Debate party guests applaud Rubio as Crist vows to ‘crash that tea party in Washington’

US Senate candidate Marco Rubio. [Republican Party of Duval County]A crowd of supporters converged at Mudville Grille in San Marco on Wednesday night to watch one of the most popular candidates in the GOP take on Gov. Charlie Crist (NPA) and Rep. Kendrick Meek (D). Of all the candidates, Rubio stood out for his clarity, his consistency and his core belief that government should get out of the way of the private sector.

Meek came off as more focused than Crist. The Democrat representative stuck to his talking points—the middle class and anti-Republicanism.

Meek managed to work in mention of both those themes in almost every response he gave and he did the same thing Thursday morning when he guested on Fox and Friends. Meek seems to really believe government is the answer to creating middle class jobs. When asked on Thursday  morning what that meant, he cited the small business tax cuts bill and high speed rail. And he criticized Rubio with the description,” the Tea Party and the ideological right.”

Crist seemed muddled throughout much of the debate, relying on character assassination and social issues that while important to many voters, have little to do with the pressing problems the country faces. The governor is no friend of the grassroots movement collectively referred to as the Tea Party. Crist said, “I’m the only one who can crash that tea party in Washington.”

Crist also quoted the White House “Fishy” incident—“Facts are stubborn things,” he said regarding social security and accusations Rubio wanted to privatize it.

That was positively bizarre—the quote stemmed from the White House’s directive to the public in Aug., 2009, when the administration asked Americans to report those who criticized ObamaCare, apparently believing the public was being misled by incorrect claims. A public backlash ensued and the administration backed off.

Another comical moment came when Crist touted the endorsement of former House member Democrat Robert Wexler. Wexler faced ongoing criticism for living in a retirement community with relatives while his wife and children lived out of state. Wexler promoted himself as a die-hard liberal before fading off into the sunset quietly. Some conservatives believe there were other reasons Wexler left the House but his strange departure wasn’t questioned by mass media, a sector that usually aligns with the Democrat Party.

A little more than one year later, criticism of ObamaCare has proved correct—many will not be able to keep their insurance plans, HSAs will be limited, undocumented aliens cannot be asked about their immigration status if applying for government programs and premiums for people in private plans are already rising.

Rubio said ObamaCare is a disaster—“This bill has broken every promise…it cannot be saved.”

Meek said he’d vote for it all over again.

At one point when Meek told Rubio, “You want to take us back to the Dick Cheney days,” there was widespread laughter. Those days were definitely more prosperous for the middle class Meek purports to champion.

Crist somehow seemed to believe his No Party Affiliation status is a benefit. He repeatedly brought up social issues, perhaps because of a dismal performance as governor. Mass media characterize Crist as an independent, but that term is not correct in Florida because a number of small parties use the term ‘Independent’ in their names. The correct term for Crist’s status, according to the Duval County Elections Supervisor, is ‘No Party Affiliate.’

The debate was quite watchable, but the best that can be said is that it was a typical debate as far as questions. Perhaps because most pundits and celeb politicos like moderator George Stephanopoulos don’t research policy and legislation, the questions were broad and one Florida news figure who asked a question veered off onto ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and gay adoption. While those are valid issues, they are not as pressing as fiscal matters and government reform, especially considering Florida’s more than 11 percent unemployment levels.

You have one hour for a debate—less if you count opening statements. Not a single question was asked about the impact of the Environmental Protection Agency’s broadening of powers or Cap and Trade—both critical issues for Florida’s economy and citizenry. No one asked about immigration or President Barack Obama’s pledge in the UN Human Rights Council report to abide by the Avena decision, a matter that seriously undermines US sovereignty and law enforcement. Mass media apparently is unaware of the sweeping implications of Avena.

Comments about the tax code were exchanged, with Meek taking the position that tax cuts for the so-called ‘middle class’ are okay but not for the “millionaires and billionaires.” Meek appeared to believe the money earned by those the government classifies as wealthy doesn’t belong to them but to the government instead. Government Track calls Meek a ‘rank and file’ Democrat—he opposes offshore drilling (although foreign countries are drilling 50 miles off the Florida Keys) and he is a fan of ObamaCare.

Rubio’s position was characterized by what he said in the opening statements: “Do you want to go in a better direction? If you like the way things are going in Washington, then I’m probably not your candidate.”

Crist and Meek mischaracterized Rubio’s ideology in an effort to score points, but the fact remains Rubio was not the candidate anointed by either major party—Crist and Meek were. Rubio rose because of grassroots support, not just from Tea Partiers but from Main Street.

Rubio drew more applause from watch party guests when he stated what Crist and Meek  missed completely—a common sense declaration. “The federal government,” Rubio said, “should not spend more than it takes in.” (Analysis by Kay B. Day/Oct. 7, 2010)

 Supporters of Marco Rubio gathered to watch the debate at Mudville Grille in Jacksonville.

[Disclosure: Kay B. Day has donated to and supported Marco Rubio for the US Senate. Day receives no compensation, rewards or benefits for that support or for content at The US Report.]