Cross-posted in Immizen.com
Is it really that bad to give a friendly hug to a president? A black president? A black president from the Democratic party? Yes, it is, if you are a Republican politician.
It is the hug of death. And it happened to former Florida Governor Charlie Crist. As the Miami Herald reports:
Republicans have viewed Mr. Crist as a turncoat opportunist ever since he and the president hugged during an event to unveil stimulus funding that saved hundreds of thousands of jobs in Florida for police, teachers, firefighters and other public employees at the worst point in the recession.
And of course it cost Charlie Crist the election when he run for a seat in the senate and lost to Tea Party favorite Marco Rubio. And in Florida, instead of a moderate, common sense Republican governor like him (they are all in extinction), we have…. gollum Rick Scott.
Well, today Charlie Crist gave Obama another (this time a figurative) hug by endorsing him:
“Across Florida, in Washington and around the country, I’ve watched the failure of those who favor extreme rhetoric over sensible compromise, and I’ve seen how those who never lose sight of solutions sow the greatest successes. . . . The truth is that the party has failed to demonstrate the kind of leadership or seriousness voters deserve.”
I really hope more people agree with Crist’s statement and speak out against the political disputes in Washington which provide great fodder for the media and for us bloggers as well, but what does it do to this country?
As the Miami Herald aptly puts it:
Mr. Crist was on point: Shared sacrifice and shared compromise will raise America up not tear it down in divisive rhetoric.