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Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. (born July 24, 1956), is an American politician of the Republican Party and the current Governor of Florida. Crist was Florida's attorney general when he won election to governor, thus becoming the first Florida cabinet official in 95 years to be elected governor (since Park Trammell). His current term as governor expires in January 2011 but he is eligible under Florida law to seek a consecutive term as governor in the 2010 election cycle.
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Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. (born July 24, 1956), is an American politician of the Republican Party and the current Governor of Florida. Crist was Florida's attorney general when he won election to governor, thus becoming the first Florida cabinet official in 95 years to be elected governor (since Park Trammell). His current term as governor expires in January 2011 but he is eligible under Florida law to seek a consecutive term as governor in the 2010 election cycle. He has also been mentioned as a potential 2012 presidential candidate. It has also been reported that Crist may not run for re-election as governor in 2010, and instead run for the US Senate in 2010.
Early life and education
Crist was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania to Dr. Charlie Crist Sr., an American physician of Greek Cypriot descent, and Nancy Lee, of Scotch-Irish American descent. Often mispronounced today as "Christ", his surname had originally been "Christodoulou". Crist moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, as a child, where he attended Riviera Middle School and graduated from St. Petersburg High School in 1974. He is the second eldest child; he has three sisters, Margaret Crist Wood, Dr. Elizabeth Crist Hyden, Catherine Crist Kennedy . He attended Wake Forest University for two years, where he played quarterback for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team. Crist earned his undergraduate degree from Florida State University where he was elected Vice President of the student body and was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He received his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law in Alabama.
Early career
During law school, Crist interned in the State Attorney's Office. After graduating, Crist failed the Florida bar exam twice, before passing it on the third attempt.
After being employed as the general counsel to the minor league division of the Baseball Commissioner's Office and as a staffer for U.S. Senator Connie Mack, he entered the private practice of law.
Crist has held elected office in Florida since 1992, except for 1999–2000 when he was the appointed Deputy Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation following his defeat in a U.S. Senate race.
Crist was elected to the Florida Senate in 1992, representing parts of St. Petersburg. He received the nickname "Chain Gang Charlie" on account of his support of chain gangs for state prison inmates. He supported teacher salary increases. He co-sponsored laws that created charter schools, required felons to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences, and created a license plate to raise funds for the Everglades.
Crist gained statewide name recognition in 1998 as the Republican challenger to the popular incumbent U.S. Senator, Democrat Bob Graham. He lost to Graham by 26 percent.
In 2000, Crist was elected Education Commissioner of Florida, and he served in this capacity until 2003. The office was converted to an appointive one in 2003 in accordance with a 1998 constitutional amendment.
Florida attorney general
In 2002, Crist was elected Attorney General. Supporters of his candidacy included America's Most Wanted host John Walsh, who publicly filed Crist's gubernatorial candidacy paperwork, citing his work with the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. During his tenure as Attorney General, Crist was lauded by civil rights and consumer groups for expanding the powers of his office to prosecute civil rights and fraud cases. He received acclaim for his work to combat spam e-mails, freeze utility rates, end telecom deception, and protect the environment. He was strongly criticized by some advocates of government intervention in the Terri Schiavo case when he abandoned further official attempts to keep Schiavo on life support. He was also criticized for not using his powers to investigate Schiavo's missing Department of Children and Families file.
Canadian anti-consumer-fraud activist and author Les Henderson criticized Crist's handling of the Lou Pearlman-Wilhelmina Scouting Network affair in his September 2006 book Under Investigation. Henderson's book presents documentary evidence that Assistant Attorney General Jacqueline Dowd was forced to resign by Crist's office when she refused to stop investigating the scam, and that she had been intending to file charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. A lawsuit stemming from the alleged Ponzi scheme and investment scandal alleges that Crist delayed or interfered with investigations into Pearlman in return for campaign donations and the use of private jets, residences, and
skyboxes.
2006 gubernatorial campaign
During the fall of 2006, Crist consistently led Democratic opponent Jim Davis in statewide opinion polling and so opted to skip a politically risky appearance with President George W. Bush. Crist had reasoned that the Pensacola area was already firmly in his camp, and instead decided to appear in a more closely contested area with Arizona Sen. John McCain. Davis accused Crist of trying to avoid being associated with the unpopular President, whose job-approval rating stood at 34 percent nationally and merely 29 percent within Florida.
