Charlie Crist in The Associated Press

On Abortion: Tea Party is too extreme on outlawing abortion

Crist repeatedly mocked the tea party movement while attacking Rubio, calling him an extremist for wanting to outlaw abortion. "You haven't been drinking the Kool-Aid, my friend, you've been drinking too much tea and it's just wrong," Crist told Rubio.

"I think it's always funny to listen to the governor attack me for the positions he himself held just six months ago, when he was trying to be the biggest conservative in the world and win the Republican primary," Rubio said.

Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Florida Senate Debate Oct 6, 2010

On Budget & Economy: Supports economic stimulus and some parts of ObamaCare

Meek supported the economic stimulus package and said it kept the country from going into a depression; Rubio said it was a failure. Meek wants to continue Bush's tax cuts for all except those who make more than $250,000, Rubio wants them extended for al earners.

"You think government creates jobs," Rubio said to Meek, cutting him off.

"No, I don't," Meek said.

"You do," Rubio said.

"I think tax cuts for small businesses create jobs and incentives for local communities to move forward," Meek said

Crist added, "What you just witnessed is the problem and the reason I'm running as an independent. These two guys are going at each other because one's the Republican right, one's the Democratic left. What's true is there are good things that both parties can present to the future of our country." Crist, who supported the economic stimulus and said he likes some things in the health care law but that it needs to be fixed, portrayed himself as a centrist who backs the best policies of each party.

Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Florida Senate Debate Oct 6, 2010

On Civil Rights: Opposed gay adoption; then praised Court overturning ban

Meek pointed out that Crist has changed his position on several issues, including once being against allowing gay couples to adopt children and later praising a legal decision that said Florida's ban is unconstitutional.

"Charlie Crist stands on a wet paper box," Meek said. "You don't know where he is."

Rubio said neither Crist nor Meek would oppose the Obama administration.

Source: Associated Press coverage of 2010 Florida Senate Debate Oct 6, 2010

On Immigration: No amnesty, but an earned path to citizenship

Crist said that providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants will help keep Social Security solvent--an idea he favors over his opponent's suggestion to raise the eligibility age for benefits. Crist told The Associated Press there are as many as 14 million illegal immigrants in the country as part of an underground economy. If they paid into the Social Security system, it would help increase the worker-to-retiree ratio.

"It's certainly worth a very good debate and research," Crist said. "If there are people here that aren't paying into the system, which everyone agrees there are, that's in essence a form of fraud on the system." Crist said he doesn't support amnesty, but rather an "earned path to citizenship." Illegal immigrants would have to apply for citizenship and be placed in line behind people already seeking it.

Source: The Associated Press May 13, 2010

The above quotations are from Columns and news articles distributed by the Associated Press. Click here for other excerpts from Columns and news articles distributed by the Associated Press. Click here for other excerpts by Charlie Crist. Click here for a profile of Charlie Crist.
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org! Click for details -- or send donations to: 1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140 E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org (We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Feb 15, 2019