If looks could tell: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, left, followed Sen. John McCain to Virginia for the "Potomac primaries,'' but in this picture with the retiring Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) the governor seems to be thinking: 'Please, not him?' Photo by Getty Images.
by Mark Silva and Scott Maxwell
Four days before the Republican primary election in Florida, when it became apparent to many that Sen. John McCain had a good chance of winning, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist climbed on board the senator's campaign for president.
This is the same Crist who could not find time to appear at a rally with President Bush in Florida's heavily Republican Panhandle near the eve of the 2006 midterm elections, when the president's party was struggling to retain control of Congress -- because Crist was waging his own campaign for governor, and wasn't too eager to bask in the low approval-ratings of Bush.
This is the Crist who made his name as a Florida state legislator, "Chain Gang Charlie,'' by pressing work for prison inmates, and then parlayed a pro-consumer, anti-Microsoft stint as state attorney general into a winning campaign for governor -- a governor who happens to be exceedingly popular as a result in the fourth-largest state, home of a critical 27 electoral votes.
So naturally, the telegenic and exuberant Crist, governor of a megastate, prematurely gray but boundlessly energetic, comes up in the early rounds of speculation about a running mate for the senior McCain -- Crist helped carry him out of Florida in January, and Crist could help him carry Florida in November, that is, if McCain needed that sort of help there.
The Orlando Sentinel's political columnist, Scott Maxwell, today spells out the very specific scenario in which McCain might tap Crist:
"Possible McCain running mate."
"That was the main label CNN gave to Charlie Crist this week during an interview with the man whose main title used to be "governor of Florida."
"You know, for all the hubbub and media chatter in this cycle's veep-stakes, I say Crist gets an invitation to join John McCain if -- and only if -- the answer is "yes" to the two following questions: 1) Do polls show McCain will otherwise lose in Florida? 2) Do they believe that putting Charlie on the ticket will change that? Very little else matters.''
But for now, the answer to the first question is no: The latest Mason-Dixon Polling and Research survey shows that McCain holds an advantage over either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton in Florida. The matchups: McCain 47, Obama 37; McCain 49, Clinton 40.The survey of 625 registered voters was taken Feb. 21-24, and carries a 3-point margin of error.
It also found that 64 percent of Floridians surveyed rate Crist’s performance as excellent or good. That represents a 3 percent increase from November, despite a worsening state economy. A lot could change between now and August, however -- for McCain as well as Crist.
• 
• 
• 
• 
Comments
He could do much worse. I don't think there's any way the GOP loses Florida.
Posted by: Jeff | February 29, 2008 1:48 PM
Wow...then they can really be the wide stance party.
Posted by: bill "hussein" r. | February 29, 2008 1:48 PM
John McCain/Bush needs a running-mate alright...someone needs to hold his feeding tub.
I would suggest that he pick our little Jeff for Veep, he's good at carrying water for geezer McCain.
Posted by: John E | February 29, 2008 1:56 PM
Skipped in this story by the usually poll-happy "Swamp"--the fact that the latest Florida Poll (the respected Mason-Dixon poll) gives McCain a double-digit lead in Florida over either Clinton II or Saint Barack.
Funny how the "Swamp" avoids reporting on polls that show Republicans doing well.
Posted by: Bruce | February 29, 2008 1:57 PM
Brucie:
It seems like you are the only person here that is poll happy - as long as it shows your precious GOP ahead.
Tell me - what would you do if you could not complain about The Swamp?? If you hate it so much, why don't you head over to the Washington Times, NRO, freerepulic, Drudge, etc. blogs with the rest of your caveman friends??
And will Johnny and Charlie avoid W like the plague in this election??
Posted by: BobinATL | February 29, 2008 2:06 PM
Bruce,
This poll's for you.
You got a few steps ahead of me. I was looking for the best poll to cite on McCain's advantage in Florida, and Mason-Dixon's indeed is fresh -- and has a decent track record in the Sunshine State of late. Thanks for the note on M-D, but please stop foisting Rasmussen on us. There are polls and polls.
Posted by: Mark Silva | February 29, 2008 2:12 PM
Bruce likes to quote polls today. Flip Flop!
Posted by: bill "hussein" r. | February 29, 2008 2:15 PM
Funny how the "Swamp" avoids reporting on polls that show Republicans doing well.
Posted by: Bruce | February 29, 2008 1:57 PM
RNC Brucie, you must have had to dig deep for that "respected poll" because almost all of the other "respected polls" show McCain getting his butt handed to him by Obama.
Einstein Bruce, you might want to wait until the Dems actually HAVE A CANDIDATE!
