Couple of Links

PETER WEHNER AT NRO DEFENDS HUME'S GENTLE WITNESS THEN CHUCK COLSON WEIGHS IN

THIS MORNING I FOUND a couple of pieces I think are well worth a look if you have the time.

Yesterday's New York Times magazine review features a long story that caught my eye entitled, The First Senator From the Tea Party? Naturally I wanted to see who was being written about, so I followed the link and and read as fast as I can. I knew when I read the lede about the ever-tanned, swarthy, charming Gov. Charlie Crist that the real subject of this piece wasn't Charlie. I instantly knew who it was since the story began and ended in Florida. So do you. But first, more about why Charlie isn't ever gonna be the---or even a---Tea Party candidate:

One of the most liberal politicians in the Republican firmament, National Review said of him. Crist’s support for the stimulus bill came to embody what many on the right view as his RINO (Republican in name only) inclinations — in, among other areas, environmental policy, judicial appointments, spending and small-government orthodoxy.

That critique has blared constantly as Crist navigates a treacherous Senate race that nine months ago looked like a beach stroll. Crist wants to fill the seat vacated in September by Mel Martinez, also a Republican. His Democratic opponent in the fall would likely be Representative Kendrick Meek. But first Crist must survive a civil war: a Republican primary fight against....

And if that's not enough, then there's this to let you know, it's still not Charlie:

...in the lingering crowd, a woman named Antoinette Parsons, who goes by Toni. She is a 78-year-old precinct representative from Bradenton who introduced herself as a “political activist and ballroom dancer.” She gave me her political card (she also has a card for ballroom dancing) and described Crist as “my dear friend for 15 years.”

“That is why it pains me to speak badly of Charlie,” she said. But she’s mad at him, for a lot of reasons — she mentions his last-minute endorsement of McCain in 2008. But mostly “the political winds are shifting, and this is not Charlie’s time.” She says she will vote for......"

The article teases and leads up to someone else. You know who it is:

It's Marco Rubio a conservative Cuban-American---whose bartender father and housekeeper mother immigrated to Miami from Havana and raised their family including Marco there and in Las Vegas. He's running in the August 24 primary against none other than Gov. Charlie Crist himself.

From all indications, it looks to be quite a horse-race as Marco comes from behind to become the almost front-runner and Charlie contines to fall behind.

More soon.