Comments on: Charlie Crist attending McCain VP ‘dance off’ this weekend

by: Ted

Fri, 23 May 2008 22:53:34 +0100

Here’s an important piece of advice: If it looks like it’s going to be McCain/Palin anyway (and that should be a “no brainer” for Team McCain), McCain should announce NOW or VERY SOON, rather than later towards the convention. There’s currently a growing chorus for Obama/Hillary (as VP) ticket (in fact the Dems are likely aware of the Palin phenomenon). If the GOP waits while movement for Hillary as VP grows — even worse until after it is solidified that Hillary will/could be VP pick — selecting Palin will be portrayed by Dems/liberal media more as a reaction by GOP selecting its own female (overshawdoing Palin’s own remarkable assets), rather than McCain taking the lead on this. Selecting Palin now or early (contrary to the punditocracy) will mean McCain will be seen as driving the course of this campaign overwhelmingly, and the DEMS will be seen as merely reacting. And, there’s absoultely no down-side to this because even if Hillary is a no-go as VP for Obama, the GOP gains by acting early. McCain the maverick. Palin the maverick. Do it now!

There’s no reason, and actually substantial negative, in McCain waiting to see what the Dems do first insofar as his picking Palin as VP, because, no matter who Obama picks, Palin is by far (and I mean far) the best pick for McCain and the GOP, especially in this time of GOP woes. The GOP can be seen as the party of real ‘change’ (albeit I hate that mantra, change, change, bla bla), while not really having to change from GOP core conservative values, which Palin more than represents.

In light of the current oil/energy situation, as well as the disaffected female Hillary voters situation, and growing focus on McCain’s age and health, Palin is more than perfect — now.

(Perhaps Team McCain is already on to this.)

by: CParis

Thu, 22 May 2008 22:05:53 +0100

So Charlie Crispy is naturally that color? I thought he got the GOP discount at the tanning salon Bohner frequents. Maybe he’s got some “black blood” or a bit of Muslim in him, might be a terrist in disguise.

by: shartheheretic

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:40:39 +0100

He’s not as “conservative” (in a neocon way) in many ways as you would expect. He has been pissing off the corporate interests for some time with his environmental stances, and he has fought against corruption and greed with the insurance companies and others that have tried to pillage the state after the hurricanes (even before he became governor, when he held various sundry offices within the state government).

Maybe he should have run as an independent, but then he would not have won.

by: shartheheretic

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:33:24 +0100

I never saw any “Crist for Christ” signs either, and I live in his “hometown” area. You can’t throw a rock at a local event without hitting him or one of his entourage.

He is a strange mixture of old-school and new-school republican. Kind of confusing.

And the tan? Not fake. He is of Greek, and I think Italian heritage. The “tan” is his natural skin tone - turned up a notch from the Florida sun.

by: MikeEss

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:21:27 +0100

“I guess it was too much to hope that Republicans would put a pro-choicer on their ticket.”

Well, in Wingnuttia, McCain is not considered conservative enough. In that situation, it’s pretty obvious a pro-choice VP wouldn’t fly…

by: Ben D.

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:14:22 +0100

*Sigh* I guess it was too much to hope that Republicans would put a pro-choicer on their ticket.

by: Jonathan Hohensee

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:26:45 +0100

Wikipedia;
Crist’s platform as a gubernatorial candidate included a “pro-life and pro-family” approach to abortion[18][19], $3,000 subsidies to heterosexual adoptive parents and $5,000 subsidies to foster parents, advocation of parent choice and strict, standardized testing in education, prescription drug tracking for assurance of safety and proper health care, less expensive homeowners insurance, report cards for insurance companies, abolition of citizens insurance, support for right to die, including respect for living wills, legal protection in eminent domain cases, lawsuit reform through elimination of joint and several liability, property tax flexibility, support for Florida’s Defense of Marriage Act, cautious support for the death penalty[20], gun owner rights (endorsed by the NRA as an “A+” candidate)[21], efforts to stop the “clear pattern of growth” in hate crimes, support for closed borders with promotion of legal immigration, opposition to further statewide expansion of legal gambling, and support for environmental protections such as a ban on oil drilling near Florida’s coastline.

For me, his platform is a mixture of a lot of things I strongly support, and a lot of things I strongly don’t like. It doesn’t say it, but I think that he supported the amendment where it forced kids under 18 to get permission from their parents to get an abortion.

by: Ben D.

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:22:57 +0100

Whats up with his creepy fake tan?

Also, does “moderate” include being pro-choice?

by: Jonathan Hohensee

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:21:01 +0100

I don’t think he is the best at managing the state, but at the same time I like the guy, enough to vote for him. (but mostly because I hated Jim Davis)
He’s non-inflammatory, I feel he’s moderate where it counts (and I’m glad to see him cutting the fat) and, let’s face it the man has great hair.
Perfect hair, if there is such a thing.

Don’t be fooled by the statements that Crist is a moderate. His campaign signs mostly read “Crist for Christ” and he’s overseen a series of upper-class tax breaks which have been gutting civic services across Florida.
I don’t remember seeing any of those signs.
Although I was in South Florida during the 2006 election, far away from the Jesus-centric part of Florida.

by: Hypatia

Thu, 22 May 2008 12:00:55 +0100