PPP Poll: Crist Voters Want Him To Caucus With The Senate Dems

[DCBob]

from TPM..

An upcoming survey of the Florida Senate race by Public Policy Polling (D) finds that if Gov. Charlie Crist were to win -- after he left the Republican Party to run as an independent -- his constituents would want him to caucus with the Democrats. Furthermore, this opinion is even stronger among those who actually plan to vote for him. PPP's Tom Jensen gives this sneak preview:

One thing we asked on the poll was whether people thought Charlie Crist should caucus with the Democrats or Republicans if he was elected. 43% of respondents said he should go with the Democrats and 37% with the Republicans.

Perhaps more interesting was what those planning to vote for Crist had to say. Within that group 55% said he should caucus with the Democrats to only 22% who expressed the opinion that he should join forces with the Republicans.

more: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/ppp-poll-crist-voters-want-him-to-caucus-with-the-senate-dems.php

This does not surprise me. It means most of Crist's supporters are Democrats or Independents that lean left. This also makes it more and more clear that Charlie is likely to caucus with the Democrats. Which is very good news for Democrats because Crist is going to win.

[JonLP24]

1. If he wins

and caucuses with Dems doesn't mean he won't vote like a Republican.

[rpannier]

3. That's very true, but if the Democratic Nominee doesn't get any traction by mid-September

Crist will be the only alternative to that Tea-Bagging Loony the Republicans have on the ballot

[DCBob]

4. Crist has never been a "real" Republican.. I actually think he's a "closet" liberal..

Since shedding his "R" he has been talking, acting and governing alot like a Democrat. I think he will be a more reliable vote on liberal issues than many current Senate Dems.

[JonLP24]

6. I wouldn't go as far as to call him a "liberal"

but he is better than the guy on the Repub ticket.

[DCBob]

12. Maybe not quite a liberal.. yet..

but at the pace he is moving left he will be a socialist by November. :)

[Cosmocat]

22. B Y A L O N G M I L E

Rubio is one of these REALLY mean, really dishonest new age younger Rs ...

[Orlandodem]

7. I plan on voting for Crist because Meek has NO CHANCE of winng. Meek is a good man but he needs

more name recognition. He is good to Florida's schools and he'll continue to be a great public servant. The bottom line, however, is that we must beat the Jeb Bush sock puppet named Marco Rubio.

Even if Crist caucuses with the Rs, he'll be a pain in the ass to them. Crist is returning to his populist roots and he is VERY good at populism. He is not an ideologue. Populism comes naturally to him for some reason and I think we need to let Charlie be Charlie.

[GOPNotForMe]

16. Same here.

I don't dislike Meek or anything but I'm also grossed out by political dynasties/nepotism and the only reason he has the job he's giving up to run for Senate is because of it.

[rpannier]

2. Meeks has become Florida's equivalent to Schlesinger of CT

when LIEberman was the nominee of the Connecticut for Lieberman Party

[DCBob]

5. Its "Meek" no "s".. why do so many people always get this guy's name wrong?

Maybe that's part of his problem.

[karynnj]

9. Could it be because NY's congressman is Meeks and there is confusion on the name

(I've seen many references to Bob Kerrey where his name loses an "e". It is true that that change would not change the pronunciation. )

[DCBob]

11. Possibly, or that "Beeks" dude in Trading Places..

who knows? But it happens quite a bit. Weird.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DCBob]

10. Are you that Jeff Greene the billionaire supporter?

I dont think he is a decent alternative to Crist even if he puts a "D" next to his name. Sounds like he is just trying to buy the nomination.

[SwampG8r]

13. no i dont supprt greene but i will if he wins the primary

i dont support the right wing shadow candidate either
you are able to twist into any shape and try any guilt by association trick available to keep pushing the gop candidates and create dischord in the democratic race and i applaud you your tenacity in doing so
well done
you are ensuring a good conservative for florida senate
sleep well warrior of the right

[DCBob]

14. i could have swore I read a post of yours recently saying Greene was better than Meek..

remember?

[SwampG8r]

15. be truthful for a change

it said greene as a white man would be more likely to appeal to north florida democrats who are traditionally less likely to vote for meek
try the truth its easy

[DCBob]

17. Ok, thanks for that... here's some truth of my own..

I cant stand the Republicans. I think most of them are lying, greedy, vicious, heartless scoundrels. The only reason I want Crist to win is precisely to hurt the GOP. They are frantic about the possibility of losing to Crist. Crist is still a very popular politician and Florida is a very important state. They know what a Dem-friendly Senator Crist could do there. There could even be ramifications for 2012. If there were a decent Dem candidate, I might change my tune but given the circumstances, Crist is our best shot.

[SwampG8r]

18. whatever you have to tell yourself to support the conservative

you tell yourself that

before the primary is even voted
before a dem candidate is even named
look who you are pushing
and how do you the "republican hater" stop these "lying, greedy, vicious, heartless scoundrels"?
why...
before a candidate is even named you push as hard as possible for a conservative
crist still calls himself a conservative in his own boilerplate
he doesnt deny it ...why do you?
so you tell yourself whatever it takes

[DCBob]

19. Do you actually think Greene the billionaire is a liberal?? read this..

"Greene, makes no apologies for his short-time record as a registered Democrat and full-time resident of Florida only since 2008. He blew off chances to meet with gay, Hispanic, Haitian and student activists at Saturday's state party gathering in Hollywood and only decided to drop by the black caucus at the last minute. "We pick and choose certain caucuses," Greene said."

more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/19/1736943/long-time-senate-candidate-meek.html#ixzz0u9FiPoxw

Also this..

