Video: Rubio jogs Crist’s memory on Porkulus endorsement
posted at 12:55 pm on November 5, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Governor Charlie Crist tosses Marco Rubio a big, fat softball — and Rubio obliges him by hitting it out of the park. Yesterday, Wolf Blitzer asked Crist whether he regretted endorsing Barack Obama’s stimulus package, given the angry response from conservatives around the country and the opposition it created to his Senate bid. Crist responded by claiming that he never endorsed it at all … forgetting the magic of YouTube:
“I didn’t endorse [the stimulus]. I didn’t even have a vote on the darn thing.”
Um, Governor, wasn’t that you on the stump demanding passage of the stimulus bill? Yes, Crist asked for “bipartisanship,” but clearly from the context of these remarks, Crist was warning Republicans to play ball with Obama. Obama’s response to this had already been made plain two weeks before this appearance, when Obama told Republicans on Capitol Hill who wanted more input into the creation of Porkulus, “I won.”
Really, this is like shooting fish in a barrel, isn’t it? Crist apparently wants to ask Floridians what they believe more: him or their lying eyes. It does show, however, that even Crist gets the lessons from the elections this week — and that his “bipartisanship” looks more like opportunistic pandering in the harsh light of Porkulus’ flop.
Blowback
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Come on now Ed, that isn’t what he really meant, I mean you took that completely out of context, what he meant to say was err…..Look a puppy!
Johnnyreb on November 5, 2009 at 12:59 PM
The Republicans’ Joe Isuzu. Nice going, Charlie.
Cicero43 on November 5, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Rubio – +10
Crist – +0-bama
Enoxo on November 5, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Crist did the right thing…
JetBoy on November 5, 2009 at 1:02 PM
This write-up fails to mention how much the stimulus helped turtles in Florida. Why do you crazy right-wingers hate Amphibian-Americans?
bighead4 on November 5, 2009 at 1:02 PM
HA HA HA HA HA HA, Love the web address http://www.CharkieandObama.com, HA HA HA HA>
Knuterockne on November 5, 2009 at 1:02 PM
FIFY
bighead4 on November 5, 2009 at 1:03 PM
That Crist has so much integrity, doesn’t he?
/JetBoy ;)
thevastlane on November 5, 2009 at 1:03 PM
Mr. Crist is that a beam in your eye , or egg on your face?
fourdeucer on November 5, 2009 at 1:04 PM
It’s very easy to yes “Yes, I did. At the time I thought it was a necessity to stave off a worse crisis. I did not realize the Democrats were going to use this as a giant fraud on the American treasury. I have since learned to not trust the Democrats when they want to impose extreme financial shackles on the US taxpayer. I will vehemently oppose such measures, including Obamacare, in the future.”
Much more honest. Do not lie to me, tell me that you have learned from a mistake.
rbj on November 5, 2009 at 1:04 PM
Charlie Scuzzafava, wherever the wind blows.
the_nile on November 5, 2009 at 1:05 PM
The NRSC needs to rescind its endorsement of Crist. The guy’s a punchline.
OhioCoastie on November 5, 2009 at 1:05 PM
The Rubio adds write themselves. Crist’s kissy face time with Obama equals no senate seat for him.
farright on November 5, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Crist’s local radio spots have been about him schooling the president on Florida common sense. *eyeroll*
Cindy Munford on November 5, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Time to puuuuurge him…with extreme prejudice!!!
Or just vote for Rubio. Either way is fine with me, in fact the later is less messy. ;P
Orange Doorhinge on November 5, 2009 at 1:06 PM
I call BS. The below is from your link:
The state estimates the total impact of that $4 billion to be more than 64,000 jobs, based on multipliers that account for jobs that may result indirectly from stimulus-employed people spending paychecks.
The report is the first to provide a sense of what good has come of Florida’s biggest piece of the stimulus pie. State officials released it just hours after news broke that 1 in 9 Floridians is now out of work, a dismal rate the state has not seen since 1975.
I mean come on Florida, you can do better than that right? Pathetic.
Johnnyreb on November 5, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Well, his next sentence was that his non-endorsment endorsment of porkulus was done for the good of Floridians.
