Crist Embracing Stimulus Again
FL Gov. Charlie Crist (R) has avoided hugging Pres. Obama lately, but on Monday he again embraced the WH's largest single accomplishment in its first year -- a position that has Crist facing the biggest challenge of his political career.
Appearing on MSNBC this morning, Crist defended his position on the economic stimulus bill. He defended appearing with Obama at a rally in Ft. Myers last Feb. while casting his rival, ex-FL House Speaker Marco Rubio (R), as someone with little fiscal restraint.
"Not in the least. It was the right thing to do," Crist said this morning when asked whether he regretted backing the stimulus. "We needed the money. That's why every Republican governor in the country took the money."
Indeed, though most GOP govs opposed the stimulus bill and a few, like SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R), then-AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R) and LA Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), publicly explored rejecting some of the funds, each state eventually took their share of the cash.
Crist said although he is concentrating on governing his state, he is confident he will beat Rubio in the state's Aug. 24 primary. Crist's optimism comes despite the latest public polling, which shows Rubio leading Crist for the first time.
The 2 will meet for a debate on Mar. 28 on "Fox News Sunday," the respective campaigns announced on Friday. Rubio has rejected a potential Mar. 7 debate on "Meet The Press," saying Fox should get the first debate over NBC.
Speaking of "the hug," by the way, Crist didn't go for a repeat performance at a formal dinner at the WH last night. Crist sat at a back-row table with Jindal, AR Gov. Mike Beebe (D) and Treas. Sec. Tim Geithner -- "well beyond hugging range," according to pool reporter Todd Gillman of the Dallas Morning News.
A few weeks ago, in a statement typical of his party’s propensity for propaganda, newly-minted Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) forcefully asserted that the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package, “hasn’t created one new job.”
The problem with Brown’s declaration is that it’s objectively false. On Wednesday, the New York Times published a piece on the bill’s far-reaching impact. The results expose just how deceitful and irresponsible the senator’s remarks were.
So, there you have it. One year on, the Recovery Act is well on its way to accomplishing all of its stated objectives. Next time the junior senator from Massachusetts speaks out of turn, I suggest he do his homework beforehand.
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