GREENE CLAIM #1
Jeff Greene has repeatedly claimed that "I am a lifelong Democrat." Jeff Greene spokesman Paul Blank told The Daily Caller website, "For one year of life after Harvard business school, he went a different way."

REALITY #1
How many lifelong Democrats do you know ran for Congress as a conservative Republican who strongly supported Ronald Reagan? Greene challenged David Armor in 1982 for the Republican nomination in California's 23rd Congressional District. Greene lost the primary to Armor, and Democrat Anthony Beilenson was victorious in the November election. Lifelong Democrats, as Greene falsely claims, do not run for congress as a conservative Republican.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GREENE CLAIM #2
"I've worked hard for every penny I have. No one has ever given me a thing."

"I saw where the housing market was going, and I knew I could be heading into a lot of trouble, and so I wanted to find a way to protect my investments and that's what I did."

REALITY #2
First, betting on credit default swaps is not "hard work." That's just nonsense. As the lives of hardworking, middle-class Florida families were being damaged - in many cases for generations to come - Jeff Greene told Forbes in October 2008, "I've never had more fun than now."

Second, if Jeff Greene was only worried about protecting his investments, he had other options. He could have pulled his money out of the market or bought traditional insurance on his investments. Instead, Greene convinced banks to allow him to short uncovered credit default swaps (CDSs) - betting that other peoples' mortgages would collapse. Greene was speculating by betting against the middle class and contributed to the underlying conditions that helped fuel the financial meltdown that wrecked our economy. That's an objective economic fact.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GREENE CLAIM #3
"I've taken on Wall Street and won."

REALITY #3
Jeff Greene did not take on Wall Street. He worked with Wall Street to make himself a tremendous amount of money and pioneered a risky product that played a big role in the economic collapse.

Let's review Greene's record:

•Greene was the first to trade these risky derivative products. "In April 2006, just as the housing market was peaking, Greene convinced Wall Street banks to allow him to trade credit default swaps; he is believed to be the first individual to do so." .

•Greene convinced big banks to short mortgage-based bonds through credit default swaps. Greene got the idea from his friend and hedge fund manager, John Paulson, a central figure in the recent Goldman Sachs scandal. CNBC reported: "'I asked him, 'John, can I do this on my own?' He says Paulson told him, 'You won't get approved.' Greene tried anyway, finally convincing Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan to let him short bonds backed by risky mortgages through these swaps. It took a lot of convincing."

Greene didn't stand up to Wall Street, he was in cahoots with Wall Street in a scheme to get rich. Greene's purchase of uncovered CDSs set an example for the industry. Warren Buffet called Greene's CDSs "financial weapons of mass destruction." Buffet knew that they could harm the whole economic system. Once banks began selling them and making short-term gains, other banks joined in the arms race for quarterly profits. The example that Greene and other pioneers set led directly to the proliferation of uncovered CDSs that brought down the financial system, resulted in the credit crunch and further damaged the housing market.

In addition, with the big banks having sustained great damage to their capital reserves, the bailout was used to shore up these financial institutions that were on the hook to pay people like Jeff Greene.

more: http://leaveittogreene.com/microsite/claims

Greene sounds like a scoundrel to me.

[SwampG8r]

20. why are you so intent on tying me to greene?

i told you i am not a greene supporter
but whatever you say about him he is a democrat and crist is a self named conservative
i will not be playing pretzel logic as you have to make my choice palatable to myself
i will support the democrat not the conservative

now feel free to go back to using a progessive board to push conservative canndidates

[DCBob]

21. You appeared to endorse him in the past and the way things are going looks like Greene will win..

the Dem nomination. So, I assume you will be supporting him. I just wanted to give you a heads up on who this guy really is. I suspect even you will be "shilling" for Crist once you come to know Jeff Greene a bit better.

[SwampG8r]

24. i will support the democrat

unlike you i cannot twist my mind enough to support the conservative

[DCBob]

30. You better get over to GD-P.. some folks over there "shilling for Crist"..

I admire your tenacity but I think its futile.

[SwampG8r]

26. so by your" greene used to be" arguement reagan is still a democrat?

[DCBob]

23. SwampG8r -- Wed Jul-14-10 04:56 PM -- "greene would be best"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8745699&mesg_id=8746269

Just to keep things even more truthful.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DCBob]

27. Glad you clarifed that.. now.

Thanks for the name calling. Is that allowed here?

[SwampG8r]

29. calling something what it is should be ok

[DCBob]

34. So nice to see your nasty comments deleted..

Thanks mods!

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

33. I like it when they throw caution to the wind like that. -nt

[SoCalDem]

28. I can see Crist totally removing himself from the republicans

He might stay independent, but the money is with party affiliation , so I see him caucusing with the dems & maybe having a few plum committee assignments (if we keep the majority), and then after a few years, I see him becoming a democrat. He would not have to stand for re-election until '16, and that gives him plenty of time to win over dems. He would probably be a "moderate", but if Florida stays blue in '12, he might even be less "moderate" by '16.

[Scurrilous]

31. Thanks.

:thumbsup:

[Tarheel_Dem]

32. That's very encouraging, because as we all know, this race comes down to..

the two repukes. Crist would certainly be a more reasonable choice than Rubio.