Charlie Crist says more sun will shine on his campaign cash
After raising an insane amount of money last quarter ($4.3m), Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday that he'd do something no other U.S. Senate candidate has done in recent memory: Exceed federal campaign requirements by providing his campaign finance data in an easy-to-use format.
Of all major offices up for election, U.S. Senate has the least disclosure required for candidates. Senate candidates just have to submit their paperwork the old-fashion way, on dead trees. The info is posted online, but it's not in a format such as Microsoft Excel. So it's far harder for the press, public and opponents to sort records and figure out how much money is coming from an industry (gaming? insurance).
Crist said he would make his info available in a database-type format, though he wasn't sure what Excel was. "We'd be happy to...We'd be happy to accommodate to the very best of our abilities," Crist said.
Q: So would you be willing to apply the standard used for state campaign finance reporting?
Crist: "We'd be happy to try, sure."
He made the comments at a Florida Society of Newspaper Editors meeting at The Breakers Hotel & Resort in Palm Beach (who says newspapers have no money? Oh yeah, our laid off colleagues). The venue, where his open-records chief Pat Gleason was given an FSNE award, made it tough for Crist to refuse holding himself to a higer standard when it comes to public records.
The rest of the gaggle:
Q: How much do you plan to raise in the Senate campaign?
Crist: “I don’t know. You know, it’s a race that really is about people and about public service and trying to work hard for my fellow Floridians every day. That’s what really matters, and understanding that the economy’s tough and that we need to help the people and we want to make sure that our children have a great education.”
Q: Will you debate Marco Rubio?
Crist: “I’m sure we will at the appropriate time.”
Q: And when will that be?
Crist: “Some time later. I’ve got some interviews today down in Fort Lauderdale for a superintendent in Monroe County. Then, I’ve got some more interviews in Tampa for a position that’s very important to Hillsborough County voters.”
Q: Why not today?
Crist: “I’ve got governing duties today. I’ve gotta go to Fort Lauderdale and interview some applicants for superintendent of schools in Monroe County. Then I have to go to Tampa Bay. I’ve gotta be governor first.”
Q: At what point do you think you’ll be more public about your Senate campaign?
Crist: “This election’s more than a year away and I don’t think people are really paying that much attention to it right now. There will be plenty of time for politics later. I’ve got a duty to be governor first.”
Q: What about sex offenders under Julia Tuttle Causeway. Will you work to help resolve the situation?
Crist: "Well, always. We’ve been involved in that issue for awhile and really I think we have to respect what the local governments want to do. They’re trying to protect their children. They’re trying to protect their people. And they have these limits that exist, and we respect that. So we’ll look at the lawsuit and do the best we can to help resolve that.”
Q: On swine flu immunization. Where is the money coming from?
Crist: “I’d have to look into that. I noticed that there was another death from the swine flu. Obviously, we have to be mindful about that and take it seriously, do everything we can to prevent that from happening in the future and we will strive to do exactly that.”
Q: Is the stimulus working?
Crist: “I think it’s too early to tell at this point. I hope it works.”
Q: Did Florida get its fair share?
Crist: “Well, I think people would always want a little more. But we got about $15 billion. That’s an awful lot of money, and I think that Floridians probably can see the construction around the state and that’s going to help produce a lot of jobs and that’s what it’s intended to do.”
Q: There are rumors about fundraising for Palin. Any truth to that?
Crist: “Not that I’ve been aware of.”
From the writers of the St. Petersburg Times, The Buzz offers the latest news in Florida politics. This is a public forum sponsored and maintained by the St. Petersburg Times. When you post comments here, what you say becomes public and could appear in the newspaper. You are not engaging in private communication with candidates or Times staffers.
Schools, and other agencys, things, and people need money for important things and people give this much cash to Crist. Need I say more? you see it. On election day lets show them just how smart we are.
Posted by: john | July 10, 2009 at 02:33 PM
I'll believe it when I see it...and how pathetic is it that we have Governor that doesn't know what Excel is?
Posted by: True Conservative | July 10, 2009 at 02:44 PM
What is this putz afraid of? How often did he travel to "interview" people for positions prior to running for office? I'll bet this has ramped up considerably.
I can't help but think the Florida tax payers fund his getting exposure,just like when he was on McCains short list.
Posted by: Crist about debating? | July 10, 2009 at 02:44 PM
oh... so now Crist has governing duties. how convenient.
Crist's answer to how much he plans to raise for Senate is a classic Crist happy-talk non-sensical non-answer. why the media let him get away with this i'll never understand.
Posted by: XX | July 10, 2009 at 02:47 PM
Interesting how he scheduled all his "governing duties" for the month on a day he could have debated Rubio.
Will the press follow up and see if those "governing duties" actually occurred later?
Posted by: patrick henry | July 10, 2009 at 02:50 PM
Speaking of sun shining on cash...WOW isn't that Alex Sink loaded! Wonder how many back room deals it took to amass that fortune. And how much of that has come in since she's been a public servant?
