Crist: Obama will be formidable

"He'll be very formidable if he's the nominee. I think he's very engaging, and obviously has a tremendous following," Gov. Charlie Crist said of Barack Obama today, while stressing he would never underestimate Clinton's ability to come back.

But asked about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, the potential vice presidential candidate said Obama "didn't handle it great" but declined to elaborate or weigh in on whether Obama should have left the church. "He should do what he thinks is right for him. ... That's obviously been a difficult situation for him. Some of the comments I've seen the pastor make are hard for me to imagine."

In his visit to the St. Pete Times editorial board below, Crist also had some friendly fencing with Paul Tash, the Times' editor, Chairman and CEO over the guns at work bill Crist is expected to sign. See below.

Tash: "Property rights are important, too."

Crist: "I agree. I don't disagree. It's not an easy issue."

Tash: "If the Legislature can start to put restrictions on our property rights on our parking lots, then logically they can put restrictions on our property rights inside our building. And if they can apply them to gun laws, they can apply them to other kinds of personal liberties inside of our premises."

Crist: "The other personal liberty, some would argue, is the right to bear arms. ... I haven't signed it yet."

Tash: "That's why we're still offering advice - as opposed to criticism."

Crist also joked that his support for a new waterfront Rays stadium isn't helping him win fans among his neighbors at Bayfront Tower, where residents tend to be decidedly unenthusiastic about the proposal: "My ratings have dropped in the Bayfront Tower more than they have in Florida."

Comments

Since when does a newspaper offer advice?

Tash: "That's why we're still offering advice - as opposed to criticism."

Crist is such a idiot. A total freaking imbecile.

3:13 When they have the respect of their readers. I know that those of you who watch FOX could never imagine it, but some news sources in this country still retain their credibility and SPT is one.

Charlie's not going out on a limb here. It would be harder to name someone who wouldn't be a formidible alternative to 4 more years of Bush-ism.

The arrogance of these clowns who sit on editorial boards is breathtaking. They crow about the need for transparency in government while hiding behind unsigned editorials and whispering "advice" to the governor.

I don't know whats worse, that these liberal pseudo-intellectuals have the gall to offer their advice to the governor, or that the governor is so desperate for positive press that he actually listens to them.

Forget it Tash; no way in hell Obama picks Chuck. Chuckles the Clown can even find his own office for God's sake.

3:33 - thank you for clarifying that... I thought news media was there to report the facts of both sides of an issue so their readers could make informed decisions.

3:59... those were the days, my brotha... those were the days.

u r so right, 3.59!!

thats why faux blows and stpetetimes is legitimate!

why do you thnk the dick watches only faux?

cause he wants facts or panderingsodomites?

I am no fan of the SP Times, but...

1. Tash is an editorialist, not a writer. That gives him leeway in extolling a certain level of bias.

2. He is the Chairman and CEO of a large business in Florida, which will be directly impacted by the Guns at Work legislation.

3:59 I believe they also offer advice and opinions, labeled as such.

No such distinction on FOX, where facts and biased editorial ranting blend shamelessly into the same "news" article.

I get it now... I know, a little slow, been a long week... but, as I see it from the posts here, the good news outlets are those that have been most successful in getting their "following" to take them at their word without questioning what is said... and the SPT finds they can have a certain spin to everything and their readership won't question, so it is okay for them to do so...

and before you jump down my throat... yes Fox does the same thing... my stab was at the lemmings who follow each with blinders on and bash outlets that do the exact same thing their "beloved" media outlet does, only with a different spin.

That's why I watch the BBC and read books.

BBC of course has no agenda and no bias. And what books are you reading? Noam Chomsky?

BBC has excellent coverage and reports on things the national media here does not.

Yes they do have excellent coverage but BBC bias has been well remarked upon even by the BBC. There is a definite corporate culture within the Beeb and if you are unaware of it, you are uninformed.

Obama is a racist pig that will lose big to McCain.

from your "typical white person"

**ALERT: MORE OBAMA PREJUDICE?

Link:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0408/Obama_on_smalltown_PA_Clinging_religion_guns_xenophobia.html

Barack Obama hates white people

8:42, Oh well at least somebody likes him. Unlike you.

What Obama said was true, 100%.

All of you Obama detractors are going to be surprised come November.

People are tired of politicians constantly lying to them. At least, Obama speaks to people like adults.

