Charlie Crist

Associated Politifact: AP's Lederman Thinks Jeb Bush Is Responsible for Jobs Lost Under Charlie Crist
By Tom Blumer | August 7, 2015 | 4:00 PM EDT

The Associated Press seems determined to become even worse at "fact-checking" politicians' statements than Politifact, the current cellar-dwellar in that regard. At the rate things are going, the wire service, in addition to richly earning its nickname "the Administration's Press" since January 2009, appears to be in line for yet another: "Associated Politifact."

In his "fact check" following last night's Republican debates, the AP's Josh Lederman outrageously argued that Jeb Bush's indisputably true statement about job creation while he was Florida's governor needed to be qualified because of what happened during the next three years under successor Charlie Crist.

CBS’s Whitaker: Fla., Wisc. Governor’s Races Represent ‘Referendum’ on GOP ‘Playbook’
By Curtis Houck | November 3, 2014 | 9:58 PM EST

On Monday’s CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley, CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker opined during a roundtable discussion that Tuesday’s governor’s elections in Florida and Wisconsin featuring incumbent Republican Governors Rick Scott and Scott Walker (respectively) will be “a referendum on” the “policies” that the two have implemented in their states based on “the Republican playbook.” After mentioning that Scott is facing Democrat Charlie Crist (failing to mention Crist was both a former Governor and Republican) while Walker’s Democratic challenger is Mary Burke, Whitaker suggested that: “Now, both Scott and Walker have followed the Republican playbook on taxes, on abortion, on same-sex marriage, and tomorrow's kind of shaping up to be a referendum on those policies.”

 

Press Covers For Crist's Tired Excuses For Florida's Jobs Freefall on His Watch
By Tom Blumer | October 22, 2014 | 8:40 PM EDT

At their debate Tuesday night, former Florida governor (2007-2010), former Republican (1974-2010), former independent (2010-2012) and current Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist got out the crying towel over why the Sunshine State's economy was so bad on his watch. He also refused to acknowledge that incumbent Republican Governor Rick Scott deserves any credit for the state economy's overachievement during the past 45 months.

At the debate, Crist tried to explain away the economic disaster which occurred during his term in office by claiming that — quoting from the debate transcript — "I was serving during the global economic meltdown. And we did the very best we could to get Florida through it and we did." As seen after the jump, the "best we could do" for Crist was far, far worse than the rest of nation's "best" could do. As would be expected, I haven't found any establishment press coverage which has made the comparisons which follow.

WashPost Describes Charlie Crist's Bizarre Obsession With Sweat
By P.J. Gladnick | October 21, 2014 | 10:19 AM EDT

While most of the MSM has focused on Florida governor Rick Scott for somehow being unreasonable for objecting to challenger Charlie Crist breaking the debate rules to place a fan between his legs, the Washington Post provides us with some insight as to Crist's bizarre obsession with preventing sweat at all costs.
 

Chris Matthews Tells Charlie Crist: ’You Got To Beat This Guy’ Rick Scott
By Jeffrey Meyer | October 17, 2014 | 12:22 PM EDT

Charlie Crist, Republican turned Independent turned Democrat, is challenging Governor Rick Scott (R-FL) in the upcoming November election and on Thursday night he was treated to a softball interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews following the “Fangate” controversy from a recent gubernatorial debate with his Republican opponent. Appearing on Hardball, Matthews obnoxiously called Scott’s actions during the debate “a clown act” before enthusiastically telling his Democratic guest that he’s “got to beat" Rick Scott in November. 

CBS, NBC Continue Hyping ‘Fangate’, Yet Ignore Apology from Debate Organizers
By Curtis Houck | October 16, 2014 | 10:54 PM EDT

CBS and NBC continued on Thursday night to harp on the so-called refusal of Florida Republican Governor Rick Scott to initially debate his opponent, Democrat and former Florida Governor Charlie Crist, on Wednesday because of Crist’s usage of a fan that broke the rules of the debate.

After each of the “big three” (ABC, CBS, and NBC) mentioned it on their morning newscasts, the CBS Evening News and NBC Nightly News aired new segments and included NBC’s Brian Williams stating that what transpired on Wednesday night “may say more about the broken state of our politics these days than we'd like to admit.”

