WaPost blog case against VP Crist: RINO

Better late than never, here's the post from the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza on why Gov. Charlie Crist won't be McCain's running mate. His primary reason: he's not conservative enough and is derided as being a RINO -- Republican in Name Only.

"For McCain to have any chance at winning this fall, he MUST find ways to excite the conservative base about turning out for him. The easiest way to do that is to pick someone as vice president that conservatives see as one of their own. And, that isn't Charlie Crist."

Cillizza also quotes Florida GOP operatives whom he says claim the governor's "knowledge of issues is a mile wide and an inch deep" and his "chief governing philosophy is based on doing whatever is easy and popular." He adds, however that "Crist defenders insist that he is a compromiser by nature, an approach to governing that rank partisans might not like but that voters respond to."

Crist tells Financial Times he'll sue for oil as last resort

Continuing his ever-available presence on national and international media circuits, Gov. Charlie Crist today was asked by the Financial Times in London the same round of questions that have been dogging the governor for weeks: Will you really drill for oil off Florida's coast? Are you really being considered as McCain's VP?

The governor was asked if the president's lifting of the ban on offshore oil drilling gave states a chance to challenge the continuing moratorium. Crist said: “I suppose you could go to court potentially, but I think Congress has to change the law in order to lift the ban.”

Q: Would he take court action? A: “I’d consider anything that would be good for the people of my state,” but he repeated his preference for a congressional solution.

Q: Have you been vetted for the vice-presidency? A: “No. I can’t talk about it. Since [the post] has not been offered I’m prepared to accept being governor of Florida.”

(That's our emphasis added. Not to read too much into this, but is there a tinge of resignation and perhaps disappointment here?)

Seminoles want court to give them a new hearing

Arguing the state has already authorized so-called "banked card'' games through its Lottery Flamingo Fortune shows, the Seminole Tribe is asking the Florida Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling invalidating the compact between Gov. Charlie Crist and the tribe. Read full story here.

Download seminole_motion_for_rehearing.pdf

Download photos_of_flamingo_fortune.pdf

Download seminole_case_against_lottery.pdf

The Crist "sonic boom:" Fl's #1 in job loss in nation

When state economists met Tuesday to discuss their gloomy forecast, this little-known/unreported fact rose to the surface: Florida leads the nation in job loss, with 74,700 people laid off in a year from May to May. Full story here on all that.

While the blame is rooted in national troubles and the resulting crash in Florida's speculative one-trick housing economy, the data casts doubt on Gov. Charlie Crist's claim that his and the Legislature's tax cut plans would cause a "sonic boom" that would "fire up Florida's economic engine." By giving homeowners a few extra bucks in savings, the plans denied millions to local governments, which are in a hiring freeze and contemplating layoffs that could make things just a little worse.

Is it fair to blame a governor for any of the troubles? Maybe it's just as fair as former Gov. Jeb Bush's decision to repeatedly take some credit for the fact that, in 2005, Florida led the nation in job creation. He also attributed the strong economy in Florida to his policies. Bush's labor department used to send out press releases touting the we're-number-one stat in job creation. No such thing from Crist's agency. Success has many press releases, failure only silence.

Asked in June if Florida and Floridians were in better shape now than before he took office, Crist said "I certainly hope so. We’re working awfully hard to make sure that’s true."

Beyond what you hope, are they better off?

Crist: "You have to ask them. They’re taxed less, I know that."

Crist meets Duke and other photos

Interested in a new background screen? How about a slide show of men (and some women) in suits overseas? Take a look at this line-up of photos fresh from Gov. Charlie's Crist's press shop featuring his meetings from his trade mission to the United Kingdom.

Photo: Gov. Charlie Crist meets the Duke of York, Prince Andrew. Photo by governor's press office.

WaPost blog makes case for Crist as veep

In the first of a two-part posting, Washington Post political blogger Chris Cillizza makes the case for Charlie Crist as John McCain's running mate. Among his reasons:

"In a toss-up race, Crist could make the difference as he not only has a demonstrated appeal at the ballot box (and high approval ratings to boot) but also has surrounded himself with a highly regarded political team -- both in Florida and Washington.

"If the state already leans toward McCain, then naming Crist would put it away before Labor Day -- taking a hugely expensive state off the battleground map and allowing McCain, who is likely to be operating at a significant financial deficit to Obama, to re-allocate resources to other large states like Ohio and Michigan.

"It's a win-win proposition."

Tomorrow, he says he will make the case against Crist.

No limelight worries for gov: VP questions follow Crist to UK

Twelves days in the Europe and Russia with no American reporters in tow? What's a governor eager for the spotlight to do?

No worries, Britain's Sky News foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall rushes to the rescue with what the network touts as its "exclusive" interview" with Gov. Charlie Crist, "the man who's the favourite to become John McCain's running mate in the fall."

No surprises here in this exclusive though.

Q. Does the gov want to be running mate? A: "...the mere mention of the question is a humbling kind of thing for someone like me.''

Q. How justified is your decision to support oil drilling given your interest in climate change? A. "I think that is good to allow freedom at the state level rather than the federal government telling us what to do." Plus, a repeat of the governor's new-found clarification that "our limit is at least 125 miles off the coast.''

Q. What will it take to lift sanctions on Cuba? A. "I do not support lifting the sanctions on Cuba until freedom is achieved.'' By that, he means they "have a Democracy, free elections, freedom of travel to respect the people of Cuba.''

Crist's Glades deal bitter for town without a say

Fearing a bitter future when United States Sugar Corp. leaves the town that sugar built, people here are rallying around their mayor's call for a role in negotiating the company's controversial exit.

''We should have a seat at the table to help out in the decision-making,'' Mayor Mali Chamness insisted in the face of news that U.S. Sugar would sell its holdings to Florida water managers and leave the business in six years as part of an ambitious Everglades restoration project.

Chamness' rallying call drew applause from the 300 farmers, business owners and residents who packed John Boy Auditorium this month for an emergency meeting about the area's future.

