Exclusive: Florida Governor Charlie Crist prepared to endorse broad swath of gay rights

[kpete]

Source: Raw Story

Exclusive: Florida Governor Charlie Crist prepared to endorse broad swath of gay rights

By John Byrne
Sunday, September 12th, 2010 -- 7:50 pm


MIAMI -- Charlie Crist, the current governor of Florida and Independent candidate for US Senate, is prepared to issue a ringing endorsement of gay rights in a document slated to be released as early as this week, according to a copy of a position paper provided in advance Sunday to RawStory.com.

Crist, who was elected governor as a Republican, left the GOP after it became clear he could not win his party’s nomination for Senate.

The document provided to RawStory.com includes Crist's vocal support for gay couples, including hospital visitation, inheritance and adoption rights; opposition to the ban on gays serving in the military; support for anti-discrimination laws and appropriations for HIV and AIDS programs.

"It's great to hear a sitting governor take such a strong stand on equality issues," Nadine Smith, Director of Equality Florida, told RawStory.com by telephone Sunday night. "This is the first time in Florida's history that a sitting governor has taken these public positions on a wide range of LGBT equality issues. It marks a shift in the debate in our state."

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/09/leaked-florida-governor-charlie-crist-prepared-endorse-broad-swath-gay-rights/

[RKP5637]

1. Great News!!! n/t

[Ken Burch]

2. It's against DU rules to campaign against the Democratic candidate in a race

https://donate.kendrickmeek.com/page/contribute/20100427sem?source=SEM_G_NationalDonation-search_kendrick

[Bolo Boffin]

5. Thank you for the donation link

But I don't think kpete is actually campaigning for Crist here. It's something worth talking about. What's Meek's position on gay right?

[Jamastiene]

7. The DU policy is different for Crist.

[No Elephants]

32. Yes. Coincidentally enough, Meek is not a DNC priority. DU seemed almost prescient

on that one as I observed the DU policy "one time" exception re: Crist v. Meek before the DNC policy re: Meek became publicly apparent.

Magical synchronicity.

[PageOneQ]

12. Not campaigning

This is a news story, not campaigning. Crist has been anti-gay for years and this is big news to see his complete flip on issues. (Plus, how pathetic is it that the Independent candidate's stands on the issues mirror Obama.

[MisterP]

14. I'd think that spamming any thread about Crist with imprecations

about how the OP is campaigning for Crist and should be TSed hurts Meek's chances on DU way more than OPs actually endorsing him

of course, the whole "we must have a hardon for Any Dem" pattern of thinking is exactly why the Dem party has careened ever rightwards since 1988/94, and shows no signs of stopping

[Ken Burch]

15. I didn't call for the poster to be tombstoned.

n/t.

[David Zephyr]

20. kpete posted a news story. How do you stretch that to campaigning against a Democrat.

It's a positive development for my GLBT community regardless of what party he belongs to or doesn't belong to.

[slay]

25. Yes - fall in line and do as you are told! Don't think for yourselves! (nobody's campaigning jeez)

lighten up dude. :eyes:

[Ken Burch]

29. The Florida primaries are over.

In any other state, threads extolling an independent standing against a Dem would be instantly locked.

This thread was NOT just about praising Crist for doing a good thing.

[slay]

35. So what?

This post was about SUPPORTING GAY RIGHTS. Why don't you just leave people alone - you didn't get the thread locked oh boo-hoo it's the end of the world. DU is gonna get VERY ugly come election time if the enforcers like you are gonna shit all over everyone's post that isn't praising Dems up and down. Not all Dems are great you know. Diane Fienstein, Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln, all SUCK. So there - report me if you want to enforcer.

[slay]

34. self-delete

woops wrong spot

[Ken Burch]

3. It can't be progressive to campaign for a Republican "independent" against a Democrat

n/t.

