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How Crist Would Try to Claim He Didn't Flip-Flop If He Runs as an Indie

An implausible defense.

4:39 PM, Apr 14, 2010 • By JOHN MCCORMACK
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From the Wall Street Journal, Crist's advisers lay out how the governor could run as an independent:

–The governor would retain his personal Republican Party registration, thus fulfilling the promise that he would be “running as a Republican.” He could describe himself as a “Republican independent” while appearing on the November ballot as “no party affiliation.”

–He would note that the strong denial came from his campaign manager, not him.

But in the Fox News Sunday debate, Crist himself said he would back Rubio if he lost the primary:

WALLACE: Will you support the winner of the GOP primary, whether it's you or Marco Rubio?

CRIST: Of course I will. Of course I will. ...

WALLACE: I just want to say, though, you are saying you are going to run in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. You will not run on the no party affiliation line.

CRIST: That's right. That's right. That's what I'm saying.

Charlie Crist's image problem isn't so much that he's liberal--it's that he's seen as a slippery politician who will do and say whatever it takes to be win. A YouTube video juxtaposing his Fox News comments with an announcement he'll run as an independent (but not really) won't help on that front.

More by John McCormack

Article TAGS:

Charlie Crist, Florida Senate race, Marco Rubio

 

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