To recite platitudes about change and hope is not to speak to people as adults. You Obama supporters are going to be surprised. Your man doesn't walk on water,he's not the savior, he's a professorial leftist elitist with a lot of patronizing attitudes about the mass of Americans and he has neither the experience nor the cojones for the job of President.

Oh, Obama, save us from ourselves, redeem our miserable little lives:

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2008/04/12/obama-channels-marx-masses-reverence-religion

Oh, Hillary, save us from fantasy sniper fire, redeem our corporate puppet control governemt

Obama, in a Kenyan dialect, translates as McGovern.

[Zac]

Opinion sections and news sections are seperate in the newspaper. By definition, the editorial board - which runs the opinion section - is supposed to offer advice while news reporters are supposed to be objective.

Obama's comments about middle America is huge news.

Indiana, Pennslyvnia, W Virginia, Kentucky will slaughter him.

He's in real trouble!

[John]

Check out this girl's new video on TouTube, near 1 million hits in 5 days.

Much better than Obama Girl, Venetian Pribcess can actually sing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apYitS1tRVU

Obama will be toast. McCain 2008.

[Hypocritical GOP hack]

McCain will be toast. Romney 2008.

(oops, that was January's post - my bad)

[The Truth Hurts]

You know, I'm bitter, and I'm not very proud of my country right now. Especially our political system. And it's not the first time I've felt that way. I think it's this playground mentality that we've recently introduced into our campaigning, with the swiftboating, and the taking every word out of its context.

I wish just one of the candidates understood what I'm talking about, and even if it's difficult and risky to put it into words, they'd let me know that they're troubled by these silly political games and HOPE to put an end to it too.

Obama just apologized for the rural America fiasco, sort of I guess. Another half-@ss apology or excuse like after Jeramiah Wright.

This guy is not even man enough to say I'm sorry for his comments, and he wants us to vote for him.

I would rather vote for Bill O'reilly than Obama for President.

Ed Morrissey on Obama's recent gaffe

"Only a rookie would make a colossal blunder like calling Midwestern, small-town voters a bunch of bigoted, overly religious gun nuts"

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/04/11/this-is-why-rookies-shouldnt-run-for-president/

Ed Morrissey says that, “Only a rookie would make a colossal blunder like calling Midwestern, small-town voters a bunch of bigoted, overly religious gun nuts. Rookies should not run for President.”

Ed Morrisey explains it short and simply:

* “[T]hey cling to guns…” Cling to guns? Americans have “clung” to guns since the founding of the Republic. It’s such a core value to this nation that its founders placed it second on the Bill of Rights, right after freedom of speech and religion. Speaking of which …
* “or [they cling to] religion …” People don’t become religious because the economy hits a few bumps in the road. Obama may have chosen his religion based on politics, but most people follow a religion out of a deeper sense of spirituality. I can’t think of a more condescending and contemptuous analysis of religious dedication than this statement.
* “or [they cling to] antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment…” Small-town voters are bigots and xenophobes; there’s no other way to read the first part of this statement. The second part, about them being “anti-immigrant”, is a non-sequitur. They may be anti-illegal immigrant, but that’s a far different issue. Obama offers no proof that small-town voters are xenophobes, but the Frisco audience didn’t demand any, either. It’s part of their own bigotry that makes them see middle America in those terms.
* “or [they cling to] anti-trade sentiment …” And this is just jaw-droppingly hypocritical. This comes from the same candidate who opposes the Colombian free-trade agreement and wants to throw NAFTA out the window. Who’s clinging to anti-trade sentiment? Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Big Labor.

4:34 Grow up.

[Your politics are disgusting]

Only a complete failure would promise us 4 more years of BUSH, given his colossal failure. Guess that's the kind of sell-out it takes to pander to the conservative wingnuts.

Oh, sorry, did Mr. Obama mis-state himself? What a villian.

McCain will be the next President. All you lefties will be p*issing vinegar over that, whining about a stolen election and holding up signs that say F*uck Middle America again.

In Kenya, Barack means Dukakis when translated to English and Obama means McGovern. Results the same.

Crist just seems to admire slender guys with dark complexions who speak well and say nothing. It is sort of like looking in the mirror.

BUSH! Let me repeat that. BUSH! Don't want anyone to forget. BUSH BUSH BUSH!

McBUSH.

