Video: Rubio gets back waxes, or something
posted at 9:30 am on March 9, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
Honestly — does a man who makes himself the color of an Oompa Loompa really want to cast aspersions like this? Charlie Crist rides the credit-card scandal to rhetorical and perhaps political death in this interview last night with Greta van Susteren on Fox News. Crist ladles on the sexual-identity attack about as thick as his own spray-on tans by claiming that a charge on Marco Rubio’s credit card was perhaps for a back wax instead of a haircut, leading Greta to ask for the basis of the allegation. Crist’s answer? “I don’t know!” Jim Hoft has the video:
Er, isn’t this a rather risky area for Crist to attack? Does he really want to get into a manliness debate with Rubio? Being eighteen points down in the polls may mean Crist may have nothing left to lose (except his dignity), but he seems ready to alienate the few people still standing with him — including many men in Florida who get haircuts at salons, but who skip the Sunkist spray paint.
Update: Randy Scudder, a Crist supporter on Twitter, notes that Rubio makes snide remarks about spray-on tans and tanning beds, and that this is just a response in kind. Fair enough, but this seems to go a little farther and call Rubio’s masculinity into question, rather than just his vanity. “I don’t know what you do in a salon, if you’re a guy” means something other than “You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you.”
Blowback
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Crist: waxing philosophical.
SouthernGent on March 9, 2010 at 9:33 AM
Crist has really got to fire everyone involved in running his campaign; ideology aside, it’s a disaster.
Not like Rubio could attack him if he did, seeing as he did the same thing last year.
Siobhan on March 9, 2010 at 9:34 AM
Really, Crist is the one getting WAXED right now.
He’s like the boxer who has had to many blows to the noggin…..STAY DOWN, STAY DOWN!
search4truth on March 9, 2010 at 9:34 AM
LOL
Midas on March 9, 2010 at 9:34 AM
I don’t want to know what Crist waxes….
Vashta.Nerada on March 9, 2010 at 9:35 AM
First thing to do when you find yourself in a hole is to quit digging.
Crist should quit the race.
rbj on March 9, 2010 at 9:36 AM
Crist can’t bear the thought of not getting into the congressional gym and locker room.
DaydreamBeliever on March 9, 2010 at 9:36 AM
I saw this last nite … he came across as creepy, dirty and desperate.
darwin on March 9, 2010 at 9:36 AM
I was hoping that Gov. Crist would run for Sen. Bill Nelson’s Senate seat after punching up his conservative credibility in his remaining time as governor. That’s done. If he’s not smart enough to realize this statement was better left unsaid, he needs to return to the private sector. Very childish.
Cindy Munford on March 9, 2010 at 9:37 AM
I saw this interview and it was so embarrassing. Crist is known as the nicest guy in politics and this is so unlike him — what is it about politics that turns people inside out? It’s so ugly to watch.
Who is the political genius advising him to use such catty tactics? Kathy Griffin?
ILB on March 9, 2010 at 9:37 AM
You never wanna play the “back wax” card this early. Crist should’ve saved it for right before the primaries.
/sarc
Doughboy on March 9, 2010 at 9:37 AM
HAHA! Dude just throws it out there.
Doctor Zhivago on March 9, 2010 at 9:38 AM
Come defend him and tell us how Rubio’s running the negative campaign now Jetboy and Squid Shark.
Kelligan on March 9, 2010 at 9:38 AM
So what, Charlie? The election is not about who is manlier, it is about who is more conservative. I’d vote for the cast of “Queer Eye” if they promoted a flat tax and smaller government over a He-man who was for ObamaCare and big bailouts.
Kafir on March 9, 2010 at 9:39 AM
What would you expect? He’s a good little RINO.
Sporty1946 on March 9, 2010 at 9:40 AM
I don’t think this is going to end well.
myrenovations on March 9, 2010 at 9:40 AM
Greta’s instincts were right. She said “Wait a minute. Back wax? It that something you know or are you just being FLIP!?”
