Crist Won’t Commit To Voting For Democratic Or Republican Senate Leadership
Appearing on Meet The Press, Gov. Charlie Crist (I-FL) refused to commit to caucusing with either the Democrats or the Republicans, if he is elected to the Senate. “I might not vote for either one,” said Crist, who left the Republican Party this past Thursday. “You know, I’m going to vote for who I think would be best for the people of Florida. And if that happens to be a Democrat, so be it. If it happens to be a Republican, so be it. But I got to look out for the people of my state.”
Rubio On Crist’s Switch: ‘I Don’t Think It Means Anything For Republicans In Florida’
Appearing on State of the Union, Senate candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL) brushed off the party-switch of his former rival in the primary, the more moderate Gov. Charlie Crist, from Republican to independent. “I don’t think it means anything for Republicans in Florida,” Rubio said. “Our party has never been about an individual. It’s been, hopefully, about a set of principles and ideals – the idea of the free market – free enterprise system has made Americans the most prosperous people in the world – that our constitutional republic has made us the freest people in the history of the world. I’ve always felt that, that belief system finds its natural home in the Republican Party.”
Hillary Clinton: I Intend To Stay As Secretary Of State
Appearing on Meet The Press, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ruled out any interest in the upcoming Supreme Court nomination, and said she plans to stay as Secretary of State for the whole of President Obama’s first term: “I intend to, yeah. But, I mean, you know, people have been asking me this and in, in the interest of full disclosure, it is an exhausting job. But I enjoy it, I have a great time doing it. I feel like we’re making a difference around the world, that–you know, I’m a big believer in setting goals, having a vision of where we’re trying to get, but then trying to translate that into what we do today and what we do tomorrow. ”
Napolitano: New Arizona Law ‘Can Invite Racial Profiling’
Appearing on This Week, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano criticized the new anti-illegal immigration law in Arizona, the state where she previously served as governor: “Well, I will say they’ve already amended the law over the course of the week, and so even the Arizona legislature is starting to recognize there are problems with the law. Unfortunately, I think it does and can invite racial profiling. I think it’s bad for law enforcement. I think it illustrates the need, as the president has said, for a bipartisan approach to comprehensive immigration reform, in this town. It’s really a cry of frustration from Arizona.”
BP’s McKay: ‘We Are Responding Very, Very Aggressively’
Appearing on This Week, BP America chairman Lamar McKay defended his company’s handling of the oil spill at the Gulf Coast: “Well, I think we are responding very, very aggressively. As you may know, we had a response planned, filed for the drilling of this well that incorporates various capability around the Gulf Coast. That spill response plan was activated as soon as this event occurred. It has been extremely aggressive. It will continue to be extremely aggressive, and I believe the response — this is, you know, we must understand, this is — this is a very low likelihood but very high impact response — sorry, incident — and the response is matching that incident.”
Salazar On BP Oil Spill Damage: ‘We’re Not Sugarcoating This Thing’
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Secretary of the INterior Ken Salazar said that the federal government is doing all it can to deal with the BP oil spill. “Every effort is being made to stop the source right now,” he said. “There has not been a minute of rest since this started.” Salazar also warned that one possible solution from BP, digging a relief well in order to alleviate the pressure, could take up to three months: “There are scenarios that it could be worse than the Exxon Valdez. We’re not sugarcoating this thing.”
Gutierrez: New Arizona Law ‘Has Galvanized And Unified’ Latinos
Appearing on Face The Nation, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) said that the new anti-illegal immigration law in Arizona would unfairly target the Latino community: “We’re not criminals. We’ve come here to sweat and to toil and to work hard. Yes, some of us cross that border and some of us overstayed our Visa. But by and large, we love this country. To say that somehow we are all this criminal element and to target us with the discriminatory law is wrong. It has galvanized and unified. In the end, doesn’t it speak to, sadly, the lack of action of the federal government.”
Hayworth: Arizona Law Supporters To Start ‘Buycott’
Also on Face The Nation, former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), who is challenging Sen. John McCain in the Republican primary, defended the new anti-illegal immigration law in his home state. Hayworth also said that the law has its supporters: “What I heard from friends in California the other day is that they want to start a ‘buycott,’ actually come to Arizona to reaffirm the fact that Arizona all we’re doing is enforcing federal law.”
