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Crist Stands Behind Ads Blasting Obama’s Spending
10/19/09 - 02:24 PM

Associated Press

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Gov. Charlie Crist says he stands behind the first radio spot aired last week by his Senate campaign.

The radio chastises President Barack Obama for trying to spend money to boost the economy.

But Crist was a huge backer of Obama’s $787 billion federal stimulus package, so much so that he embraced the president on stage during a Fort Myers rally to promote the plan.

Crist’s Senate primary opponent, former House Speaker Marco Rubio, has relentlessly criticized him for supporting the stimulus package and Crist now seems to be singing a different tune.

Crist was asked about the radio spot after being endorsed this afternoon by the Florida Police Benevolent Association.

Crist defended his support of the stimulus money and his embrace of President Obama when he was in Florida earlier this year.

“What Washington needs is a dose of Florida common sense. We’ve cut spending by a tremendous amount, it’s been about $7 billion dollars and we’ve cut our taxes. You know I had the honor of signing the largest tax cut in the state of Florida and so I think the Florida way is a better way to go.”

“The man’s the President of the United States of America, he’s all our president and you know, when the President comes to your state for the first time after he gets elected, I’m a simple guy and you know I’m gonna try to do what I believe it is right all the time. I don’t agree with him on everything, I mean that’s pretty clear but yea, I think it’s the right thing to do to honor the office of President of the United States.”

“I think Floridians deserve to have their hard earned tax dollars that they send to Washington come back to Florida. Connie Mack taught me that when I worked for him when he was in the U.S. Senate. Florida deserves it’s fair share and you know what I think you have to remember that was a time when the economy was going off the cliff.”

Crist boasts that while spending in Washington has been increasing, he has cut Florida’s budget by $7 billion since taking office. What he doesn’t say is that Florida’s constitution requires a balanced budget, and that state revenues have declined because of the recession, forcing the budget cuts.

When Crist pushed for the stimulus package, one of his arguments was that it was needed to prevent even deeper budget cuts. When it passed, Crist said, “I couldn’t be more pleased on how this turned out.”

Crist also says in the ads that he has cut taxes. And while Crist did successfully push for cuts in property taxes, he doesn’t mention that the last budget he signed included $2 billion in increased taxes and fees, including increased vehicle registration fees and a higher cigarette tax.