Full story here

Crist releases Euro trip plan and guests

Gov. Charlie Crist will be heading to London, Paris, St. Petersburg (Russia) and Madrid next week for a whirlwind international trade mission geared toward building more alliances with foreign companies on energy alternatives and climate change.

At his side, as a "guest," will be Carole Rome, his new fiancee who is listed in her capacity as president of Franco-American Novelty Inc and Tom Kuntz, vice chairman of Enterprise Florida and CEO of Sun Trust. Other "guests" drop on and off the participant list, depending on the country. They include former Crist staffers George LeMieux and Chris Kise. Download 7.10.08 EUROPE DAILY SCHEDULE.pdf Download 7.10.08 EUROPE PARTICIPANTS.pdf

Crist gets former hostages their DLs back

Rescued American hostage Keith Stansell jokingly issued this plea at a Monday press conference: "To Gov. (Charlie) Crist of the great state of Florida: Sir, I don't have a driver's license. How am I going to get home?"

Easy. Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles quickly responded by re-issuing licenses to the last known Florida addresses of Stansell, Marc Gonsalves and Thomas Howe, who respectively live in Bradenton, Big Pine Key and Meritt Island.

In addition, Gov. Crist slipped a personal note in each envelope.

Crist's sweet Glades deal leads to first lawsuit

The people who control U.S. Sugar's private stock "misrepresented" its value and hid its "lucrative" deal struck with Gov. Charlie Crist to sell out to the state for $1.75 billion, according to a new federal lawsuit.

The suit, filed five days after the buyout was announced, mirrors an older and current action filed on behalf of U.S. Sugar workers by the heavy-hitting Colson Hicks law firm. The difference in this suit filed by worker Miguel Matura: the Everglades deal.

U.S. Sugar's bosses deny wrongdoing and the underlying claim in both suits that they wrongfully denied the shareholder/workers the right to know about an offer from a firm, The Lawrence Group, to buy the entire company and holdings for $575m, which the suits say was more than the company was worth. In light of the Crist buyout proposal offering nearly three times that amount, the decision to reject the Lawrence Group offer seems pretty shrewd.

But the Crist deal is no guarantee. The state needs to find the money from somewhere and it needs to rely on the Fanjul family to go along. More here on that. Download suit.pdf

Crist's ace hole in Rubio gambling match

Days after House Speaker Marco Rubio successfully persuaded the state Supreme Court to reject Charlie Crist’s Seminole gambling deal, the governor casually mentioned he has an ace in the hole: Time.

The governor suggested he might like to appeal or “marinade” in the “status quo” -- and he looks forward to restocking the high court now that four justices are set to depart.

“I respect the court's opinion, I do,'' Crist said. “And I look forward to being able to name a majority of their membership soon.''

Asked if he’d like the next Legislature (trans: one sans Rubio) to review the deal, Crist said: “That’s a possibility as well - that you might want to have the status quo for a while. You know, the machines are there, obviously,'' Crist said. “It seems to me that giving this some time to marinade a bit would be prudent. And that's what I plan to do - and then have a chance to do what is best for Florida. That's the most important thing. Having the extra money to pay teachers more is important to me and it's important to the Legislature.''

Rubio said table games will likely be a non-starter in the House, even when he’s gone.

“The governor's office was going to bring this to the Legislature. But they only changed they're mind at the last minute when they realized we wouldn't go along with it,'' he said.

In other moves, Pompano Park's Isle Casino asked a federal judge Monday to halt blackjack and other new card games at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, citing Thursday's Florida Supreme Court ruling that struck down the tribe's gambling agreement with the state. More here on that

LeMieux on Hardball: People don't want Washingtonian ideologue

Former Crist campaign manager and chief of staff George LeMieux appeared on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews to answer how John McCain can appeal to the non-country-club Republicans. His answer:

"What I've learned working for Charlie Crist is that it's simple. People want someone who's going to fight for them on issues that are important,'' LeMieux said. That means, they want good schools, good jobs, affordable health care, "and if you're a problem solver, not an ideologue, not an Washingtonian who fights back and forth with parisan rancor."

See it here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25575571#25575451

Engagement speculation keeps VP talk alive

In just the past two weeks, Gov. Charlie Crist has reversed on offshore oil drilling, made national news with a historic Everglades land deal to buy U.S. Sugar, and announced his engagement to his glam girlfriend of nine months for a fall wedding.

Why so many attention-grabbing and even life-changing announcements percolating during the summer lull?

The governor's supporters say it's just Crist being Crist: bold, spontaneous and in charge of a battleground state. Anybody who knows anything about this governor knows he's got a moth-to-the-flame attraction to television cameras and an uncanny timing for media attention.

But there may be one more explanation: Crist is reported to be on Sen. John McCain's shortlist as a potential running mate, and this governor leaves nothing to chance.

Although only two governors in the past 60 years -- Spiro Agnew and Earl Warren -- have been picked as presidential running mates, Crist and his consultants made a conscious decision months ago to position Florida's governor for the job, advisors close to the McCain campaign say. Read full story here.

Crist says wedding may be 'sometime in the fall'

Gov. Charlie Crist told the Miami Herald tonight that his wedding to Carole Rome won't wait that long.

While he's still not sure about a date, he said, ‘‘We're talking about doing it sometime in the fall at my church," the First United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, followed by a reception at the mansion. "That would be very nice," he said.

That might coincide nicely with the presidential campaign, too. The couple went to John McCain's Arizona ranch on what as perceived to be a vice presidential vetting weekend a month ago.

Crist said that while he doesn't consider himself a running mate contender, he admits the job could be offered. Would Rome be prepared to campaign?

"There's only one way to find out," he said. "She's seen quite a bit of it over the past few months."

She says 'yes!': Wedding bells at the Mansion

Gov. Charlie Crist told close friends Thursday that when he popped the question to his girlfriend, Miami businesswoman, Carole Rome, this morning, she said, "Yes."

Rome, 38, a  New York City native and consultant to her family's Halloween costume business, Franco American Novelty Company, has been dating Crist for the past nine months. The couple went to John McCain's Arizona ranch on what as perceived to be a vice presidential vetting weekend a month ago.