‘Big Three' Pounce on ‘Fangate’: ‘An Awkward Moment That’s Blowing Up Online’
By Jeffrey Meyer | October 16, 2014 | 10:58 AM EDT

On Thursday morning, all three network morning shows hyped Florida Republican Governor Rick Scott’s refusal to appear on stage for a scheduled debate with his Democratic opponent, former Governor Charlie Crist, due to the appearance of an unapproved fan. Despite the “big three” enthusiastically covering the Republican governor’s “Fangate” episode, the networks have repeatedly refused to cover political controversies from Democrats running for office this year.

Charlie Crist Connection Avoided in Report About Wild 'Choom' Rant of His Boss
By P.J. Gladnick | September 8, 2014 | 9:39 PM EDT

Be careful. Be very, very careful.

When the boss of Charlie Crist  screams foul language at what appears to be a a 420 Reefer Madness rally of the Choom Gang it is okay to report it on the news. However, what is taboo is to mention Charlie Crist's connection to his own boss, John Morgan, at the law firm of Morgan & Morgan where Crist serves not only as a rainmaker but receives big campaign contributions for his Florida gubernatorial run this year. As you can see, television station WFLA in the Tampa bay neglected any mention of Crist in its report on the wild antics of John Morgan.

Howler of the Night From Politico: Charlie Crist As a Former 'Rock-Ribbed Conservative'
By Tom Blumer | August 26, 2014 | 11:45 PM EDT

Former Florida Republican Governor Charlie won the state's Democratic gubernatorial primary tonight.

In his writeup on Crist's defeat of an overmatched challenger, the Politico's James Hohmann wrote that "Only four years ago Crist was a governor who had run for office as a rock-ribbed conservative." That wording is a bit too clever. One might argue that Hohmann is merely claiming that Crist ran as a "conservative" in 2006 on the coattails Jeb Bush's successful and largely conservative previous eight years as Florida's governor. But Crist certainly didn't flaunt the label, and by mid-2007 it was obvious that he was governing as a "Schwarzenegger-style Republican moderate" — making it clear that any campaign claim to being genuinely conservative was a false front. Excerpts follow the jump (bolds are mine):

Robo Calls: Tampa Bay Times Political Editor Discovers Charlie Crist Is 'Smearing' Charlie Crist
By P.J. Gladnick | August 12, 2014 | 5:15 PM EDT

What a lowdown dirty campaign trick!

Democrat primary voters in Florida have been receiving robo calls from someone purporting to be gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist taking positions antithetical to the beliefs of most liberals. Obviously this was designed to harm Crist and many Democrats on the receiving end of the call complained that it must have been an imposter on the line. Fortunately, Tampa Bay Times Political Editor Adam C. Smith investigated and was able to discover the unethical cur who claimed to be Crist. The results of his investigation are  below but first listen to the robo call voice that is undercutting Crist's campaign:

WashPost Tilts Left on Front Page: Scott Walker's Name Is Mud, Charlie Crist Is 'Embraceable Blue'
By Tim Graham | February 20, 2014 | 8:56 AM EST

Is The Washington Post a rag for liberal Democrats? It’s certainly striving for that reputation today. On the front page (above the fold) is this story, trying to ruin another GOP presidential hopeful like Chris Christie: “Gov. Walker, eyeing 2016, faces fallout from probes: Release of ex-aide’s e-mails could stall rise of national Republican.”

Meanwhile, on the front page of the Style section is a picture of ex-Republican Charlie Crist hugging Barack Obama on a card that says “Happy Hug-iversary.” The headline over the aticle is “Charlie Crist: Embraceable Blue.” Newly arrived Post reporter Ben Terris reports Crist loves a good hug:

MSNBC's Reid Treats Florida Democrat to Tough Interview in Order to Boost Crist
By Ken Shepherd | November 5, 2013 | 7:29 PM EST

The day after suggesting that Democratic primary voters in Florida should vote for turncoat Charlie Crist to better ensure the chances of taking back the governor's mansion, MSNBC substitute host Joy-Ann Reid conducted a short and rather tense interview with Nan Rich, a former state senate minority leader. You may recall that Reid suggested yesterday it would be "toxic" for Sunshine State Democrats to let a "purity test" scuttle Crist's nomination and with it liberals' best chances to take the governor's mansion.

Reid was "pressed for time" to squeeze the interview into Tuesday's tightly-programmed Martin Bashir program, but even allowing for that, it seemed to me that Reid was annoyed that Rich was gumming up the works and preventing a coronation for Crist, who naturally would have the backing of President Obama. Judge for yourself by reading an excerpt of the transcript and/or by listening to the MP3 audio of the segment: