Charlie Crist used to be a Republican. Then he became an independent. Later he was a Democrat. Now, the protean politician appears to be portraying himself as the candidate of the Party of God!
Crist appeared on Wednesday's Morning Joe, the day after he won the Florida Democrat gubernatorial primary. At one point he was asked how he would take on Governor Ron DeSantis. Crist began by comparing DeSantis' approval rating of 50 percent to the 72 percent Crist claimed to enjoy at one point during his tenure as governor (back when he was a Republican). Given the fact that co-hosts and husband/wife team Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are away this week, the rest of the usual crew needs to kill time.
Crist called his "amazing" popularity a "God thing," was certain it was a typo. Crist must have said that it was a "good thing." Surely, no politician could possibly be so presumptuous as to claim that his approval rating was a "God thing!"
But, incredibly, as the video [at 1:30] revealed, "God thing" was precisely what Crist said! And that was just the first of many religious references Crist crammed in:
- At one point, Crist ostentatiously displayed yellow wristbands and said, "It's about doing onto others as you would do onto yourself. I wear these yellow wristbands, Willie, every day. Practice the Golden Rule every day."
- Speaking of the late Congressman John Lewis, Crist recounted that Lewis said that the right to vote is "so precious, it's probably sacred," Crist pointed heavenward, and added, "godly."
- Crist claimed that DeSantis "is on the battlefield of hate. I am on the battlefield of love. There's faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love. It's in Corinthians in the Bible."
- Claiming that DeSantis' "turf" is making people hate each other, Crist proclaimed, "I'm on a different plane." Cue the heavenly harps!
- Crist concluded his spiel by claiming, "That's what this campaign is about. Hate versus love. His hate, our love. God's love."
Morning Joe never pushed back on Crist's religious shtick.
The panel was also mute when Crist sought to deceive Floridians as to how wealthy he is. At the beginning of the interview he said that one of his key issues would be affordability, continuing: "Try to buy a house in Florida anymore, you can't do it unless you're a millionaire or billionaire, and most of us aren't."
According to his own financial filing, Crist's net worth is $1.9 million. Ron DeSantis's? $318,000.
Like with his religious implications, Morning Joe never pushed back on Crist's misleading suggestion that he was not a millionaire, or his implication that he was the candidate of God.
Morning Joe glossing over Crist's claim that his "amazing" popularity as governor of Florida was a "God thing" was sponsored in part by SoFi, Facebook/Meta, and Allstate. Their contact information is linked
Here's the transcript. Click "expand" to read:
MSNBC's Morning Joe
08/24/22
7:04 a.m. EDTWILLIE GEIST: The state of Florida making something news last night with its primary races. Joining us now, the Democratic nominee for governor there, Congressman Charlie Crist. Congressman, thanks for being with us this morning, we appreciate it. How did you do it? What were the central issues --
CONGRESSMAN CHARLIE CRIST (D-FL): Morning, Willie.
GEIST: -- as you talked to voters out there?
CRIST: Well, I think just touching base with people. And talking about Roe v. Wade, as you were just talking about, huge issue, critically important. And frankly, affordability in the Sunshine State. Our property insurance is through the roof. Try to buy a house in Florida anymore, you can't do it, unless you're a millionaire or billionaire, and most of us aren't.
(....)
7:05 a.m. EDT
GEIST: As you know, Congressman, even Democratic strategists and some of your supporters aren't giving you much time to celebrate. Looking ahead to Governor Ron DeSantis, he's got a $140 million war chest ready for this general election. He leads you in these hypothetical matchups. How will you go at Governor DeSantis?
CRIST: Well, people talk about his approval rating and how popular he is, Willie. Have you seen that lately, that number? I mean, the last one I saw was like 50 percent, right? So, I was governor before. My approval rating as Governor of Florida was about 72 percent. That's 22 points ahead of where he is now. And he's like this giant? I mean, come on. You know, and that was Republicans, Democrats, independents, because we were doing what was right for the people. And it, you know, was shocking, you know. People hadn't seen that before. But when that happens, it's an amazing thing. It's a God thing. And when you're doing what's right for everybody, whether they're black or white, rich or poor, gay or straight and not discriminating like he is against people all the time. He's trying to tear my state apart. That's why I'm running against him. I don't care about the money he's got. We need money. You know, go to CharlieCrist.com if you want to help. But, my goodness, it's about more than that. It's about values. It's about doing what's right for people. It's about doing unto others as you would do unto yourself. I wear these yellow wristbands, Willie, every day. Practice the Golden Rule every day. Do unto others as you would have done to you.
MIKE BARNICLE: Hey, Congressman. You mentioned in Florida, like it is in a lot of places. The Republican Party has generally fought to restrict voting rights in a lot of areas. I'm wondering where that issue, voting, is going to take priority in your campaign against the incumbent?
CRIST: Well, it's Roe v. Wade and it's voting. You know, I had the honor, God rest his soul, of serving with John Lewis from Georgia. What a civil rights, voting rights icon in our country. And -- and Mike, he used to say to me all the time, and anybody else who would listen, Charlie, our right to vote is so important. It's precious. He said it's so precious, it's probably sacred [Crist points heavenward], godly. And he was right!
(....)
7:08 am. EDT
EDDIE GLAUDE: Congressman Crist, this is Eddie Glaude. I've got a sense of how you want to fight Governor DeSantis. But, you know, he -- he's a culture warrior. He's going to fight on that terrain. He mobilizes and exaggerates grievance and resentment. How you going to fight on that terrain? Given his critique of critical race theory. Given the don't-say-gay stuff. All the stuff that he's been doing. How are you going to battle on the culture-war battlefield, as it were?
CRIST: Eddie, that's a brilliant question. He is on the battlefield of hate. I am on the battlefield of love. There's faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love. It's in Corinthians in the Bible. I'm going to beat him because I'm running on love, and love always wins. And if he wants to run on hate, and culture wars, and dividing people, and making people hate each other, that's his turf. It's not mine. I'm on a different plane. I'm on a different turf. And it's what Floridians deserve. You know, he's torn my state apart. And Florida's beautiful, as everybody knows. I want to bring her back together. That's what this campaign is about. Hate versus love. His hate, our love. God's love.
