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AT THE RACES: Florida Senate Debate Gets Punchy
Townhall.com ^ | October 7, 2010 | Jillian Bandes

Posted on 10/07/2010 4:34:49 AM PDT by Kaslin

The winner of the best punch-line for the Florida Senate debate last night goes to Charlie Crist, a guy who probably needs the humor more than anyone else.

“You haven’t been drinking the Kool-Aid, my friend, you’ve been drinking too much tea,” said Crist, speaking to Rubio.

It was a little ironic that the man who made the cool-aid joke was the one who looked most like orange Kool-Aid himself; Crist’s signature tangerine coloration was on full display under the WFTV Channel 9 newsroom lighting. But his coloration wasn’t half as distracting as the generally depressed look on his face — the sign of a guy who was clearly tired of being tired.

When that tired face accused Rubio of excess tea consumption, the reaction was a little bit of a half-laugh — a funny, awkward chuckle, tinged with sympathy. First of all, a strong cup of tea might have woken the governor up a little bit. Second of all, Crist is down by about a million percentage points in the polls — in a three-way race where he was supposed to be a shoe-in — and criticizing one of America’s most active grassroots movements seemed desperate more than anything else.

That was Crist’s theme throughout the entire debate, though. He kept referring to the “extreme right,” while glaring at Rubio as though he was some kind of exotic rodent. And Crist kept criticizing the tea party: “It’s abundantly clear that there’s an extreme right wing faction, and I’m the only one to crush that far-right faction and end the tea party in Washington.”

Crist’s main points to back up that claim seemed to be that Rubio opposed abortion rights and wanted to restructure social security. It’s true that Rubio is down the line on abortion issues, and does feel strongly about restructuring social security for those who are under 55. But Rubio said those issues were a distraction from the fact that Crist was in Obama’s pocket, supporting the issues that got Florida into an economic mess along with the rest of the country.

“Our debt problem going forward isn’t because the American people aren’t taxed enough. Our debt problem is going forward because Washington is spending too much money,” said Rubio.

George Stephanopoulos, the star interviewer imported for the debate, seized every possibility to give Crist an opening — and Crist didn’t do a bad job of talking himself up on his “independence” from two-party politics. Sympathy towards the president’s health care proposal probably didn’t do him a whole lot of good, though, and bragging about his party-switch was a bit hackneyed this late in the game. In contrast, Stephanopoulos tried to jab at Rubio for his stance on the debt, asking how Rubio’s support for Bush tax cuts was justified if he was so concerned about the national debt.

"I'll tell you what the justification is. You have to grow the economy by creating a stable and affordable tax code," said Rubio.

Those are the kind of rebuttals that have so effectively shut down the opposition.


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: clintonopolous; crist; florida; rubio

1 posted on 10/07/2010 4:34:51 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

“My opponent doesn’t want unborn babies to be murdered! He wants to restructure social security so it will still exist in the future!”

Real winning strategy there...


2 posted on 10/07/2010 4:39:21 AM PDT by icwhatudo ("laws requiring compulsory abortion could be sustained under the existing Constitution"Obama Adviser)
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To: Kaslin

REALITY MEETS PUSILLANIMOUS

"now I did it, that hurt my head"

3 posted on 10/07/2010 4:42:19 AM PDT by Doogle (IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN....PLEASE donate, because it's the RIGHT thing to do)
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To: Kaslin

-——————George Stephanopoulos, the star interviewer imported for the debate, seized every possibility to give Crist an opening———————

Typical fifth columnist...................


4 posted on 10/07/2010 4:45:34 AM PDT by Halfmanhalfamazing ( Minority Report 2: Tea Party Participant)
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To: Kaslin

Charlie and Lisa just hanging around making people relieved they didn’t vote for them.


5 posted on 10/07/2010 4:49:45 AM PDT by dforest
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To: JulieRNR21; kinganamort; katherineisgreat; floriduh voter; summer; Goldwater Girl; windchime; ...

Florida Freeper


6 posted on 10/07/2010 5:01:57 AM PDT by Joe Brower (Sheep have three speeds: "graze", "stampede" and "cower".)
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To: Kaslin

I read about this debate in my local paper this morning. Even though they are massively sympathetic to Crist and Meeks, they had a hard time not being impressed by Rubio.

Apparently Meeks and Crist tag-teamed and spent their debate personally attacking Rubio and claiming that he was connected with the (gasp!) Tea Party movement. But Rubio stayed on target and kept to the issues.

I heard Rubio speak at my local Tea Party and he is really excellent, very rational and focused, but also witty and personable. I really hope we get him elected!


7 posted on 10/07/2010 5:12:23 AM PDT by livius
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To: livius

“Apparently Meeks and Crist tag-teamed and spent their debate personally attacking Rubio and claiming that he was connected with the (gasp!) Tea Party movement. But Rubio stayed on target and kept to the issues.”

In Minnesota (in 2008), we had almost the same thing in our US Senate race. Al Franken (the Dem) and Dean Barkley (the Ind) tag-teamed on Norm Coleman.

Coleman looked and acted like a cross between a deer caught in the headlights and an over-used punching bag. He failed to go on the offensive against the other candidates. In short, he looked bad.

I’m glad Rubio stayed on message and didn’t allow the attacks to fluster him.


8 posted on 10/07/2010 6:44:51 AM PDT by MplsSteve (http://patandersonforauditor.com/)
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To: Kaslin

Crist is tilting at windmills now; I’m certain he’s a goner in November. I wonder what position he will be offered by Hussein?


9 posted on 10/07/2010 6:58:39 AM PDT by Old Grumpy
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To: Kaslin

Crist does not understand the Tea Party.

Tea is for torries like Christ.

Tea is for dumping.

Americans drink coffee.

(cue cup -o- joe picture)


10 posted on 10/07/2010 7:36:13 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Kaslin

“It’s abundantly clear that there’s an extreme right wing faction, and I’m the only one to crush that far-right faction and end the tea party in Washington.”

And this putz wanted Republicans to vote for him just 5 short months ago, so bad he lied about beign conservative ... WHAT A SLIMY LYING JERK.


11 posted on 10/07/2010 7:39:27 AM PDT by WOSG (OPERATION RESTORE AMERICAN FREEDOM - NOVEMBER, 2010 - DO YOUR PART!)
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To: Joe Brower; gonzo; MinuteGal; floriduh voter; ExSoldier; surfer; seekthetruth; mcmuffin; ...

Stephanopoulos tried to jab at Rubio for his stance on the debt, asking how Rubio’s support for Bush tax cuts was justified if he was so concerned about the national debt.

“I’ll tell you what the justification is. You have to grow the economy by creating a stable and affordable tax code,” said Rubio.

Those are the kind of rebuttals that have so effectively shut down the opposition


12 posted on 10/07/2010 9:47:16 AM PDT by JulieRNR21 ("The summer of recovery will be followed by the fall of the regime." Howie Carr 9/3/10 WXTK Radio)
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