Republican Senatorial Committee and the same Rubio, that was backed by the Tea Party and far too extreme to stand a chance of winning in FL. Rubio is a RINO. He is far to principle, dynamic and independent to be an actual Republican.
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
Liberal Jim, you are right about Crist and the Republican establishment. Marco Rubio is a solid constitutional conservative--one of many backed by the Tea Party--who will pull the center-of-gravity of the Republican Party back where it belongs.
Jul '10
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
I don't recall anyone saying Rubio was too "extreme" to win. They just said he had an uphill battle in a purple state against a popular sitting Governor.
Jul '10
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
How much do I despise Crist?
If Christine O'Donnell was running against him, I'd send her money.
May '10
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
Kenneth
I don't recall anyone saying Rubio was too "extreme" to win. They just said he had an uphill battle in a purple state against a popular sitting Governor. · Oct 18 at 11:55am
An important distinction. Maybe many thought he couldn't beat Crist in the primary. I don't recall anyone saying he would, having secured the nomination, be too radical for Florida, or unable to beat Kendrick Meek.
The fate of Charlie Crist is an instructive moral tale. They don't always work out so perfectly in real life as this one is doing. I've been gorging on schadenfreude of late. Can't be healthy.
Aug '10
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
Schadenfreude. It's especially good with a little coffee. And maybe a chocolate.
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
Kenneth: How much do I despise Crist?
If Christine O'Donnell was running against him, I'd send her money. · Oct 18 at 11:58am
OMG!
Aug '10
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
Songwriter
Schadenfreude. It's especially good with a little coffee. And maybe a chocolate. · Oct 18 at 12:46pm
Sing along!:
Schadenfreude, Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium. Wir betreten feuertrunken...
May '10
Re: The Comeuppance of Charlie Crist
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Schadenfreude, Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium. Wir betreten feuertrunken... · Oct 18 at 1:22pm
The big takeaway: Crist and friends wear flaming swim trunks. I've long suspected.