Which shows just what kind of ‘Republican Senator’ Crist is going to be, if elected. ===> The Wrong kind.
Nobody should trust him, even at arm’s length, let alone have Crist roaming DC congress halls.
Sir Napsalot on November 5, 2009 at 1:06 PM
Holy Crist, that was funny.
ElectricPhase on November 5, 2009 at 1:07 PM
If these number can be trusted (and they can’t)…
33,547 jobs, from $4 billion stimulus money = $119,239.25/job.
Can I have one of those? Yeah, it wasn’t the right thing.
Enoxo on November 5, 2009 at 1:07 PM
Not even he believes that, boy .
the_nile on November 5, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Club For Growth getting ready to hit Crist over the head, too.
Who is laughing now, Charlie?
SouthernGent on November 5, 2009 at 1:08 PM
RACIST!
bighead4 on November 5, 2009 at 1:09 PM
If it’s been so successful for Florida, why is he disowning it now?
Did he do the right thing then, or is he doing it now?
They are mutually exclusive concepts.
lorien1973 on November 5, 2009 at 1:10 PM
Thank God only 52% of the country is as stupid as you are. HA already covered the numbers inflating of stimulus jobs that were “created or saved” — in fact, that Florida daycare center was a particular embarrassment for the administration.
chunderroad on November 5, 2009 at 1:10 PM
As a Floridian, I’m going to do everything I can to see that Crist doesn’t make it to the Senate.
Enoxo on November 5, 2009 at 1:12 PM
Crist is another example of a politician with no core set of beliefs. He backed porkulus and embraced Obama because he’s a gravy trainer and wanted to leech off of the President’s (at the time)popularity.
But now that the President is becoming toxic and the Dems are getting their asses handed to them in elections, suddenly he rediscovers fiscal conservatism.
The man is a phony and the GOP would be wise to throw him under the bus.
Doughboy on November 5, 2009 at 1:12 PM
Don’t be divisive , he wanted to be popular then he wants to be popular now , hows that mutually exclusive…
the_nile on November 5, 2009 at 1:12 PM
I like you, but when it comes to Crist’s job performance or conservative credentials, people take you as seriously as you take hardcore Palin fans.
BadgerHawk on November 5, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Great! Bring it!
Wow, Florida, even compared to other lying RINOs, this orange guy Crist is uncommonly bad. You’ve got to get rid of this crapweasel.
james23 on November 5, 2009 at 1:13 PM
If the NRSC stays out of the FL primary, Palin stumps for Rubio and Rubio WINS, it will be the shot that destroys the Death Star. Then, get ready for 2010.
chunderroad on November 5, 2009 at 1:13 PM
We’re sure going to try.
Cindy Munford on November 5, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Crist: “I didn’t endorese it…”
YES YOU DID ! YES YOU DID!
max1 on November 5, 2009 at 1:14 PM
RINO personified.
All Rubio needs to do is run one commercial over and over of this video clip of Crist with Obama backing the stimulus.
Crist looks like an idiot denying and it.
JoeinTX on November 5, 2009 at 1:14 PM
And fortunately for Crist, since this lie was on CNN, no one saw it.
BadgerHawk on November 5, 2009 at 1:14 PM
From JetBoy’s article
“But Sean Snaith, director of the Institute for Economic Competitiveness at the University of Central Florida, said the stimulus-related jobs are like “putting a Band-Aid on an amputated limb.”
if it’s good enough for JetBoy, I bet it’s good enough for most other liberals too.
DanMan on November 5, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Egg meet Face
PatriotRider on November 5, 2009 at 1:14 PM
That could stick. In fact, Scozzafava or perhaps just “Dede” or “Scozz” may replace Benedict Arnold as a synonym for traitor if we work at it – a particular breed of RINO closely related to the Frum.
CK MacLeod on November 5, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Don’t pay attention to his ACTIONS….listen to his WORDS!!!
Do these idiots forget that basically everything is now archived on YouTube? Or maybe they’re just used to the media covering for anyone spouting Obama’s talking points.
search4truth on November 5, 2009 at 1:15 PM
Agreed, but this:
also demands the addition, “I will never, ever support a proposal before I read the damn thing.”
