Tweet
The one thing both parties seem to be obsessed about at their conventions is party switchers, elected officials that were once members of one party endorsing the candidate of the other party. In this vein Democrats have managed to secure former Republican governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, for their convention. Crist will probably end up with a decent speaking slot to highlight Mr. Obama’s willingness to work across the aisle and how the GOP has made a hard turn to the right. From ABC News:
Former Florida Republican governor Charlie Crist, who endorsed President Obama in a Tampa Bay Times op-ed on Sunday, will speak at the Democratic National Convention next week, ABC News has learned.
A Democratic official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Crist’s appearance in Charlotte, N.C., would be a testament to a spirit of openness and bipartisanship at the convention.
“The Democratic convention will be about bringing people together to continue the progress we’ve made in rebuilding our economy from the middle out, not the top down,” the official said.
For the most part I don’t understand this obsession. Why any undecided voter would really care what some former politician has to say about the race is beyond me. But as party switchers go, this is probably as good as it gets. Crist is still decently popular and very well known in Florida, which is the biggest swing state this year. If Crist not only endorses Obama but actually does some outreach for the campaign, it is possible he could make a tiny impact in the state.
Long term, this is probably another step in Crist’s slow transition after effectively getting kicked out of the Republican party in the 2010 senate primary for not being conservative enough. It won’t be surprising if in a few years Crist again tries to run for office in Florida but as a Democrat.
17 Comments
Really doesn’t matter R or D after your name. You are still in the “club” like Clemens going from Red Sox to the Yankees. Still a money grubbing cheater who answers to the Owner. p.s. the people are NOT the owner.
Why not have Crist speak? Today’s so-called “Democratic” party is simply yesterday’s “Republican” party. Currently in fealty to the Banks & Wall St.
The Christofascist lunatics have been let loose to think that they are running the “GOP,” but really they just provide cover for the theivery wrought by the 1%, mainly run by BigCorps or the usual suspect multi-billionaires.
He’s wearing his wedding ring on the wrong finger, or was this picture taken before he gay-married his wife? /s
Zell Miller might have something to say about that.
Agreed. Crist will become RINO, if not already, to Republican voters. They will ignore, or even revile, him. Obama will help bolster his reputation as The Serious Compromiser™ to Democratic voters, who are slowly being yanked to the Right by tribal allegiance anyway. Maybe Crist will finally be coming out of the closet?
Who in the hell gives a damn?
6th post. Time to move along.
If Crist aligns himself with the so-called “Democrats,” at least maybe then he can come out of the closet & continue to run for pol office, if that’s what he wants (why not feed at the trough like everyone else). So I guess – for now – there IS that.
I echo: who gives a damn???
A GOP creep speaking at the Democratic party convention….like most have already noted this ain’t news…..DNC & GOP are one of the same,they both fuck over we,ordinary people.
The fact that this will happen shows just how both parties are accommodating of the Corp Agenda.
Who gives a shit? Obama had the Winnetka vote sowed up already.
Obama embraces Chain Gang Charlie–guy who made his fame by placing mostly black, mostly poor, mostly pot- and misdemeanor-crime-committing young black men by the state’s highways in black and white striped suits to show how tough he was. And liberals who remember nothing or don’t give a shit to begin with cheer!
I think we should ALL give ourselves a pat on the back.
The Florida Republicans number 1 priority after last election cycle should have been to get Charlie Crist appointed to the 11th Circuit (the federal appeals court that cover Alabama, Florida and Georgia).
Obama hasn’t been able to fill many federal judgeships (the 11th Circuit alone has two vacancies), it’d have been worth it for the GOP to agree to a quick Senate confirmation of a slew of Democrats to federal judgeships in exchange for Obama kicking Crist up to Atlanta to be a circuit judge instead of him going back to practice law in Tampa.
If Crist isn’t on the bench by 2014, he’s a lock to win the governor’s mansion back as a Democrat (and probably sweep in a bunch of Democratic legislators with him).
Pefect spokesman for Obama. A guy who lost his job in politics because he was perceived to be not conservative enough.
For a few dollars more…they coulda had Leiberman. Bipartisan means standing up for the status quo i.e the rich get richer, the poor get poorer and the shrinking middle class pays the bill. Four more years!
I sure hope the D’s bash Willard and Petey this week.
Sure Willard and Petey will whine about traditionally this not done during convention week.
But the D’s can respond traditionally candidates also release more than 1 year of tax returns.
Also, I bet Willard 10k they’ll be trashing O next week.
I know Charlie Crist. We went to school together and his father was my family doctor when I was a child.
He’s a creep, has always been and will always be a creep. Perhaps relative to other politicians from the right he isn’t the worst but there’s little there to admire.
True story: we were in kindergarten (and yes I can remember that far back) when a new jungle gym was put up in the playground. First one on it was Charlie, who scampered to the top, dropped trou’ and peed on the rest of us trying to climb up.
Mt first experience with “trickle down” politics…
God bless the Democratic Party – the place Republicans feel perfectly comfotable going to when the Republican Party gets a little too crazy for them, because on the major issues, the two aren’t very different.
Expect more gay smears from Rove*/Koch in 3,2,1…
He with the gay father.
http://firedoglake.com/2010/10/11/in-which-karl-rove-helpfully-demonstrates-the-freudian-concept-of-projection/