What's the deal with Senator Mel Martinez?

[kentuck]

Why did he "pull a Palin" today? You can bet there is a reason. Nobody knows what it is just yet. However, we can still speculate.

The Republican Governor has said that he will not appoint himself which means he will most likely appoint another Republican. What other Republicans might be on his short list? Florida is a very important state for Republicans in presidential politics.

I sense that the deal has already been made. Jeb Bush will take over the remainder of the term for Mel Martinez and will be in the spotlight of the Senate for the next two years so he can run for the presidency in 2012. That would be my guess. Just a guess...

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

1. Maybe he had enough of the racist douchebaggery that is today's GOP, so he

just waited to vote for Sotomayor and then told them to fuck off.

[kentuck]

5. Very possible.

It's just difficult to imagine any Republican with that many scruples left in the Party?

[valerief]

2. So Jeb will run against Crist? Or will Crist not run? nt

[kentuck]

6. Crist will not run... too friendly with Obama.

However, he will run for the same Senate seat once Jeb Bush resigns to run for the Presidency. :-)

[valerief]

8. Like Florida doesn't suck enough with uber-corruption and crazies.

It needs a Bush again like it needs a cat-5 hurricane.

[csziggy]

9. No, the timing works for Jeb - that Senate seat is up for election in 2010

So Jeb can warm the chair through the election and until the new Senator, presumably Crist since he is far ahead of any other candidate, is sworn in. That leaves Jeb as ex-Guv and ex-Senator free to run for President.

It is too f***ing logical.

[JI7]

3. he wants someone other than Crist to become Senator

or there is something personal on him that is about to come out.

can't think of any other reason.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

4. From the "Comments"

at HuffPo on the Martinez resignation - I found this one rather compelling:

Martinez ain't quitting.

This is a well-engineered, strategic move of Florida's right wing Republicans (formerly known as Jeb Bush Republicans) to derail Charlie Crist's bid for Senate. They have promised to keep Crist out, and they probably will, as they have promised to sabotage his term as a governor, which they successfully have. Crist is one of the few humane, moderate, and intelligent Republicans in the country. He is highly popular in Florida among followers of both parties, since he has promised to do away with the corporate looting of the State, that happened started under Bush. Right wing Republicans hate Crist's guts like the devil hates the holy water.

Martinez deals Crist a bad hand of cards with this move. Crist has already announced that he'd run for Senate, and not run for governor again, because he can't get anything done, due to sabotage in his own party. Technically he could appoint himself as Senator, but that would be seen as a shady move, and would derail his political future. Now he has to appoint the person he will be running against next year. If he appoints a weakling they will accuse him of doing so for selfish reasons. If he appoints a strong person, he has to run against a strong incumbent.

My advice: Charlie, appoint a Democrat, switch parties, and run for governor again. People will re-elect you, I know I will. You don't fit into this vicious old boys network down here.

[quiller4]

7. Crist will appoint a placeholder - probably a former office-holder

[csziggy]

10. In a sane world, Crist would appoint Bob Graham, but the Repukes would throw Crist under the bus

And run him over repeatedly.

Unfortunately, the Jeb scenario is far too logical - and would make Crist better liked by the Repuke base, which he needs to solidify party support even though he polls much higher than Marco Rubio, the next higher Repuke running for Senator.

[bleever]

12. That is compelling. But Crist could do what Palin couldn't:

find a higher calling (which he already said he has), and actually appoint himself to it.

He could explain it, the voters would accept it (assuming he picked his replacement shrewdly), and he'd be elected in the actual election, especially based on what kind of senatorizing he got up to in his trial run.

[spanone]

11. an intern perhaps?

:shrug:

[Rincewind]

13. My guess is

that somebody found his real birth certificate. He's not from Cuba, he's an illegal immigrant from Mexico named Manuel Labor :evilgrin:

[GodlyDemocrat]

14. I have an eerie suspicion Jeb is going to be appointed