Dusty on November 5, 2009 at 1:15 PM
The magic of the internet. Used to be that only the MSM could pull out old video footage. Now anyone can do it.
Long Live YouTube!
percysunshine on November 5, 2009 at 1:16 PM
John Charlie Crist Kerry,” I was for the stimulus before I was against stimulus.”
fourdeucer on November 5, 2009 at 1:16 PM
The article also says the money was used to shore up the budget – just delaying budget cuts till after Crist is gone. Which is what happened in a lot of states. Crist, like many others, kicked the can down the roada for the next guy to deal with.
Rubio didn’t do a whole lot in the house either. So let’s not pretend he’s a saint.
lorien1973 on November 5, 2009 at 1:16 PM
That would have been a much better COA.
If Crist wins the primary, so be it. He’ll be 10 times better than a Dem, especially if they’re still hovering around 60 seats.
But man oh man do I hope Rubio wins.
BadgerHawk on November 5, 2009 at 1:16 PM
rby, I agree 100% with you. WHY, oh why, don’t politicians have the peaches to ever admit that they made a mistake? I know that admitting a mistake would lead to campaign fodder for an opponent, but I just have to believe that most of the voting public would understand & support honesty than this load of “I never supported it” crap.
Admitting to a mistake & learning from it is something we all do in our personal and professional lives…why can’t it be done in the political realm?
mctowler on November 5, 2009 at 1:16 PM
We want the half that eats.
CK MacLeod on November 5, 2009 at 1:18 PM
*sigh*
JetBoy on November 5, 2009 at 1:18 PM
“words… just words….”
SDPlissken on November 5, 2009 at 1:19 PM
JetBoy, you’re great; but you have to admit that Crist was wrong…he did a complete flip flop and was caught lying…..
deidre on November 5, 2009 at 1:19 PM
“You lie!”
mankai on November 5, 2009 at 1:19 PM
I don’t think Rubio is a saint. No politician is a saint.
But he’s hella better than Crist who is screwing up my state on many fronts.
Enoxo on November 5, 2009 at 1:20 PM
Sorry dude, but you’re swimming upstream on this one. His orangey glow aside, Crist just isn’t a solid conservative.
BadgerHawk on November 5, 2009 at 1:20 PM
What’s the matter? You a boy!
Cybergeezer on November 5, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Ha ha what an idiot. And soon to be Daily Show star.
Dave Rywall on November 5, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Florida’s Economy is a mess and it has been for almost 2-years now. Charlie Christ sat at BO’s lap and said “Please, Please Mr. President, Give us our Earmarks, just like to cool kids in the Senate.”
Charlie will be BO’s Lap Dog; the token RHINO, at the expense of Florida and the US of A.
SayNo2-O on November 5, 2009 at 1:21 PM
bighead4 on November 5, 2009 at 1:22 PM
They sure do. The sooner the better.
califcon on November 5, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Did crist come up with that crappy state-run home insurance program that’s killed the private insurance market or was that Jeb? I forget. I’m not sure who I’m voting for yet, to be honest.
lorien1973 on November 5, 2009 at 1:24 PM
I am no doctor, but Crist…I recommend you go lie down for a nap, and perhaps some gingko biloba would be a good investment for you. ;)
capejasmine on November 5, 2009 at 1:24 PM
Loved it!
SgtRed on November 5, 2009 at 1:25 PM
I smell RINO meat. Light up the barbie.
EMD on November 5, 2009 at 1:25 PM
Yeah, Crist is the typical expedient politician. He supported the stimulus because he thought he could ride Obama’s popularity train all the way to the Senate. Now that Obama’s popularity is tanking and there is a conservative uprising in the country, Crist is trying to ride that train now. Charlie Crist makes Mitt Romney look principled.
Redneck Woman on November 5, 2009 at 1:25 PM
Yes…the stimulus was bad idea from the get-go. But Crist saw some good that could at least be done with it. It was offered, and he took it.
I’d love to hear from the naysayers tho on what Florida might be like had he refused every penny.
