Adam C. Smith
writes at the
St. Petersburg Times:
July 1, 2011
The main Republican candidates for U.S. Senate held their first debate Thursday, and it sometimes felt like a game of who could sound most disdainful of the ex-governor.
"I never supported Charlie Crist in his U.S. Senate race despite a lot of pressure to do that,'' stressed state Senate President Mike Haridopolos.
Former state Rep. Adam Hasner boasted that his antagonism to Crist was well known in Tallahassee.
Crist, who dropped out of the Republican Party while running for U.S. Senate, is never a great topic for former Sen. George LeMieux — he being Crist's former chief of staff, campaign manager and longtime friend. Running in a GOP primary where many staunch conservatives see Crist as a moderate traitor, LeMieux has to keep his distance from the man who appointed him to fill Mel Martinez's unexpired term in the Senate.
.....
These are the clowns trying to unseat Senator Bill Nelson.
Let's see, there is Senate President Mike Haridopolos, who had a cushy
$152,000 deal with Brevard Community College to write a "book", that only had one copy. He also
has a hard time with ethics, as would be helpful when holding elected office. And he just
joined up with Rick Scott in pushing an energy policy of offshore drilling and new nuclear power generation in Florida.
Nice candidate.
Then there's Adam Hasner. He's also up for
ethics violations because he can't seem to disclose his finances properly. Just like Haridopolos. Must be catching.
And then there are the other assorted angry, sniping ex-friends of Crist and unknowns, all hoping to "impress" as they hope to knock off Bill Nelson.
Maybe the news this week that Crist would
"crush" Rick Scott in a head to head match raises their hackles.
Maybe it's because Crist has what they sorely lack, and that is a heart and independent mind, so he must be trashed.
Whatever.
These guys are a sniveling embarrassment to Florida.