If Charlie Crist does not know what Marco Rubio spent $133 dollars on, then why does he keep repeating a lie.(haircut) Then adding another lie? (back wax)
Pathetic is no longer a strong enough word to descibe what Charlie has become.
Charlie has lost his “groove”. He did not say the word sunshine once during the interview! LOL
Nelsa on March 9, 2010 at 9:41 AM
Oh jeeze…we have a slow news day ahead when we are talking about wax backs in Ed’s second news post of the day. I hate slow news days!
WashJeff on March 9, 2010 at 9:41 AM
Sure it will. Rubio will win and Crist will be finished politically. You can’t ask for a better ending.
Doughboy on March 9, 2010 at 9:42 AM
Talking about grasping at straws!!I can see why his staff members left:):)
ohiobabe on March 9, 2010 at 9:42 AM
Get up! Get up! Get up! Get outta here! GONE!!! For Ed Morrissey!
MadisonConservative on March 9, 2010 at 9:43 AM
I predict that Crist will not make it to the March 28th debates on the Cris Wallace program via FOX. His staff is pathetic and he cant work without them.
Squidley in 5-4-3-2-?
Nelsa on March 9, 2010 at 9:44 AM
He doesn’t know anyone who is voting for Rubio.
artist on March 9, 2010 at 9:44 AM
Crist is rumored to be a finocchio, but he did play major college football so he’s probably not a p*ssy. Just a lame opportunist.
BuzzCrutcher on March 9, 2010 at 9:45 AM
Not only that but it’s a migration from the headlines.
I don’t know much about it but there was a lot of chatter here yesterday about Romney getting bum-rushed for defending RomneyCare. Is that not going to make it into coverage here at HA?
Bishop on March 9, 2010 at 9:47 AM
Who turned up the gay in this week’s news cycle?
chunderroad on March 9, 2010 at 9:47 AM
The death of dignity, RINO style.
NebCon on March 9, 2010 at 9:48 AM
Nah, not slow, but I figured this would attract a lot of comments, so I wanted to get it on the site.
Ed Morrissey on March 9, 2010 at 9:48 AM
That’s the best case scenerio. It could be that Rubio responds to this crap and then we get stories until August about how the GOP hates gays and is using gay baiting to destroy members of their own party. Then, Crist loses because (media narrative) of gay stuff and not because of his lack of conservative credentials. And Katie Couric will want to grill Rubio about why he hates gays or some such instead of why he hates the spending in DC.
myrenovations on March 9, 2010 at 9:48 AM
I do believe that Choo Choo Charlie Crist has either finally taken that proverbial plunge off the deep end, or he is desperately grasping at straws here and in his case, any old straw, as warped out and wacky sounding as it may be, will do.
pilamaye on March 9, 2010 at 9:48 AM
Great description. Mainly creepy in my book. And who is he kidding that he doesn’t know what services you can get in salon? Does spray-tan sound familiar, Mr. Crist?
LASue on March 9, 2010 at 9:50 AM
Sean Hayes from “Will and grace” (who denied being gay way back when).
I would have a little more respect for Crist if he’d just come out of the closet. Life is much easier. He seems to be sputtering along the campaign trail. Trying to keep up a fake image and tan can be quite distracting.
Lothar on March 9, 2010 at 9:51 AM
Amazing that the only political figure whose vanity approaches John Edwards’ has the stones to accuse Rubio of getting a back wax. The man’s the (barely)Republican Anderson Cooper.
Also, is this an attack on hirsute Hispanic men? /sarc
emailnuevo on March 9, 2010 at 9:52 AM
Ha!
publiuspen on March 9, 2010 at 9:52 AM
If that is a natural color, I’m a Vermicious Knid!
Disturb the Universe on March 9, 2010 at 9:52 AM
That’s so AP of you.
publiuspen on March 9, 2010 at 9:53 AM
I guess the same logic applies to all the Palin bashing posts as well.
promachus on March 9, 2010 at 9:53 AM
Charlie knows the prices for various waxing services?
Vashta.Nerada on March 9, 2010 at 9:53 AM
Uh, how about haircuts or deep tissue massages? Nothing feminine about that.
UltimateBob on March 9, 2010 at 9:54 AM
Just like Rubio has been doing this whole campaign. Repeating the big lie. Casting aspersions onto his sexuality.
Dont be naive, it is not becoming.
Squid Shark on March 9, 2010 at 9:55 AM
Ah, happy endings. :-D
SouthernGent on March 9, 2010 at 9:55 AM
We are all Pavlov dogs now.
DaydreamBeliever on March 9, 2010 at 9:55 AM
Well, at least he is not getting waxed while driving and causing accidents then.
WashJeff on March 9, 2010 at 9:56 AM
Is it true everytime
a bell rings an angel gets his wingsI refresh the HA web-page, HA generates a penny of revenue?WashJeff on March 9, 2010 at 9:58 AM
Saw in the headlines that a PPP poll shows 56% of Repub Primary voters don’t want Crist to run for senate or governor. And that was before last night’s idiotic comment.
This guy is stuck on stupid.
TXUS on March 9, 2010 at 9:58 AM
What a weasel. The worst thing was his answer to why he was for the stimulus. He basically said that he liked the idea of having extra money to spend and defended his support by saying that other Republican governors took the money because they like money too. This means Crist would always vote for stimulus programs if he becomes senator.
Buddahpundit on March 9, 2010 at 9:59 AM
I think bashing anybody as a “phony fiscal conservative” because they spend $133 at a spa is more likely to rile women.
Chris_Balsz on March 9, 2010 at 10:00 AM
Seven% solution lurking in the background?
katy the mean old lady on March 9, 2010 at 10:00 AM
and John Edwards.
WashJeff on March 9, 2010 at 10:01 AM
Well, at least Crist isn’t coming into the salon poking around in the shower room…
MeatHeadinCA on March 9, 2010 at 10:02 AM
Crist is a moron, or something.
kens on March 9, 2010 at 10:03 AM
I still can’t believe he’s on the credit card thing.
changer1701 on March 9, 2010 at 10:03 AM
In addition to the back waxing comment Crist also brought up the notion of saving or creating about 80,000 jobs from the stimulus bill. He could have been quoting Obama directly.
fourdeucer on March 9, 2010 at 10:03 AM
If my wife would escape the “salon” for only $133 per visit I would cheer; my wallet groans every time she leaves the house for one of her appointments.
Bishop on March 9, 2010 at 10:04 AM
He is a phony fiscal conservative because he is a pork hound and did nothing for the FL budget when he sat in the very powerful speakers chair. The haircut is just cake.
Squid Shark on March 9, 2010 at 10:04 AM
I saw a large, grizzled dude getting a pedicure the other day.
Enoxo on March 9, 2010 at 10:05 AM
And don’t forget, Charlie Crist got recently married so that he could be a ‘family man’ for this election. Once he sobers up to the truth about his political fortunes I’m sure he’ll dump the convenient little lady and return to the back waxing spas himself.
kens on March 9, 2010 at 10:06 AM
Maybe when this is all said and done, Crist can make a guest appearance on Tool Academy.
MeatHeadinCA on March 9, 2010 at 10:06 AM
Ed, I love ya…but that’s stretching it a bit.
Turnabout is fair play. And that’s all this was.
JetBoy on March 9, 2010 at 10:06 AM
Hey, maybe he gets his nails done, too. Bow out gracefully now, Charlie. Bill McCollum will be the next gov.
Kissmygrits on March 9, 2010 at 10:08 AM
What a dumb move by Crist…especially considering all of the rumors that are out there about him. I don’t know why he’d want to play that card.
keepinitreal on March 9, 2010 at 10:08 AM
I did see Crist walking on South beach with a bag of nickles, Oh wait maybe that was something else.
Hummer53 on March 9, 2010 at 10:08 AM
Indeed and I have seen Rubio make plenty of “masculinity” cracks too. Sooooooooo.
