VIDEO: MARCO RUBIO V. CHARLIE CRIST

If ever there was a debate that more clearly delineated the differences between two Republican candidates for Senate, it's this one with Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday. All through this campaign, Charlie Crist has been portrayed as the moderate candidate and Marco Rubio as the conservative one. This debate only serves to reinforce those notions. Frankly, I was surprised at how willing Charlie Crist was to entrench himself as a moderate Republican, esp. in this political climate.

For those who don't have time to watch the full 9+ minutes....

2:35 mark: Wallace challenges Crist on "the hug" between he and Obama over Crist's support of the Stimulus bill.

5:58 mark: Wallace references the only three Republican senators who voted for the Stimulus bill - Olympia Snowe (MN), Susan Collins (MN), and Arlen Specter (PA) - and then asks Crist if he'd have voted along with them if he was Senator. Shockingly, Crist says he would. This one should floor you.

7:40 mark: If you're a conservative in Florida and had any doubt who to vote for before this, it should be pretty clear after this. Wallace leads in by saying that Rubio identifies Jim DeMint (R-SC) as his favorite Senator (here, here). Conversely, Crist's favorite Senators are John McCain (R-AZ) and Lindsey Graham (R-NC). Wow.

Game, Set, Match..........Rubio.....Right?



Not so fast. Via Hot Air Pundit comes this video in which Crist seems to be dodging Wallace's questions about whether or not he would run as an Independent if he loses to Rubio:



Based on the fact that Crist is pointing to RINOs McCain and Graham as his Senatorial heroes, I am highly skeptical that he will run as an Independent when he loses to Rubio. I personally believe this is all pre-election banter designed to goad the other side. If Crist were to switch, it would create a lot of headaches for a Republican establishment that is more concerned with finding common ground, diffusing controversy, and appeasing its political opponents than it is in actually standing for something.

h/t to Patriots and Heroes