Posted on 07/31/2005 3:38:47 AM PDT by amdgmary
TALLAHASSEE - It was one of the shortest speeches of Charlie Crist's career, but as a campaign for governor unfolds, it may prove to be one of the most memorable.
Two weeks ago, the Republican attorney general and candidate for governor gave a late-night speech to a roomful of lawyers in Miami where he referred to the judges in the Terri Schiavo case as "heroes."
Crist insists he wasn't endorsing court rulings that prevented the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube from being reconnected, but critics view it differently. And by appearing to break his silence in the Schiavo case, Crist has sharpened the contrast between himself and Republican rival Tom Gallagher, who has said he favored government action to "prevent Terri's starvation."
At the dinner in Miami, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge George Greer and U.S. District Judge James Whittemore of Tampa were honored as jurists of the year by the Florida chapter of ABOTA, the American Board of Trial Advocates. The group champions judicial independence and its members are lawyers who represent both plaintiffs and defendants.
Greer is the judge who ordered Schiavo's feeding tube removed, rejecting a subpoena from Congress and pleas from Gov. Jeb Bush, and Whittemore also denied emergency requests to reinsert the tube in the weeks before Schiavo died March 31. Both men's decisions were later upheld by higher courts, and both were praised and vilified by opposing sides of the emotionally charged end-of-life case.
Crist said he was "proud" of both judges.
"You are heroes to all of us, and your defense of the judiciary and what is right is beyond admirable," Crist was quoted in the Daily Business Review, a Miami newspaper that provided the only news account of the July 15 event at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
In an interview, Crist did not dispute the quotations. Nor did he offer a view of whether he agreed with their decisions. Rather, he said, he praised them for fulfilling their constitutional duty to provide checks and balances against the other two branches of government.
"I try to say nice things about judges. I'm sure I was complimentary," said Crist, who as the state's chief legal officer often speaks at bar-related events. "I didn't talk about any specific case. ... It's important that those checks and balances exist. Our system of government needs to have that."
Crist's comments have resonated far beyond the Biltmore.
"Judge Greer is a poster child for everything that's wrong with the judiciary," said Gary Cass, executive director of the Center for Reclaiming America, a grass roots Christian political group in Fort Lauderdale that lists "sanctity of life" as one of its priorities and plans to form a political action committee.
"For Charlie Crist to hold that up as an example of good judicial practice concerns me," Cass said. "I think it was a mistake for Charlie to say that. I don't know how anybody can be happy about a woman being deprived food and water."
Rep. Dennis Baxley, the Republican from Ocala who sponsored legislation last spring to force the tube to be reconnected, said Crist's speech was revealing.
"I think it is one of those very important moments for us to know where he (Crist) stands," Baxley said. "I truly believe there's a lot of people out there who were sensitive to this case who are going to find those comments, and that association, very instructive. I'm understanding where people line up on this."
Baxley said that while Crist was "conspicuously absent" from the Schiavo debate in the Legislature, Gallagher sent Baxley a personal letter of support last spring. While activists in the Schiavo debate take aim at Crist, his Republican rival Gallagher is not.
"Tom's made his position very clear in the past. There's really no comment we're going to make on that," said David Johnson, a Gallagher adviser.
Polls show a majority of Americans agreed with the judges' decisions to order the removal of Schiavo's tube, as her husband, Michael, said she wanted. By a greater margin, polls show people were opposed to Congress' intervention in the case.
But to those who view the long-running Schiavo saga as a test case of support for the sanctity of life - like abortion - Greer and Whittemore are "judicial activists" who starved a woman to death.
Many of those people can vote in the Republican primary for governor in September 2006. Crist's stand on the Schiavo case could prove to be an asset if he wins the GOP nomination and faces a Democrat. But one Republican strategist said the damage has been done.
"Schiavo killed the Republicans. They've lost the women's vote," said Matt Towery, an ex-Republican legislator who now runs an Atlanta media and polling firm. "It's one of those turning points that you just can't get away from."
Sure. From here:
For Governor (so far; qualifying closes on 7/21/2006):
Blass, Piotr (NPA) (no party affiliation)
Brooks, Austin (REP) (republican)
Castagnero, Carol (DEM) (democrat)
Chiles, Lawton 'Bud' (DEM)
Crist, Charlie (REP)
Davis, Jim (DEM)
DeCastro, Bernie (REP)
Dembinsky, Richard Paul (REP)
Gallagher, Tom (REP)
Gannon, Jamie (NPA)
Kennedy, Phillip J. (DEM)
Lee, Monroe (DEM)
Maddox, Scott Charles (DEM)
Maneiro II, Wilfredo Papa-Roqui (NPA)
Reed, C.C. (NPA)
Richardson, Mickey (NPA)
Smith, Rod (DEM)
Trask, Bruce Calvin (REF) (reform)
Only two candidates have filed thusfar for the 2006 senatorial election--it's mighty early yet, with candidate qualifying for federal office not closing until 5/12/2006:
Frazier, Floyd Ray (NPA)
Noah, Belinda (REP)
Incumbent democratic senator Bill Nelson has already indicated that he will be running again, and a few other potential candidates who have not yet filed for office have also indicated that they will probably run.