[bluestateguy]

4. Does that blogger (name escapes me) have something on him?

nt

[PageOneQ]

13. That would be me.

Have you seen Outrage?
Charlie is one of the main subjects of the film.
http://www.outragethemovie.com/

[terrya]

6. He must be worried as hell about the polls in his Senate race.

A few weeks ago, he was announcing his continued support of the anti-gay marriage amendment, Amendment 2, that he championed as Governor.

When he denounces that amendment, and announces his support of marriage equality, and his support for gay and lesbian couples to adopt, let us know. There's a ban against gay and lesbian couples being able to adopt in his state. He can still do something about it.

[KaryninMiami]

9. Yes- he's panicked and trying to get votes where he can.

The Repigs here are backed by Jeb and they are already starting to pound on him with the news of a potential lawsuit this weekend saying he and his team mismanaged funds. It's only going to get really ugly- they want Rubio in badly and are not going to play nice. It will be interesting to watch, that's for sure. But even if some of the indies and dems who are considering voting for him (many to stop Rubio- not out of any loyalty to Crist), switch to Meek, unless we have a huge turnout here, Meek is still going to have a difficult time beating Rubio.

Don't forget- we vote on machines here- made by those very same companies as before (ES&S mostly) who have a GOP agenda. A close rase means Rubio wins because they will skim off a point or two in as many districts as possible. If we don't have a landslide turnout for Dems, Rubio (and possibly Scott as Gov.) will win.

[Dappleganger]

8. Great!

Still doesn't mean I'm voting for him and I know that the teabaggers will use every thing they have to knock this down.

[Odin2005]

10. So when is he coming out of the closet?

[customerserviceguy]

18. That was my thought!

My gay friends in FL all wonder when I think he's going to admit what they've known for years.

[Ramulux]

11. Looks like hes finally being honest with himself.

Just in case anyone forgot Charlie Crist is a closeted homosexual. He has said many time before that he was against all these types of rights for gay people, so this statement represents a big change from his previous position. Looks like the self-hating guilt finally got to him.

[DoctorK]

22. but... but... he got married!?!

to a woman!

Is there _anything_ this guy won't do to try and get a vote?

[mitchum]

23. No, it looks like being dropped from the republican franchise got to him

Crist is a loathsome oppportunist, and if he were the republican candidate, he would still be a barely-closeted gay man endorsing anti-gay positions.

[closeupready]

30. +1

n/t

[onehandle]

16. If the Democrat doesn't win, I hope the Republican loses.

Clear?

[Unvanguard]

17. So where was he when his state passed Amendment 2?

:eyes:

[David Zephyr]

19. It's a positive development regardless of how long it took him to do so.

I don't care what his motives are, his declaration for more civil rights for my GLBT sisters and brothers in Florida is a positive thing.

Good for him. :thumbsup:

[SpankMe]

21. The bad thing about this is...

...that the more liberal positions Crist takes, the more he splits the Democratic vote and jeopardizes Meek's chances of getting elected.

Support Meek.

[mitchum]

24. And that is Opportunity Charlie's intention

[countmyvote4real]

26. He's on the record now or is reported to be.

I don't really care about the motivation. If this is true, he will have held his own feet to the fire. And I won't be letting them go. It is after all, a new century.

[defendandprotect]

27. Good to see anyone moving gay/Human Rights along --

[aquart]

28. So what?

It's nice to know that there will be Republicans to help the party rebuild from the ashes, but he ain't ours.

[No Elephants]

31. So...will he stop getting engaged and married to women, now?

I'll take improvement for human rights from any source,, regardless how opportunistic and self-serving, but liking this turd is a different issue.

[COLGATE4]

33. Charlie will say anything and do anything to get elected.

However, if the choice is between Charlie and that loathsome Rubio, my money's on Charlie.

[Freddie Stubbs]

36. Crist said he was in favor of civil union in 2006 when he was running for Governor, but

then campaigned for a state constitutional amendment to ban civil union in 2008.

Why would anyone give any credence to any promises this man makes?