‘‘I think it's great,'' said George LeMieux, Crist's former chief of staff and campaign director. "First and foremost the governor is my friend. I know how happy Carole makes him. I know they'll be a great couple. I'm just excited and happy for both of them.''

Crist, 51, told the St. Petersburg Times that he proposed to Rome Thursday morning at his beachfront condominium overlooking Tampa Bay. The couple will be married in St. Petersburg at First United Methodist Church and they will probably have a reception at the mansion, he said.

Rome is a 1992 honors graduate of Georgetown University and worked as an account executive at Arthur Andersen before heading up her family's business. She was married to Todd Rome, CEO of Blue Star Jets of New York. The couple was divorced in 2006 and they have two daughters, ages 11 and 9.

The last time Florida had a bachelor governor was former Gov. Claude Kirk who got married to Ericka Mattfield, a native of Germany, shortly after becoming governor.

 

GOP brochure: a Dem White House = very scary

"If the Democrats win the White House this November...American will be unrecognizable.'' That's the headline that blares across a new Republican Party of Florida voter registration brochure being mailed out to Floridians across the state.

The theme of the brochure includes nothing positive or warm and fuzzy about the GOP but, as a harbinger of the negative tone of this campaign season, the Republican Party mailer is a predicably filled with scare tactics. For example, if Obama wins the White House he will:

"put the safety and security of Americans at risk both abroad and here at home....businesses will face greater bureaucratic regulations...The tax and spend Democrat machine in Washington will continue spending at alarming rates...Floridians will be forced into a system of socialized medicine...and (liberals will be) creating special rights for special interest groups.''

GOP Chairman Jim Greer wouldn't explain what he means by "special interest groups" but it's clear it's code. The problem is, he conveniently leaves us guessing about what that means, but what if we guess wrong? Does he mean gays? muslims? blacks?

Then there's this other little discrepancy about the anti-Washington line: At a media availability with reporters today, McCain's Southeast Regional Director Buzz Jacobs had this criticism of the tax and spending in Washington:

"They sent Republicans to cut spending in government and it didn't get cut,'' he said. Jacobs asserts: "It's a bad time to be a Republican, unless you're John McCain.''  Confused yet? Are you wondering too about all those people the party wants to sign up to be Republicans. Is it a bad time for them too? Download gop_voter_registration_flyer.pdf

Florida Lottery reverses course, joins Powerball

After resisting it for several years, the Florida Lottery has joined the multi-state Powerball, allowing player the option of a mega-prize that will be joined by 29 other states.

The change will start in January and the jackpots may reach millions. It's an about-face for the department, which as early as this spring told the Florida Legislature that joining the mega-state game will eat into Florida's own lottery games. See full story here.

Here's the release: Download breaking_news_florida_lottery_joins_powerball.htm

McCollum says we don't need to drill off coast, we need more nuke power

Attorney General Bill McCollum added his name to the list of Republicans distancing themselves from Gov. Charlie Crist's call for the exploration of oil drilling off Florida's coast. At a press conference today, McCollum said: "I'm personally not in favor of drilling off the coast."

Instead, he said, "we need to make a special effort in our state to expand any kind of regulations to build nuclear power plants." He noted that Congress has "recently opened up more offshore property for exploration" and that he spent years debating the issue in Congress and is firmly opposed to drilling off Florida's coast.

"I know the governor has said he favors more offshore oil exploration,'' McCollum said. "I'm not in the same position."

Crist unwinds Everglades deal, says 'writing was on the wall'

Gov. Charlie Crist told Tallahassee bureau reporters today that negotiations will begin tomorrow to bring the historic agreement he announced last week with U.S. Sugar "in for a landing,'' noting that the "it's not done yet, but the principles are in place and I'm optimistic about it.''

When asked to explain how the deal first came about, Crist said it began when he made his appointments to the South Florida Water Management District.  "I think that sort of the writing was on the wall that this administration was serious about the fact that we wanted to protect those rivers - the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers that flow from either side of Lake Okeechobee - and enforce that,'' Crist said.

When U.S. Sugar lobbyists Brian Ballanrd and Mac Stipanovich asked to meet with him to discuss the issue, he figured "they wanted to have a chance to sort of convince me maybe that wasn't the right thing to do  -- to stop the backpumping -- and that prior administrations had allowed for it.''

Crist stopped short of taking credit for coming up with the idea. He describes it this way: "One thing led to another and I can't remember exactly the circumstances of it. Ultimately, 'Why don't you just sell? Let's consider that as a notion.'''

The governor was asked whether the depletion of the nutrient value of the soil in the Everglades Agricultural Area played a role, and the fact that real estate prospects of converting farm land to development were not longer as lucrative in the down market as they once were. He acknowledged that those and "many factors" probably influenced U.S. Sugar's interest in accepting the offer.

"It's hard to measure how much each individual part played a role,'' Crist said. "I'm sure all those factors contributed to it though. Some as a fallback position, in agriculture in Florida, had gone to real estate development, and a lot of tracts of land (were sold) for large developments. That's obviously cooled at present. So I don't think that's as viable an option for some as it had been in the past.''

 

Crist vetoes seagrass bill, as promised; signs South Florida wastewater bill

Gov. Charlie Crist just followed through on this promise to veto a bill that woud have allowed developers to destroy seagrass beds if they agreed to replant it somewhere else. The bill, House Bill 7059, was vetoed at the same time the governor signed the measure to extend the Florida Forever program for another decade and signed, Senate Bill 1302, which will impose new deadlines on Miami-Dade and Broward county from discharging their wastewater into the open.

Crist said he opposed the seagrass bill because it would have allowed marine development that could endanger seagrass beds and destroy marine estuaries and delicate nesting grounds for sea life with no guarantee the replacements would survive. Download seagrass_veto_letter.pdf

Crist said he is ready for his first execution

Gov. Charlie Crist said he will be in his office Tuesday night when the execution of child killer Mark Dean Schwab takes place at Florida State Prison in Starke. "I'm hopeful that it goes well -- what I mean by that is that it goes without any difficulties in terms of interruptions,'' he said.