Squid Shark on March 9, 2010 at 10:09 AM
A smart politician would resist the temptation to answer in kind. A simple “I’ve heard this sort of chatter from my opponent, but I want to focus on issues that matter to the people of Florida…” would allow to segue into his message and avoid looking as foolish as he did here.
Slublog on March 9, 2010 at 10:09 AM
My daughter-in-law is an cosmetician and does back waxing for men all the time.She works in a fancy spa and men come in for everything women come in for,except bikini waxes, although that wouldn’t surprise me either.
sandee on March 9, 2010 at 10:10 AM
Why do you think he’s running for Senate?
TXUS on March 9, 2010 at 10:10 AM
Er…”would allow him to segue…”
Slublog on March 9, 2010 at 10:10 AM
It’s the “best kept secret” in Florida that Crist is gay. He only got married within the last couple of years because he had bigger national ambitions (i.e. Senate, VP, etc.) and felt that he needed to stay in the closet to survive politically. Marrying a woman gives him cover.
No, I’m not being anti-gay. I’m just saying that projection ain’t just a river in Egypt. Or something. You know what I mean.
crushliberalism on March 9, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Hopefully not, there is another guy who was doing well in his current job and shouldnt be applying for a promotion.
Paula Dockery…
Squid Shark on March 9, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Tom Selleck did chest hair in the 80s, but I have never seen anybody make back hair work for them, so if Mrs. Rubio doesn’t care for it, then waxing isn’t a problem. Whats next for Crist accusing Rubio of rocking the mullet?
DFCtomm on March 9, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Great, now I can’t get this out of my head.
Rebar on March 9, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Oh
Ooooh
Eeew
MeatHeadinCA on March 9, 2010 at 10:12 AM
Yeah, but the guy is orange. He needs to find something else to point out about Rubio…otherwise it’s a guy with a fake tan making fun of someone else for being vain.
Asher on March 9, 2010 at 10:12 AM
I could care less what Crist’s private life is about, but I think it is sad to see alleged conservatives parroting a liberal media meme about Crist’s marriage.
Squid Shark on March 9, 2010 at 10:12 AM
rubio the metrosexual well everyone has a cross to bare.
If this is all crist got he is done.
unseen on March 9, 2010 at 10:13 AM
“Wax on, wax off.”
GnuBreed on March 9, 2010 at 10:14 AM
Oh, come on.
Still waiting on some shred of evidence other than hearsay…
If people were saying this about Rubio, y’all would claim it’s gutter politics.
JetBoy on March 9, 2010 at 10:15 AM
Crist would be in a glass house there. You should see his “Homecoming King” pics at Florida State. Full porn-stache and that late 70′s long hair. He looked like John Holmes.
Squid Shark on March 9, 2010 at 10:15 AM
Back Waxers: Dump Crist! Rubio in 2010!
Dusty on March 9, 2010 at 10:15 AM
I totally love the JetBoy and sidekick Squid Shark show happening in several threads.
It’s adorable.
Just saying.
Enoxo on March 9, 2010 at 10:15 AM
It is if you are talking about the natural color of an orange, a sunset, or a tropical flower. Perhaps Crist is simply using chameleon like techniques to avert Rahm attacks in the shower.
Seriously though, the public has had it with these types of personal attacks. Crist doesn’t do himself any favors by going negative in this way (and probably hurts his slim chances).
highhopes on March 9, 2010 at 10:16 AM
Crist is an example of the kind of republican that jumped off the tracks and cost us Congress in 2006.
He’s a RINO, an arrogant elitist who thinks that the people are too stupid to make requests of him. There is no place in the GOP for people with that attitude.
wildcat84 on March 9, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Oy, is this getting old. If all ya got on Charlie at the end of the day is his tan in a can or electric beach color, it’s pretty weak.
Were you one of those defending Palin’s decision to put a tanning bed in the gov’s place in Alaska?
JetBoy on March 9, 2010 at 10:17 AM
YOU LIE!
