Charlie Crist, media hero?

Thursday was independence day for Charlie Crist.

But the governor of Florida, now an ex-Republican, may not be feeling quite like setting off fireworks. Governor Crist has taken the gamble of a lifetime, quitting the party that nurtured his rise to the top of Florida politics – and to national prominence – in the hopes of revitalizing his campaign for the US Senate.

Polls showed he was headed for near-certain defeat in the Aug. 24 Republican primary against former state House speaker Marco Rubio. For now, at least, he can point to polling that shows he has a shot at winning the seat in a three-way race against Mr. Rubio and Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek. A Quinnipiac poll taken in mid-April has Crist winning 32 percent of the vote, Rubio with 30 percent, and Congressman Meek with 24. Private polls have shown similar results.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0430/With-Charlie-Crist-s-independence-day-fireworks-in-Florida

Two years ago, the media dismissed Crist as just another closeted gay Republican hypocrite. Crist was part of a trio of phonies, along with the toe tapping senator and page chasing congressman. The media laughed when the 50-ish "confirmed bachelor" married, just in time to be considered for the vice presidential slot on McCain's ticket.

Yesterday, Crist quit the Republican party.

So, today, Crist is a media darling.

Crist is still the same phony he always has been. The hypocrites are the former media critics who now applaud Crist, and any Democrat or teachers' union officials who now back him.