"This is one of the most solemn things you do as a governor,'' Crist said. "I believe in the death penalty, obviously, or I wouldn't sign the warrant. I think it will work well. Justice will be done.''

The governor acknowledge that while the state has been slow to follow through with executions, the number of inmates on death row is growing. He said he is ready to work toward trying to accelerate the pace.

"There is an old adage in law that justice delayed is justice denied,'' he said. "And I believe in that and I'm very sympathetic to the families members of those who've had members of their families taken from them, murdered...I'm in favor of a better carrying out justice if you will than we see today. I want to make sure though that every opportunity is given for justice on both sides of the equation.''

Mark Elliot of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty said in a statement that the cost of carrying out that justice is more expensive than housing an inmate for life.

"While Floridians spend an estimated $51 million a year on our mistake-ridden Death Penalty system (that's over and above the cost of permanent imprisonment), victim's services are being cut-back, crime prevention programs are being disbanded and thousands of murders and violent crimes remain unsolved," he said.

He said the organization has sympathy for the family of Schwab's victim, Junny Rios-Martinez, but added that their wait for the execution has been justice denied. "There are some crimes so heinous that there is no earthly punishment that fits the crime,'' he said. "A sentence of life without the possibility for parole is carried out immediately, with no wait for justice." 

   

Schwarzenegger: expecting oil drilling to lower gas prices is 'blowing smoke'

Flying across the country to support the fight against global warming, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in Miami Thursday praised Gov. Charlie Crist's efforts, but firmly separated himself from Crist's recent support of off-shore drilling.

"Politicians have been throwing around all kinds of ideas in response to the skyrocketing energy prices, from rethinking nuclear power to pushing biofuels and more renewables and ending the ban on off-shore drilling, and it goes on and on the list," Schwarzenegger said.

"But anyone who tells you this will bring down our gas prices immediately and/or anytime soon is blowing smoke," he said as the audience applauded. "America is so addicted to oil that it will take years to wean ourselves off from it. And to look for new ways to feed our addiction is not the answer."

The Californian's other remarks, however, were unmitigated praise for Crist. He said his Republican counterpart in Florida was "doing such an extraordinary job'' in fighting climate change.

Speaking at the closing luncheon of  Crist's second summit on climate change in Miami, Schwarzenegger listed all the elements, some serious, some not, that California and Florida shared.

With a wry smile, he said each state had a governor with a good tan and each had one who could run for vice president. Then the Austrian-born Schwarzenegger sighed and said, no, as a foreign-born citizen, he couldn't run, but Crist  "can run and I can vote for him."

Read full story here.

-- JOHN DORSCHNER

Study: Don't use Florida coasts as toilets

Beach closures like the ones announced in Miami-Dade this week will continue throughout Florida as long as state and local governments continue to use the state's coastal waters as a toilet, concludes a two-year study of wastewater treatment facilities by the Clean Water Network.

The nonprofit environmental group reviewed wastewater treatment records at sewage plants along the Gulf Coast, from Pensacola to Key West, and found dozens of examples of failing pipes transporting raw sewage into ocean outfalls, treatment systems that are over-capacity, equipment failures, wastewater inadequately treated and expired permits.

The result is bacteria-laden beach water, red tide infestations, fish kills and toxic algae blooms that make swimming in the waters unsafe and sometimes harmful.

''It's not uncommon for people to be swimming right next to a sewage outfall pipe and not even realize it,'' said Linda Young, director of the Clean Water Network.

Young said the unprecedented number of incidents of harmful algal blooms in the past few years can all ``be linked to excessive nutrients and bacteria.''

The solution is tighter enforcement of existing pollution laws, including adequate wastewater treatment, warnings to beach goers as to what caused the beach closings, investigations into the sources of fecal contamination, and bans on new development unless there is adequate sewage treatment.

When asked which is worse, oil drilling or the sewage contaminating our coastal waters and beaches, Young said: "This is 100 times worse because this is happening every day." Read full story here.

Crist to WSJ: I do support a 125-mile buffer for oil drilling

Continuing his practice of spending more time with national media outlets that Florida's, Gov. Charlie Crist Wednesday gave a lengthy interview to the Wall Street Journal on oil drilling for this article. Among the new developments:

*the governor said he was not consulted by the McCain campaign before he made his statements on oil drilling,

*it is not a reversal of position if you are looking out for the pocketbooks of Floridians,

* he would like to see the 125-mile buffer from oil drilling be kept in place off Florida's coast (a suggestion former Gov. Jeb Bush first made here on Naked Politics)

* he still hasn't been asked to be vice president. The VP question when like this:

WSJ: Do you have any interest in being vice president?

Mr. Crist: No, I really don't. I'm enormously happy being governor of Florida -- I can't believe I'm governor of Florida. But I will do everything I can to help Sen. McCain because I think this is an awfully important election. Obviously, I endorsed him before the Florida primary, and the point of that was, you know, to help the man win.

WSJ: But if he asks, would you say yes?

Mr. Crist: He hasn't asked, so it's a moot question.

See story here.

Late night veto action from Crist

The office of Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday night stated that Crist had vetoed four bills, including a developments-of-regional impact bill, SB 1706, that included language that had been sought by the University of Miami to help with its planned bioscience hub.

Crist also vetoed three other bills, SB 686, dealing with nursing facilities, HB 1193 dealing with maternal and child health programs and SB 1008 dealing with vehicles.

Crist now says oil drilling needs to be "far enough" and "safe enough"

After jumping headlong last week into an endorsement of oil drilling off Florida's shores, saying only that he thought it should be studied but remaining silent for days without clarification, Gov. Charlie Crist offered more thoughts Wednesday. In his speech to the Serve to Preserve climate change summit in Miami on Wednesday, he said:

"Comprehensive policy must include, in my view, a study of how to enhance our domestic oil supply. However, we must have an open discussion -- without compromising Florida's sensitive econsystems and natural beauty.''

He then explained, for the first time, that what he means is that the oil drilling happen "only when we are able to do so far enough from Florida's coast, safe enough for our people and clean enough for our beaches."

He said he stated that last week but, in fact if he had, it might have avoided some of the dust up.

