Posted on 08/10/2006 4:33:12 AM PDT by davidosborne
Charlie Crist is OK with civil unions for gay couples, he doesn't have a problem with embryonic stem cell research, he doesn't talk much about his faith because it's a personal issue and while he doesn't want people to get abortions, he won't seek to ban them.
In many ways, the attorney general's views on social issues differ from the far right of his party and of those held by Tom Gallagher, his opponent in the Republican primary for governor.
"Like a family, the party has a different spectrum, too," Crist said Tuesday in an interview with The Associated Press. "I try to lead by example and the things that I think are important. My views reflect where I am, and I think where our party is right now."
Instead of hot button social issues like abortion and gay marriage, Crist has focused his campaign on three main points: low taxes, better schools and a safer state.
He describes himself as a consistent conservative and for Crist that means less government and taking less money from voters.
So when asked about social issues, the conversation was shorter than discussions on things like gas prices, property taxes, education and insurance.
On civil unions, Crist's basic response was, "I don't have a problem with civil unions. I don't oppose them." He did say he is in favor of changing the state constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
On gays being allowed to adopt: "The traditional family is the better mode for adoption."
On abortion, Crist was a little more talkative, but made it clear that he isn't going to personally try to make it more difficult to get an abortion.
"My sense of the issue is that while I'm pro-life and feel it's very important to me, I also respect the views of other people," he said. "I would rather encourage adoption. I would prefer not to change law, I would rather change hearts."
Gallagher, the state's chief financial officer, has aligned himself with the socially conservative side of his party and has questioned Crist's stance on those issues.
"Tom Gallagher is the only choice for voters who believe in the core values of the Republican Party and who demand that their leaders go beyond platitudes and exhibit true leadership on social and fiscal conservatism," Gallagher spokesman Albert Martinez said.
Crist said he's not running a campaign to appeal to a specific part of his party.
"I'm not striving to go right or to the middle, I'm just being me," Crist said. "On each issue, you have to just be honest. Even if people don't agree with you, if they sense that you're really being genuine with them and telling the truth about how you feel, they're all right with that."
In general, his thoughts on social and religious issues can be summed up like this:
"I believe in the rights of the individual, that's why I'm a Republican. I don't want the state telling me what to do, nor do I think it should."
In other parts of the 70-minute interview, Crist portrayed himself as thinking of voters first, rather than party.
"I'm proud I'm a Republican, I'm even more proud that I'm a Floridian and I want to do everything I can to serve them well and continue to earn their trust and confidence," he said.
So if he wins, his agency appointments won't be rewards for political support. He said he would take a similar approach as governor as he did when he became the first Republican to be elected attorney general.
"A lot within my party gave me a lot of advice about 'You ought to go clean house over there. It's our time,' or whatever. I didn't think that was necessarily the best counsel I've received," Crist said.
"What I would look for is what I looked for in the attorney general's office, and those are people who are ethical, who are honest, who are competent, who are good professionals and who care about people," Crist said.
The primary election is Sept. 5. Major Democrats seeking the seat Gov. Jeb Bush is vacating because of term limits are U.S. Rep. Jim Davis and state Sen. Rod Smith.
Crist also differed from Gallagher on the class size amendment voters passed in 2002. Gallagher, like Bush, wants to send it back to voters, saying the state can't afford the estimated $20 billion cost. While Crist said he voted against the amendment, he said he will not seek to change it.
"They always talk about how the sky's going to fall if we do this stuff and it never does. We already have spent about $7 billion on the class size stuff as it is," Crist said. "I just don't think it's going to be as cost prohibitive as maybe some people estimate that it might be."
Efficiency measures and finding innovative ways like virtual schools and team teaching to comply with the class size limits will keep the cost down, he said.
passing it on.
ping for later read
An interesting primary indeed... the question for Florida conservatives in this primary is.... Who will BEST further the conservative agenda in our state?..... for me the answer is clearly Tom Gallagher...
http://www.vote2006p.davidosborne.net
Crist was called "Chain-gang Charlie" for years. Years ago he stopped the process of being soft on criminals and he's gone after child sexual predators since day one. He's a good man, don't sell him short.
I cannot call him a good man and sure cannot call him conservative! Vote for Tom Gallager!
BTTT
Translation: I'll never bring up the issue again unless I have to veto some damn anti-choice laws.
From what I've read Christ claims to be personally against abortion, but wouldn't change the law since he doesn't want to infringe on others rights. Apparently he's also against gay marriage, but into civil unions. And he's also for stem cell research. Sounds like a democrat to me.
Crist presented an award to Judge Greer after Terry Schiavo died.
He is supported by the front guard of the Republican party here in Central FL, but he won't get my vote.
I've listened to his debates and he sounds too slick and too RINO-ey.
When they asked him about off shore drilling by Cuba he gave some story about how horrible it was to experience an oil spill way back in the 60's - so well spoken, lovely story. Until after smart people realized he never answered the question.
Actually he sounds like the vast majority of people in the country. Outside of Free Republic Social Conservatives aren't that easy to find.
I think we're getting a pig-in-a-poke with Crist. That he is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trial Lawyers there can be little doubt. Morgan and Morgan, one of the biggest slip-and-fall, ambulance chasing, outfits in Central Florida put on a big bash for our Mr.Conservative. My friend was there and said that Crist grovelled like a "whipped puppydog" begging the assembled Poohbahs to "get me more money." At best, Crist is a RINO a la the failed former DemocRAT turned Republican Governor, Martinez.
I hope I'm wrong, but I think this is shaping up to be a major disaster for the Florida GOP. Mr.Crist will lead the party and the state back to the future, because he's a moderate with little conservative vision for Florida's future. I hope I'm wrong, but my intuition and gut tell me that a Crist administration is a disaster waiting to happen.
I read this as an effort to lower conservative turnout.
Crist does support the marriage amendments but AP drops that as a mere mention.
The AP does not even mention Crist's office has been agressive about defending FL's ban on homosexuals adopting children.
FL's legislature is majority republican in BOTH houses. Crist may be from a blue area however, the red areas now control the state and those areas are growing.
FL voters need to just get the marriage amendment on the ballot and end this BS. Outlaw civil unions, keep only marriage as marriage.
The AP is trying to depress voter turnout.
"Charlie Crist is OK with civil unions for gay couples, he doesn't have a problem with embryonic stem cell research, he doesn't talk much about his faith because it's a personal issue and while he doesn't want people to get abortions, he won't seek to ban them."
That's funny, it seems when faith becomes a "personal issue" it ceases to be a biblical issure.
crist may be ok, but he strikes me as not the smartest legal tool in the shed.
He does not understand the legal facts of the marriage protection instead he has been suckered by the homo-lobby for anti-religious propaganda.
He better start walking the walk if he wants to raise money beyond lawyers.
Lawyers did not help the democrat challenger last time.
You could've said it all with one picture:
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