Crist backs Obama on controversial Islamic center. Greene: "President Obama has this all wrong..."

[jefferson_dem]

Crist backs Obama on controversial Islamic center
Posted: August 14th, 2010 02:09 PM ET

From CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist backed President Obama Saturday, saying the President's statement on a plan to build a controversial Islamic center and mosque near ground zero was correct.

Panama City, Florida (CNN) – In a boost for President Obama on a red-hot controversy, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist told CNN Saturday that he fully supports Obama's decision to back construction of an Islamic center and mosque near New York's ground zero.

"I think he's right - yeah," Crist, who was elected governor as a Republican but is now running for Senate as an independent candidate, told CNN. "We are a country in my view that stands for freedom of religion. You know, respect for others. I know there are sensitivities and I understand that, but I think Mayor Bloomberg is right and I think the President is right."

Crist offered his support in a brief interview as he waited for Obama to arrive at a U.S. Coast Guard station for a presidential visit aimed at boosting tourism in the Gulf region, which has suffered economically as a result of the BP oil spill – the worst in American history.

<SNIP>

But Crist told CNN he completely disagrees with that view.

"This is a place where you're supposed to be able to practice your religion without the government telling you that you can't," said Crist.

Crist has been increasingly alienated from the Republican Party, and his latest comments will only fuel speculation that he may decide to caucus with Senate Democrats in 2011 if he's elected as an independent in November.

But not every candidate for the Florida Senate seat agrees with Crist and President Obama. Those that oppose the plan include Jeff Greene, who is gunning for the Democratic nomination.

"President Obama has this all wrong and I strongly oppose his support for building a mosque near Ground Zero especially since Islamic terrorists have bragged and celebrated destroying the Twin Towers and killing nearly 3,000 Americans," Greene said in a statement.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/14/crist-backs-obama-on-controversial-islamic-center/

[Eric J in MN]

1. No churches in Oklahoma City. It's insensitive. (sarcasm) NT

NT

[liberalpragmatist]

2. You know, I support Meek...

... but if that douchebag Greene wins the Democratic Primary, I'm sending money to Crist.

[BootinUp]

3. I was skeptical of Crist

for a long time, but I am coming around.

[The Traveler]

6. He is what he is

A conservative ... but of the more honest and rational sort. He is not willing to watch the country burn just so he can win some crazy ideological spat. Not a bad fellow. You can do business and politics with his sort, and work out things for the good of the country. Not at all like TanMan Boner.

Trav

[BootinUp]

8. So who would you equate him to

a Poppy Bush type then?

[The Traveler]

10. Not Poppy

I don't see in Crist the darker, nastier side of Poppy Bush. I think more along the lines of Republican Senator Everett Dirksen.

[Arkana]

12. I think Crist is truly the "independent Republican"

that Scott Brown claimed to be in his campaign for Senate.

Crist has done the right thing on some genuinely hard-to-decide cases--in the face of enormous pressure from the right-wing, he still seems to do what he feels is right.

[Ter]

17. Why not still?

He did a 180 on all his positions when he switched, meaning he never stood for anything. Sorry, but I like true believers who will never budge on their positions.

[Akoto]

18. People can't have a change of heart? n/t

[Ter]

20. Sure, but not on nearly every issue as soon as he switched parties

n/t

[BootinUp]

21. Valid point

not sure we are going to have much to say about this race anyways though. Hope I'm wrong.

[Scurrilous]

4. Jeff Greene is all wrong.

Terribly wrong...


Jeff Greene's yacht holds the secrets: Sexcapades or Sabbath?

Democratic Senate candidate Jeff Greene finds himself answering inquiries about strippers aboard his Summerwind yacht and other tawdry tales.

<snip>

"Back in the summer of 2005, Jeff Greene was living the dream -- a single, super-successful guy with a mega yacht.

The photos tell the story: Greene walking the beach in St. Tropez with his pal Mike Tyson and a bevy of women in bikinis; Greene and Tyson boogieing in a smoky club surrounded by young women; a group of women in Romania boarding Greene's 145-foot yacht Summerwind at night; Greene and Tyson visiting an 11th century monastery in Ukraine.

Nobody batted an eye when a 2009 book, The Greatest Trade Ever, mentioned Greene's Black Sea yachting adventure that summer:

"Greene brought two Ukrainian strippers on board to make a cameo appearance and hired stewardesses from coastal towns to serve as his crew. Some doubled as massage therapists, which came in handy after a day of scuba diving, Jet Skiing or kayaking," wrote Wall Street Journal reporter Gregory Zuckerman."

<snip>

"Then, just as Greene was gaining momentum against U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek in a race for the Democratic nomination, Tyson went and told Sports Illustrated about that summer when he spent so much time with Greene. Tyson, who was best man at Greene's 2007 wedding, makes that period of his life sound more like the Love Boat:

"I was in St. Tropez, in the South of France. In Ibiza, Spain. I was in Monte Carlo. I was in the Ukraine, Russia, all those places, for three months. From Russia I went to Lisbon, Portugal, from Portugal I went to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam I met this drug dealer, right? And he sees that I like getting high, and he wants to be my buddy, right? This guy goes and gets me a big rock of cocaine. So pretty soon I got a party going on. I got everything: I got these rugby players. I got these naked girls, I got all these . . . everything's going on in the room. Plus I also had this girl with me that I picked up in Romania. But then saw how much of a mess I was. He came in and kicked everybody out of my room! All the nude people, all the people having sex. He said, `I feel so bad I ever gave him that stuff,' " Tyson said in an interviewed published in July.

Next thing you know Politico is on the phone, asking about Greene's adventures with Iron Mike."

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/12/1773987/a-yacht-holds-the-secrets-sexcapades.html#ixzz0wbrp1m9c

[Ramulux]

5. Jesus christ

Jeff Greene is such an embarrasment. Why do guys like this call themselves democrats? Hes a coporatist douchebag billionaire who flaunts his wealth and fame like some 2nd rate celebrity. I also dont understand why he is wasting so much money on this race when it is incredibly obvious Christ is going to dominate.

[rurallib]

7. why can't Dems throw people like Greene out?

[Pirate Smile]

9. Who and why are some Dems supporting Greene? Who the hell is this guy and why would anyone support

him?

[Arkana]

11. Jeff Greene is an idiot and if Florida Dems have any brains

they will back Kendrick Meek over him.

[suzie]

16. Many Florida Democrats are voting for Meek in the primary.

And planning to vote for Crist in the general.

[Bitwit1234]

13. Do you know what is revealing about these people?

We have the tea bags. A very very tiny minority in this country. But because the corporate media trying to put down the Democrats played them up people like Greene think these people are all knowing and all encompassing. They are not. Their votes don't amount to crap. When a tea bag wins it is because the radical republicans get behind them.

STAND YOUR GROUND, KICK EM TO THE CURB AND THEY WILL GO AWAY QUICKER THAN YOU THINK.

[DirkGently]

14. Crist shows up a Florida Democrat. Again.

[elleng]

15. Darn, woudn't a Meek/Crist 'general' be interesting?

[LittleBlue]

19. Crist is reasonable. If all Republicans were this way

I wouldn't be in constant fear for the direction of the nation.

He gets some issues wrong, but he wouldn't turn the nation into an American Taliban thugocracy. For instance, he is philosophically pro life, but vetoed that ridiculous bill to require a woman to have an ultrasound before she's allowed an abortion. Hasn't come around on gay marriage though.