Sporty1946 on March 9, 2010 at 10:18 AM
Did you read the post? Your hero is using errr hearsay. Am I missing something here. Did the orange man somehow produce some real evidence?
MeatHeadinCA on March 9, 2010 at 10:18 AM
Whatever man, my ears dont lie.
Squid Shark on March 9, 2010 at 10:19 AM
It’s almost as funny as Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy.
Sporty1946 on March 9, 2010 at 10:21 AM
Obviously they do, because he hasn’t made any of those references.
Sporty1946 on March 9, 2010 at 10:23 AM
can’t wait for the debates
“Charlie, not only did you embrace Stimulus, but you paid $950 for that suit, and I can get the same suit and a second pair of pants for $400″
“May I respond to that? I got the suit, the two pairs of pants, a vest, three ties, a belt and six pocket squares, and I didn’t pay one penny over $650″
Chris_Balsz on March 9, 2010 at 10:23 AM
Have campaigns always been this dirty or is it just Crist?
nyx on March 9, 2010 at 10:25 AM
Crist wasn’t making a statement…he qualified it with “I don’t know”…that Rubio used the party credit card for a salon appt. That’s important to know.
Whether Crist is gay or not isn’t important, and isn’t even based in any factual evidence. It’s simply a slam.
JetBoy on March 9, 2010 at 10:25 AM
Gov.Crist has gone over the deep end to a place that he can never return from.He and the GOP elites were so assured he would be the next Sen. from Fla.some started to call him Sen.elect.They forgot one most important thing.They forgot to ask the people of Fla. first.The Conservatives across this country have stood up and told the party leaders and the wizards of smart not so fast we do not accept your notion and idea anymore that for Republicans to be elected they must be moderated and centrist and that the era of Regain is dead. We will take the party back and the Rino hunt is on.The idea of these Sen. and congressmen talking about principle compromise don,t realise that if you have principle you sure is hell do not compromise them.
thmcbb on March 9, 2010 at 10:26 AM
Oh… he wasn’t… Really?
I guess if Crist doesn’t have any statements to make, he should probably just shut up, instead of saying random non-statements.
A slam like a slam about back-waxing? You know, those non-statements about Crist being gay should be treated as non-statements.
Good thing Crist didn’t slam Rubio and good thing back-waxing is important.
MeatHeadinCA on March 9, 2010 at 10:29 AM
Time for Trial by Combat, it seems.
unclesmrgol on March 9, 2010 at 10:30 AM
What is more important is the fact that he paid it back. Most people who have a business credit card charge personal items on them and then when the bill comes in, they pay it back.
I do all the time when I am on a company trip.
Sporty1946 on March 9, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Ah, but it is. A famous saying in politics is “I’ll wax your back if you’ll wax mine.”
unclesmrgol on March 9, 2010 at 10:31 AM
When he’s getting on Rubio about vanity body treatments, then his own are fair game. You’re copping out for your favored politico, JB. You have a tendency to do so, not unlike the Palinistas.
How’s Palin’s tan, hmmm? She uses it to cope with the 6 months of darkness they experience up there. Try visiting, and see how long it takes before that constant night messes with you. It’s a broken metaphor.
MadisonConservative on March 9, 2010 at 10:32 AM
Crist is riding this credit card thing right in to his own political grave.
AnthonyK on March 9, 2010 at 10:33 AM
“wax”??? Is that like Bawney Fwank trying to say the word “watch”? ;)
MeatHeadinCA on March 9, 2010 at 10:34 AM
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/legislature/article1075692.ece
Rubio said Wednesday that he paid for all personal expenses billed to an American Express card given to him by the party to use from 2005 to 2008, when he left public office. The rest of the charges, he said, were legitimate party expenses.
Those expenses include a $1,000 charge at Braman Honda in Miami for repairs to the family car in January 2008. Rubio said the minivan was damaged by parking attendants at a political function and that the party agreed to cover half of his insurance deductible. The party also paid $2,976 for him to rent a car in Miami for five weeks.
JetBoy on March 9, 2010 at 10:34 AM
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