Crist's final words to the conference on the subject: "Let me repeat that -- far enough, safe enough, clean enough.''

Nat Reed lauds Crist for "bold leadership" and significant action on Glades

Long time environmentalist Nat Reed had high praise for Gov. Charlie Crist today for his decision to buy-out U.S. Sugar land in a letter to the governor today. Reed of Hobe Sound said Crist not only revitalized the South Florida Water Management District with his appointments and the selection of its chairman but called the land-purchase "the most significant single action'' and "bold leadership.''

He added that Marjory Stoneman Douglas, renown environmentalists and author of Everglades: River of Grass, was "bedeviled by the inaction of the board and staff of the South Florida Water Management District ot make meaningful changes...announced that the only solution was to 'buy them out!'

"Marjory is looking down on you with a smile on her face,'' Reed said. Read his full letter here: Download npreed_ltr_to_gov_crist_062508.pdf

Crist starts search for two Supreme Court justices

Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday officially accepted the resignations of Florida Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Bell and Justice Raoul Cantero, a move that will now trigger the formal start of a search for replacement justices. Crist has a rare opportunity to name four of the seven justices to the court between now and early next year.

Here's a copy of the acceptance letters from Crist: Download cantero_letter and Download bell_letter

Gov's climate change speech gets big applause, except for line about oil drilling

With 800 participants representing environmental groups and the major industries of Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist's second summit on global warming opened Wednesday morning with a strong emphasis on how business can work to clean up the environment.

''We know there is gold in green,'' Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said in opening the conference at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Miami.

As expected, Crist signed into law the wide-ranging green energy bill that he called ``Florida's most comprehensive ever.''

The bill discusses cap-and-trade provisions to penalize greenhouse gases and encourages renewable energy but does not set specifics on either, referring them to groups that will report back to the Legislature.

Crist, wearing a green tie, likened his efforts to move the state toward green standards to President John F. Kennedy's push in the 1960s to put a man on the moon.

''We recognize the undeniable link between our state's environment and our economy,'' Crist said. ``And this year, we want to gain a better understanding of that link. We must consider all of the possibilities -- including those within our reach, and those we can only envision at this point in time.''

He also mentioned the need for ''alternative and renewable energy.'' A key alternative in the minds of many utility executives is nuclear, which was not mentioned by name in Wednesday's opening remarks but has the ability to provide large amounts of power without greenhouse gas emissions.

Crist was interrupted several times by applause from the audience, but there was no reaction when he mentioned his desire to ''enhance domestic oil supply,'' a reference to his recent announcement he would support off-shore drilling.

The Democrats were scheduled to hold a news conference at 10 a.m. outside the Miami hotel, and anti-nuclear demonstrators have said they would appear at the hotel at mid-day.

''The entrepreneurial spirit can develop the clean technology that will liberate us from our current addiction to fossil fuel,'' Crist said. ``We cannot be content with doing things as we always have. We must be innovative, we must reach higher.''

-- JOHN DORSCHNER

Crist's report card on climate change: some progress, largely incomplete

For the past year, Gov. Charlie Crist has tried to stoke a statewide dialogue on global warming and attempted to make Florida a national leader in alternative energy, so what has been done? The governor convenes his second Climate Change Summit Wednesday in Miami and the report card is largely incomplete.

Read full story here.

Crist pursues blockbuster sugar buyout

The state of Florida is pursuing a massive buyout of the biggest chunk of Big Sugar, the powerful agricultural industry whose pollution of the Everglades has made it a target of environmentalists for decades.

Gov. Charlie Crist has scheduled a press conference today in Palm Beach County, where he's expected to outline a state proposal to purchase the U.S. Sugar Corp.'s vast holdings between Lake Okeechobee and the marshes of the Everglades -- as much as 187,000 acres, including refineries, railroads and rock mines.

The opening bid could be near $1.7 billion, though the figures could change during what promise to be lengthy and complex negotiations. Read more here.

Crist signs bill to tighten restrictions on Cuba travel

Ignoring the pleas of dozens of Cuban families and their travel agents, Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill Monday that will impose tough new regulations and penalties on companies that arrange travel to Cuba.

The bill, sponsored by Miami Rep. David Rivera and Eustis Sen. Carey Baker, would increase the licensing fees and bond requirements of companies licensed by the U.S. State Department to provide travel services to Cuba and "any other terrorist nation."

Travel companies brought a busload of families to Tallahassee last week for a rally to urge the governor to veto the bill. They complained that the requirement to raise their annual registration fee from $300 to $2,500 a year, and the mandate that they post a bond of up to $300,000, will increase their costs and make it unaffordable for many financially strapped families with relatives in Cuba to pay for the trips.

''There is nothing in this bill that protects you as a consumer," said Tessie Aral of ABC Charters Travel in Miami, who organized the protest in the state capital. "It is basically a witchhunt from people who have their own political agenda." Her company flies 20,000 visitors to Cuba a year on flights that operate five days a week.

Rivera countered by alleging that the travel companies were acting in cooperation with the Cuban government, which could lower the price of travel by lowering its fees.

"If somebody has asked for political asylum in the United States, they have no business returning to the country which they were supposedly fleeing," he said.

 

Honeymoon is over for gov -- popularity bubble bursts in So Fla

After 18 months of sky-high approval ratings, Gov. Charlie Crist's poll numbers have come down to earth -- at least in South Florida. According to a new Miami Herald poll by Zogby International, 52 percent of respondents believe the governor is doing a fair to poor job of handling South Florida issues, compared to 43 percent who say he's doing an excellent to good job.

It's the first time in Crist's tenure that he's gotten a higher negative rating than a positive one and pollster John Zogby blames rising gas prices, the slumping real estate market and a stagnant job market.

"This is what happens to chief executives when the economy is down," Zogby said. "He was doing well across the board and now the fact that a sitting Republican governor who was polling 54 percent is
down to 43 percent is a sign. The recession is maturing."

