A lot of silence about Charlie

[DonCoquixote]

As some of you may know, the Teabaggers in Florida tried to pass a bill that would have destroyed teacher tenure and would have out teachers at the mercy of standardized tests. Governor Charlie Crist veotoed the bill. Now, some may want to crown him with laurels, but those of us in Florida know that he is a sneaky type that would break any and all promises to get elected. Her also knows that Jeb Bush disliked him, and that even Romney was coming down to endorse Marco Rubio, a far-right, self-described teabagger that is only slightly to the left of Ann Coulter.

True enough, the teabaggers are calling for Charlie's head.

read the comments here:
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/crists-veto-message-sb-6-significantly-flawed/1087754

Keep in mind, the St Pete times, is a self-owned company that is actually one of the few liberal papers in the state, so it says a lot where people bare their fangs here.

So what does this mean?

I think we could see one of the more dangerous developments in politics. The "center-right" knows that the Teabaggers are not going to just give them the wheel the way they did when W. was in office. In Florida, they also know that Jeb wants to run for higher office, but that W. showed the marks all the tricks that were supposed to be hidden behind the stage curtain, thus ruining the family's snake oil show. They want the world as it was in that that there olden time, the time, as Tariq ali might say, "thankfully never was." They know that, while Obama has served their interests a little too well, that he will have to start moving left. So what happens.

What happens is that Crist runs as an "independent" and wins, as many teachers feel that they owe him something. Sadly, even liberals are pounding this meme:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/gov-charlie-delivers-on-senate-bill-6-veto-will-teachers-repay-the-favor/1087676

Which means that we can have a new force in the political system, people who claim they are "independent", but are very much to the right. If you think Joe Liberman does damage as the Senator of Connecticut, wait till you see Charlie get the state that is number four in term of population, and which shall soon be number three, especially as Charlie saw to it that there are NO curbs to overbuilding this state.

Call me crazy now, but I think we may yet see the next mutation of the right. Granted, those of us who are not in the centercan see through Charlie, but many in the "independent" area will fall for him. After all, he hates the Bushes, right? Yes, I can see the appeal of watching the GOP go down in flames, and I certainly do not want Rubio in there, as he could be another far-right loon, but we need to be careful that while we are trying to poke the right right in it's self-inflicted wound, we do not wind up feeding the newer monster that will arise to replace it, the younger, more slick, more agile monster.

[Ken Burch]

1. Are you saying Crist will run as an independent for governor, or senator?

Does he still have time, under Florida election rules, to switch from one race to another?

Also, if he stays in the Senate primary and gets clobbered(which now seems likely)will Crist have much credibility as an independent candidate for either office?

[OHdem10]

2. On PBS last night, they stated he has 2 weeks to make a decision.

[DonCoquixote]

3. Senator

He is already eyeing Washington.

AS far as credibility goes, he has little, but then again his opponents have none.

[Ken Burch]

4. I hope you're not pushing for DU to back a center-right independent against our own nominee

in Florida.

It could just as easily be that a Crist candidacy could help Kendrick Meek or whoever else gets the Dem nomination.

[Mojorabbit]

6. I don't think that will happen

I don't think Meek has enough exposure at least so far. Still plenty of time though.

[DonCoquixote]

7. Actually, Hell NO :)

If you read my article, you would see that i was upset that the normally sane ST pete times would push that idea. I do not want Crist to be a southern Joe Lieberman! :)

[DonCoquixote]

8. quote

"Yes, I can see the appeal of watching the GOP go down in flames, and I certainly do not want Rubio in there, as he could be another far-right loon, but we need to be careful that while we are trying to poke the right right in it's self-inflicted wound, we do not wind up feeding the newer monster that will arise to replace it, the younger, more slick, more agile monster."

NOT an endorsement :)

[Dappleganger]

18. "He could be another far-right loon..."

Rubio PROVED that he's a far-right loon by supporting SB 6. What more needs to be said? I think you can pretty well be damn-guaranteed that Rubio IS a far-right wing loon and nothing but a Jeb cronie.

He MUST be kept out of the US Senate. I am foregoing the idealist bullshit and going to embrace my inner-nasty for this one (that's a term from my self-defense teacher).

[Ken Burch]

9. Thanks for the clarification.

n/t.

[Mojorabbit]

5. He has name recognition for the poorly informed. nt

[SoCalDem]

10. Fark has been having fun with this pic of him

In this photo released by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, right, helps to release a rehabilitated loggerhead sea turtle near the Seven Mile Bridge, in the Florida Keys, just west of Marathon, Fla., Friday, May 30, 2008. Others involved in the release, left to right, include Richie Moretti, head of the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital, Keys Mayor Mario Di Gennaro and Rodney Barreto, chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The 50-pound reptile, named “Peter,” was rescued by Turtle Hospital volunteers in late January and convalesced at the hospital for five months. (AP Photo/Florida Keys News Bureau, Bob Care)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. As A Floridian I Would Prefer Crist Over Rubio.

