August 26, 2012 by David K. Sutton
Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist Backs Obama for President
Charlie Crist, the former Republican governor of Florida wrote an op-ed in the Tampa Bay Times today giving his endorsement to President Barack Obama.
I’ve studied, admired and gotten to know a lot of leaders in my life. Across Florida, in Washington and around the country, I’ve watched the failure of those who favor extreme rhetoric over sensible compromise, and I’ve seen how those who never lose sight of solutions sow the greatest successes.
As America prepares to pick our president for the next four years — and as Florida prepares once again to play a decisive role — I’m confident that President Barack Obama is the right leader for our state and the nation. I applaud and share his vision of a future built by a strong and confident middle class in an economy that gives us the opportunity to reap prosperity through hard work and personal responsibility. It is a vision of the future proven right by our history. – Former Gov. Charlie Crist: Here’s why I’m backing Barack Obama
Charlie Crist is no longer affiliated with any political party, but I believe that he is representative of the type of Republican that was once prevalent within the GOP. Moderate Republicans like Charlie Crist are no longer welcome. They are at odds with an increasingly polarized party that caters to its extremes.
As Republicans gather in Tampa to nominate Mitt Romney, Americans can expect to hear tales of how President Obama has failed to work with their party or turn the economy around.
But an element of their party has pitched so far to the extreme right on issues important to women, immigrants, seniors and students that they’ve proven incapable of governing for the people. Look no further than the inclusion of the Akin amendment in the Republican Party platform, which bans abortion, even for rape victims.
The truth is that the party has failed to demonstrate the kind of leadership or seriousness voters deserve.
If there is any consolation for a majority of sensible people in this country, it is that the Republican Party is aiding its own demise. In a country that is increasingly diverse, with projections now showing that whites will no longer be in the majority by mid-century, a party that is moving in the opposite direction is a party heading towards oblivion. / photo by Robert Neff