Zogby's previous polls in South Florida had Crist's approval ratings at 54-36 percent in September and 54-40 percent in December in the three counties surveyed, making him one of the most popular Republican governors in the nation. The one area South Floridians criticize him most:
property taxes. 59 percent Floridians say the governor's handling of property taxes is fair to poor while only 30 percent say it's been good to excellent.

The poll surveyed 807 South Floridians and has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. Read full story here.

Charlie's revelation to NYT: I don't use bronzer

The New York Times devotes one-page of its Sunday magazine to a Q and A introducing America to Charlie Crist, because he's being considered as a possible running mate to John McCain. So what provocative, probing questions do they ask our governor? Read here.

Suffice it to say, they reveal nothing new that a simple Google search wouldn't field and they use their precious space for nothing more than recycled news that a basic clip search would have accomplished. Ahh, big time journalism, new millenium style. Oh, but they do pivot a question off of Carl Hiaasen's column in the Miami Herald.

Here's an excerpt:

Q: "The novelist Carl Hiaasen has publicly asked that you excuse yourself from the vice-presidential sweepstakes, since you have been governor for only 17 months and haven’t accomplished much, in his estimation. A: I appreciate his counsel.

Q: "If you became vice president, he wrote in The Miami Herald, you would be better remembered for your tan than for your leadership. A: I hear that too. And that’s also very flattering.

Q: "I trust you use self-tanning lotion and stay out of the sun. A: No. It’s the sun. And it’s my heritage. I’m of Greek descent.

Gelber tells Crist Florida 'coastline is no political chit'

The Democratic pile-on over the oil drilling debate continues, this time with House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber sending a letter to Gov Charlie Crist urging him to reverse his reversal on oil drilling. Here's the letter:

Governor Crist,

You and I have worked together on many, many issues. While we don't always agree, I have always respected you for your willingness to engage an honest debate and avoid the rank partisanship that has defined our state for too long.

So it is in that spirit that I urge you to reconsider your support of Senator McCain and President Bush's position to lift the moratorium on drilling off the shores of Florida. Although I am confident that we will disagree on who to support for President, we both should be able to agree that Florida's pristine coastline should not become just another chit in presidential politics.

Jeb's oil alternative: drill but preserve the buffer

Former Gov. Jeb Bush, who negotiated the federal-state compromise to keep drilling away from Florida shores, said in an email to the Miami Herald that he supports drilling off Florida with restrictions. His suggestion: reviving the 2006 compromise to create a deep buffer around Florida while lifting the moratorium on domestic oil and gas drilling.

"I support the president's continued advocacy to develop domestic sources of oil and gas with a sense of urgency," Bush said. "This does not diminish the long term need to conserve and develop alternative sources of energy.

"I would encourage Congress to reconsider the common sense plan that Congressman Pombo and I worked on in 2006. The proposal would have provided a 100 mile buffer of permanent protection around the state from Jacksonville to Pensacola and, at the same time, would have opened up millions of acres in the energy rich Central Gulf for new exploration."

See today's Herald on the rising Republican rift over oil driling, and the nuts and bolts questions surrounding drilling off Florida's coast.

Crist's road show gets panned in California

Gov. Charlie Crist's trip out west last week, as the keynote speaker at the California's Orange County Republican Flag Day dinner, evoked this snide response from columnist Frank Mickadeit of the Orange County register.

"Brought in as the keynote speaker because he's on the short list of potential McCain running mates, his performance Friday night truly did help his party.'' Mickadeit writes. "By showing unequivocally he would be a complete disaster for the GOP – the worst running mate since Dan Quayle.

"Mr. Crist looks great: – silver hair, ragged shirt, baggy pa— … wait, that's Mr. Bojangles; let's try again: silver hair, warm smile, great tan, perfectly tailored suit of clothes, decent teeth. It's when he uses his facial musculature to try and form cogent sound that he falls apart."

Mickadeit apparently has no appreciation for the governor's homespun patriotism, or his gift of succinctness:

"His speech began at 7:38 p.m. and was over at 7:47 p.m. – at nine minutes the shortest Flag Day Dinner speech on record....But into that nine minutes, he packed two major gaffes and one cliché-ridden anecdote, a nice trifecta. First, he displayed his knowledge of history by informing us that Ronald Reagan "came from right here in Orange County, California." (Sorry, Charlie, that was that other Republican president. Orange County was simply where Reagan's ATM was located.)

"Then, again seeking to, uh, connect, with the O.C. Republican establishment, he managed to invoke one of the most reviled names in Orange County: "Your governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is doing a great job! … I love him!"

"Thud. The groans in the room were audible … audible!!!Obviously, Crist's advance team had failed to tell him that conservatives see Arnold as a vapid, poll-driven sellout who faked 'em out good.'

"Crist closed with an anecdote about the American Dream, about "a boy named Adam" who came to the U.S. without knowing English, who worked hard shining shoes, had seven kids … At which point, I wrote in my notebook: "It was his dad." Close. A minute of porridgy drama later, we find out Adam was his grandfather.

"OK, here's an easy one, Charlie: How do you spell potato?

Rubio: linking drilling to gas prices is 'disingenuous'

Republican House Speaker Marco Rubio said in an interview with the Herald that he supports oil drilling off Florida's coast "if it can be done in a manner that's safe for our environment.'' But he challenged Gov. Charlie Crist and John McCain's implication that drilling could lower gas prices anytime soon.

"For anyone to represent that someone drilling off the coast in Florida is going to lower gas prices here or anywhere in this country is disingenuous and a flawed argument,'' he said. "Oil drilling could take 10 years before any oil is pulled out of the ground, and there are a large number of leases held by oil companies that are not being exploited now. We can't say we need more until we've exploited those.''

Rubio said he dislikes how the issue over oil drilling is portrayed as "black and white" because he believes there is a middle ground that can help the nation achieve more energy independence while not harming the environment.

"If our beaches are going to be polluted and oil is going to end up on our shores, I'm against it,'' he said. "But I do believe that we have an obligation to safely exploit our natural resources in this country and I believe we have the technology to accomplish that.''

