Gov. Crist: you win some, you lose some

It's been an interesting week for Florida governor Charlie Crist.

On Monday night, he attended the Miami Heat's game to make a few remarks in honor of their retired star player, Alonzo Mourning, whose number was raised to the rafters that night. The always classy Miami crowd booed the governor.

Now, I'm no huge fan of Charlie Crist ... but I'll acknowledge that he's a damn sight better than his predecessor. (Of course, a bag of dirty diapers would be preferable to Jeb! Bush.) However, I can't help but wonder whether the Heat fans booed him because he's Republican or rather, as I suspect, because he's not Republican enough.

As you may recall, Gov. Crist accepted on behalf of the state of Florida (properly, in my opinion) federal stimulus money that some of his fellow GOP governors refused, and he's played nice with Democrats from Washington to Tallahassee. This is, naturally, treasonous behavior in the eyes of the wingnuts who disproportionately fill the stands for professional sports these days, since they believe anything that smacks of cooperation with that dirty black Muslim Obama represents the purest form of evil.

But today, Charlie got a little redemption, in the form of an ever-widening door to a U.S. Senate seat in 2010. Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fla.) sent a letter to the governor today that reads in pertinent part:

Based on ongoing press speculation, I know that you are giving serious consideration to the question of whether to seek re-election, or whether to instead seek election to the United States Senate.

As you contemplate this decision, I want to let you know that I have decided not seek election to the U.S. Senate in 2010, and that I will instead seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

I also want you to know that, as you contemplate your own political future, I will be your strongest supporter and champion -- regardless of whether you seek re-election or election to the Senate.

I'm on record as saying that Charlie Crist will win whatever office he seeks next year, whether it's reelection as governor or a trip to D.C. Rep. Mack likely knew this, but he still stood to gain a lot of far-right support in a primary contest against Crist and, depending on how things went between now and next summer, he still had a decent shot at the nomination. Mack's stepping aside now leaves an unencumbered path for Crist to gain the GOP nomination for the Senate -- and likely election two Novembers from now.

So, Charlie, you may have been booed by a bunch of fat cat hoops fans ... but you can probably laugh about that all the way to the U.S. Capitol.