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First Crist-Rubio debate: Clash on ethics, issues

Posted Mar 28, 2010 by William March

Updated Mar 28, 2010 at 10:16 AM

The expected battle broke out between Gov. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio in their first public debate today, as Crist hammered Rubio on misuse of a Republican Party credit card and Rubio shot back portraying Crist as a liberal who backs “the Obama agenda.”

Crist lodged repeated ethical attacks against Rubio during the debate – so many Rubio couldn’t answer them all.

“There is a clear stark distinction between Speaker Rubio and myself,” Crist said. “ I think public service is something you do to help other people. … Speaker Rubio has used public service to enhance his own personal enrichment.”

Rubio managed to maintain a calm, reasonable demeanor in spite of the attacks, however, and sometimes seemed more in command of facts on public policy issues.

As the two clashed on the future of Social Security and other entitlement spending, for example, Rubio presented more rational proposals – even though those proposals, including raising the retirement age and cutting the automatic inflation adjustment of benefits, may not be popular with elderly Floridians.

Rubio, meanwhile, repeatedly portrayed Crist as someone who has failed to live up to the image he sought as a conservative. “In 2006 I voted for you when you said you would be a good Jeb Bush Republican,” Rubio said. “Your record is very different.”

He repeated the complaints many Republicans have lodged against Crist, including backing the Obama stimulus plan and failing in some cases to appoint judges backed by conservative interest groups.

“Everyone knows that you won’t stand up to that agenda – just a year ago you were campaigning for it,” Rubio said.