Posts tagged "Charlie Crist"
#FLSen: "I Love Rubio": RNCTV's Long History Of Cheerleading For Marco Rubio | Blog | Media Matters for America →

Last night on The O’Reilly Factor, previewing Sen. Marco Rubio’s response to President Obama’s State of the Union speech, Fox News political analyst Karl Rove labeled Rubio “the American experience” and declared him “probably one of the best communicators since Ronald Reagan.”

Over-the-top praise of Rubio on the network is nothing new. Rubio’s increasingly prominent role in the national political conversation is thanks, in part, to the help of Fox News, which has served as his primary cheerleader since his 2010 Senate campaign. 

In recent weeks, Rove in particular has showered praise on Rubio and his role in the debate over immigration reform. His comparison of Rubio to Reagan on The O’Reilly Factor wasn’t even the first time he had done so on Fox’s airwaves this month; he made similar comments during a February 4 appearance on Special Report. 

Rove isn’t alone in his adoration of the Florida senator. Fox personalities have fawned over Rubio on-air for years, boosted his 2010 Florida Senate run (including helping him fundraise on-air), hosted him for dozens of primetime appearances on the network, and repeatedly touted him as an ideal vice presidential pick for former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

When Marco Rubio declared his intention to run for the Florida Senate seat left open by Mel Martinez, he trailed Gov. Charlie Crist — then still a Republican — by a huge margin and seemed like a longshot candidate.

Less than a year and a half later, Rubio was elected comfortably. According to Rubio, his meteoric rise in the race is thanks in no small part to Fox News political analyst Karl Rove.

Appearing at a fundraising breakfast for Rove’s Crossroads political groups at the 2012 Republican National Convention, Rubio claimed it was “big news” when Rove personally donated money to his Senate campaign because it meant that ”someone of his stature would actually take a bet on someone who was such a long shot.”

Rove’s help for Rubio extended well beyond sending personal checks; the Crossroads groups poured nearly $3 million (by Rove’s accounting) into the race. During his fundraising pitch for Crossroads at the RNC, Rubio specifically praised the ads Rove’s groups ran in his favor, saying “you would turn on the TV and there were ads that created a clear distinction, and did so in ways that were meaningful.”

Rove wasn’t the only Fox personality that helped Rubio’s Senate run — the network practically went all-in for him.

During his Senate run, Rubio was also formally endorsed — in addition to being praised on-air — by several Fox personalities, including former contributors Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, and Rick Santorum. In addition to endorsing Rubio, Fox host Mike Huckabee gave material support to his campaign in the form of a $5,000 donation from his political group, Huck PAC.

h/t: MMFA

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Daily Kos: Former GOP Governor of Florida Charlie Crist officially joins the Democratic Party →

Tonight, there is confirmation that Charlie Crist, the former Republican Florida Governor and loser to Marco Rubio (R) in the 2010 GOP Primary as a GOPer and the General Election, once again to Rubio and Kendrick Meek (D), as an Independent, has officially switched his party registration to the Democratic Party from Independent.

HuffPo:

Former Republican Governor Charlie Crist has officially joined the Democratic Party, he announced on Friday evening.

The change became official at a White House Christmas reception, the Tampa Bay Times reports, where “President Obama greeted the news with a fist bump.”

Tampa Bay Times:

Crist — Florida’s former Republican governor who relished the tough-on-crime nickname “Chain Gang Charlie” and used to describe himself variously as a “Ronald Reagan Republican” and a “Jeb Bush Republican” — on Friday evening signed papers changing his party from independent to Democrat.

The widely expected move positions Crist, 56, for another highly anticipated step: announcing his candidacy for governor, taking on Republican incumbent Gov. Rick Scott and an untold number of Democrats who would challenge him for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

Crist has been registered with no party affiliation since the spring of 2010, when his Republican candidacy for U.S. Senate was fizzling against Republican upstart Marco Rubio. Since losing that race, he has been steadily inching toward the Democratic Party, first when his wife, Carole, switched her affiliation to Democrat and later when he threw himself into Obama’s re-election campaign, earning a prominent speaking slot during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.

(cross-posted from Daily Kos)

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Charlie Crist, Democrat: Former GOP Governor Changes Party Affiliation →

Former Republican Governor Charlie Crist has officially joined the Democratic Party, he announced on Friday evening.

Crist, who served as governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011, left the Republican Party after losing a Senate primary battle to Marco Rubio in 2010 — switching his party affiliation to independent in order to run against now-Senator Rubio in the general election. (Crist lost that race by 19 points.)

The change became official at a White House Christmas reception, the Tampa Bay Times reports, where “President Obama greeted the news with a fist bump.”

h/t: Huffington Post

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My recap of the DNC: Day 3

My recap of the DNC by day. <3 the Dems.

Day 1 | Day 2  | Day 3

Top 5 speeches:

1. Barack Obama
2. John Kerry
3. Jennifer Granholm
4. Joe Biden
5. John Lewis
Close Calls: Barney Frank, Eva Longoria, Tammy Baldwin, Charlie Crist, Scarlett Johansson

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Thursday DNC podium schedule →

4:30 PM – 6:00 PM (EST)