Crist also led his opponents in fundraising throughout the campaign, but his activities were occasionally controversial. One of Crist's backers was real estate mogul Donald Trump, whose guests at a Crist fundraiser included a former Ukrainian official in the country illegally, as well as the owner of a company under investigation by Crist's office. Crist later returned the donations from the companies under investigation, while the Ukrainian official's fee was paid by another guest. Further controversy set in, however, when ethics complaints were filed against Crist and his chief of staff for failing to investigate a major donor, personnel firm Convergys, that has been plagued by lawsuits and prison sentences for its role in the inadequate protection of state employees' social security numbers.
The Rev. O'Neal Dozier, a member of Crist's team and the Worldwide Christian Church, also generated controversy after being dismissed from his position on the Broward Judicial Nominating Commission for calling Islam a "cult" and a "dangerous religion" and opposing the construction of a mosque on the grounds that "we don't want our area to be a breeding ground for terrorists". Crist initially declined to take action about Dozier and said that he was "happy" with the help he got. However, he later told his staff to remove Dozier from all campaign committees, saying "While Charlie Crist respects Rev. Dozier's right to express his political and religious beliefs, he does not agree with Rev. Dozier's recent statements and writings concerning Islam".
Crist's platform as a gubernatorial candidate included a "pro-life and pro-family" approach to abortion.; $3,000 subsidies to 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; gun owner rights (endorsed by the National Rifle Association as an "A+" candidate); 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 off shore oil drilling near Florida's coastline.
Record as governor
Budget cuts in 2009
In January 2009, while Florida was facing a major recession, Governor Crist angered some fellow Republicans over the way he vetoed some of their proposed budget cuts to popular programs. Some Republican legislators felt that they had reached agreement with the Governor that the cuts were necessary and were surprised by the Governor when he then vetoed some cuts, some legislators believed he did this in order to curry favor with constituents.
Crist is in favor of the 2009 federal stimulus package under consideration.
Crist attended a town hall meeting with President Barack Obama in Fort Myers, Florida. Crist introduced Obama and encouraged bipartisanship in order to achieve economic recovery.
Crist received severe negative criticism from the Republican party for standing with Obama. Some called for his censure, others made threats or shared their anger with the press.
Crime and punishment
Gun Bill
Crist signed into law a controversial measure that tells employers and business owners they can no longer bar their employees or visitors from having guns locked in their car on their premises so long as the employee or visitor has a concealed weapons license. Concealed weapons license records are not available for public inspection, this then would not allow employers and businesses to confirm status.
Death penalty
Crist is a longtime advocate of capital punishment. He has commented, "It's very difficult. I feel the weight of that duty. Yet I understand that justice requires it."
During his tenure as attorney general of Florida, he represented the state in 10 death penalty cases resulting in execution. As governor, Crist extended the moratorium on executions which his predecessor, Jeb Bush had imposed in late 2006 in response to the lethal injection of Ángel Nieves Díaz. Crist resumed signing death warrants in 2008 and has overseen three executions as of February 2009. Mark Dean Schwab was executed on July 1, 2008.
Economic trade trip and expenses
In July 2008, Crist, accompanied by his fiancee Carole Rome and her sister Michelle Oumano Powell, made a twelve day trade trip to Europe, including stops in London, Paris, St.Petersburg and Madrid. In December 2008, when Florida was approaching a 2.3 billion budget deficit, several press outlets reported that the cost of the trip was significantly higher than first reported. Business executives paid for Crist's travel expenses of $30,000 and the state paid $430,000 for travel expenses on the trip for his staff and bodyguards. This was a significant cost overrun; the trip had originally been estimated to cost the state $255,000. The Sun Sentinel stated: "Taxpayers covered the airfare, lodging and meals for the state employees who went on the trip. The other participants paid their own way and a fee of up to $1,500 each for additional costs, including the governor's expenses. In all, about 65 Florida business executives accompanied Crist, including real estate agents, aviation industry representatives, lawyers, lobbyists and two people with ties to the sugar industry."
