Governor Charlie Crist made the rounds of the cable networks this morning, and part of that offensive included contrasting the health care reform plans being promulgated by President Obama with his own modest endeavor here in Florida.
That's despite the fact that (as the Miami Herald reported in August), the governor's plan, called Cover Florida, had attracted only 3,757 people to the program, in a state with over 4 million uninsured.
Crist's response when asked about that on CNN? "It's over 4,000 now."
CNN's John Roberts asked Crist how he could criticize big-government programs while boasting about the growth of the state's health care program for children, Florida Kid Care, which expanded to cover tens of thousands more kids this year.
"That's for children," the Guv responded. Roberts rightly shot back, "What's the difference?" Crist repeated, "It's for children."
However, it was a kinder, gentler, love-in type of interview over at Fox News' Fox & Friends program. (Download the Mitch Perry Report below.)
Host Steve Doocy cheerfully advised (rather than questioned Crist) that the feds in Washington could do well to take up what Crist has accomplished so far in the Sunshine State.
This article appears in Sep 2-8, 2009.