WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: About Rubio Winning Last Night’s Debate

Miami, FL – At last night’s NBC Affiliates debate, U.S. Senate Republican nominee Marco Rubio won with “statesmanlike” answers to tough questions about our state’s and nation’s future. Check out what they’re saying about Marco’s winning debate below:

Rubio Was “Statesmanlike”:

Orlando Sentinel: “Tuesday Was The Most Serious Of Rubio’s Six Debate Performances And His Most Statesmanlike.” “Tuesday was the most serious of Rubio’s six debate performances and his most statesmanlike. Several times he took both political parties to task for letting Congress spend more money than it collects, and during a closing statement he thanked both his opponents. … ‘He’s already playing the statesman role,’ said University of South Florida political analyst Susan MacManus. ‘He’s putting himself above party politics.’ That’s the space Crist wanted to occupy, but he faced some of his toughest questioning to date.” (Jim Stratton, “Marco Rubio Tries To Stay Above Fray In Last U.S. Senate Debate,” Orlando Sentinel, 10/27/10)

The Miami Herald: “A Confident Looking Rubio.” “A confident looking Rubio sought to rise above the fray during their sixth debate, passing up two opportunities to criticize Crist and saying he would rather talk about ‘the issues.’” (Beth Reinhard, “Crist Takes Heat At Final Debate,” The Miami Herald, 10/27/10)

Miami Fox: The Debate “Win” Goes To Rubio. MIAMI FOX’S BLAKE BURMAN: “Overall, our expert gives the debate win to Rubio.”  JIM KANE: “Not that there was any game changer. In fact, there was hardly a glove landed on anyone in this debate but that’s what Marco Rubio needed.” (Miami Fox, 10/26/10)

Crist Caught Playing “Defense” Trying To Explain Flip-Flops:

The Associated Press: “Crist Was Taken To Task … For His Answers On Leaving The GOP, Shifting Policy Positions And Whether He’d Caucus With Democrats Or The GOP Should He Win The Three-Way Race.” “Independent candidate Charlie Crist was taken to task during the final U.S. Senate debate Tuesday for his answers on leaving the GOP, shifting policy positions, and whether he’d caucus with Democrats or the GOP should he win the three-way race.” (Brendan Farrington, “Crist Party Switch Challenged In Senate Debate,” The Associated Press, 10/26/10)

The Miami Herald: “The Governor Frequently Found Himself Playing Defense.” “The portable fan that Gov. Charlie Crist insists on at every public appearance could be seen and even heard during Tuesday’s televised debate, but it didn’t keep the independent U.S. Senate candidate out of the hot seat. In Crist’s last chance to chip away at front-runner Marco Rubio, with only one week left before the election, the governor frequently found himself playing defense in response to tough questions from moderator David Gregory of NBC`s Meet the Press.” (Beth Reinhard, “Crist Takes Heat At Final Debate,” The Miami Herald, 10/27/10)

Crowley Political Report: “Crist Seemed To Shift From Caustic ‘Heckler’ In The Last Debate Two Days Ago To Someone Who Appeared To Be Wearily Realizing That Tonight’s Debate Would Not Change His Fate On Election Day.” (Brian Crowley, “Does Charlie Crist Know It Is Over?” Crowley Political Report, 10/26/10)

My Fox Tampa Bay: “But It Was Governor Charlie Crist Who Again Spent Much Of The Night Defending Inconsistencies.” (Deborah Bowden, “Senate Candidates Meet Again,” My Fox Tampa Bay, 10/26/10)

Palm Beach Post: “Facing Tough Questioning About The No-Party Candidacy That Has Rocked Florida’s U.S. Senate Race, Gov. Charlie Crist Tonight Defended His Shifts On Issues…” “Facing tough questioning about the no-party candidacy that has rocked Florida’s U.S. Senate race, Gov. Charlie Crist tonight defended his shifts on issues as ‘heartfelt’ and proclaimed himself ‘liberated’ since abandoning the GOP six months ago. Crist’s motivations were a recurring topic as he and Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meek debated for the sixth and final time in Florida’s unusual three-way Senate race.” (George Bennett, “Rubio, Meek Push Crist On Leaving GOP In Last Debate For Senate Seat,” Palm Beach Post, 10/27/10)

Sunshine State News: “Crist Was On The Defensive For Much Of Tuesday Night’s Showdown.” “On the heels of equally rough debate performances, Crist was on the defensive for much of Tuesday night’s showdown. Rubio, the front-runner in the Senate race, resurrected the governor’s controversial proposal to give amnesty to illegal immigrants as a way to bolster the Social Security system.” (Kenric Ward, “Charlie Crist On Hotseat In Final Senate Debate,” Sunshine State News, 10/27/10)

The Miami Herald: “Crist Fumbled A Bit” Before Answering Caucus Question From David Gregory. “Again and again, Gregory came back to Crist. ‘You’ve dodged this question for months,’ he said, asking Crist whether he would align himself with Democrats or Republicans in Washington. ‘Does it mean your vote is for sale?’ Crist fumbled a bit before saying, ‘I would make a decision that’s in the best interest of my fellow Floridians.’” (Beth Reinhard, “Crist Takes Heat At Final Debate,” The Miami Herald, 10/27/10)

Sunshine State News: “Dodging One Last Question…” “Dodging one last question, Crist again refused to say which party he would caucus with if he were to become Florida’s junior senator.” (Kenric Ward, “Charlie Crist On Hotseat In Final Senate Debate,” Sunshine State News, 10/27/10)
Crist’s Debate Approach “Seemed Silly”:

Crowley Political Report:  Crist’s Approach To The Debate “Seemed Silly.” “Crist did steadfastedly ignore Democrat Kendrick Meek in an apparent effort to convince voters that the race is really just between Florida’s No-Party governor and Rubio, the Republican candidate. But that tactic seemed silly with viewers obviously aware that there were three candidates in the race.” (Brian Crowley, “Does Charlie Crist Know It Is Over?” Crowley Political Report, 10/26/10)

The Miami Herald: Crist’s Pessimism Attack “Didn’t Square With Rubio’s Telegenic Appearance And His Repeated Affirmations About America As The World’s Greatest Country.” “He tried to make the case that Rubio is offering a ‘pessimistic’ approach, but it didn’t square with Rubio’s telegenic appearance and his repeated affirmations about America as the world’s greatest country.” (Beth Reinhard, “Crist Takes Heat At Final Debate,” The Miami Herald, 10/27/10)

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