Sink to Crist: oil drilling "doesn't sound very green"

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink joined the chorus of Democrats, and some Republicans, sounding off in opposition to Gov. Charlie Crist's call for oil drilling off the coast to offset rising fuel prices. She noted that, unlike his climate change push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, his turnabout on oil drilling "doesn't sound very green to me.''

"Florida needs protection from Washington politics,'' Sink declared at a hastily called news conference. She said she was "stunned" when she learned of the news of the governor's reversal today by reading news accounts, including a piece in the Wall Street Journal which she said left the impression that if the governor supports oil drilling, the rest of Florida does.

"The more I thought about it, the angrier and angrier I got,'' she said. "We can't be ruled by polls...The governor is one person, he's one public official and I'm another statewide public official and I'm presenting the countervailing position.''

She said drilling could take as much as 10 years to even recover one drop and "will do nothing to reduce the pain we're feeling'' from $4 a gallon gas prices. "The future is not in destroying our coast,'' she said. "We need long-term solutions now.''

It's Gov. Kottkamp as Crist goes under knife

Gov. Charlie Crist briefly relinquished his power on Wednesday, as he underwent a knee operation that required light general anesthesia, according to Crist's press office.

Crist filled out a letter that handed over power to Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp during the operation, which lasted from 12:30 p.m. to 2:10 p.m. Here's the letter: Download Certificate.pdf

According to Crist's office, the governor underwent operative arthroscopy on his left knee to remove tears in both his medial and lateral meniscus. The operation was performed by Dr. William Lowry in St. Petersburg. The surgery was recommended to "address the aggravation of an old injury." The governor's office also said that  "Dr. Lowry expects an expeditious recovery for Governor Crist, who is now resting comfortably and is in good spirits."

Crist played football in high school, and briefly in college and has said in the past that he hurt his knee, which forced him to swim to stay in shape.

Drilling pushback: Sansom and Buchanan oppose it

The first sign of GOP pushback to Gov. Charlie Crist and John McCain's call for oil drilling off the Florida coast: Incoming House Speaker Ray Sansom and U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan say they oppose it.

Both should care. Geologists speculate the mother lode of natural gas lies beyond Sansom's House district in his coastal, development-dependent Panhandle region and others say that the only oil in the eastern gulf off Florida may be medium to heavy grade somewhere near Sarasota, near Buchanan's voters.

On Wednesday, Sansom, a Fort Walton Beach Republican, said he understands why the governor has changed his tune and now supports drilling off Florida's coast -- at least to determine what lies below. But Sansom is not ready to do the same. "I don't shift my views on these issues quickly,'' he told reporters. "At this point, I don't support drilling for oil off state waters.''

Buchanan, a Longboat Key Republican, told reporters that he, too, is concerned about the environmental impact coastal drilling would have on the state.

Sansom acknowledges that public opinion may be more open to domestic oil drilling and "gas prices could change the way people perceive this, but I still think there are other places in the country where the resources are more available."

Nonetheless, Sansom believes the debate will continue long beyond November and, if it does, he will create a committee to "take a very thorough review of what does this really mean and if exploring for oil off the coast of Florida will really lower the price of fuel."

Sansom predicts this much: "This will be a very, very defining moment for Florida, depending on what position we take."

Charlie's off duty for three days

For devotees to the governor's official schedule, he's a bit of news: it will be empty for the next three days. But, unlike the example attached, it's not what you think. Download cristkottkamp_administrative_schedule_6.16.2008.htm

This time, his state schedule is empty but he's not campaigning again with John McCain or fundraising for John McCain or doing network television for John McCain. We're told he's truly taking some time off. AKA, vacation. In Southwest Florida. Probably involving a sailboat -- but we don't have that confirmed.

Nelson: Drilling is not going to lower gas prices

Sen. Bill Nelson made one his first forays as a Barack Obama backer, bashing John McCain's call to lift the ban on offshore drilling.

Nelson on a conference call held by Obama's campaign said McCain's plan would do nothing to lower prices, which he said are being fueled by speculation in the markets.

"For a major candidate to say his answer is to drill off the coast of the United States shows a lack of vision,'' Nelson said. "It shows a coziness with oil companies and the Wall Street investment banks that are fueling this run up on prices."

And he accused McCain of flip flopping, noting McCain had opposed lifting the ban when he ran for the White House in 2000. But Nelson didn't answer whether he thinks the $4 price of gas means that offshore drilling will look a lot better to Floridians who once vehemently opposed drilling.

Crist: It's time for exploratory drilling off Florida

Gov. Charlie Crist morphed his position on oil drilling Tuesday, saying his position is evolving and that he now supports exploratory drilling for oil and gas off Florida's coast because "Floridians are suffering."

"When you're paying over $4 a gallon for gas, you have to wonder whether there might be additional resources to bring that price down," Crist said.

The governor said he "applauds'' Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain for calling for a lifting of the ban on offshore oil drilling off most of the nation's coastline. "We have to be sympathetic to the pocketbooks of the people of Florida and what they are paying at the pump for gas and balance that with what our state might be able to contribute in terms of resources," he said.

It's a sharp change of heart from a short year ago when Crist wrote the Senate Finance Committee urging them to oppose a plan that would "bring drilling rigs dangerously close to Florida's coasts." Download crist_letter_to_senate_32107.pdf

Crist rules out drilling in the Everglades, where oil companies speculate are some oil reserves. The biggest prize in Florida is estimated to be the Destin Dome, where 39 exploratory wells drilled in the 1970s and '80s showed vast reserves of natural gas, some of it accompanied by a light, low-grade, crude oil, from Pensacola to Tampa Bay.

But little is known about the true extent of the oil and gas reserves off Florida's coast and there's no guarantee that drilling now will lower the price of gas any time soon.

The federal Minerals Management Service estimates that the reserves within the first 100 miles of Florida's coast would produce only natural gas and not oil, because the discoveries have been too deep for oil - 20,000 feet or more - and are under temperatures too high for oil to exist.

Crist whacks Rubio turnpike business proposal

Gov. Charlie Crist this past weekend vetoed a measure that could have helped a friend of House Speaker Marco Rubio bid on a major contract for the Florida Turnpike. The provision was included in HB 5067, one of the so-called conforming bills that lawmakers passed in conjunction with the state's $66.2 billion budget.

