Former Gov. Charlie Crist gets some high-profile direction as he considers a run as a Democrat for his old job— the political “brain trust” behind President Barack Obama.
George Bennett of the Palm Beach Post writes that Crist conferred about a possible campaign with Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod, Obama 2012 campaign manager Jim Messina and longtime Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett.
“They’re very smart, capable, honorable people,” Crist told reporters while visiting Delray Beach. “They’re just very smart and willing to give good counsel, and I’m very grateful for that.”
Although Crist admits he has not talked “terribly frequently” with Team Obama, he did get some “general advice” as he contemplates a campaign for Florida governor in 2014.
During a 2009 stimulus rally in Fort Myers, Obama and then-Republican Crist embraced on stage, leading to fallout with state GOP leaders. He left the party in 2010, leading to an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate. In 2012, Crist began actively campaigning as a Democrat for Obama and appeared as a key speaker at the Democratic National Convention.
