Marco Rubio's U.S. Senate campaign didn't take long getting back to state Sen. Mike Fasano. "Thank you for your letter regarding Governor Crist's strong support for the Obama Stimulus. Or should we say his former support for the Obama Stimulus?" the campaign wrote in a letter to Fasano distributed to the press. "Or is he supporting it again today? Regardless, thank you for your letter."
Fasano said in his Nov. 12 letter to Rubio that he was "disappointed" in the remark and said it "demonstrates a lack of maturity." He ended the one-page letter by asking Rubio how exactly he would have balanced a state budget with a $6-billion shortfall if he refused stimulus dollars
Rubio's campaign's letter, signed by spokesman Alex Burgos, does not answer that question. But it points to a televised interview earlier this year in which Fasano said he did not support the stimulus package.
"Your letter misrepresents Marco Rubio's position on the Stimulus package. Unless you have followed Gov. Crist's lead and changed your position, Mr. Rubio agrees with you that Governor Crist was wrong to endorse it."
"As you know, Rubio believes the Obama-Crist Stimulus to be an incredible waste of taxpayer money and a massive failure. (Speaking of wasting taxpayer money, we noticed you sent your campaign letter using your official Florida Senate email."
The letter goes on to say that Rubio has been asking Crist for a series of debates on the stimulus.
"Unless you have recently changed your mind as well, you are both an opponent of the stimulus and a fervent Charlie Crist supporter. Therefore, you are in a unique position to help facilitate these debates. These debates will offer your candidate, Charlie Crist, the opportunity to outline all the benefits that almost $800 billion of deficit spending has brought to Florida and the country."
--Jodie Tillman, Times Staff Writer