Posted by Wayne Garcia on Jun. 15, 2009, at 7:55 am
It is a only bit of a surprise (and far from “stunning,” as the campaign puts it), since Deveron Gibbons has long been a supporter of Charlie Crist and a beneficiary of the Gov’s appointments, but Crist has publicly endorsed Gibbons in the mayor’s race in St. Petersburg. Normally, politicians running in their own races have their hands full and stay out of other campaigns where they could make enemies. Nonethless, Crist is on board with Team Gibbons. Here is the news release, and DL the entire release after the jump:
Posted by Wayne Garcia on May. 20, 2009, at 11:00 am
2008 GOP presidential nominee John McCain, who spurned Charlie Crist in his vice presidential selection process, has endorsed the Florida governor in Crist’s bid for the U.S. Senate in 2010. The Florida Capital Bureau reports:
Posted by Wayne Garcia on Oct. 24, 2008, at 4:56 pm
The Times has previewed its Sunday newspaper with its endorsement of Barack Obama:
We recommended Obama before the Florida primary in January as the Democrat who offered the most promise and a fresh start. Since then, he has continued to impress. His approach to creating a fairer tax policy and expanding health care with a blend of public and private coverage stands up well to scrutiny. His determination to rely more on diplomacy than force in foreign policy and to seek a timely, orderly withdrawal of troops from Iraq remains the most pragmatic approach. His acknowledgement that more troops are needed in Afghanistan should reassure those concerned about his willingness to use military force where needed. His energy proposals, while opening the door more than necessary to offshore drilling, are bold and balanced. As the economic crisis has mushroomed, he has responded with an appropriate mix of caution and sound principles grounded in reality.
We also recommended McCain in the Florida Republican primary. At the time, we acknowledged our serious disagreements with his embrace of the Bush tax cuts he once opposed, his determination to keep fighting in Iraq and his opposition to abortion rights. But the Arizona senator’s history of challenging conventional Republican thinking on issues such as immigration and climate change, his candor and his willingness to reach across party lines made him an attractive candidate. McCain, 72, remains an American hero, a former Vietnam prisoner of war whose service to his country has been honorable. Yet his campaign in recent months has been unworthy of his record and raises serious questions about his judgment and leadership if elected.
Most disturbing has been McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. It was a reckless decision based on political calculations, not the country’s best interests. There were many more qualified candidates, including Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. While Palin is an aggressive campaigner who has her own independent streak, she is clearly not prepared to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. Contrast McCain’s most important decision as a presidential candidate with Obama’s thoughtful selection of Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, an experienced hand comfortable on the world stage and well versed in foreign policy.
The Times also recognizes this coming landmark of diversity:
A generation ago, the nomination of an African-American for president would have been unimaginable. Now Obama stands on the brink of history, and his election would send a powerful message to the world about how far Americans have come on issues of equality and opportunity. But voters should look beyond skin color in selecting the next president. They should look for the candidate who best represents their hopes and aspirations, who can meet the nation’s difficult challenges with sophisticated responses, who can inspire us and unite this country as he turns the page and leads America in a new direction.
For president of the United States, the Times recommends Barack Obama.
Posted by Wayne Garcia on Oct. 24, 2008, at 11:30 am
In the 1860 election, that is.
Timed to accompany today’s editorial endorsement of Democrat Barack Obama for president, the New York Times has a way-cool multimedia page with all of its presidential endorsements since that 1860 election, a must-graze for political junkies, historians and presidential geeks of all stripes.
In 1860, amid fears that Lincoln’s election would rip the nation apart, the Times wrote:
Things will go on very much as they have hitherto — except that we shall have honesty and manliness instead of meanness and corruption in the Executive departments, and a decent regard for the opinions of mankind in the tone and talk of the Government on the subject of Slavery.
Posted by Wayne Garcia on Oct. 22, 2008, at 7:20 am
We’re combining forces to bring you a more complete set of morning headlines in politics, media and pop culture. Joe Bardi’s Short List on the Daily Loaf and Wayne Garcia’s Morning Roundup in PoHo blog will now be combined, giving you even more news to start your day with.
Here’s a great idea. Too bad it’s illegal in Florida:
“Guess what? I got a fever. And the only prescription is more cowbell.”
