2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumFormer Gov. Charlie Crist: Here's why I'm backing Barack Obama
Ive studied, admired and gotten to know a lot of leaders in my life. Across Florida, in Washington and around the country, I've watched the failure of those who favor extreme rhetoric over sensible compromise, and I've seen how those who never lose sight of solutions sow the greatest successes.
As America prepares to pick our president for the next four years and as Florida prepares once again to play a decisive role I'm confident that President Barack Obama is the right leader for our state and the nation. I applaud and share his vision of a future built by a strong and confident middle class in an economy that gives us the opportunity to reap prosperity through hard work and personal responsibility. It is a vision of the future proven right by our history.
We often remind ourselves to learn the lessons of the past, lest we risk repeating its mistakes. Yet nearly as often, our short-term memory fails us. Many have already forgotten how deep and daunting our shared crisis was in the winter of 2009, as President Obama was inaugurated. It was no ordinary challenge, and the president served as the nation's calm through a historically turbulent storm.
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/article1247631.ece
The Obama campaign might want to consider using Charlie Crist in television ads. This endorsement might be worth 2-3 points if not more. That's important in a close race.
MADem
(135,425 posts)elleng
(130,714 posts)to nominate Mitt Romney, Americans can expect to hear tales of how President Obama has failed to work with their party or turn the economy around.
But an element of their party has pitched so far to the extreme right on issues important to women, immigrants, seniors and students that they've proven incapable of governing for the people. Look no further than the inclusion of the Akin amendment in the Republican Party platform, which bans abortion, even for rape victims.
The truth is that the party has failed to demonstrate the kind of leadership or seriousness voters deserve.
Pundits looking to reduce something as big as a statewide election to a single photograph have blamed the result of my 2010 campaign for U.S. Senate on my greeting of President Obama. I didn't stand with our president because of what it could mean politically; I did it because uniting to recover from the worst financial crisis of our lifetimes was more important than party affiliation. I stood with our nation's leader because it was right for my state. '
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grantcart
(53,061 posts)Love the President's campaign ramping up to next week.
This is well scripted and you can bet this won't be the last Republican you hear from.
Coling Powell, Gates and others should roll out as the Republicans crash in Tampa.
Amonester
(11,541 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,220 posts)Skeptical George
(26 posts)NBachers
(17,080 posts)TroyD
(4,551 posts)Haven't been a fan of Crist in the past because of his anti-gay legislation in Florida.
He's also endorsed Bill Nelson:
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2012/08/charlie_crist_endorses_democra.php
DCBob
(24,689 posts)Too bad many FL Democrats insisted on supporting a looser candidate and now we have a teabagger sitting there in the Senate.
Cosmocat
(14,558 posts)I would think that he still might be a viable option for senate in a year when the tea party bullshit was not dominating ...
DCBob
(24,689 posts)If so, I think he wins that contest easily.
It might just be a bit for him to have the electorate recalibrate him as a D ...
ANYTHING other than Scott, just one in countless R scumbags who inexplicably have won major elections.
TroyD
(4,551 posts)Let's not forget that Crist was a Republican, and a Republican who supported anti-gay policies and legislation, at that. Let's not forget that there's also another obvious reason why it's hypocritical for Crist to be anti-gay. My gay friends are not fond of Crist.
Now if he decides to turn over a new leaf, perhaps some Democrats will consider supporting him next time, but let's not pretend he was a progressive Republican.
Brewinblue
(392 posts)Thus, he had no choice but to leave the party as he did, as the GOP does not approve of either sanity or honor.