Crist Angles For VP Slot: Endorses McCain’s Plan For Florida Oil Drilling Despite Opposing It Last Week
Crist Angles For VP Slot: Endorses McCain’s Plan For Florida Oil Drilling Despite Opposing It Last Week
Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) proposed lifting the federal ban on offshore oil drilling in Florida. “There are areas off our coasts that should be open to exploration and exploitation, and I hope we can take the first step by lifting the moratoria,” he said, a stark departure from his previous support of the ban.
As the Energy Information Administration noted, lifting the offshore drilling moratorium would have only a minor impact on production and prices. But some Florida conservatives are jumping on the McCain plan anyway. Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL) — widely considered a possible McCain running mate — as late as last week opposed the drilling. Today, he flip-flopped and announced he supports McCain:
Crist, last week:
Q: Gov. are you dropping your opposition to drilling for oil off of Florida’s coast?
CRIST: I am not. … No. 1, I don’t like it.
Crist today:
“What we ought to be willing to do is study it,” he said. “Reaching a conclusion about what is right or not right at this juncture is hard to do.”
Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) who was once “joined at the hip” with Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) in opposing offshore oil drilling, also linked up with McCain today:
I think it’s about providing enough resources where the states want to do it . … The governor seems to have agreed with him (on drilling) and I kind of agree with him so maybe things are changing in that regard.
Florida politicians of both parties “have worked to keep the drilling ban in force along Florida shores for more than 25 years,” the Miami Herald observed today. Many fear “it would harm the state’s beaches that are so vital to its tourism.” Former Governor Jeb Bush (R) has also pushed hard for the ban on drilling.
MSNBC noted today, “No Republicans in Florida have gotten elected statewide without endorsing the moratorium on off-shore oil drilling…if Crist tries to rationalize the McCain decision then we’ll really find out just how much he wants on the ticket.”
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We have got to fast track this what with the Chinese and all! When we are done we can run around like our favorite sports team either won some sort of championship or lost doesn’t matter burning shit and turning over cars. Throwing beer bottles will be a requirement. Later when we have time to reflect it will look total moronic. Group think Rox. USA! USA!
June 17th, 2008 at 8:38 pmA lot of people said Crist was a new kind of right winger.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:40 pmMaybe he cares more. I said BS the whole time.
The man is as phony as a 7$ bill.
If he gets any closer to Mcsame he’d be a hemmoroid.
take care
tony and Lido
I think that not having that blanket moratorium, and letting state’s rights be recognized, if you will, is certainly appropriate.
We have a winner! Anyone who can contradict himself in a single sentence, is a flip-flopper of the highest order.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:40 pmLOL, they are flip-flopping on issues they created.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:40 pmThey can get me dizzy in one freakin interview :)~
June 17th, 2008 at 8:42 pmI’m just hoping Katherine Harris has an opinion on all this.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:43 pmThose radical tree-hugging, left-wing Florida retirees, opposing progress for the sake of opposing it.
Why do they hate America?
/sarc off
June 17th, 2008 at 8:48 pmWhy would McCain care if tarballs float up on Florida beaches, he doesnt live there.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:49 pmGOP NYMBY’s!!!
June 17th, 2008 at 8:50 pmNIMBY’s, sorry, my bad, laughing too hard at their verbal gyrations.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:50 pmUpon further reflection, I am wondering if it may make sense to get the exile community together for some sort of Bay of Pigs Part Deux type deal. Even though we sort of made up that Cuba/China are doing it thing, you really can’t expect us to wait for some sort of mushroom shaped oil spill now can ya?
June 17th, 2008 at 8:52 pmIt’s a perfect marriage between McCain and Crist! They can take turns being Mr. Flip and Mr. Flop.
In the end, they’ll both be Mr. Flops.
List Florida in Obama’s column this year!
PEACE
June 17th, 2008 at 8:53 pmHaving lived for years in Santa Barbara, I remember being able to see 20+ off shore oil rigs from every beach.
As long as the Floridians don’t mind having their beaches spotted with tar that gets on their skin, feet, clothes, bathing suits and towels, they should be happy with this development!
Hint: Don’t wear white
PEACE
June 17th, 2008 at 8:56 pmSo both parties have kept the ban on drilling off the Florida shores, but now -out of the blue- it’s the environmentalists’ and/or the leftists’ fault?
I used to think that keeping Florida’s beaches clean was good for the largest money maker in the state -you know, tourism. Silly me.
June 17th, 2008 at 8:57 pmGregor Samsa Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 8:59 pmI used to think that keeping Florida’s beaches clean was good for the largest money maker in the state -you know, tourism. Silly me.