While in Spain, the Spanish company Renovalia signed a letter of intent saying it will negotiate to build a solar energy plant in Florida to supply Seminole Electric. Renovalia’s attorney is Rafael E. Martinez of Orlando, Florida, he is the brother of Florida U.S. Senator Mel Martinez,and Rafael Martinez made the following statement about the value of Crist's participation in the trade mission: "They [the business executives] were very excited to see the governor there.... They just needed that little push. We're very grateful to Gov. Crist for doing it."
Apparently,according to Martinez, the project had stalled until Crist's visit. Crist stated to the Times-Herald: "I think that I have a duty to do as much as I can to promote employment for my fellow Floridians, and that's what a trade mission is designed to do, and I hope it does it." However,Crist did not give an explanation for why a Spanish solar company was required, rather than a domestic solar company.
There also were questions raised about the seriousness of the trip events, given the participation of the Governor's fiancee, Carole Rome: "Photos show Crist and Rome meeting Prince Andrew at Buckingham Palace; meeting Prince Charles at Clarence House; attending an air show; visiting soldiers' graves at Normandy; having finger sandwiches with the Bishop of Liverpool; consulting with Britain's foreign secretary; and sipping cocktails with the British Foreign Office minister. In meetings with Boeing and Lockheed Martin executives, Rome sat next to the governor." Rome's ex-husband also has an interest in aviation issues, he is Blue Star Jet Chief Executive Todd Rome.
According to the St. Petersburg Times, Crist cited the expansion of Embraer's jet manufacturing plant in Melbourne, with an estimated 200 new jobs paying $50,000 each as a justification for the expense of the trip.
Education
Research flagship universities
During Florida's 2007 Legislative Session, Governor Charlie Crist signed into law SB-1710 which allowed the Florida Board of Governors to charge Tuition Differential of 40% above and beyond the regular tuition rates for the University of Florida and Florida State University. In addition the University of South Florida was allowed to raise its rates 30% above and beyond the regular tuition charges. This was allowed because these three institutions reached Research Flagship benchmarks that the other universities in the State University System could not achieve.
In 2008, in lieu of receiving increased research funding in excess of $100 million, the Tuition Differential was allowed to now include the University of Central Florida and Florida International University. These two institutions were allowed to raise their tuition rate 30% above and beyond the regular tuition rates. This legislation ultimately created a multi-tier system for higher education in Florida's State University System.
Tuition hikes proposal
On November 20, 2008, Governor Crist announced a proposal to raise Florida public universities' tuition rates by 15% annually in order to bring the tuition rates up to the national average. This could result in an additional $21 million in new revenue. Crist projects an additional $200 million will be available to low income students by 2015 in order to soften the blow of higher tuition costs for students.
Senate Democratic Leader Alfred Lawson, Jr. and former US Senator and Governor Bob Graham were concerned that Crist's proposal was over the line. Their position was that the decision should be made by the University Board of Governors, a body empowered by a constitutional amendment that voters approved which transfers authority and decision making to the board in order to make such decisions. Additionally, Graham said "I’m just concerned that the increase isn’t part of a larger strategy to reverse this decline we’ve seen in the last 20 years in higher education... It could become almost a narcotic to cover up the real problems by shifting more of the total cost of education to students while the state does not keep up it’s end of the bargain.” Lawson went on to say “This move puts higher education even further out of reach, Florida ranks among the highest for foreclosures, job loss, and bankruptcies. Dumping tuition hikes into the laps of students and their families is the wrong move at the wrong time. It’s the latest in a long line of bad moves shifting the state’s funding obligations down to the people, and the people are suffering enough.”
Environment & Annual Gubernatorial Global Climate Summits
Emissions control
In July 2007, Crist hosted his first climate change summit in Florida. Crist announced plans to sign executive orders that would impose strict air-pollution standards in the state, with aims to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 80 percent of the 1990 levels by 2050. Crist's orders would set new emissions targets for power companies, automobiles and trucks, toughen conservation goals for state agencies, and require state-owned vehicles to use alternative fuels.
