Althouse: An "extremely peculiar situation"...

October 15, 2014

An "extremely peculiar situation"...

... in Florida.

49 comments:

madAsHell said...: There was nothing to read.
Videos are for people that can't read.; 10/15/14, 7:02 PM
madAsHell said...: Oh....I see it explained over at Drudge. He debated a ringer, and not his opponent. He must be taking advice from the Wendy woman in Texas.

I hope he won the debate.; 10/15/14, 7:07 PM
Ann Althouse said...: It's a funny video.

The description wouldn't be so funny.; 10/15/14, 7:17 PM
Christy said...: Didn't load for me. Twice.; 10/15/14, 7:29 PM
Michael K said...: It quit after a couple of minutes. They are both crooks. Here is one where I might vote for the Libertarian.; 10/15/14, 7:37 PM
PB said...: Rules are rules, no matter how "minor". Crist wanted to change them arbitrarily on his own.; 10/15/14, 7:54 PM
traditionalguy said...: The debate was in Broward County. They are the hanging chad blue dog Democrats.

The impartial moderators kept calling Crist, "Governor." Scott is the actual Governor running for reelection as a Republican Governor. The last time forked tongue Crist was Governor he was a Republican Governor too. But now he claims he was always a secret Democrat.; 10/15/14, 8:20 PM
Original Mike said...: Won't play on my iPad.

This is why I don't want to cut my cable cord and go to streaming TV off the internet.; 10/15/14, 8:25 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: traditionalguy,

"The last time forked tongue Crist was Governor he was a Republican Governor too. But now he claims he was always a secret Democrat."

Don't forget why, Tg - he said how Republicans dealt with race played a role in it.

Why do I keep expecting you to understand this?; 10/15/14, 8:28 PM
Humperdink said...: Nixon lost the debate to Bootlegger Joe's son because Nixon perspired like rented mule. Crist must be a sweater.; 10/15/14, 8:28 PM
donald said...: What a fucking loser piece of shit.

Crack that is.; 10/15/14, 8:48 PM
Michael K said...: "Why do I keep expecting you to understand this?"

Do you ever have another thought cross your alleged mind ? Al Sharpton is bright compared to you. Unless, of course, you are a racist white guy making blacks look stupid.; 10/15/14, 8:52 PM
rcocean said...: Don't forget Florida was home of the "Peculiar Institution" - thank God Crist has tried to rise above racism by becoming a Democrat.

Its sad the way Republicans turn away Black voters and donors.; 10/15/14, 8:52 PM
Humperdink said...: Crist will lose because he whiter than Scott. (Crack's Law of Pro-Rata Pigmentation); 10/15/14, 9:11 PM
Jaq said...: Well, I am voting R. Neither one of them seems worthy of the job, but I am voting R because it would help whoever runs for for Pres to have a Republican governor.

Yeah, I need to change my handle to "Tim in Florida"; 10/15/14, 9:21 PM
Lauderdale Vet said...: I live in Broward and I ignored this tonight.

I won't even consider voting for Crist. There's no reason to watch the debate. I don't trust a word he might say.

I wish the Dems would have picked someone I could be tempted by, but they didn't.

Their loss. I'll be there at the polls, and there isn't a choice to make.; 10/15/14, 9:46 PM
Quaestor said...: Why do I keep expecting you to understand this?

Welcome to Episode #1573 of Crack's NeverEnding Rorschach Test; 10/15/14, 10:05 PM
T J Sawyer said...: "somehow there is a fan there"

OK, that's funny. Sort of like when the CDC says, "yeah, you have a temperature, but go ahead and get on the plane."

Can't anyone control anything in this country?; 10/15/14, 10:06 PM
Mark Daniels said...: Nobody said, "Not a fan"?; 10/15/14, 10:18 PM
trumpetdaddy said...: This was a dick move on Crist's part. Debate details are negotiated down to every tiny little, stupid thing between the campaigns and the hosting organization and venue.

To pull this fan crap right before the start of the debate was a way to make Scott look petty to the uniformed (aw, come one, it's only a fan says the average LIV) and also to show that Crist was the Big Man who gets what he wants by bullying.

It's low-rent and low-class and entirely typical of Charlie Crist.; 10/15/14, 10:37 PM
Original Mike said...: Charlie Crist is without honor.; 10/15/14, 10:47 PM
traditionalguy said...: Crack...I have sinned. Forgive me. But speaking of historical sin against black men, the Empires of Spain and Portugal is where black men need to start seeking reparations.

Getting Justice was never going to be easy. 99% of men, red, yellow,black and white alike, are not going to get justice in our lifetimes. We are blessed if we can live out our full life spans in peace with our neighbors. That chance is one reason the rest of the world has always envied America.

God bless you, Crack. I admire your ability.; 10/15/14, 11:16 PM
David said...: Brower College needs to upgrade its audio visual skills. That was about as bad as it could be.; 10/15/14, 11:18 PM
David said...: I would have handled this with a pair of scissors.