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You may wish to discuss this with pmavrck. They have many thoughts regarding the environmental benefits of oil platforms as their ability to enhance tourism
Great! Now he’s established his flip-flop cred.
*eyes rolling*
June 17th, 2008 at 9:01 pmThen again, it is more likely that these two stooges are trying to come up with a wedge issue; I guess gay marriage is now passé.
I mean, you know that Crist is babbling when he says stuff like
“I mean, let’s face it, the price of gas has gone through the roof, and Florida families are suffering, and my heart bleeds for them.”
He must know that drilling off Florida alone cannot possible have any impact on gas prices: Oil reserves in the US are simply not that large.
Unless he is trying to say that the gas drilled off Florida’s coasts are going to be consumed locally -an absurd and impossible idea.
In other words, all this “controversy” is for mass consumption for the GOPers and kool-aid drinkers who need to be told whom to hate (and it will be them liberals, as usual).
June 17th, 2008 at 9:04 pmI remember going to Galveston beach as a kid and it wasnt bad until you stepped on one of the tarballs that littered the beach like a Nascar track is littered with clumps of rubber…
June 17th, 2008 at 9:06 pmThat is one tan mofo.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:08 pmMcCain: Pull my thumb!
Crist: [Smirk] Original John.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:09 pmthe environmental benefits of oil platforms as their ability to enhance tourism
~dbadass
And I bet pmavrck would just love to spend their honeymoon on a off-shore oil platform, tanning under the warm Florida sun ;-)
June 17th, 2008 at 9:09 pmOh, brilliant—the old “States Rights” ploy from both Crist and Martinez! I can’t wait for Rush Limbaugh to start campaigning for oil platforms to spring up in front of his ocean front view!
I love how convinced they both are: “letting state’s rights be recognized, if you will, is certainly appropriate” and “I kind of agree with him”.
McCain’s their nominee so party loyalty dictates their support for his oil lobbyist-soaked national campaign, but many of their local backers all own prime real-estate and they won’t want their fabulous ocean-front views or fishing/yachting playgrounds being mucked-up by a bunch of oil rigs—imagine the drop in property values. Ouch!
June 17th, 2008 at 9:12 pmAnd I bet pmavrck would just love to spend their honeymoon on a off-shore oil platform, tanning under the warm Florida sun ;-)
McCain: Cindy, trollop, hand me the lotion.
Cindy: Which do you want, Mobil, Exxon, Shell…Sweet or sour?
June 17th, 2008 at 9:12 pmBut but but isnt states rights going against the unitarian model they so embrace?
June 17th, 2008 at 9:13 pmwow…that “auto-delete repeated comment” feature is great!
June 17th, 2008 at 9:14 pmOh you silly libs. Offshore oil platforms are awesome tourist attracts. They’re really something to see especially during a hurricane, really it’s like watching special effects. That way you have tourist flocking TO the beach and not AWAY from the beach during a storm. What are you a bunch of commies?
June 17th, 2008 at 9:15 pmNext to “smarmy” in the dictionary they have Crists picture, seriously.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:17 pmA flip-flop running with a flip-flop. Yep. Both make a perfect pair.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:18 pmpmavrck, honeymoon? Good one Xisthrus. What state is allowing folks to marry their blowup doll?
June 17th, 2008 at 9:18 pmXisithrus Says:
——————————————————————————–
I remember going to Galveston beach as a kid and it wasnt bad until you stepped on one of the tarballs that littered the beach like a Nascar track is littered with clumps of rubber…
—
June 17th, 2008 at 9:19 pmI have this cherished picture of my then infant daughter on a beach in that area. She is putting sand in her mouth. The habitat was nice but the shit on those beaches was just awful and I have seen plenty of beaches. Louisana was pretty much the same. Still if it weren’t for the mess both coastal zones are magnificent. How come we only kiss FL’s tourist ass?
i think he should pick jeb as his running mate. then they can print bumper stickers that read:
mcbush/bush ‘08!
:)
June 17th, 2008 at 9:20 pmIt’s about time Crist changed his mind. And McCain as well. We need to drill in the gulf and everywhere else there’s oil. While we’re at it, somebody please build some more refineries because otherwise it won’t matter if we can’t turn it into gasoline. Look, I’m not opposed to alternative energy sources (though the whole bio-fuel idea is defintely flawed) so how’s about we also build some more nuclear power plants and hey, put some windmills off the coast of Massachussetts for good measure. I don’t care if it offends the Kennedys.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:22 pmThe habitat was nice but the shit on those beaches was just awful and I have seen plenty of beaches. -Dbadass
Yes, I forgot to mention the rubbish thrown into the water by the workers. Floridians dont know what they are missing =)
June 17th, 2008 at 9:23 pmAnd what about that coal. Let’s go get us some coal. Lots of coal even that dirty burning coal. Coal, Coal, Coal!
