Category Charlie Crist
The Crist Files: Crist The Closet Democrat?
From the Crist files A Palm Beach Post Editorial from February 2007: Crist “Has Given Democrats More Than They Could Have Gotten” On Their Own In a February 2007 article analyzing Crist’s decision to use an Executive Order to restore all federal rights to felons after they have served their sentences, the Palm Beach Post […]
Charlie Crist: Making the right enemy in Big Sugar
Sometimes you can judge the quality of a candidate or campaign in the enemies they attract. For me Charlie Crist’s stock went up when I read veteran reporter Gary Fineout’s piece about the amount of money Big Sugar, the enemy of much of Florida’s precious and fragile ecosystem is pumping into Rick Soctt’s 527 “reelection” […]
TFS Pod #7: Crist v Nelson, Q-poll, state of media and capital press corps in Florida, Trey Radel, and JFK
The latest edition of the Florida Squeeze podcast is embedded below. In this edition we discuss: The continuing talk of Senator Bill Nelson potentially running for Governor. Governor’s race tightening according to latest Q-poll. Newspapers vs Independent Media and the decline in resources for journalists at major papers to do the job they once did. […]
The Crist Files: Charlie Crist and teacher tenure
Just days before leaving the Republican Party and becoming an Independent (though still a self-proclaimed Jeb Bush conservative at the time) Governor Charlie Crist vetoed a dangerous teacher tenure bill. This one action seemed to cement the loyalty of Florida’s Teachers Unions to him, leading to a stunning split-endorsement between Crist and US Rep. Kendrick […]
Times, Herald malign Bill Nelson for practicing politics
A couple of big-deal Florida political writers seem to be typing through Democratic insider goggles lately. In the last few days Adam Smith of The Tampa Bay Times and Marc Caputo of The Miami Herald have both chastised Bill Nelson for possibly harboring the intention of running for governor. Wrote Caputo in Sunday’s Herald: After months of ebbing and […]
The Crist Files: Charlie Crist and school “choice”
Many leaders of Florida’s Teachers Union have made it clear that they find Governor Charlie Crist, now seeking a return to the office he quit four years ago an acceptable choice. While it is entirely possible Crist’s views on education have evolved swiftly over the past few years, his record is very poor especially when […]
Charlie’s heart, Charlie’s stomach
The following column was submitted by a Democratic staffer working in South Florida who wishes to remain anonymous. __ Everything That’s Wrong With the Gubernatorial Primary in One Picture It’s been two weeks since I heard U.S. Congressman Alcee Hastings address this picture at a meeting of the Pompano Beach Democratic Club, and yet I […]
Bill Nelson for Governor? Impact on Charlie Crist, progressives and whether a run is wise.
Florida is alive with speculation that 71-year-old US Senator Bill Nelson who has been very critical of Rick Scott will jump into the Governor’s Race thus potentially saving the Democrats from a messy primary process and/or the possible nomination of former Governor Charlie Crist. Nelson’s unwillingness to definitively rule out a race for Governor has fueled […]
A Bill Nelson for Governor potpourri
According to national media reports, Senator Bill Nelson is considering a run for governor. Florida papers have been hounding him and editorializing about it since at least April. And of course the source above, MSNBC’s Hardball, has built its reputation such as it is by living every day like it’s silly season. But this newest round of speculation […]
The Crist Files: Crist on conservatism, offshore drilling and teacher tenure
On Conservatism: Nov. 2009: “It’s Hard to be More Conservative Than I am on Issues.” On Nov. 24, 2009, the St. Petersburg Times reported that in a sit down with its editorial board, Crist stated, “It’s hard to be more conservative than I am on issues — there’s different ways stylistically to communicate that — […]
The Florida Squeeze 