Mind you, the number of months Charlie Crist has been a Democrat can be counted on just two hands, but it already looks like he may need to weigh-in on a brewing controversy within his new party.
As the Republican Party of Florida has been so eager to point out, former State Senator Nan Rich, the only major party figure who has announced a run for Governor, has not been invited to speak at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in South Florida later this month.
Some believe that Democratic Party leaders are so enamored with Crist that they denied Rich a speaking spot at the big Democratic fundraising gala next month in Hollywood. This argument gives Crist far too much credit. He may be singing the loudest in the choir, as the newly converted often do, but he ain’t the pastor yet.
What Crist should do, without appearing to be meddling too much in an intra-party scrum, is to make one of his patented sunshine-y statements about ‘the people’ being able to hear from ‘all voices’ because ‘that’s what the Democratic Party is all about.’ Or some other platitudinous pablum.
With a few lines, Crist could defuse the #FreeNanRich controversy, while asserting himself as a leader of the party he, you know, hopes to soon lead. He’d also be out-flanking the Republican Party of Party’s Lenny Curry, who has made considerable hay by insisting that Rich be allowed to speak at his opponents’ annual gala.
Even if Crist is behind-the-scenes orchestrating the snub of Rich, what better way to appear as if he isn’t than to plead Rich’s case for a speaking slot?
And wouldn’t that just be classic Charlie?
