MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. - PolitiFact reviews confirm that Charlie Crist really is really inconsistent.
Crist recently received two full flop ratings, one for claiming that he'd probably give Republican contributions back (http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2010/may/19/charlie-crist/gov-charlie-crist-changes-course-keeping-campaign-/), and one for running as a No Party Affiliation candidate (http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2010/apr/29/charlie-crist/crist-flip-flops-promise-run-republican-independen/).
Today's PolitiFact reviewed Speaker Marco Rubio's statement that Charlie Crist "bizarrely vetoed" $9.7 million for a teaching hospital at the University of Florida "despite having previously argued the budget request had merit."
Rubio claims an "astounding flip-flop," which PolitiFact rated as being true.
Last month, PolitiFact reviewed Kendrick Meek's statement on his consistent and longtime opposition to offshore oil drilling (http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2010/may/26/kendrick-meek/kendrick-meeks-position-offshore-oil-drilling-rema/).
Examining the Crist record, PolitiFact writes:
"As a candidate for governor in 2006, Crist was unequivocal that he would never support oil drilling off Florida's shores. In 2008, Crist, who was considered a vice presidential running mate with Republican John McCain, backed off his previously staunch opposition. The April 20, 2010, spill convinced him it was risky, and as a result, Crist again became opposed. Clearly, Crist's position on offshore oil drilling has been anything but consistent."
PolitiFact has not reviewed the governor's position in support of Don't Ask Don't Tell, which was followed three days later by a policy reversal to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell.
"They haven't even developed a ranking for that kind of political contortion. That reversal is way off the charts," said Adam Sharon, Kendrick Meek's communications director.
Reviewing the last six months of the Crist record, Time Magazine reporter Michael Grunwald in a feature article about Kendrick Meek titled, "How Florida's Forgotten Democrat Could Win the Senate Race" concludes (http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1994060-2,00.html#ixzz0pubfdKLN):
"The governor spent most of last year trying unsuccessfully to impersonate a committed Obama-trashing, Reagan-worshiping conservative Republican. He did his best to deny his previous support for Obama's stimulus bill and downplayed his previous support for cap and trade and other aggressive actions against global warming. Now he's trying to re-reinvent himself, going so far as to pursue the AFL-CIO endorsement for the first time in his long career (Meek ultimately got it). Crist is a sweet guy and an underrated governor, especially on environmental issues, but his recent ideological contortions have been dizzying: vetoing a school reform bill he once supported; backing Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination after opposing Sotomayor for no plausible, non-political reason; saying he saw no reason to change the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy on a Monday and then saying he was "inclined" to support a repeal that Thursday. As Meek pointed out in one of his less-than-subtle shots at Crist, at least Specter admitted he was changing his stripes to try to win an election."
Charlie Crist really is really inconsistent.
Posted By: Kendrick Meek
Monday, June 7th 2010 at 3:41PM
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