Crist's Stimulus Flip Flop

"I didn't endorse it. I -- you know, I didn't even have a vote on the darned thing. But I understood that it was going to pass and I wanted to be able to utilize it for the benefit of my fellow Floridians."

Gov. Charlie Crist, telling Wolf Blitzer he did not endorse the stimulus package.

The Pultizer Prize-winning Politifact gave Crist's claim a pants on fire rating. Crist missed a cabinet meeting to stand onstage with Obama and advocate his support of the stimulus package.



Charlie Crist: "It's getting harder everyday and we know it's important that we pass this stimulus package. It is important that we do so to help education. To help our infrastructure and to help health care for those who need it the most."

Other instances Crist touted his support of the stimulus package.

From Hardball with Chris Matthews on Feb. 3: Speaking of the stimulus, Crist said, "It's going to help (Floridians') children. It's going to help their traffic situation. It's going to help produce more jobs here in the Sunshine State. That's a perspective that I have to have as, in essence, the CEO of Florida. And that's why I support it."

From Time on Feb. 10: "I see this package as a pragmatic, commonsense opportunity to move forward. I didn't campaign for Obama, we don't agree on everything, but he's my president, and my job is to help Florida stay in the black."

From Meet the Press on Feb. 22: Q: Why would you buck your own party, which did not vote for this plan in Congress, as you know, to support the stimulus?

Crist: "It's not a matter of bucking the party, it's a matter of helping the people. I mean, I really view it as an issue of what can I do that's best for the people of Florida? We've got almost 20 million people that live in the Sunshine State now. I think my obligation is in essence the CEO of the state, to do everything I can to help us get through this tough economy. Certainly this stimulus package, about $12.2 billion to Florida, will help Florida an awful lot."

Crist needs to find a spine or he will lose. The worst thing to do in politics in do complete 180 turns. It didn't work for Mitt Romney and he won't work for Crist.

Update: White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs said Crist supported the stimulus package.

"I think he was very supportive of the legislation and supportive of the benefits that it would have and has had for the state of Florida in seeing positive economic growth," Gibbs said. "I would say yes, yes."

I wonder if the White House views Marco Rubio as the candidate Kendrick Meek has the best chance beating.