Or, as the sane would see it, he said what millions of others have said in the wake of this tragedy regarding living wills and getting one and that was already his final word before you harrassed his staff once again.
It appears? How so? From those pictures you posted?
You are despicable, using Terri Schiavo in the manner you do, and now look what you are sinking to.
Disgusting.
Evidentally, you weren't following stories of visits various folks had with Terri and obviously, you don't live in Tampa Bay. So, you don't know much at all.
not even worth a reply.
The legislator's staff I talked to said that Katherine Harris needs everyone's support too. www.electharris.org.
There are trolls on this thread - try to ignore them. They aren't worth hitting the reply button for. They always wanted Terri to be murdered and she was. Now they want us to stop being advocates. FAT CHANCE.
They must hear that alot. Everyone I know responds to their calls in that fashion. Come to think of it, I haven't heard from them in a while. Everyone in my neck of the woods subscribed to the Trib until the change of editors. Now, I get my news online and from Fox.
FLORIDA ELECTIONS: The primary, etc. are all taking place in 2006. They have dates picked out but I don't have my post-it note however, I posted the months for freepers & lurkers.
They're so out of Touch
By: travmantoo · Section: Diaries
The libs are at it again. They now feel they are on solid ground when they remind us of Terri Schiavo.
Juan Williams on the July 31 Fox Sunday Show tried to use her to make the case that most Americans will approve of Bill Frist's flip-flop on stem cell research. He is obviously still clinging to the skewed polls that were done by the liberal media while Terri was being STARVED TO DEATH.
Democrat Senator, Joe Biden, speaking at the American Constitution Society 2005 National Convention on July 29 invoked her name in an effort to demonize Supreme Court nominee, Judge John Roberts. I cannot yet find the text of the speech online, but I heard a portion where he spoke about Terri Schiavo as if most of the country agreed that she should be "allowed to die", and that this so-called right-to-privacy constitutional issue might be in danger if someone like Judge Roberts were confirmed.
ABC released a poll on March 21 that showed 63% of respondents said her feeding tube should be removed. But look at how they posed the question:
"Schiavo suffered brain damage and has been on life support for 15 years. Doctors say she has no consciousness and her condition is irreversible. Her husband and her parents disagree about whether she would have wanted to be kept alive. Florida courts have sided with the husband and her feeding tube was removed on Friday. What's your opinion on this case -- do you support or oppose the decision to remove Schiavo's feeding tube? Do you support/oppose it strongly or somewhat?"
On April 4th, Zogby released a poll where the question was more accurately posed this way:
"If a disabled person is not terminally ill, not in a coma, and not being kept alive on life support, and they have no written directive, should or should they not be denied food and water?"
79% of the respondents said Terri should not have her food and water taken away and only 9% said she should.
What can we do but let them keep talking. They are their own best examples of why they deserve to keep losing.
Aug 2nd, 2005: 13:35:18
Trolls, you are less than Crist who is less than crap (his campaign slogan).
Here's the link to the above post: http://travmantoo.redstate.org/story/2005/8/2/133518/0568
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1455749/posts
flip flopping isn't good for pubbies or dems.
I heard that real estate developers are donating to Crist. So much for life and private property.
November of 2006 FLORIDA BIG STATE ELECTIONS. I put 2005 which was a typo.
http://www.renewamerica.us/news/050731feder.htm
http://www.judgegeorgegreer.com and at http://www.theempirejournal.com.
5.56mm
George Hamilton has a stronger chin, and likely stronger character.
"I heard that real estate developers are donating to Crist. So much for life and private property."
When I heard Ingraham on the radio this morning talking about how with eminent domain someone like Donald Trump could take your property, and then I read that Crist and Trump are friendly, and Trump has interests in FL, a light bulb went off in my head.
As Rush pointed out, Frist has NOT flip-flopped - - he has been consistent on his views about "stem cell research" since he first ran for office. Frist is a good man and a good conservative, and I suspect that a lot of the rabble-rousing, knee-jerk frothing at the mouth about Frist by normally sensible people is a product of sneaky scumbag Democrat provocation.
I'm not buying. Been around too long to be manipulated by the scumbags.
Regards,
LH
bump for later
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