Name-calling in politics is nothing new. From the accusations of being a communist in the 1950s, to President George W. Bush being called Hitler, political opponents have thrown civility out the window for generations in American politics.
Having an unchecked ego or tenuous grasp on reality seems to be a norm among politicians these days as well, perhaps none so mind-bending as the Democratic candidate for governor of Florida, Charlie Crist.
Crist at one time was a Republican, and served as Florida’s Attorney General under Jeb Bush. Crist would go on to become governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011. He switched parties during the Obama administration in 2012, and was defeated in his re-election bid by now-Senator Rick Scott for the governorship of Florida.
Recently, in a video that re-surfaced from a campaign event in March of 2022, Crist is calling his Republican opponent Ron DeSantis, “DeSatan.”
“This is an election about decency, about being decent to one another, about being kind to everyone,” Crist continued. “It’s called a Florida for all. You know, we got a divider on the other side [DeSantis] and a uniter over here [points to himself].
“You know, some people call him ‘DeSatan,’ have you heard that?” Crist continued. “DeSatan vs. that [points to a campaign sign of his last name].
“Christ,” the audience answered.
“Oh, think about it,” he said. “The choice is crystal clear. There’s no question about it. It is crystal clear. He’s bad. We’re good.”
Prior to this religious comparison, Crist had called for decency in the election, “This is an election about decency. About being decent to one another. About being kind to everyone.” The inconsistency was picked up by numerous outlets online.
Since announcing his plans to run again, the DeSantis campaign has made sure to highlight the support that the Biden administration has received from Crist. Targeting the failed policies of the Biden administration has been a key campaign strategy for DeSantis:
“We’ll hold Biden accountable,” DeSantis said. “This is a referendum on his failures, make sure everybody knows how his policies have contributed to the mess we’re in, and … what we will do to address things like the border, like crime, like inflation. I think if you do that, I think Republicans are going to win both chambers. And I think it’ll be a really good night.”
Due to his past, Crist has developed a reputation for saying what is politically expedient. He has flip-flopped politically such as endorsing the late John McCain then supporting Barack Obama in 2012, flipping his stance on gay marriage and LGBTQ rights when he switched parties and has been accused of saying whatever he has to say to get elected.
Christians would argue that is not what a Christ-like figure acts like. {eoa}
James Lasher is a Copy Editor for Charisma Media.
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