Walk out. Unplug the fans. Snip off the plugs.

Presto. Man of action and a debate by the rules agreed.; 10/15/14, 11:26 PM
Curious George said...: "The Crack Emcee said...

Don't forget why, Tg - he said how Republicans dealt with race played a role in it. "

LOL

Charlie Crist would put you in chains and have you work the field to become Governor of Florida.; 10/15/14, 11:39 PM
cubanbob said...: I'm a Florida voter and I voted in the past for Crist when he ran as a Republican but he is an SOB. Compared to the Democrats he ran against the time he was the lesser of the two evils but evil all the same. I'm not saying the current governor is a sweetheart but he is hands down better than Crist.

I'm not saying that due to partisan bias but from from personal experience. I owned and still own a condo unit that was damaged both by hurricanes Katrina and Wilma and the Wilma damage was an eye popping $36mm based on the reconstruction costs at the time (there are 600 hundred units in the building) and Good Ole Charlie despite numerous appeals to the governors office (at the time this association was in among the group of the largest associations in the State) did nothing, nada,zip, gurnisht to push the state department of insurance to push the wind carrier to honor it's policies (not the state backed Citizens). So screw that fake tan Charlie Crist and the horse he rode in on. When the moment of truth came, he botched it. The irony almost all of the destroyed units, 110 in all were almost all Democrat voters and most of the owners of those units (who still own them and were owners back then) will vote for him now unlike then. It's a precinct that is nearly 100% Democrat. It is what it is. The same precinct voted overwhelmingly for Gore and 2000 and trust me those old people knew exactly which hole to punch on the ballot and none voted for Pat Buchanan. Kerry carried that precinct in 2004 and Obama in 2008 and 2012 which goes to show stupid is incurable.; 10/15/14, 11:59 PM
rcommal said...: LMAO. How imaginable.; 10/16/14, 12:34 AM
rcommal said...: Crist is Crist. Scott is Scott.

Both are shady performers. What else is there to do other than exploit the realities of them, each of and both of? I mean, c'mon. Seriously.; 10/16/14, 12:39 AM
rcommal said...: high comedy + low humor = twofer

In that limited sense: wow.; 10/16/14, 12:41 AM
sane_voter said...: Scott was right but played it wrong. However, I will be voting for Scott as I trust Crist about as much as I trust our worthless CDC director.; 10/16/14, 6:08 AM
Joe Schmoe said...: I don't blame Scott for withdrawing. Republicans are at a disadvantage to begin with because the mediators are politically-driven, lefty media figures who want to make a splash. If Crist is going to ignore the debate rules, then why even pretend that you have a fair shot up there?; 10/16/14, 6:21 AM
Robert Cook said...: "Rules are rules, no matter how 'minor.' Crist wanted to change them arbitrarily on his own."

If the governor running for reelection won't participate in a scheduled debate--inconveniencing all who worked to make the debate happen and all who traveled there to attend the debate and give his candidate a hearing--because his opponent has asked that a fan be placed at the foot of his podium, against the stipulated conditions--that governor running for reelection is a petulant asshole, running scared and taking any opportunity to duck the debate. He just revealed himself to be a coward, (and we all know he is probably a crook).; 10/16/14, 6:56 AM
Brando said...: What's the issue with the fan? If Crist is concerned about sweating--an issue I absolutely sympathise with--why not require as a condition of the debate that the debate take place in a room air conditioned to his desired temperature?

A fan seems like a silly way to avoid sweating, unless he wanted to get a wind-swept look through his flowing mane.; 10/16/14, 7:07 AM
Bad Lieutenant said...: Cook, you are so corrupt. The funny thing is you don't understand that everyone sees right through you.; 10/16/14, 7:19 AM
Jaq said...: I am sure Cook would have jumped as quickly to Crist's defense when he was a Republican.

This is just one more example of Crist showing he is untrustworthy and will do anything and everything for personal power, including changing parties, and breaking agreements.; 10/16/14, 7:33 AM
Jaq said...: What assurance can Crist make to me that I can trust?; 10/16/14, 7:34 AM
Mark said...: Right or wrong, it was a stupid whiny move.; 10/16/14, 8:14 AM
Brando said...: I don't think party-switching in and of itself is necessarily a negative--lots of people do it for a variety of reasons, often because their own political views or those of their party changed over time, and left them feeling that they didn't belong (see, Reagan, Hillary). Generally, someone who is a very Left-leaning Republican or Right-leaning Democrat will make the switch, and it can be justified and voters often won't punish the politician.

Crist though was a fairly conservative Republican governor--I think McCain was even considering him as a running mate in 2008--and even ran for the GOP Senate nomination in 2010, losing to Rubio. He then switched, becoming a Democrat and repudiating everything he'd believed (or claimed to believe) only a few short years ago. That sort of switching reeks of opportunism and nothing else.

