Down in polls, Charlie Crist goes after Marco Rubio

So much for the Mr. Nice guy. Gov. Charlie Crist is hitting Marco Rubio as a big spender. Overall, the attack is pretty misleading in that it implies Crist vetoed $500 million that Rubio "tried to sneak" into the budget. Though Rubio was House Speaker, the final budget in question included deals struck with the Senate. So all this money can't be laid at Rubio's feet -- especially considering that Crist rounded up the vetoed amount up from $459m. But that amount included some creative accounting by Crist and not all of it was Rubio's. For instance, the $1.5m listed for the rowing center was likely inserted in 2007 in the budget by Republican Rep. Ralph Poppell and Sen. (now Congressman) Bill Posey. Crist does whack Rubio for $800k for field renovations where Rubio played flag football. True, the item was inserted by other lawmakers (Rep. Mitch Needleman and Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla). But, as we know, lawmakers sometimes sponsor items for other items as a courtesy, which looks like the case with Needleman, whose district is a few hundred miles away from Rubio's. But Needleman, who has sponsored similar measures before, said Rubio had nothing to do with it.

 

Comments

[Susan in Aventura]

Give em hell Charlie!

[Check My Credit Rating]

I was in favor of Charlie Christ until this recent stint as our governor here in Florida. I really disagree with most of his decisions thus far and now changing political parties to get more votes is just too much.

Worst part is, he is not even doing the job he is being paid for now. Last check he had phoned in his responses to governor related issues and had only spent 11 days of the past 45 doing that. That source was mentioned in the St Petersburg Times a week ago.

[whasup]

And if Shucking Chuckles had wanted any of these items kept out of the budget, he merely had threaten to veto it.

Instead, in order to pull a political stunt--that shocked legislators because he hadn't warned them not to stuff them in the budget--Charlie let them go ahead with their appropriations to make their constituents happy.

It is now absolutely shameful for Mr. Cristo Change-O to try to use his old farcical stunt as an attack ad.

But now he's started it, so he's going to pay dearly for it.

He can't go out with class, so he's going to go out like the petulant little stroke-seeker he is.

[Moderate Republican in Naples]

The Party hacks can dish it out but can't take it. The first time they get hit their panties get in a knot.

Give em hell Charlie!

[See ya, Chuck]

Trust me, Charlie has given Florida hell for almost four long years. He is without exception Florida's worst governor. No mas. It's time for him to pack up and go the hell back to St. Pete.

[Deerfield Beacher]

Crist is a flipflopping, self-serving creep. A RINO, Crist lost to Rubio for the GOP nod. Rather than accept the voters' sentiment with class and honor, Christ became a spoiled brat, changed parties and is clinging to political power. He doesn't have the GOP's or the country's interest at heart - only his own. He's a weasel.

[What happend to the Charlie is used to know?]

It's become really sad to see Charlie act this way. I used to have so much respect for him but he is now showing the ugly side of him that I thought he didn't have. Sad...

[Max Brody]

What has Rubio got to offer ? He pushedd through a budget that cut state education funding and is harming our children. His personal fiscal responsibility is public knowledge & doesnt justify his conservative claims. He will just represent more logjam in congress & no benefits, no jobs for the middle class. The last GOP senator did nothing for this state or the nation.

The case for Crist is his great record fighting for the people as atty general. He opposed many wrong nmoves by his own party and represented all the people of FL conssidering that Jeb bankrupted the state.