Charlie Crist: It's "Fun" to Tell the Truth
May 14, 2010 11:42 AM
Posted by Kevin Hechtkopf
cbsnews.com
(Credit: CBS)
It appears newly-independent Charlie Crist is enjoying no longer being tied to the GOP.
In an interview with the St. Petersburg Times, Florida's governor, who announced a few weeks ago that he would run for Senate as an independent, made comments likely to rile some Republicans who have long supported him.
For example, he told the paper's editorial board that he thought President Obama's Supreme Court nominee would do a "great job," a position few Republican politicians are likely to take this election cycle.
"Isn't that fun?" he quipped when he got looks back from the reporters about the comment. He then added: "Honesty is the best policy."
The governor also addressed the famous picture of him embracing Mr. Obama last year while supporting the president's stimulus package, which his onetime Republican primary opponent Marco Rubio pointed to as evidence that Crist is not a real Republican. The governor referenced it as a jumping off point to criticize cable TV and extremists from both parties.
"It sickens me to watch cable TV and see these people argue all day long," he said. "I think to myself, what in the world are they doing? Do they care so much about their party first that they've forgotten about their country and our people?"
Rubio is still Crist's opponent - now in the general election - and Rubio's spokesman, Alex Burgos, responded in the St. Petersburg Times story with a shot at Crist's decision not to return Republicans' campaign contributions.
"Charlie Crist was only a proud Republican until the moment he realized he couldn't win an election due to his support for wasteful stimulus spending, tax increases and liberal judges," he said. "If Charlie Crist felt so tortured as a Republican, then he should have no problem liberating himself entirely by returning Republicans' campaign contributions."
Crist's response to the question of whether he will give back contributions also could potentially count as evidence of a newfound sense of honesty - he said he just needs the money.
"I want it. I need it. I want to win," he said.
Crist also had this to say about his recent switch, reiterating comments he made earlier this month about how "happy" he is now: "I'm very happy. I really am. Listen, I don't know if I've ever enjoyed being a public servant as much as I have the past few weeks because I feel really in touch with where the people are." |
