I will say, pace my general loathing for the GOP's current iteration, that my opinion of a few of them has improved a bit lately.  Mike Huckabee has, in general, been a pretty stand-up guy.  And I was just the other day wondering if Crist would do the honorable thing this way.  In addition to making me feel vaguely psychic, this move also makes me admire him more.

The backstory - Crist was mugged at an ATM by a 6'4" black guy who carved a backwards acorn in his face: "You're an ACORN now, extend early voting."

And Florida in 2000 didn't? That was the way things were supposed to go. Didn't you see "Recount," Jon?

Gotta save your own ass sometimes.

Crist's earlier favor to Obama was giving back the vote to felons who have served their time.  Not a lot of Republicans in that crowd.

I'm not sure, but I get the sense that the plugged-in Republican was referring to the fact that McCain is perceived (by some at least) to be regaining some ground and their idea is that McCain can still bounce back and win, due to Bradley Effect, or some major Obama catastrophe, or effectiveness of 527's Wright ads, or any combination of the sort.

I don't think he's stating that he thinks voting should be a difficult process.

Listen, there are a lot of people upset with the GOP right now.  Florida leads the country in foreclosure and negative home sales.  Crist is up for re-election in two years, and faces piles and piles of paperwork that do not necessarily spell out opportunity for him.  If he wants to be in the graces of voters, he has to do what he did today.  Anthing less would taint his chances in two years.  

I am with the dr. even if this has a quasi mini bounce for Crist and McCain (some might be more inclined because Crist is acting honorably) then so be it. The more the merrier, even if it means Obama loses Florida.

Big news from Florida, showing how much interest there is in this election (and perhaps some skepticism by Florida voters over how things will go on election day). MORE: Republicans are not happy; Jonathan Chiat: "A 'plugged-in Republican' tells Ben.

Wow... sorry to be tangential, but look at this picture that relates to one of FL's neighbors:

www.pollster.com/.../08-ga-pres-ge-mvo.php

drdannyu says what I wish I had, only in an erudite civil manner as usual - rather than my fed up harridan shtick.

Crist does seem like a decent public servant.  His Everglades recovery plan was an early example of that.  This move tends to confirm my belief in his basic decency.  Of course, I'll refrain from passing formal judgment till his term as governor is up.  

On a completely unrelated side note, has anyone else been wondering where Teplukhin has gone?  I've not seen a comment by him in some time.  

Lit,

Last I heard he was riding around the hill of Western Pennsylvania looking for young supple ATM users.  Mentioned somethin' bout wanting people to know he was still out there, amongst them, pickin' out the "Bullshitters" and making them know what they were when they looked in the mirror.  

Tep has been on a beach basking in the glory of his predictions that Obama would fold like a cheap tent.

Ah, Wandrey, your "fed up harridan shtick" is beautiful -- I love it.

As a Floridian, I'm thrilled.  As a realist, I see this also as a way of distancing himself from McCain's flaming trainwreck.

Crist got off to a hot start as FL guv if I recall, even getting green types gaga over him, before he hit a rough patch.  Time to start shaking off that McCain endorsement, Charlie (even if the options were pretty subpar)--but I'd go through with the wedding...

I have nothing but happy feelings toward this man, since the only other thing I know about him is the felons-off-paper-get-to-vote thing. Good for him. Really.

And MichLib, I've read your comment three times now and I still do not understand it. I don't understand how this:

"The Republican is saying that McCain's chances of winning Florida depended on voting being extremely difficult and inconvenient."

is anything but damning.

And I hope he doesn't go through with the wedding, if he really is gay. I hope he just comes out of the closet with a big ol' "f*ck all a y'all".

Well, that would be fun, and a big glorious way to end his political career.

There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that Charlie is handing out a choice of fried chicken, kreplach or picodillo to those standing in the interminable early voting lines here in Florida. It is true, however that Florida's Secretary of State is making no effort to avoid vote fraud.  Today's Sun-Sentinel, which has, by the way, endorsed Obama, notes that more than 33,000 felons serving time are registered (they cite an example of one named felon just signed up to vote from a state mental institution for the criminally insane).  The paper also notes 32,000 voters registered more than once ( citing an example of a named recent college graduate who is registered three times in two counties).  Ain't democracy grand?