Reverses position on offshore oil drilling
In his gubernatorial campaign, Crist opposed offshore oil drilling. It was a position he shared with California's Governor Schwarzenegger. However, in the summer of 2008 oil reached peak prices and Crist felt compelled to say "I mean, let's face it, the price of gas has gone through the roof, and Florida families are suffering, and my heart bleeds for them."
In June 2008, Crist gave a keynote address at the "Serve to Preserve" Global Climate Change Summit he hosted in Florida. Earlier in the month Crist had reversed his position on off shore oil drilling. At this same June 2008 conference, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also gave an address and rebuked politicians who suggested drilling in the Gulf of Mexico as a solution to gas prices, and he stated: "Anyone who tells you this will lower our gas prices anytime soon is blowing smoke" Many perceived Schwarzenegger's comments to be directed at Governor Crist and Senator John McCain, however Schwarzenegger's spokesman Aaron McLear stated "He was not referring to either one of them. Neither Crist nor McCain has said offshore drilling is going to immediately reduce gas prices...He doesn't believe in offshore drilling. He certainly doesn't agree with McCain and Crist on that."
In November 2008, Crist co-hosted the Governors Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles, California, in partnership with Governors Rod Blagojevich, Jim Doyle, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Kathleen Sebelius.
Sugar industry and the Everglades
In June 2008 there were reports that Crist was proposing that the State of Florida buy 187,000 acres of land in a landmark deal with the sugar industry. Crist described the deal "as monumental as our nation's first national park". In November 2008, the deal was revised downward from $1.75 billion to $1.34 billion dollars. Crist was scheduled to announce the finalization of the deal at the former home of environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Crist's plane experienced problems requiring an emergency landing and he was delayed by one day in making the announcement. It remains unclear how much of the land will actually be set aside for conservation.
On November 20, 2008 Nashville based owner of farmland called The Lawrence Group made a competing bid for the land.
A University of Florida ethanol plant should remain unaffected in the deal.
Crist has previously touted the idea of using abundant Florida crops of sugar cane and citrus waste to convert to ethanol.
Health and insurance
Disputes with property insurance companies
In 2007, Governor Crist became embroiled in public disputes with property insurers over homeowners' insurance rates. Governor Crist had expected insurers to lower their rates with new reinsurance coverage available from the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. However, insurers have found that although the FHCF will offer them complete coverage, there are significant doubts in the marketplace as to whether the FHCF will be able to make good on those claims. Ratings agencies (such as Moody's, Standard & Poor's, and A. M. Best) have warned insurers that if they accept too much reinsurance from FHCF, they risk being downgraded. With such a warning in hand, insurers have instead gone to the private reinsurance market for much of their reinsurance, and have found significantly higher rates.
Crist has also come under fire for creating a situation where as described in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal:
"Floridians have been signing up with Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-run insurer that Mr. Crist unleashed in 2007. Because it has an implicit taxpayer guarantee, and because its actuarial assumptions are, well, loose, Citizens can offer lower premiums than private competitors can. Citizens has become the largest insurer in the state, with 1.1 million policies. Mr. Crist has thus guaranteed that Floridians, rather than the global insurance industry, will be on the hook for property damage when the next Katrina hits. Citizens is facing more than $400 billion in potential exposure, yet Citizens Chief Financial Officer Sharon Binnun was recently cited in the South Florida Sun Sentinel as saying it had only $3.4 billion in net assets. Anxious to keep voters happy, legislators have frozen Citizens premiums the past three years. Some 25% of the coastal property in U.S. hurricane zones is located in Florida, and another storm is inevitable. To pay for those claims when they come, Mr. Crist will either have to raise taxes on Floridians, or beg Congress for a rescue. Mr. Crist tried the latter in 2007 when he pushed federal legislation to distribute below-market loans to state insurance programs and create a federal reinsurance body to backstop undercapitalized states. Even the Governor may be catching onto his folly. While dismissing State Farm's exit -- "Floridians will be much better off without them" -- he is pushing for a law barring the company from dropping more than 2% of its customers in a single year. So, having publicly brutalized State Farm, undercut its business and set its prices, Mr. Crist now wants to require it to keep losing money."
Property taxes and Florida Amendment One (2008)
Crist supported Florida Amendment One (2008), he believed that it would allow families more options in housing and avoiding a "locked in" effect for those who want to downsize their living space or move into a larger home.
