The Republican presidential race became so bitter Sunday that even Florida's sunny and immensely popular governor got dissed.
The disser-in-chief: former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense. He suggested the Republican governor's endorsement of John McCain could actually hurt the candidate in the Panhandle because Crist is seen as too moderate.
Bense is a supporter of Mitt Romney.
''I think we're conservative in this part of the world,'' Bense said in a conference call. ``Since the endorsement last night, I got 47 phone calls to my cellphone and home cell, either wanting to get [Romney] campaign signs or how to get to the rally that Gov. Romney will attend.''
The sour-grapes comments -- Romney had sought the governor's endorsement -- exposed the increasing tensions in the two men's battle for victory in Florida. Polls have the two men running neck and neck for first place in Tuesday's primary.
The Romney camp struck hard at McCain in a prerecorded call Sunday to Republican voters that painted the Arizona senator as a Hillary Clinton buddy, a Bush tax-cut flip-flopper and a supporter of ''amnesty'' for illegal immigrants.
Full story here
I had more respect for McCain before Charlie endorsed him. This endorsement underscores the fact that McCain is not a true Republican.
Posted by: RealRepublican | January 28, 2008 at 07:46 AM
Its good to see that Bense is acting like the true conservative by overlooking Romney's position on every major issue in the past, and also overlooking the history of McCain as a true american hero. If people like Bense and Romney were running the country in the 1700's we would all still be british subjects. I would rather vote for an american hero as opposed to a man that says anything to get elected.
Posted by: Joe | January 28, 2008 at 07:51 AM
"immensely popular" governor? The last two polls have him in the high 50' s approval. That is not immensely popular that is the same as Bill Nelson.
Posted by: | January 28, 2008 at 07:52 AM
Desperate for news at the Herald...
Bense makes an off-hand comment that may even been intended to be humorous and you Twinks act like he'd dropped an F-Bomb on Crist on national TV... If there's no real news, turn no news into real news, huh?
Posted by: Attila's Evil Twin | January 28, 2008 at 08:02 AM
Dear Attila's Evil Twin:
Not to be a media defender, but when the TBRC Chair/former speaker/guy who endorsed Crist over Gallagher makes a negative comment about the Governor of the third largest state in the US, it is newsworthy. If Bense didn't mean it to be news, he shouldn't of been thinking out loud.
Posted by: | January 28, 2008 at 08:26 AM
Go Charlie and Go McCain!
Posted by: calfloridia | January 28, 2008 at 10:35 AM