June 17th, 2008 at 9:24 pmWhat state is allowing folks to marry their blowup doll?
~Shayne
Hey, if Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich can find someone to marry, I am sure pmavrck can find someone too.
After all, the 23%ers are still out there -obviously the bar is never set too low for them ;-)
June 17th, 2008 at 9:24 pmIt’s about time Crist changed his mind. And McCain as well. We need to drill in the gulf and everywhere else there’s oil. -CodeZombie
We are already drilling in the Gulf and have been for some time.
What I dont get is why these people didnt complain about the filling of the strategic reserve [which just stopped recently]
June 17th, 2008 at 9:25 pmCrist will still have to answer for his association with Gerard A. Growney, the controversial St. Petersburg realtor and developer.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:25 pmThe choice is clear.
Drill for oil offshore
OR
Cancel NASCAR
June 17th, 2008 at 9:29 pmXisithrus Says:
June 17th, 2008 at 9:29 pmYes, I forgot to mention the rubbish thrown into the water by the workers. Floridians dont know what they are missing =)
—
I am still a little freaked out that I took that picture rather than stopping her. I had seen that tar ball shit on midatlantic beaches but only rarely. Those folks had that shit pretty much everywhere. I used to have students volunteer for coastal cleanup and we would then use the data to try to learn some basic statistics. Some of the shit I saw in the islands and in Alaska was a bit discouraging. In a sort of sick way, I’d like to see the pacific trash zone.
http://www.pacificyachting.com/content/view/1111/32/
June 17th, 2008 at 9:43 pmMcLame is a complete lying horse’s asss. He claimed that there were no spills - there were EIGHTY oil spills last year.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:51 pmHere’s some info on that:
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RL33705
It’s notable that the number of spills is now increasing (as opposed to a decade long decline), and that the funding available to clean up oil spills has been severely cut - to the point of inadequacy.
Thank you, Republicans!
June 17th, 2008 at 9:56 pmIt’s Florida….who cares? Drill your worthless state into oblivion. Ever noticed that whenever some crazy child abuse happens, like kids being duct taped to a wall, it’s in Florida? Good riddance.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:56 pmCrist is perfect for McWhateverheneedstosaytogetelected. He’s a flip-flopper.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:57 pmOh and he’s ancient too.
June 17th, 2008 at 9:59 pmTruly disgusting db. But the Mediterranean is just sad. It’s been Civilization’s cesspool since the dawn of time. And the plastic is so unnecessary. It could all be turned into fuel and/or other goods. Between tossing plastic and burning EVERYTHING, we deserve what we get. A real pity for our descendants that they’ll have to deal with the mess. I hope there are enough ecosystems left to sustain them.
June 17th, 2008 at 10:00 pmI think that not having that blanket moratorium, and letting state’s rights be recognized, if you will, is certainly appropriate.
Whenever they start talking about “states rights,” you know someone’s going to get screwed.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
June 17th, 2008 at 10:00 pmWhat the hell is it with these Republicans and their very public and very embarrassing debates with themselves?
June 17th, 2008 at 10:01 pmI mean, let’s face it, the price of gas has gone through the roof, and Florida families are suffering, and my heart bleeds for them.”
Call the cultural anthropologists! A bleeding heart conservative is a rare beast indeed!
June 17th, 2008 at 10:28 pmThe loud sucking sound you hear is Cristy’s lips departing McIIIrd’s member.
June 17th, 2008 at 10:37 pmThe loud sucking sound you hear is Cristy’s lips departing McIIIrd’s member.
Cindy: Well, I’m glad he got someone to touch him, ’cause that sagging ass is a real turn off. It usually takes three prozac just to get me numb enough to even look at him naked.
June 17th, 2008 at 10:45 pmI have come to the conclusion that the repugs are just a collection of fish, flipflopping on the shore of what was once their party, that is now drying up.
June 17th, 2008 at 10:53 pmbarfly! for Crist sakes!
June 17th, 2008 at 11:21 pmCrist would be a perfect fit for McCain. He changes his mind about stuff almost as quickly as John McCain does. Backtracks on firm statements simply for political gain. Lies and tries to do a tapdance around the media when he contradicts himself. Sounds like a perfect match to me.
June 17th, 2008 at 11:54 pmI really don’ think that either Texas or Florida are good places for prospecting for a VP choice. Too much easy dirt to dig up.