Rubio will eaily defeat Meek. However, if Crist goes Indy he can possibly be a spoiler or even win.

And Bill (Impeachment Manager) McCollum is going to beat Alex Sink.

That leaves Bill Nelson as the only prominent statewide Democrat.

What a depressing prospect because Florida is a purple state but looking at election results you would think it's red.

[monmouth]

12. Me too. Meek is a very invisible candidate. Go Charlie!...n/t

[DonCoquixote]

13. er..think about this

Why do you think that even liberal papers like the St. Pete times are filled with appeals for Democrats to "Change parties" just to vote Crist in? You don't think the GOp is already readying the headline "RECORD NUMBER OF DEMOCRATS TURN GOP" or "CRIST SHOWS VOTERS ARE CENTER RIGHT". Then of course, the Blue Dogs will start howling that because Obama has dallied a little with going leftward, he has to go to the center again. For Jeb, it becomes a win win, as he knpows that he can outmuscle an independent Crist, and that he can control Rubio until such time as he chooses to discard him.

THINK PEOPLE! Do NOT swallow the bait that the right is dangling! Yes, Crist did the veto, but only because he read the tea leaves and knew that he could be firmly to the right of Glenn Beck, and that the power brokers in this state still want not want him! We should not have to shoot ourselves in the foot just because Cristt finally did one thing right!

As far as Rubio versus Meek, I say bring it on! Rubio has been caught spending GOP money like it is his own, and he is crazy enough to scare the "real" independent voters away, whereas the best Crist can offer us is to be another Southern boy, Blue Dog DINO.

[Dappleganger]

17. You are more hopeful than I am.

I've pretty much given up on any strategy save using any means necessary to keep out Rubio and his ilk (Jeb's cronies).

[DonCoquixote]

21. OK, but

With all due respect, do you think that Fox will not note the people switching to GOP (even though we know these people would never vote GOP in a presidential election) and say "LOOK, record numbers of formerly Democratic voters are turning GOP!". If you think Jeb has not already set the stage and prepared himself to take credit for that, I got some swampland near Alligator Alley to sell you.

[lib2DaBone]

14. Good thread. Sadly, Jeb Bush still controls Flroida....

..A Rubio Win would insure that Jeb Bush would continue to control Florida. Here's a good campaign slogan.. "Rubio... your little suck-up wanna-be Neocon...".

With all the problems facing Florida... now more than ever... the State needs progressive ideas.

Yet the chance of a progressive idea making it to daylight, is like trying to light a match in a hurricane.

The Bush Family controls offshore oil leases, mineral rights, cattle, phosphate..you name it.. and the stranglehold of the Carlysle Group Hedge Fund is complete.

And the Senior Citizen Snow-Birds who vote in this State, are so whacked out on Prozac and Lipator.. the have no idea what is going on. Gotta run.. "Wheel of Fortune" is on, and right after that.. Lawrence Welk...

[Dappleganger]

16. You stated a number of problems here quite well.

We have enough problems as it stands, but the far RW/teabagging-types need to be fought off by any means necessary.

[Dappleganger]

15. All I want is for Rubio to be defeated.

Prevention of far-RW/teabaggers in the Senate and House is essential. If Crist splits off to an I, that will take away enough from Rubio's slice of the pie to make him far more vulnerable than if it was just Rubio vs. Meek (and we know for sure that Crist won't get the R nomination).

Why am I not fighting tooth and nail for a D senator? Move down here to FL and live for awhile, then get back to me with your answer. Dems down here (unfortunately not everyone is like Alan Grayson) are a HUGE disappointment.

However, I WILL be doing everything possible to push Alex Sink for governor. ;)

[lib2DaBone]

19. ...what you said.. me too...

Florida is such a beautiful State.. to be raped, pillaged and plundered by Jeb Bush and the Republicans... is such a crime against humanity...

..from Okeechobee all the way up to Micanopee... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGoBQIhyFFM

[DonCoquixote]

20. OK, I will admit Fl Dems suck

Hell, I am still mad that their mishandling of a primary in 200 caused such a stink and nearly handed McCain the election (in which case we would be at war with Iran as we speak), but why is Meek considered such a bad candidate? He is liberal, and unlike many of the people running, is a former cop, so he some actual experience with what is going on in the streets. And Yes, I intend to fight for Sink, but the truth is, if the Obama presidency has taught us nothing else, it is that wehave to get these Blue Dogs out of the Senate, because they do just as much harm, if not more, than an honestly right-wing GOP.