Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio called the choice of Mr. LeMieux "disappointing." Democrats called it "political cronyism." It's hard to disagree.
Posted on 08/31/2009 5:45:00 AM PDT by Zakeet
Democrats have embarrassed themselves by naming political buddies to replace Joe Biden and Barack Obama in the Senate, and now a Republican is showing he can do the same. On Friday, Florida Governor Charlie Crist picked a long-time aide and political consultant to fill his state's soon-to-be-vacant U.S. Senate seat, presumably as a placeholder until Mr. Crist can win the job himself in November 2010.
The Florida vacancy is due to the strange decision by Republican Mel Martinez to abandon his post early for no other reason than that he seems sick of the job. His departure couldn't come at a worst time given that Republicans have only 40 seats and need every one of them to stop the most radical expansion of government in two generations.
That makes it all the more puzzling that Mr. Crist bypassed well known Republicans in favor of selecting his former campaign manager and chief of staff George LeMieux.
[Snip]
What that means on crucial legislation is anyone's guess, given Mr. Crist's protean politics. The governor has driven private property and casualty insurers out of the state by expanding a government-favored public option for hurricane insurance. He also made a show of endorsing President Obama's $800 billion "stimulus" earlier this year. With a health-care public option in the balance in coming weeks, no one seems to know how Mr. LeMieux might vote.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio called the choice of Mr. LeMieux "disappointing." Democrats called it "political cronyism." It's hard to disagree.
Democrats are beyond embarrassment.
Charlene Crist is a disgraceful RINO.
Anyone complaning about the Florida senate seat, well just look at the sh*t going down (up?) in Massholechusetts. It could be worse.
I still think someone has the pictures. Maybe he are gramnesty plan on a sex change operation and then they can get married.
I think the Wall Street Journal should read its own articles re: Mr. Martinez. We’ll be just fine, thank you very much.
We need to work hard to elect Marco Rubio and then unseat charlie as a one-timer Governor!!!
I agree............
“no one seems to know how Mr. LeMieux might vote.”
He will do exactly what CC tells him to do.........will be a good test on CC’s senate votes.
Actually, we don't need a Senator at all to stop Obama. Under Senate rules, the filibuster has nothing to do with how many people vote to keep talking -- you don't need 40 votes, you only need ONE vote. All that matters is that the majority needs to get 60 votes to stop debate.
So the democrats are hurting with Kennedy gone; The republicans will only be hurt if Crist's appointment votes with the Democrats.
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