It's hard to imagine Crist being rewarded for this, though maybe Rick Scott's negatives will be enough to do it. Even Arlen Specter had a better case for switching parties, as he voted frequently with the Democrats over the years and was drifting gradually to the Left.; 10/16/14, 8:24 AM
Todd said...: Yep, rules don't count for Dems...

They are allowed to just make shit up as they go.

The moderators should have told Crist to get rid of the fan or get off the stage.; 10/16/14, 8:29 AM
tim maguire said...: Seems like an own goal to me--Crist got to cheat and got to make Scott look petty and silly. Scott should have sucked it up and wait for a better opportunity to get him back.

And how, exactly did Crist get the fan to the podium? Smuggle it under his jacket?; 10/16/14, 8:36 AM
Robert Cook said...: "I am sure Cook would have jumped as quickly to Crist's defense when he was a Republican."

I wouldn't call it "jumping to Crist's defense," but calling out Scott for his selfish grandstanding, and yes, I would have said the same about Scott if their party affiliations were reversed. I mean, come the fuck on: because Crist has had a small fan placed out of sight at his feet to keep him cool, Scott's going to ditch the debate, leave the audience and journalists hanging, costing everyone time and money for nothing?

He's simply confirmed that he's an asshole, which has always been evident. Crist may also be an asshole for all I know, but that's beside the point here.; 10/16/14, 10:58 AM
Todd said...: Robert Cook said...
"I am sure Cook would have jumped as quickly to Crist's defense when he was a Republican."

I wouldn't call it "jumping to Crist's defense," but calling out Scott for his selfish grandstanding, and yes, I would have said the same about Scott if their party affiliations were reversed. I mean, come the fuck on: because Crist has had a small fan placed out of sight at his feet to keep him cool, Scott's going to ditch the debate, leave the audience and journalists hanging, costing everyone time and money for nothing?

He's simply confirmed that he's an asshole, which has always been evident. Crist may also be an asshole for all I know, but that's beside the point here.
10/16/14, 10:58 AM

So what level of "rule breaking" would it take for you say that Scott had a valid point?

Would having all of the questions to be asked, written on cards be enough? Or not yet far enough?; 10/16/14, 1:42 PM
CatherineM said...: Crist is very attached to his fan http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/10/charlie-crists-fan-a-love-story/381529/; 10/16/14, 1:43 PM
Todd said...: The moderators should have questioned Crist as to why he believed having the fan was acceptable and NOT a breach of the agreed upon rules. Especially of this fell into any sort of gray area of the agreement.

Otherwise, they should have had a stage worker walk over there with a pair of shears, cut the cord and remove the fan. Anything less was a failure to perform their duties as moderators.; 10/16/14, 1:47 PM
Robert Cook said...: "So what level of 'rule breaking' would it take for you say that Scott had a valid point?"

Breaking rules related to the actual debating part of the debate, that is, having to do with the agreements on what questions will be asked and how they will be asked and what parameters for answering the questions are agreed upon.; 10/16/14, 2:38 PM
Todd said...: Robert Cook said...
"So what level of 'rule breaking' would it take for you say that Scott had a valid point?"

Breaking rules related to the actual debating part of the debate, that is, having to do with the agreements on what questions will be asked and how they will be asked and what parameters for answering the questions are agreed upon.
10/16/14, 2:38 PM

Good to know you at least have a "line in the sand" when it comes to agreements. It is just a shame that it is not for the entire agreement.

One side thought it was important or else it would not have been in the agreement. The fact that it was still there when it was accepted indicates the other side did not object enough / care enough to get it removed.

I may be old fashioned but I believe you should honor the complete agreement you agreed to verses cherry pick what you think is important enough to honor, but that is just me.; 10/16/14, 3:47 PM
Robert Cook said...: "One side thought it was important or else it would not have been in the agreement."

That Scott felt it was significant enough to put it in the agreement to begin with, and to walk out on his supporters, the journalists, and all who had worked to put the event together when he learned the fan was on stage, simply reveals his innate pettiness and selfishness, his unseriousness about presenting his views and countering the arguments of his opponent. It shows he is an entitled asshole. If he were not, and if he really had the slightest real interest in having a serious debate, he certainly could have handled the dispute in various different ways that would still have involved his participating in the debate. His action tells all: he has contempt not just for his opponent(s), but for all who were interested in hearing him out. He has contempt for his supporters. He had contempt for all the voters of Florida. It's in keeping with what is known of his character. The only surprise in his action is his readiness to show his shittiness, (or his lack of awareness--or concern--that this would be so nakedly seen).; 10/16/14, 7:59 PM
Todd said...: OK, Cook, fine. Agreements don't matter.

Just so you know (as it appears by your comments you don't) Rick did not blow off the debate. He did eventually come on stage and the debate was held and Crist got to keep his fan. So, who is the "entitled asshole" now? Like a lot of Dems, Crist got his way, got to do what he wanted despite promising to do otherwise. Same old same old...; 10/17/14, 8:48 AM
rcommal said...: It was a fan. It wasn't even a teapot.

Sweet Lord.; 10/19/14, 9:25 PM