In a statement about the veto, Crist said he was troubled by the procurement language contained in the bill, which was pushed by Rubio at the behest of South Florida fuel distributor Max Alvarez, a longtime friend of the West Miami Republican.

"I believe that we must protect the confidence citizens have entrusted to their public servants, and we should commit to making the best use of their hard earned tax dollars,'' said Crist in a statement. "Therefore it is disappointing that this legislation has directed a procurement which benefits vendors over the citizens of Florida."

Schale to head Obama's campaign in Florida

Steve Schale, the Democratic wunderkind who helped steer House Democrats to 9 victories in the last two years and strengtened Dem legislative numbers for the first time in 20 years, has been tapped to head up the Obama campaign in Florida.

Schale, who got his start as a spokesman for former House Democrative Leader Doug Wiles and then became top political operative for Democratic Leader Dan Gelber, will match up against Arlene DiBenigno, McCain's political director in Florida. She is the former campaign advisor and deputy chief of staff to Charlie Crist, and another young veteran political hand.

Schale will oversee the grassroots voter outreach effort the campaign has begun as well as a voter registration and education drive designed to tap the swell of new voters turned-on by the Obama candidacy.

Crist revs up fundraising machine, and big jets to TX and CA

Who's to say this talk of being on the VP short list doesn't come with a payoff? The Republican Party of Florida is prepared to cash in on the governor's newfound national celebrity as a short-lister with a series of fundraisers out west.

An invite to Republican Party of Florida VIP reception on Friday, June 13 screams: "Charlie Crist will be the guest of honor at an evening reception in California!" The event will be held at the offices of Scott Baugh, the chairman of another Orange County Republican Party -- California's.

The $2,500 per person event is just one of several on the governor's jet-setting fundraising weekend. He'll drop into a fundraiser in Houston at noon on Friday. Update: Another fundraiser scheduled for Saturday with  RPOF Chairman Jim Greer and Nevada Republican Party chairwoman Sue Lowden at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas has been cancelled.

TaxWatch slams Crist's tiny veto list

TaxWatch president Dominic Calabro blasted the governor in a statement today, saying he should have used his line-item veto to make more money available for needed services.

Calabro noted that the "Fiscal Year 2009 Budget cuts $332 million from K-12 education, or $131 (1.8%) per student; cuts payments to hospitals serving the poor by $250 million; and cuts nursing home payments by $164 million,'' and increases fees-for-services (such as court filing fees) by more than $200 while increasing tuition across the university system by 6 percent. 

“It’s disappointing that the Governor allowed so many questionable appropriations to remain in the budget while core services provided to the people of Florida are being cut across the board," Calabro said. "There were more than $100 million worth of projects that should have been vetoed, and there is only one person in Florida who had the constitutional ability and responsibility to do so.” Download florida_taxwatch_statement_on_the_200809_budget_signing.htm

Crist vetoes $251 million from budget and won't take questions about it

Gov. Charlie Crist quietly signed the state's $66.2 billion budget Wednesday, vetoing three items totalling $251 million from the state spending plan which is a record $6 billion less than the budget he signed last year.

The light veto list includes two true appropriations -- $840,000 for Exponica International, Miami's annual Latin America cultural festival which Crist also vetoed last year and $300,000 for a Central Florida lake restoration project. The governor also counted in the total $250 million as a veto, when it was money earmarked from Citizens Property Insurance for a loan-incentive fund he has already vetoed. Download crist_budget_letter.pdf

The light veto list is far smaller than the unprecedented $459 million in pet projects axed from the $72 billion state budget last year. But Crist said on Tuesday that he planned to trod carefully when vetoing projects because he recognized the legislature had already stripped billions in spending from the budget and he believed that what's left may serve to stimulate the state's weak economy.

But, as a demonstration of how far the governor wants to distance himself from one of the most painful budgets in recent history, the usually accessible governor refused to make himself available Wednesday to answer reporters' questions and address whether the reduced level of state spending could serve as a drag on the economy, as some economists have predicted.

"We do not have a scheduled availability," said Erin Isaac, the governor's communications director.

The governor praised legislators when they passed the budget in May and, on Tuesday, he repeated his praise: "Because of the way the Legislature acted, by keeping our budget in balance, they did the right thing," he said. "I think it's prudent, I think it was very responsible."

But Crist clearly didn't want to elaborate on the implications of the deeply-reduced budget and the governor spent the day behind closed doors in meetings at his Capitol office.

The governor's absence on Wednesday is an obvious contrast to the multiple ceremonial bill signings he has conducted for several pet projects of his. He flew to several Florida cities to sign bills that require insurance coverage for autism and bare-bones health insurance to the uninsured and he held a ceremonial bill signing on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange last month to show-off a bill to use the state pension fund to finance venture capital investment in Florida.

The governor has also made himself available in recent weeks to make multiple appearances on national television news programs to talk about Republican Presidential candidate John McCain and to host and attend numerous Republican Party fundraisers from Arizona and Texas to New York.

House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber agreed the budget wasn't worth much fanfare. "This is not a budget that warrants celebration,'' he said in a statement. He noted that all House Democrats voted against it because the budget cuts $1 billion and $130 per student from education "at a time when our high school graduation rate is already the worst in the nation" and that it "delivers a disproporationate amount of pain to the developmentally disabled.''

Crist plans to veto "seagrass" bill, but not much more in budget

Gov. Charlie Crist just said he plans to veto legislation that could have set up a program that could have allowed developers to destroy some seagrass beds as long as they restored seagrasses in other areas.

The problem: No one's sure if the so-called "mitigation" plan for seagrasses will work. Environmentalists are split over the legislation because it had loads of good stuff for wildlife managers. But Crist decided just to end the issue.

"I will veto it," Crist said. Asked why, he said:l "to save the seagrass, of course. Why not?"

In other veto news, when Crist takes up the budget Wednesday, he plans few vetoes. He said he not only respects all the cuts the Legislature already signed off on, but also doesn't want to damage the economy more by withholding more spending.