I remember when all the polls showed Rudy Julieannie leading everyone...by double digits....whatever happened to that Rudy chick, anyway?
Posted by: John E | February 29, 2008 2:17 PM
OK Brucie. There's your poll.
But your "double digit" lead is at the most misleading. With the margin of error, the actual vote could be McCain 44, Obama 40. Or McCain 46, Clinton 43. Very close indeed.
Plus look at what we call the Keith number - margin of error plus undecided. In the Obama case, that is a whopping 19, and 14 for Clinton. Add that to the fact that Obama has not campaigned in Florida at all.
Also, I don't think that 625 voters is a dependable sample out of the millions of voters in Florida.
Posted by: BobinATL | February 29, 2008 2:25 PM
Good point John E.
I have no doubt that if nobody showed up as a candidate for the democrats, there is a very good chance they might squeak out a victory.
Posted by: bill "hussein" r. | February 29, 2008 2:30 PM
If old man McCain were to pick Crist as his running-mate I can already hear the heads from the rightwing lunitic fringe exploding, Drug addict Rush would start foaming at the mouth...again.
One thing I'll give McCain credit for, he has driven a stake right thru the Conservative movements black, diseased, tar infested heart.
R I P - GOP
Posted by: John E | February 29, 2008 2:51 PM
I think Senator Mel Martinez of Florida is a better bet as VP for Beltway McCain. Especially if Hispanics aren't happy with Obama.
Posted by: Paul | February 29, 2008 2:57 PM
John E - what's a "feeding tub"?
Posted by: Terry | February 29, 2008 2:58 PM
John E - what's a "feeding tub"?
Posted by: Terry | February 29, 2008 2:58 PM
It's when you liquify some old guys (McCain) food, poor it into a tub, give him a straw and let him drink it up.
All of you GOPer's do that, right Terri?
Posted by: John E | February 29, 2008 3:40 PM
"MCCAIN SHOCKS 9TH CIRCUIT, AND 10TH CIRCUIT COURTS"
Not one person from the "Federalist Society" chosen by the "CHAIRMAN"
Not one, Harris, Wiltshire, & Grannis LLP attorney et al chosen by the one "CHAIRMAN."
Not Matthew Pachman, formely with MCI now ruining "FANNIE MAE" as we knew it.
Not even Ebel, Baldock, or Kelly. Not even a former CEO of Qwest his home state.
We all know the "LIGHTS WENT OUT IN FLORIDA" We all saw the "LIGHTS GO OUT IN GEORGIA."
Not even a "CHERTOFF" or Heckuva job "BROWNIE"
"THE FEDERALIST SOCIEITY SPEAKS" Loud and Clear!
Posted by: Roger Morris | February 29, 2008 3:44 PM
A good choice. Younger, executive experience, popular. Hutchison would be good, too, though. I wonder who'll select a veep first--will one's selection drive the other's?
Now will Clinton supporters stop with their "We must nominate Hillary or looooose the staaaaate." The GOP will still run in MI and FL no matter what you do.
Posted by: Deborah | February 29, 2008 3:44 PM
Sen.Martinez may be a junior senator but would be a better option a a running mate.Latino vote would help the republican vote.
Posted by: Frank Castleron | February 29, 2008 3:47 PM
"I don't think there's any way the GOP loses Florida."
Well, since Katherine Harris won't be there to rig the votes this time, perhaps there's at least one way.
Posted by: weinerdog43 | February 29, 2008 3:56 PM
Trickled On, Math Whiz, Spelling Guru, John E -knows no math, knows no spelling
Posted by: Terry | February 29, 2008 4:09 PM
Just what the GOP needs in an election with a possible youthful individual: 2 grey haired old men whose better days are behind them.
I really have to hand it to the Neo-Cons though, no matter who they run for president that have an inability to think for themselves and must vote Repub.
If the country is stupid enough to respond to the Fear Mongering from the GOP, then they deserve the 1,000 years of occupation that McCain proposes. Keep repeating the same mistakes over, and over and over and over, maybe by that time we will have killed everyone in the world and it will make sense to the cockroaches who will be left.
Posted by: Buckley O'Hussein | February 29, 2008 5:20 PM
So McBush is going to have a running mate named Christ? Doh! I mean Crist!
Posted by: C.Hussein.Morris | February 29, 2008 7:18 PM
Alternate Caption;
'Please be gentle!'
Posted by: C.Morris | February 29, 2008 7:35 PM
CM,
Speaking of being gentle - Do you think Senator Boy Wonder said that to Larry?
Posted by: Terry | March 1, 2008 7:58 AM