President Barack Obama and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, aligned across party lines on the economic stimulus. (Photo by Charles Dharapak / AP)
by Mark Silva
Charlie Crist, the popular Republican governor of Florida, basked in the applause for Barack Obama, the popular Democratic president of the United States -- the two who stood on opposite sides of the 2008 election campaign standing side by side today in one of the Republican bases of a swing-state that voted for Obama.
Crist, boasting of a state budget in balance (the Florida Constitution requires it), explained that it took $7 billion of state budget cutting to keep it that way, drawing a knowing nod from Obama, who is campaigning for an economic stimulus which, among other things, offers a boost in federal aid for cash-strapped states.
"To be candid, it's getting harder every day,'' Crist said today in Fort Myers. "It's getting
harder every day, and we know that it's important that we pass the stimulus package.''
"This is not a partisan question,'' said Crist, who endorsed Republican Sen. John McCain in Florida's Republican presidential primary election. "Mr. President, we need to do it in a bipartisan way. This issue of helping our country is about helping our country. This is not about partisan politics. This is about rising above that, helping America and reigniting our economy.''
Music for the president's message.
"Governors understand our economic crisis as well as anyone - they're on the front lines dealing with it every day,'' Obama said. "And Gov. Crist shares my conviction that creating jobs and turning this economy around is a mission that transcends party.
" When the town is burning, we don't check party labels,'' Obama says. "Everyone needs to grab a hose!''
Comments
Guess Crist is feeling the wheels of the straight talk express at this very moment.
Posted by: bill r. | February 10, 2009 1:44 PM
Obama (thinking to self): "Hmmm. Maybe I should let my hair go grey...."
Posted by: ornery | February 11, 2009 3:41 AM