According to a lot of media coverage, the only difference between Florida governor Charlie Crist and former Florida House speaker Marco Rubio is that the governor supported the Obama stimulus package. Therefore, conservatives are waging an ideological crusade against Crist for straying from conservative orthodoxy on this one issue. The reality is different. Crist has a "moderate" record on other issues as well: he supported California-style emissions standards in Florida, appointed liberal judges to the Supreme Court, and though he calls himself "pro-life" he's said he can't think of a single restriction on abortion he'd favor in Florida.
So conservatives are naturally backing Rubio. But what's really fueling the excitement about Rubio's candidacy is not just his beliefs but the fact that he's a young, charismatic Cuban-American who has a record of developing ideas and fighting to implement policies of conservative reform. It's unfortunate that Charlie Crist, still far ahead in the polls, continues to avoid debating Rubio. Crist is no slouch. He comes across as a likeable person, he's popular, and isn't nearly as liberal as Arlen Specter or Dede Scozzafava.
So Rubio is left trying to get his message out through stump speeches and, beginning today, a series of YouTube videos. In the first "Marco In His Own Words" two-minute spot, Rubio makes the case against Obamacare as the first step to a single-payer system. He also calls for reforms on which there's a consensus. You can watch it here:
