JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It's been called "dishonest and boring" by some and hailed as "spilling the beans on the GOP" by others. Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist was in Jacksonville Wednesday night to autograph copies of his book, "The Party's Over."
Channel 4 political reporter Kent Justice went to the event Wednesday night, where Crist said he hopes that the party for his campaign is just the beginning as he tries to become Florida's governor once again.
Friendly, gregarious and glad to shake a hand, Crist displayed his people-pleasing skills at the signing for his book Wednesday night at Books A Million on Atlantic Boulevard. Crist signed copies of his book, "The Party's Over," subtitled, "How the extreme right hijacked the GOP and I became a Democrat."
"I haven't changed a thing and better than the current governor. I haven't flipped out," said Crist.
Crist has made famous the line he borrowed from Ronald Reagan, then used when Crist campaigned for President Obama, that he didn't leave the Republican party, but instead the GOP left him.
"Today's Republican Party is perceived as anti-women, anti-minority, anti-immigrant, anti-gay couples, anti-immigration, anti-education, anti-environment. Pretty soon, there's nobody left in the room," said Crist.
"He's trying to re-invent himself and Charlie Crist failed for governor, tried to run for U.S. senate, while still sitting governor as Republican," said Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida Lenny Curry. "Now, he sees some path to power again. I guess that's as a Democrat."
"To say your book is largely fiction, not the truth, maybe what you'd like it to be, it's a Democrat, but it's not the truth of what happened in the past," said Chair of Chairs for the Republican Party of Florida Leslie Dougher.
Gov. Scott responded through his campaign office with a spokesman sending Channel 4 to the RPOF website:
"As book tour arrives in Jacksonville, a reminder of failed record, lack of long-term fiscal plan Charlie was running away from...Numbers show that Charlie Crist was running away from his failed record in 2010...While the housing market was crashing, Crist had no answer for what would happen after stimulus funds would run out."