Remarks

The Honorable Kay Hagan

Member of the US Senate, North Carolina

The Honorable Walter Dalton

Lieutenant Governor, North Carolina

The Honorable G.K. Butterfield

Member of the US House of Representatives, North Carolina

The Honorable David Price

Member of the US House of Representatives, North Carolina

The Honorable Mel L. Watt

Member of the US House of Representatives, North Carolina

Remarks

James Rogers

CEO Duke Energy

Live Performance

James Taylor

Singer/Songwriter

Call to Order

The Honorable Antonio R. Villaraigosa

Chair of the 2012 Democratic National Convention Committee

Mayor of Los Angeles, California

Invocation

Reverend Gabriel Salguero

President, National Latino Evangelical Coalition

Presentation of Colors

American Legion Post 400 of Charlotte, North Carolina

Darrell B. Bonapart, Joe Michalic, Robert E. Welch, Marvin R. Weber

Pledge of Allegiance : Gabby Giffords

National Anthem

Marc Anthony

Singer/Songwriter

Progress for People Video: Seniors

American Voices Remarks

Carol Berman

Remarks

The Honorable Donna F. Edwards

Member of the US House of Representatives, Maryland

The Honorable Barney Frank

Member of the US House of Representatives, Massachusetts

In Memoriam Video and Remarks

The Honorable Harvey Gantt

Former Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (EST)

The Honorable John Lewis

Member of the US House of Representatives, Georgia

Stronger Together Video: Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

American Voices

Jason Crow

Live Performance

Mary J. Blige

Singer/Songwriter

Remarks

The Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Chair of the Democratic National Committee

Member of the US House of Representatives, Florida

The Honorable Antonio R. Villaraigosa

Chair of the 2012 Democratic National Convention Committee

Mayor of Los Angeles, California

The Honorable Tammy Baldwin

Candidate for US Senate, Wisconsin

Member of the US House of Representatives, Wisconsin

The Honorable Michael Nutter

Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Stay Stronger Together Video: Marriage Equality

American Voices Remarks

Zach Wahls

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (EST)

Jim Messina

Campaign Manager, Obama for America

American Heroes Video: Auto Workers

American Voices

Kenyetta Jones, Ryan Case, Ed Meagher, Martha Figueroa, Lucas Beenken, Rob Hach

Vice Presidential Nomination Intro

The Honorable Antonio R. Villaraigosa

Chair of the 2012 Democratic National Convention Committee

Mayor of Los Angeles, California

Nominating Remarks

Beau Biden

Attorney General of Delaware and Son of Vice President Joe Biden

Vote by Acclamation

Live Performance

Foo Fighters

Band

Remarks

The Honorable James E. Clyburn

Assistant Democratic Leader and Member of the US House of Representatives, South Carolina

Scarlett Johansson and Kerry Washington

Actresses

8:00 PM – 9:00 PM (EST)

Remarks

Caroline Kennedy

Author and Attorney

The Honorable Xavier Becerra

Democratic Caucus Vice Chair and Member of the US House of Representatives, California

The Honorable Jennifer Granholm

Former Governor of Michigan

Eva Longoria

Actress

The Honorable Brian Schweitzer

Governor of Montana

The Honorable Charlie Crist, Jr.

Former Governor of Florida

Remarks

The Honorable John Kerry

Member of the US Senate, Massachusetts

9:00 PM – 10:00 PM (EST)

Video: Veterans

Remarks

Admiral John B. Nathman

United States Navy, Retired

Introductory Remarks

Angie Flores

Remarks

Dr. Jill Biden

Second Lady of the United States

Vice President Joe Biden Video

Remarks

The Honorable Joe Biden

Vice President of the United States

10:00 PM – 11:00 PM (EST)

Video and Remarks

The Honorable Dick Durbin

Member of the US Senate, Illinois

President Barack Obama Video

Remarks

Barack Obama

President of the United States

Celebration

Benediction

His Eminence Timothy Dolan

Roman Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop of New York

Retire Colors

Adjournment

h/t: TPM LiveWire

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Crist To Speak At Democratic Convention | TPM LiveWire →

Charlie Crist, the former Republican governor of Florida, will speak at the Democratic National Convention, a Democratic official confirmed to TPM Monday. Crist became an independent during an unsuccessful Senate bid against Sen. Marco Rubio. Crist currently has no party affiliation, according to CNN. 

h/t: TPM LiveWire

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Charlie Crist endorses Barack Obama. Is DNC speaking role next? →

On the cusp of the Republican National Convention that he helped bring to his home of Tampa Bay, former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist goes all in for Democrat Barack Obama in a Tampa Bay Times editorial.

It’s looks like yet another indication that Crist, an independent, plans on becoming a Democrat and running for governor. The next sign: Whether he gets a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.

From Crist’s Tampa Bay Times op-ed:

I’ve studied, admired and gotten to know a lot of leaders in my life. Across Florida, in Washington and around the country, I’ve watched the failure of those who favor extreme rhetoric over sensible compromise, and I’ve seen how those who never lose sight of solutions sow the greatest successes.

As America prepares to pick our president for the next four years — and as Florida prepares once again to play a decisive role — I’m confident that President Barack Obama is the right leader for our state and the nation. I applaud and share his vision of a future built by a strong and confident middle class in an economy that gives us the opportunity to reap prosperity through hard work and personal responsibility. It is a vision of the future proven right by our history.

h/t: Miami Herald

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Report: Charlie Crist, Former GOP Governor, Paid Off Men To Hide His Gay Affairs | The New Civil Rights Movement →

Former Florida Republican Governor Charlie Crist allegedly paid off two different men and sent them out of state to hide his homosexual affairs, discovery documents in a just-released investigative report by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement claim. The documents also claim Crist — who actively worked to ban same-sex marriage — attempted to kiss another man, the subject of the criminal investigation, and had drunken escapades which included driving a golf cart under the influence while attempting to run over people.

Certainly this is not the first time Crist has been accused of being gay. Crist is on his second marriage, the first having lasted less than one year, the second a reportedly whirlwind romance that culminated in an engagement after nine months in 2008, and marriage a few months later.

h/t: The New Civil Rights Movement

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