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Matthews:
"I was gonna call you Charlie, 'cause I like you so much".
Can we quote you on that in 2012?
Crist sells the stimulus by arguing that Florida's been a "donor state" for many years. In other words, for every $ Florida's been sending to D.C. over the years, they've been getting less in return. Now's the time to right that, and as "Florida's CEO", he believes it's his job to look out for Florida's interest.
Near the end, Matthews tries pitting Crist against Rush Limbaugh, but in true Cristonian fashion, the governor demurs from attacking one by supporting the other.
"I want the President to succeed.... I supported Senator McCain.... President Obama's my guy now, and I want to do everything I can do to make sure my President succeeds because this is about my country".
To which Matthews replies:
"Wow, the Republican party's alive in Florida".
It's quite possible Barack Obama and Charlie Crist are the two most bipartisan politicians in America right now. Some will hate that; others will love it. But it's political reality.