Healthcare insurance
Florida has a rapidly growing number of uninsured residents, a rate of 21% uninsured which is the fourth highest in the country- it is estimated that there are 797,000 children uninsured in the state (18.8 % of children in the state). On May 20,2008 Crist signed a new Florida law that allows for low cost health insurance policies, some health care experts have criticized the policies as not providing enough coverage and "too bare bones".
The new law also calls for insurance companies to negotiate agreements with the state for diagnosing and treating autism related disorders. If the companies don't enter into agreements with the state then the state will begin requiring certain coverages by July 2009, this part of the measure applies only to large insurance plans. Families covered by smaller group insurance plans or individual plans are not guaranteed coverage. The plan caps at $36,000 per year and $200,000 over a lifetime.
Former Miami Dolphin quarterback Dan Marino was on hand with Crist for the bill signing.
On December 10, 2008 Crist unveiled 25 different health care coverage plans offered by six different insurance companies that will be available to 3.4 uninsured Floridians in January 2009. The average monthly cost of the plans is $155 per month. A plan that offers catastrophic coverage and allows for more hospital stay costs $290 monthly. There are also some plans that have a very pricey $3000 deductible- and this comes at a time when KidCare, the state's subsidized health care plan for children of the working poor, says its members are falling behind on payments that are only $20 a month.
Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund
The Lawton Chiles Endowment Fund established as a $2 billion dollar trust fund with funds awarding to the state of Florida after a multi state tobacco law suit was pursued by former Governor Chiles. However, the fund has suffered significant losses due to investments in long-term securities that have dropped sharply in value with the stock market decline occurring in 2008. The fund was set up to provide new health care services to children and seniors. State officials have tapped into the fund, including a $300 million dollar withdrawal from the fund in order to deal with state budget deficits for existing medical service programs that were previously budgeted. Opponents of the withdrawal cited concerns over using the fund in order to meet budget deficits for permanently budgeted existing programs. They were concerned about the possibility that the funds would be tapped as an easy solution for bad budget decisions and that new and better processes, including illness prevention programs that result in less expense further down the line, would not be adopted. There were also suggestions that a new state tax on cigarette purchases be imposed to alleviate the budget deficit, rather than using funds from the Chiles Fund. In December 2008, the state had a 2 billion dollar budget deficit and Crist began to explore the possibility of tapping into the fund. The Chiles family and other state officials were vehemently against the possibility, they cited the many state sponsored health programs and other services directed at improving the lives of children and seniors had already been cut from the state budget and questioned where the funds would go and what they would be used for. The Chiles family stated that they may sue Governor Crist if he attempts to tap into the fund and use it for anything other than its intended purpose.
Pro-life appointments to the Florida Supreme Court
On September 1, 2008 Crist appointed Judge Charles T. Canady to the Florida Supreme Court. Cannady is credited with inventing the term "partial birth abortion" while developing the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1995.
On October 1, 2008 Crist appointed Judge Ricky Polston to the Florida Supreme Court. Polston maintains a "Choose Life" Florida license plate and has been described as conservative.
Crist will make two additional appointments to the Florida Supreme Court in early 2009, when Justice Harry Lee Anstead and Justice Charles T. Wells must step down because they will each have reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 years old.
Some view these appointments of conservative judges as an attempt on Crist's part to shore up the conservative Republican base. However, Crist stated in a CNN interview that he believes that it is necessary to govern in "an almost non partisan manner" after the results of the 2008 election. On December 10,2008, unhappy with a list given to him of potential nominees, Crist wrote a letter to the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission and stated:
In order to increase the diversity of the pool of nominees, please reconvene,
In January 2009, Jorge Labarga, a moderate judge from Wellington, FL, was appointed by Crist to replace Justice Anstead.
Crist will make a fourth appointment in March 2009 when Justice Wells retires. At that point in time, he will have appointed a majority of the justices on the seven-member court.
Minority groups
Race relations
Florida state representative (D-Jacksonville) referred to Crist as the state's "first black governor".