Democrats always talk about being the party of the little guy, but looks like that's all talk. Even Kendrick Meek has raked in over $3 million already for his campaign stash and the election's still a year away.
Big bucks in the pockets of public servants makes me nervous.
Posted by: Buzzard. | July 10, 2009 at 02:58 PM
Crist is an honorable fellow and will probably debate Rubio at some point.
Posted by: Coach | July 10, 2009 at 03:13 PM
Mr. Henry (Rubio shill) What part of "the absurdity of expecting sane people to take you seriously" didn't you get? Charlie has no need to debate Rubio - we all know what the little Fascist-Libertarian stands for, and none of it is reasonable.
Posted by: 2:50 choose death, PLEASE! | July 10, 2009 at 03:13 PM
Coach Norquista with a transparent attempt at reverse psychology. What a vile twit.
Posted by: McTwit | July 10, 2009 at 03:15 PM
The King of th NON ANSWER...
ever heard him give a straight answer, oh, a straight answer, maybe that's the problem with him ???
Posted by: Steve | July 10, 2009 at 03:17 PM
The President of the High School Debate Club...
ever heard him give an honest answer, oh, an honest answer, I think he's paid to lie; maybe that's the problem with him ???
Posted by: Steve's editor | July 10, 2009 at 03:30 PM
Buzzard is an idiot,,wouldnt u rather have someone with substance that has made some money in their career instead of a politician w/o a pot to piss in "aka charlie" who goes from one elected office to another
Posted by: # | July 10, 2009 at 03:32 PM
By the way, I'm fairly certain that poster "choose death PLEASE" is the same as "Coach Norquista". He/she operates under numerous names but its easy to read his/her style. I've started referring to this individual as Turf - short for technique astroturffing of which this individual is engaging. This individual is using multiple names and applying the same message to create the false impression that there are numerous posters who share the same point of view. It's a technique that David Axelrod advanced effectively during the last campaign and is still being used by Democrat operatives at the mosre popular sites. I believe Buzz Politics is one of the top 30 viewed in the country and they are hard at work delivering the same message.
Posted by: Coach | July 10, 2009 at 03:35 PM
what would he gain from debating rubio? why doesn't he just simply say 'No, don't wanna'???
Posted by: -/- | July 10, 2009 at 03:37 PM
By the way, I'm fairly certain that poster Coach is the same as "Norquista", McToady, Donald Lance, and even Donald Blanchard the one-legged Iraq War Veteran. He/she operates under numerous names but its easy to identify his/her hypocrisy. I've usually refer to this individual as Norquista - after the Fascist-Libertarian who signs his/her paycheck. This hypocrite is accusing others of exactly the tactics he's using; a technique called "attack them for what you're doing yourself" made popular by Karl Rove and which is obviously still being used by his operatives at the mosre popular sites. I believe Buzz Politics is one of the top 30 viewed in the country and they are hard at work playing the same old Rovian games.
Posted by: Roach | July 10, 2009 at 03:47 PM
Excel cluelessnes? Nah. His most TELLING upChuck was when he was mostly missing in action from his feed trough as Attorney General for our state.
Asked about a basic legal point in the publicity hog case he'd had his underlings file --- he said he didn't speak Latin.
Gee Charlie, neither do other lawyers EXCEPT for the standard Latin phrases required to identify basic premise in documents you file and in oral arguments to judges. Duh.
Silly Charlie -- maybe that's why it took you three times to pass bar exam.
PLEASE get some candidates who could actually DO their own job if staff didn't cover for them.
Posted by: Dunno Saur | July 10, 2009 at 03:51 PM
-/- : If he really obtains a significant lead thats sustainable, he won't have to. And he shouldn't. If Rubio continues to gain support, he may have to. Ultimately I think that Crist is a decent sort and will do everything he can to keep from letting the race against Rubio turn ugly.
Posted by: Coach | July 10, 2009 at 03:52 PM
Thet say that copycating is a form of flattery. Why thanks, Turf.
Posted by: Coach | July 10, 2009 at 03:53 PM
3:32 - My, my aren't we touchy. You democan'ts are such a high-strung lot.
But in answer to your question, no I would not prefer to have someone who has made a bushel of money in their career if the means by which said wealth was obtained were...
Posted by: Buzzard. | July 10, 2009 at 04:10 PM
I can honestly say I truly hate the man. what a total idiot.
Posted by: ^ | July 10, 2009 at 05:01 PM
Gov. Charlie Crist said Friday that he'd do something no other U.S. Senate candidate has done in recent memory: Exceed federal campaign requirements by providing his campaign finance data in an easy-to-use format.
____________
Thank you, Gov. Crist!
Posted by: Paul D. Harvill | July 11, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Hey Paul,I agree,that is class.
As far as the far fetched notion that a Democrat invented this "rovian" style politicking is either not well researched,or intentionally misleading.
One name,Lee Atwater AKA "boogie man"
is the man who created this style as well as teach the skill to an ever willing student,karl Rove.
Posted by: mel | July 11, 2009 at 01:22 PM