JetBoy on November 5, 2009 at 1:25 PM
dumb bass
blatantblue on November 5, 2009 at 1:26 PM
With YouTube/internet you would think a politician would have learned by now to not lie about what they have said. There was a time when a politician could go to a gathering, give a speech, and not worry about reporters, but come on. Cell phones with cameras, recording devices smaller than Biden’s IQ, etc., are everywhere. Mean what you say and say what you mean and there won’t be any “gotcha” moments.
TQM38a on November 5, 2009 at 1:26 PM
A lot of flattened turtles. That’s for damn sure.
bighead4 on November 5, 2009 at 1:27 PM
i call “Barbra Streisand (B.S).” Over half of them are government jobs (“gummint-run skoolz), not real jobs. The equivalent of welfare recipients, people who mooch off the taxpayer for their very existence.
How many more will turn out to be frauds like here in Wisconsin? And community organizer groups aren’t real jobs, either. How many are giving raises to workers and calling them jobs “saved”?
Liars, all of them. No real jobs (translated: private sector) were created, but lots of people were harmed.,
pdigaudio on November 5, 2009 at 1:28 PM
No, Jetboy has a point, lots of jobs were saved.
And, as we can see; we can entirely trust these numbers. Many of those jobs were saved at least twice, maybe more than that.
If you need your job “saved” on this regular a basis… maybe you should look for different employment opportunities?
Let me guess Jetboy, you’re going to *sigh* again rather than admit that the numbers reported were considerably more “created” than jobs themselves?
gekkobear on November 5, 2009 at 1:30 PM
They did the next best thing: No $$ for Charlie.
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/11/04/lesson-learned-nrsc-pledges-to-stay-out-of-contested-primaries/
cs89 on November 5, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Dude, quit moving the goal posts. This is not about if the stimulus was good, bad or indifferent, this is about him lying to everyone in the state about his support of porkulus and thinking he would not be called on it.
Johnnyreb on November 5, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Believe it was Crist. At least, it says so on his Governor’s page.
Enoxo on November 5, 2009 at 1:32 PM
When he says “I didn’t endorse it…I didn’t even have a vote on the darned thing” he means he had no…vote on it!
I think y’all are playing the semantics game.
Maybe I’m wrong…but it sounds like a sound bite being blown way out of proportion. Like when The One said “57 States”…no one really believes Obama didn’t know how many states there are.
JetBoy on November 5, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Here’s more: http://industry.bnet.com/financial-services/10002010/homeowners-discover-that-state-run-insurers-can-be-bullies-too/
Enoxo on November 5, 2009 at 1:34 PM
oops, last post in response to:
JetBoy on November 5, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Sure do love the “11.2% unemployment” we’re having in Florida. And it’s actually worse than that.
Enoxo on November 5, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Government doesn’t create jobs. Ergo, government jobs aren’t real jobs that have been created by anything. Same with social service and community organizer positions. All the people who hold these positions do is mooch off the taxpayer teat, like baby pigs on the mama sow. The pork analogy works, by the way.
No real jobs were created by porkulus, and its advocates have been caught lying all over the country. Hell, even Vice President Chia Pet admitted as much.
pdigaudio on November 5, 2009 at 1:37 PM
The cognitive dissonance here makes my brain hurt.
Jetboy, it’s quite alright to admit Crist screwed the pooch here. You don’t have to run yourself in circles as well.
lorien1973 on November 5, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Today, Instapundit has a story that the state run program is (surprise!) killing the private insurance market.
lorien1973 on November 5, 2009 at 1:38 PM
I have yet to get a full explanation (lack of time) but my next door neighbor spits bullets about what Crist did to Nationwide Insurance. She says that he forced them to stop offering homeowners in Florida and then lied about it.
Cindy Munford on November 5, 2009 at 1:39 PM
Theres nothing wrong with a competitive primary. But if Crist wins, the Rubio supporters should stop whining and vote for Crist and vice versa if Rubio wins.
Speedwagon82 on November 5, 2009 at 1:43 PM
So will Obama, Pelosi, and Newt be on hand to help Crist get elected time after time?
Jeff from WI on November 5, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Yes…the stimulus was bad idea from the get-go. But Crist saw some good that could at least be done with it. It was offered, and he took it.
