A tale of 2 governors provides a lesson

He was an anti-big business attorney general from one of America's biggest states who used the job as a springboard in 2006 to get the job he wanted all along - governor.

The future seemed bright. He arrived speaking of a new spirit of reaching out to all sides and putting an end to cynicism and divisiveness. But things went horribly wrong.

This is not the story of Charlie Crist, but rather of Eliot Spitzer, the Democratic governor of New York.

Spitzer's first year has been one horror show after another, and almost literally a flip side to Crist's first year as governor. A comparison of Spitzer and Crist reinforces the point that style matters. (Rest of Steve Bousquet's column here.)

Comments

The realm of the deals that occured with George and Clayton Roberts for big business is staggering. You could never compare Crist, smiles and nothing gets done, with Spitzer, who kicked everybody into "big business" compliance and has a power struggle with the legislature.
But after that warm and fuzzy article you wrote let me tell you. Lets DO A POLL with New York people, do they want a smiley face Crist, or an INSURANCE AND TAX CRIST with the highest rate of forclosures in three Metropolitan service areas?

Let me put it in layman WOMEN terms, do I want a smiley face husband who doesnt BUY GROCERIES, PAY MY MORTGAGE, or do I want a mean man and I'm not running to Crist's friend Cash AMerica for a payday loan???

[theloneconsumer]

And Steve , that was ME.Since Polls arent doing it for some of us, lets have Charlie get the crystal ball out, or the genie in the bottle can grant us a wish...

We have scandals you could be covering that I sent you. Like Hills County Commissioner Blair tries to kill the Environmental Protection Commission for our Tampa Bay, waters it down, then throws Comissioner Rose Ferlita off the Port Authority board.
One week later, the Port has approved the limited authority for dredging permits in five MAJOR Tampa Bay waterways we get our drinking water, because a Dominican cement company needs a heck of a lot of draft to come into our harbor. Not counting four other heavy chemical companies.
I did a record request, want to join me to see if the fast Commissioner Blair approval for Rose's demise and his substitution wasnt some serious EX PARTE with the other Hills Comissioner men?

Now, Bousquet, obviously , from that Crist Spitzer story you ran out of gas. Investigate Blair and Ferlitta Port substitution, it's a little more umph than the ethanol in your gas tank!

Eliot Spitzer laid the ground-work for his present situation.

However it is still over-comeable.

BIG DIFFERENCE: Spitzer is a man of substance - agree with him or not. Crist is still an empty diot - and getting emptier with Lemieux' departure.

4:22 how wrong you are....the only thing lacking substance is your post.

5:48pm who are you CC's best bud???? he is a joke a minute and he is embarrassing to say the least at this point my friend!!

Gov Crist blows whichever way the wind blows.

What has he actually done since being governor?

At least Jeb got things done, lol.

[Jim Johnson]

Charlie is pretty much an empty suit.

Not long ago a TIMES editorial gushed about Charlie's compassion for people. Well whatever happened to Chain-gang Charlie?

Charlie is a weather-vane.

[theloneconsumer]

No, I think one of the blogs, after it was shown from Craig Pittman's Florida Wildlife "pay to play" big business picks, Crist was dubbed, CHAINSAW Charlie!!

6:34 ditto - again. I can't imagine why anyone would take down my initial "ditto" comment but they did. At any rate its worth repeating. I don't care what the polls say, Charlie's ship is sinking and its only headed to the bottom. Any decent Republican could take him in the next governor's primary.

[Bill McCollum]

He has said and his chief deputy has said that they intend to follow Spitzer's lead and become more proactive (more democratic? more socialistic? who knows) and that is why Trish Conner has joined Florida with New York in continuing to badger Microsoft. They intend to put it out of business because McCollum has no sense.