He is the first Republican governor to accept the state's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) invitation to a convention. Crist endorsed legislation requiring paper records of all ballots cast during an election, stemming from criticisms from those who believed votes were being undercounted in black communities by computerized voting machines.
In March 2007, Crist recommended that a deal which would have awarded $10 million to the family of Martin Lee Anderson, a teenager who died at a boot camp style juvenile detention facility in Bay County. This was done prior to the verdict in the trial of the guards accused of beating him. Despite the acquittal of the guards and the medical examiner's report that Anderson died from complications of a sickle cell trait, the family was awarded $7.4 million.
Existing ban on adoption by homosexuals
Florida banned gays and lesbians from adopting children in the 1970s. Since that time, circuit court judges such as Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman and another judge in Key West have ruled against the Florida gay adoption ban, citing the ban as unconstitutional and declared there was no scientific or legal reason for the ban. State attorneys immediately filed an appeal, setting the stage for a battle at the Supreme Court level.
According to the Associated Press: "Florida is the only state with an outright ban on gay adoption. Arkansas voters last month [November 2008] approved a measure similar to a law in Utah that bans any unmarried straight or gay couples from adopting or fostering children. Mississippi bans gay couples, but not single gays, from adopting."
Crist has said he opposes any change to the ban in Florida, he and other Republican leaders hold the position that a "traditional family provides the best environment for children"
Ban on gay marriage and civil unions
On November 4, 2008 Florida voters approved Florida Amendment 2 (2008) by a margin of 62%-38%; an amendment which defines marriage as "the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife". Crist stated he did not favor Republican Party funds being spent on passing the ban, but did lend his name to groups working in favor of the amendment. Prior to the vote, Crist was asked where he stood on the amendment and he stated: "I'll support it, I'll vote for it, move on... It's not top-tier for me, put it that way." and when pressed further on whether or not he would campaign for Yes on 2 he said: "I don't think so. I think I will campaign for candidates much more extensively — Sen. McCain."
In 2006, controversy surrounding a proposed gay marriage ban and rumors about Crist's own sexuality were stirred when Reform Party candidate Max Linn claimed that he believed Charlie Crist to be gay.
2008 presidential election
Early relationship with John McCain
Senator John McCain played a major role in Crist's 2006 campaign for governor, McCain endorsed Crist and traveled the state of Florida campaigning with him. The day before the Florida general election, Crist chose to hold a campaign event with McCain in Jacksonville, Florida rather than attend a Pensacola, Florida rally with President George W. Bush. A few short months later,the Republican Presidential primary debates were held in St. Petersburg, Florida, Crist physically embraced McCain, and was observed as offering a more tepid welcome to the other presidential candidates visiting Crist's hometown for the debate. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani had hoped to secure Crist's endorsement because he also campaigned for Crist's run for Florida Governor and Giuliani had placed all of his hopes on winning Florida.
Florida Primary
In May 2007 Crist signed a bill to move up the date of Florida's 2008 presidential primary election to January 29,2008. Michigan also moved up the date of their primaries. this was not received well by states holding their primaries on February 5,2008. Each state vies to be first in holding its primary. Candidates are warned not to campaign in states prematurely, all in an effort to control the power of each state as the election progresses. The Democratic National Committee responded by saying Florida would be stripped of all of its superdelegates and 50% of its regular delegates and the Republican National Committee said it would strip 50% of all of the state's delegates. Crist responded by saying he wanted all of the Florida delegates seated he also partnered with Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm in demanding that their state's delegates be seated at each party's convention.
In September 2007, Crist went on FOX News and highlighted the DNC penalty against the Democratic delegates:
"I'm a Republican,I want the next president to be a Republican. But I also understand that if it turns out not to be, then my heart bleeds for the Democrats in the state of Florida. I want to make sure their vote counts. That we count every vote. That they have an opportunity to be heard as much as the Republicans are. And so I think it's a misguided step, at least, by the national Democratic party."
The DNC decided to seat all of their delegates with half votes , and the RNC decided to maintain its ruling that all delegates would be seated with half votes.
Endorsement of McCain
On January 26, 2008, Crist publicly endorsed Senator John McCain in the Republican primary race, saying, "He's a great friend and will do a great job for the United States." McCain later won the primary by five percentage points, despite being outspent by opponent Mitt Romney. Many credited Crist's endorsement for the win, which gave McCain a leg up going into Super Tuesday.
