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From the staff of the Tampa Bay Times

Crist takes the Democratic script and attacks Romney's 'sketchy deal' and 'binders'




cristromney.jpgPage 7 in the Charlie Crist transformation manual: Act as top surrogate for Democrats on conference call, read Obama talking points.

Introduced by a top Democratic spokesman as "the great former governor," Crist did just that this afternoon, criticizing Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan as they descend on Florida.

"Let’s call the Romney-Ryan economic plan what it is: A so-called five-point plan that is really a one-point plan. One set of rules for them and their friends and another set of rules for everyone else – the same bad ideas that created the crisis in the first place. Mitt Romney is offering the American people, as the president said, a 'sketchy deal,' " Crist said.

Crist said Romney "mislead" voters during Tuesday's debate on his attacks on Obama over the Libya attacks and by ignoring his previous pledge to veto the Dream Act. He mentioned the "Ryan-Romney budget" that would force deep cuts and increase costs for Medicare (Romney says he likes the House budget but has made it clear he'd pursue his own.)

"Romney couldn't even give a straight answer when he was asked a point-blank question about equal pay for women at the debate this week," Crist aid. "His awkward, dishonest answer really displayed his failure to stand up for giving women the tools they need to fight for equal pay and for equal work. While the president talked about women as bread winners for American families, Romney talked about them as resumes in a binder."

In a Q&A with reporters, Crist was asked about his previous support for the Bush tax cuts, and extending them. "What I've supported is trying to keep taxes low," he said. "What we're talking about in this election is a candidate that wants to give tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires and we have a president who wants to make sure that everybody gets a fair shake and a fair share ..."

He was also asked if he would accept a position in a second Obama administration. "Last thing I'm thinking about," he said.

Our question for Crist didn't get asked (apparently there were technical problems) but we would have liked to hear how Crist feels about Democratic criticisms of Romney shaping his political views to fit the times. The "severly conservative" Romney has been shedding his skin a bit lately, to the consternation of Democrats. Crist not too long ago was effectively pitching himself as severe conservative.

Then came Marco Rubio.

AP photo: Crist with Mitt and Ann Romney in 2008.

[Last modified: Thursday, October 18, 2012 6:53pm]


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