June 18th, 2008 at 12:13 amThe Repukes have probably written off the West Coast, with the exception of Alaskans, who’d vote for a Michael Reagan/Ann Coulter ticket if they had the opportunity. The New England states went for Kerry in 2004 and are certainly within reach for Obama.
The only additional risk would be along the lower Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, some of the safest Neocon territory in the country. In terms of general shoreline, Florida has nearly as many miles by itself as all other red states in the area combined, and would presumably have the most to lose if their tourist industry went south. The numbers (you can check this out at http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001801.html):
Florida — 1350 miles
Virginia — 112 miles
North Carolina — 301
South Carolina — 187
Georgia — 100
Alabama — 53
Mississippi — 44
Louisiana — 397
Texas — 367
Total for all non-Florida states — 1561 miles
Not that Florida would care anyway, however, if Crist were placed on the ticket, Floridians would gladly place their tourist industry at risk to send one of their own to Washington, D.C. With global warming, its all academic anyway, since within a couple of decades half of the state will be underwater.
As far as the other states, does any sane person really think that they’d take exception to having oil rigs along their coastlines?
For a sneak preview of what this could look like, try driving along the coastline near Santa Barbara, which would be beautiful if it weren’t for the oil drilling platforms.
If you want to enjoy a saltwater beach sans tar balls, there’s still the Great Salt Lake. Anyone wanna guess how Senators Bennett and Hatch from the Beehive State will vote?
June 18th, 2008 at 1:53 amThe Reptilicans are lying to force through legislation based on fear and panic so that they can cash in once again.
There is no shortage of oil. Is anyone sitting in long lines? Do you see any filling stations running out? Has there been a federally mandated lower speed limit on interstate highways?
HELL no! Check out these 2 facts:
1. The price of oil is mostly due to market speculation:
2. The oil companies are currently sitting on permits which have the potential of doubling our national output!
June 18th, 2008 at 5:22 amI think that not having that blanket moratorium, and letting state’s rights be recognized, if you will, is certainly appropriate.
“State’s rights”??? Uh-oh, you know what that’s code for? Unapologetic racism. Are the Republicans really planning on bringing that particualr term up again? Have they leanred nothing?
June 18th, 2008 at 7:36 amWhen “don’t call me Jesus” Crist was running for governor, there were persistent rumors that he is gay. He never cleared that up. I don’t care if he is or not, but does McRibs know what he could be in for if this a$$wipe is his VP choice?
June 18th, 2008 at 8:15 amMaybe if they can convince Jimmy Buffet to write an inane song about the charm of cocktails on a tar sands beach, they can get the idiot parrotheads onboard.
June 18th, 2008 at 8:22 amThe televangelists would be in Heaven! (sorry…)
June 18th, 2008 at 8:43 amAfter McCain topples over they just have to get this swarthy looking fellow to grow a beard, add an ‘h’ to his name, and they can proclaim the second coming…
LOL, the “Flip Flop” brigade! Crist and McBush are perfect for one another.
JT
June 18th, 2008 at 8:50 amWhats hiding on your Hard Drive?
A surrogate for that other hawker of cyber crap. Someone please toss them a little spare change please
June 18th, 2008 at 8:53 amThere, I tossed them a virtual farthing.
June 18th, 2008 at 9:10 amWhat this country needs is an energy policy that will bring new non-petroleum products to the forefront instead of drilling,BIG OIL has over 33 million acres of leases throughout america to explore, it will take 10 years know matter what and where they drill to get BIG OIL on the market, whereas new non-petroleum based energy can be on the market in less than 10 years.Phuck BIG OIL and it`s greed and the SHRUB for letting this happen.
June 18th, 2008 at 9:39 amFloridian’s will not like this idea at all. There is no way that the holders of muti-million dollar beach front property homes nor the massive amounts of people that fish are gonna allow this to happen.
June 18th, 2008 at 9:53 amAnd Californians simply will not allow it.
By selling the beaches to the oil companies, McCain just made millions in campaign contributions, and he just lost the campaign.
June 18th, 2008 at 10:33 amAnd you are surprised Crist would be on his knees for McCain, why…? He does have a reputation for that, you know.
June 18th, 2008 at 10:56 amWhat?!?!? A closeted homosexual Republican? How that be? I’ve never heard of such a thing!
June 18th, 2008 at 11:13 amMy thoughts….http://www.tagg-theangrygayguy.com/ 2008/ 06/ uhthere-might-be-teeny-problem-here.html
June 18th, 2008 at 11:23 amNevar Says:
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There, I tossed them a virtual farthing.
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June 18th, 2008 at 11:40 amThanks but they’ll just waste it on virtual booze…
SHAMEFUL. That tells me he is NOT VP material as a YES man!
June 18th, 2008 at 2:01 pm