Weekend with Gov. Jindal, Gov. Romney, McCain
In May 2008, Governor Crist, along with Governor of Louisiana Bobby Jindal, and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, attended a high powered Memorial Day weekend at Senator John McCain's Sedona, Arizona compound. Although the McCain campaign denied the gathering was an opportunity to consider a vice presidential candidate, several press outlets reported that the invited guests were indeed being considered for the number two spot on the Republican ticket. Three months later, in August 2008, Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin was chosen by McCain for the position.
Offshore oil drilling
In June 2008, Crist gave a keynote address at the "Serve to Preserve" Global Climate Change Summit he hosted in Florida. Earlier in the month Crist reversed his position on off shore oil drilling. At the summit fellow Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger rebuked politicians who suggested drilling in the Gulf of Mexico as a solution to gas prices, he stated "Anyone who tells you this will lower our gas prices anytime soon is blowing smoke" Many perceived Schwarzenegger's comments to be directed at Governor Crist and Senator John McCain, however, Schwarzenegger's spokesman Aaron McLear stated that Schwarzenegger "was not referring to either one of them. Neither Crist nor McCain has said offshore drilling is going to immediately reduce gas prices.... He[Schwarzenegger] doesn't believe in offshore drilling. He certainly doesn't agree with McCain and Crist on that."
Claims of voter fraud, vote suppression, GOP infighting
On October 12, 2008 Crist contradicted McCain campaign statements with regard to voter registration for the presidential general election held on November 4, 2008. The McCain camp stated there was widespread voter registration fraud occurring in various states, including Florida, and that a group known as ACORN may be responsible; Crist stated that he believed such reports were "exaggerated" and that he did not have a problem with the voter registration group known as ACORN as it operates in the state of Florida. These contradictions led the press to question if there were problems between the McCain campaign and the Republican leadership in Florida.
Some members of the press directly asked Crist if he would be campaigning with Senator McCain in Florida and on October 14, 2008, Crist indicated that his primary responsibilities lay with the people of Florida, saying, "When I have time to help out my friend [McCain] I'm eager and anxious to do so." The Governor did go on to participate in several campaign rallies several days later.
On October 19, 2008 there were press reports of widespread rifts between the McCain camp and Florida Republican party leadership, rather than animosity specifically between Crist and McCain.
Florida is a state that offers early voting to its constituents. On October 28, 2008 Governor Crist extended early voting hours of operation and declared that a "state of emergency exists" due to record turnout of voters and resultant hours long waits at locations throughout the state. Some Republican operatives were disappointed with the decision, including one anonymous source who said "He just blew Florida for John McCain." Some election officials in certain counties viewed the extension of hours as an infringement, while other election officials heartily endorsed it. Various media outlets and observers speculated that Crist made the decision out of vindictiveness toward McCain for snubbing him for the vice presidential position, or to position himself for re-election in 2010. Other journalists and photo-journalists documented the lines of elderly and minority voters waiting in line for hours in bad weather. Crist emphatically stated that it was "not a political decision. It's a people decision."
On October 29 and October 31, 2008 Crist made several appearances on MSNBC's Morning Joe in which he told former Florida congressman Joe Scarborough that the race between Senator McCain and Senator Obama was tightening in Florida. Then on October 31, 2008 Crist appeared in a McCain-Palin web ad endorsing the senator and offering him praise as the right leader for the country.
However, Crist abruptly left a poorly attended McCain rally in Tampa,Fl on the last day of the race and Crist was a no show at previously scheduled interviews that were to take place after the rally according to Ed Henry, reporter for CNN.
Republican Governors Association Meeting in Miami
On November 12-14, 2008 Governor Crist hosted the Republican Governors Association (RGA) annual meeting in Miami, FL. After the resounding Democratic Party win of the 2008 election, where the presidency, along with several house and senate seats were won by Democrats , there was widespread speculation about the tone of the Republican Governors meeting. Sarah Palin was a featured participant and speaker. She offered her first press conference since joining the McCain ticket at the post election RGA meeting and received the majority of media coverage, which led to several Republican Governors making anonymous comments to CNN reporter Dana Bash about their disapproval of how Palin's participation in the conference was handled. Governor Crist spoke about this at length in an interview with Joe Scarborough; during this same interview Crist also makes reference to two recent mechanical problems and emergency landings that took place while he was aboard the airplane used to transport him around Florida for state business.