Nope, nobody will forget what deranged idiots the liberals are, foaming at the mouth with Bush Derangement Syndrome. Follow that tactic. That will work. Yeah, that's a winner.

“You can have your Tiger Woods (R-code for n_ger), we’ve got Senator McCain (R-code for rich, white, senile, and McSame)”

11:55 and 12:57. There you go. Keep it up. Snark works. Fits you like a nice tight latex condom. No better way to elect McCain than to prove beyond all doubt that the alternative is the party of dismal moonbats.

Does Obama calling working-class voters "bitter" a racist comment?

McBush! 4 more years!

Tax cuts for the rich!
Corporate welfare!
WMD lies!
Valerie Plame!
4000+ Soldiers dead for Haliburton!
Mission Accomplished!
Executive Privledge!
Patriot Act!
Illegal Imprisonment!
Torture - Thumbs up!
Record Oil Prices!
Record Oil Company Profits!
Osama Still on the loose!
Global Warming!
Environmental President!
Education President!
Compassionate Conservative!
Swift Boats!
AWOL Coverup!

Come on folks, this is just off the top of my head! McCain has taken on the BUSH legacy in order to pander to the conservative wingnuts. He's branded himself as the worst kind of political hack, abandoning his beliefs in a grab for power. He deserves every insult we can throw at him.

9:12 - Um...No. It's a very accurate comment. They're bitter because American jobs have been turned into corporate profits, and many of them don't know who to blame.

9:15PM,

Give it up, anyone is better than that racist Obama and his crazy pastor.

Truely Yours,

"Your typical white person from middle America carrying a double-barrel shotgun"

Yeah that's right. Keep insulting McCain. Belittle his time spent in North Viet Nam too. And keep frothing at the mouth with BDS too.

“You can have your Tiger Woods (R-code for n_ger), we’ve got Senator McCain (R-code for rich, white, senile, and McSame)”

Suggesting that the working class will gravitate to religion and weapons in response to feeling alienated by the social and econimic elite is straight out of Marxism. For all of you Obamabots that are defending him by saying that he's correct in his comments are only strengthening the average voter's belief that the left wing of your party has been taken over by socialists like Obama.

Wow, I guess Cristi is angling for a VP nod from anybody.

9:56 - I believe that Obama's point is that he would rather see the working class gravitating towards him, because of the three candidates, he best represents a solution to their situation.

Now why don't you be honest and admit that you consider anything that supports the working people of America to be "socialism." Anything that threatens corporate welfare, including the ridiculous CEO salaries and the offshoring of jobs doesn't sit well with the GOP.

10:40

I am the working class thank you very much. Don't be so offended that some of us "bitter" small town folkshave read a book before and know our history enough to see right through Obama's rhetoric about change and hope to see it for what it really is: Marxism. If only his supporters would do a web search on what this guy believes in instead of blindly believing he's the second coming.

I AM BITTER.

AND IN CASE YOU DID KNOW... EVERYONE WHO ISN'T RICH, WHITE, FAT, AND SENILE IS BITTER TOO.

11:19 Well, if you're working class and you're spouting the typical GOP Kool-Aid about socialism, then you are one conflicted voter. Let's see how you feel if your boy McCain get's elected and we have 4 more years of corporate welfare, tax cuts for the rich, offshoring of jobs, and maybe we can even turn your social security into corporate investments, too. I guess a most of the folks who lost everything in Enron were working class Kool-Aid drinkers just like you.

At some point hopefully, you Obamabots will wake up and realize this elitist, socialist agenda Obama represents and is smoke-screening you all with his forked tounge on isn't the creation by some "vast right wing conspiracy" (I've heard that before somewhere????), but its actually the truth about what this guy believes.

I am a member of the working class and I am bitter and gravitate towards guns, religion and anti-immigrant sentiment. I'm not anti-trade though. You only got us 3/4 right!

[Straight Talk Express]

1:46 - at some point you Bush Episode III freaks will realize that America is in no mood to occupy IRAQ for another 100 years.

1:56 - isn't that supposedly why Congress went to the D's?

And how far have they gotten in their push to retreat from Iraq? It's been a little over a year... they have accomplished their goals - right?

Uh, you're 1:56 Einstein.

New polls out show Barack Obama tanking big time:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/04/new-poll-shows.html

Now if Hillary can just dodge the sniper fire in Denver, she'll be a shoo-in.