I’d love to hear from the naysayers tho on what Florida
Common, Johnnyreb.
Jetboy is just like Democratic Party: Can’t distinguish the “lying” thing, sine they are all lying to their own instincts.
TheAlamos on November 5, 2009 at 1:44 PM
1:32PM EST WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES NEW STIMULUS JOB CATEGORY
(AP)The White House has just announce a new job classification obtained as a result of it Stimulus package which Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says proves the success of the massive government program. Jobs shall now include the categories “Saved, Created” and the new category “Never Existed”.
Said Gibbs, “We are extremely happy with the new job classification of “Never Existed” and hope this new change will prove the intelligence of supporters of our dear leader, Barrack Obama.”
enoughalready on November 5, 2009 at 1:44 PM
I’m going to make an early call here for RUBIO as the GOP nominee. He’s going to carve a jack-o-lantern out of Charlie Crist in the primaries and Crist will be in no shape to take on a Democrat in the general.
It’s going to be RUBIO as the GOP nominee.
HondaV65 on November 5, 2009 at 1:44 PM
Sounds like he’s using the Kos definition of “endorsement”: I mean what I say until it becomes inconvenient.
Jim Treacher on November 5, 2009 at 1:45 PM
Crist for Senate knee pads are on sale today…..
JeffinOrlando on November 5, 2009 at 1:49 PM
CharlieAndObama.com. Oh My! That hurts!
Sultry Beauty on November 5, 2009 at 1:49 PM
I will but I am going to have hundred pound heals and slam eveything I touch if I vote for Crist. And look really grouchy to.
Cindy Munford on November 5, 2009 at 1:50 PM
heals = heels
Cindy Munford on November 5, 2009 at 1:50 PM
Charlie Scozzafava wants to play Conservative now?
nico on November 5, 2009 at 1:51 PM
I thought that is what we end up with on ObamaCare.
Random Numbers (Brian Epps) on November 5, 2009 at 1:52 PM
Anyone who is so dim of mind that Wolf Blitzer can get a gotcha interview is not qualified to be elected as a deputy dog catcher.
I will give Crist some latitude.Remember that the reluctant Governors were essentially bullied into supporting the filthy lying coward’s plan by lawsuit in SC. But this little lovefest is enough to affirm my instincts that the sooner Crist is out of public office the better.
highhopes on November 5, 2009 at 1:53 PM
As an Oklahoman, I’m going to send money to Rubio’s campaign.
Christian Conservative on November 5, 2009 at 1:54 PM
No, no, no, no, no. Crist was on stage endorsing the crap sandwich before that stuff in S.C. ever even started. He gets no pass.
mrflibbleisvryx on November 5, 2009 at 1:55 PM
i live a long way from FLA, and ouch, that hurts even here.
so now the way to unseat someone is simply find a vid with the target standing with Obama?
so, let’s see, Obama+Corzine=Chritie, Obama+Crist=one hell of a Rubio ad
way to go Barry
r keller on November 5, 2009 at 1:56 PM
So, let’s just conveniently forget such stories as the day care center (id’d as saving 129 jobs, but the number was actually ZERO), and let’s adjust for full-time only (that number is 22,457).
Divide 22,457 into $4 Billion, and that increases to $178,118 per job!
This is just a lot of wasted taxdollars, as we could ship $60,000 to each person in Florida who’s mentioned here & save over $100,000 per “saved” job to do so!
And JetBoy thinks this is the “right” thing to do???
Miss_Anthrope on November 5, 2009 at 1:58 PM
I’m applying for a new government job. I’m trying for Floating Chair Retainer Apprentice. Basically I keep the chair I’m sitting on from floating away by sitting on it.
Jeff from WI on November 5, 2009 at 1:58 PM
Chris’s suffered from what all Rhinos do a lack of a backbone and a disdain for all conservatives .Beware of RINOS bearing promises of conservative values.
thmcbb on November 5, 2009 at 1:59 PM
No, with ObamaCare you have a six-month waiting list to see the doctor who perscribes the band-aid.
highhopes on November 5, 2009 at 2:00 PM
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