Here we go...they've been pushing it all day down
here. Even have a place to vote. I think it would
be awesome!! When the truth about Crist comes out,
it won't be pretty.


[link to www.baynews9.com]

Is Crist in McCain's future?
Friday, February 8, 2008

TALLAHASSEE (Bay News 9) -- A month into the primary season and the GOP is close to having its candidate.

Arizona Sen. John McCain has racked up enough victories to claim the party's presumptive presidential nomination. Now his big decision is who to pick for a running mate.

Governor Charlie Crist likes to say everyone loves Florida. Possibly the only man who loves her more than Crist is McCain, whose triumph in the Florida primary was due in no small part to Crist's endorsement.

It may have propelled him to victory on Super Tuesday as well, when he all but locked down the nomination. The payback could be that McCain names Crist his pick for vice president.

There was talk of Crist joining the ticket no matter who prevailed in the primaries, though Crist denies any interest.

"I have no idea, that's up to the Senator, and I'm focused on Florida," Crist said.

State GOP Chair Jim Greer called it only logical.

"The Republican Party doesn't have many stars nationally," Greer said. "For our party to continue to grow and prevail in elections, we have to have new leadership, new energy, and we have to put the people first and partisan politics aside and lower the rhetoric, and Governor Crist has certainly demonstrated that approach to governing."

The speculation about Crist has been brewing for months, and with a McCain ticket the odds seem to improve that Crist goes to Washington.

Not all political insiders agree it'll happen, however.

"It's a fun parlor game for people in Tallahassee to talk about, but I don't think it's going to happen," St. Petersburg Times Tallahassee Bureau Chief Steve Bousquet said.

Bousquet said not all Republicans are happy with what they view as McCain's moderate record. A record similar to Crist's, especially on topics like the environment.

That's why political pundits said it makes more sense to pick a more conservative running mate.

"This is a national political office, governor of Florida," Bousquet said. "And, is vice president better? Well, I suppose in some way. But vice president also means you get on a plane to go to Provo, Utah, to give the dinner speech on a Saturday night at the Republican womens' club in the middle of February. Charlie Crist has got a pretty good job right now."