Crist losing his mojo: Politico

Hot Air ^ | 11/16/09 | staff

[pissant]

Six months ago, Charlie Crist looked like he could do no wrong. He had built a remarkable job-approval rating as Florida’s governor and looked like a shoo-in to hold the state in the red column. Then Crist decided to run for the Senate instead, hoping to replace the retiring Mel Martinez (R), and got an endorsement from the NRSC within hours even though conservative Marco Rubio had already filed to run for the nomination. Six months later, Crist suddenly looks vulnerable, and as Politico reports, he only has himself to blame:

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is witnessing a sharp downturn in his political fortunes, imperiling his standing as the presumptive next senator from Florida and leaving Washington and Tallahassee wondering if the seemingly invincible Republican has lost his way.

Even after a series of self-inflicted wounds — ranging from his dubious assertion that he never endorsed President Barack Obama’s stimulus to the departure of a longtime communications director — and a slide in the polls, Crist remains the undisputed front-runner against GOP primary opponent Marco Rubio, the former state House speaker.

But there is little question that battleship Crist has sprung a leak.

“Charlie Crist is a remarkable natural politician who has had enormous success at the ballot box over time. However, there is a sense among some Republicans out there that he has lost his mojo,” said Rick Wilson, a Florida Republican strategist.

“Until a month and a half ago, it was a nonrace. Now it’s a race. And it has all to do with Charlie Crist himself,” said Brett Doster, a Tallahassee-based GOP strategist. “It’s, figure out how quickly you can take a gun and put it down your leg and shoot yourself.”

Most of Crist’s self-inflicted damage comes from two decisions this year, both having to do with Barack Obama. When Obama was riding high in the polls in Florida, Crist tried hitching his wagon to Obama on Porkulus in order to ride Obama’s coattails. He also wanted to show Floridians that he was a “pragmatist” as opposed to an ideologue, and both endorsed and campaigned for Porkulus because Crist said it would curb unemployment and benefit Florida’s economy.

Now that Porkulus has been an obvious flop, Crist suddenly looks a lot more like an opportunist than a pragmatist. Rather than just admit that he was wrong about the stimulus package, Crist gave Floridians little credit for either memory or intelligence by claiming that he’d never endorsed it at all. The Rubio campaign wasted little time in showing that Crist was lying through his teeth:

If a politician wants to “lose his mojo,” he can’t do it any better than to lie and insult the intelligence of voters. Instead of simply admitting he got it wrong, which would have at least protected his credibility while acknowledging a failure in judgment, Floridians now have good reason to distrust Crist’s honesty as well. Meanwhile, Rubio got the initial policy position correct, and looks a lot more honest than Crist.

Crist still leads in Florida, and the race is far from over. However, voters will remember Crist’s incompetence and dishonesty, which will eat away at his support, especially among Republican primary voters. It was Crist’s race to lose all along, and he’s done about as well as anyone ever has in losing it.

[pissant]

He can regain some honor by dropping out and supporting Rubio or Bob Smith.

[Red_Devil 232]

"Charlie Crist is a remarkable natural politician LIAR"

[Nonstatist]

What’s his lead right now?

[Presbyterian Reporter]

I got a call from the Rubio campaign this morning. They are working the phones while Crist is airing ads telling the world that he is the most conservative politician ever.

[GOPsterinMA]

Bob Smith? Are you serious?

[pissant]

Yeah, he’s running, or at least he was. I’d take him in a heartbeat over charlie loafers

[YHAOS]

Too bad, Charlie. So sad.

[GOPsterinMA]

WOW! Just wow.

[tgusa]

“voters will remember Crist’s incompetence and dishonesty”

At least Crist has something in common with the current administration in DC.

[Gemsbok]

“”At least Crist has something in common with the current administration in DC””

Yes, he sure does, they both have a common acquaintance - Larry Sinclair.

[boomop1]

There is going to be a lot of drama and surprises, if the old folks like me get motivated and get their brains in gear we will win big.

[Cicero]

I guess an NRSC endorsement ain’t what it used to be. Frankly, I consider any endorsement by NRSC, NRCC, or NRC as a good reason to suspect that the candidate is a lousy RINO.

Which we already knew about Crist, McCain’s good pal.

[Hiddigeigei]

I’ve heard that Charlie is a bit more more than a “good pal” to some. In fact he might even be considered a “warm brother.”

[AdvisorB]

Crist didn't have very good Mojo to begin with, and then he endorsed obama's socalled "stimulas" plan that only stimulated the national debt. And now Crist is running misleading and deceptive radio ads throughout Florida saying that he is opposed to the Obama almost $800 billion dollar boondoggle "stimulas" plan.

Anyway you look at it, Crist has been hoisted by his own petard, and has no one to blame but his liberal/leftist instincts that led him over the cliff with Obama.

If you think he's got a Mojo problem now, wait until you see what Rubio does to him next September.......Oh what a tangle web we weave..........right Prime Time Charlie?

[varina davis]

I’m all for Rubio, but he needs to hold some rallies in central and north Florida where folks aren’t as familiar with his name and policies.

[AdvisorB]

Yes I agree, but he's starting to get around, since he has cut Crist's lead in half in the last few months.

A few weeks back I was at a Rubio fundraiser in PalmBay, just south of Melbourne, and I took this picture, though it is somewhat blurred.....Rubio is going to be a Conservative Republican superstar. He's intelligent, articulate, and attractive.

[Joe Boucher]

Yeah and I’ll never forget that photo op he so egarly went for where he is hugging the marxist p.o.s. while supporting his money grab.