Crist & Rubio Debate

Gov. Charlie Crist and former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio spent most of the debate attacking the debate attacking each other. Rubio dodged questions about his lobbyist past and his slush fund. Rubio set up two political action committees. $14,000 was used by Rubio to give jobs to family members. The money was filed under "courier fees." $5,700 from another PAC was used to pay for Rubio's wife's meals. Rubio double billed the Republican Party of Florida and the Florida for 8 plane trips in 2007. In the debate, Rubio dodged answering questions about how he spent taypayer and party finances.

Crist has his own baggage with living large on the taxpayers' dollar. Crist's 2008 European trip cost taxpayers $430,000.

Rubio's PAC Floridians for Conservative Leadership in Government raised $386,000 from the health care industry. It is not surprising that Rubio's solution for the rising cost of private health insurance is allowing people to buy private health insurance. That literally is the answer Rubio gave and "has been giving. Chris Wallace asked Rubio if employers will by barred from providing health insurance. Rubio said companies could still offer health insurance. Sensing he was being pressed, Rubio offered tort reform as the remedy to cut the cost of health care. A 2008 Congressional Budget Office report found tort reform would only cut 0.5 percent of health care costs. Rubio's answer shows the utter lack of seriousness and thought conservatives put into health care. Former Bush-Cheney campaign webmaster Patrick Ruffini wrote a brutally honest assessment of the Republican Party's lack of wonkishness on health care.

On health care, I have no idea what our basic guiding principle is. Seriously, I don't.

We have tried ineffectively to stretch free market rhetoric to health care without appreciating that health care is already too far removed from a free market for the analogy to make sense. Real markets are sensitive to price. Health care isn't. The insurance companies hide the cost of actual care from the consumer.

During the debate, Rubio accused Crist of not stating a single substantive policy proposal. Rubio is correct. However, backing tax cuts doesn't show a great deal of imagination on Rubio's part. Every Republican candidate supports tax cuts. Taxes have been cut under Bush and Obama. Bush's tax cuts did not create a promised increased surplus. Obama's tax cuts were the least stimulant part of the stimulus bill. Bush billed his 2003 tax cuts as a "stimulus plan."

Other Crist and Rubio moments:

Both candidates sang the praises of Ronald Reagan and Jeb Bush. Just once I like to hear a candidate say, "I'm a Richard Nixon conservative."


Both candidates professed their undying love for Jeb Bush. Unfortunely for Crist, Jeb isn't returning to love. Jeb gave his toy sword to Rubio.

Crist is attempting to portray himself as a pragmatist. Rubio is telling conservatives they can count on him to be a no vote against President Obama. My personal impression is these are two career politicians whom will cater their image to best sell themselves.

A call the debate a tie. Crist needed to crush Rubio. Crist got in his attacks but wasn't able to rattle Rubio. Chris Wallace did a average job moderating the debate. Rubio supporters will probably take exception with Wallace allowing Crist to constantly interrupt Rubio.