Crist's speech at the RGA conference entitled "Listen to the Voters and Serve" included his sentiments on how the GOP should evolve: "This party can no longer hope to reach Hispanics, African- Americans and other minority groups — we need to just do it. Embracing cultures and lifestyles will make us a better party and better leaders. This desire for inclusiveness is near and dear to my heart.... Last week, the American people made a choice and this week, if we choose to call ourselves leaders, if we truly endeavor to serve with a servant's heart for the people who count on us, then we too must work together, listen to one another and learn from the leaders who made the kind of history the American people deserve."
Crist also held a joint interview with Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina and they openly discussed the split in the Republican Party (GOP) over the issue of where to direct the party's next efforts to gain more voters.
Greer under fire
One day after the RGA conference, Jim Greer, the Republican Chairman in Florida appointed by Crist and a long time friend and Crist staffer, came under fire from fellow GOP McCain staff in Florida with regard to how the party was spending its money during the election. Some questioned payments made for Tampa Bay Rays games, New York Yankees games, trips to Disney World, and $682,000 on chartered planes; and wondered why the funds were not spent on air time for television and radio advertising. Greer and others responded that they were operating within the rules and such expenditures had to be made in order to court major donors. Greer also stated that all funds had been offered to the McCain campaign in Virginia, and the McCain headquarters returned the funds back to the Republican Party of Florida. Crist immediately sent a letter detailing his support for Greer and his endorsement of Greer's re-election as chair of the party in Florida.
Personal life
In July 1979, Crist married Amanda Morrow. The couple had no children and divorced less than a year later.
In January 2007, reports surfaced of a 1989 paternity claim by Rebecca O'Dell Townsend, née Wharrie, who gave birth to a girl and put her up for adoption, claiming Crist was the father. Crist signed an affidavit and other paperwork in May 1989 stating he was denying paternity and claimed no parental rights. However, the issue came up again eighteen years later, some say because it was raised by Crist's political enemies, or as a dirty trick of political operatives , others because the girl had reached the age when she wanted to know more about her birth parents. The St. Petersburg Times questioned the Governor's office about the possibility of DNA testing and were told by the Governor's staff that the question was "inappropriate".
In May 2007, Politics1 and other news outlets were contacted by GOP political operative Roger Stone (Stone, and his law partner Scott Rothstein, are friends and major donors of Crist's) and the press were told by Stone that he had a tape in his possession of Crist in an unguarded moment with his girlfriend in an elevator. The account is more odd than salacious-it led other press outlets to cover the story and speculate why there would be any value to such a tape being peddled.
Crist became engaged to Carole Rome on July 3, 2008 and was married on December 12, 2008, at the First Methodist Church of St. Petersburg, where Crist is a member. Gay rights groups peacefully protested the passage of Amendment 2 gay marriage ban outside the church and reception.
Electoral history
Further reading
- Morgan, Lucy (May 9, 2005). "Crist Will Enter Governor's Race." St. Petersburg Times, pp. 1A.
- 1998 U.S. Senate race results.
- Bousquet, Steve (February 18, 2006) "Crist's landlord reportedly takes illegal tax exemption" "St. Petersburg Times"
- March, William (January 8, 2006) Tampa Tribune
- (February 13, 2006) "Candidate's Fundraiser Uncovers Questionable Supporters" "Miami Herald"
- Tisch, Chris (January 17, 2005) "The Woman Who Asked Charlie That Question" "St. Petersburg Times"
- Capital Bureau
- Attorney seeks to block steroid questions in corrections lawsuit
- (October 3, 2006) "Book: Crist tried to "whitewash" probe" "The Gainsville Sun"
- Miller, John J. (April 7, 2008). "He's No Jeb Bush." National Review.
External links
- official state site
- official campaign site
- , WEDU, 30-minute interview
- , Miami Herald, November 17, 2008
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