The star of last night's Florida governor's debate.
The rules of the debate that I was shown by the Scott campaign say that there should be no fan. Somehow there is a fan there. And for that reason, ladies and gentlemen, I am being told that Gov. Scott will not join us for this debate." —Moderator of Scott-Crist debate
Check out the latest development.
The political world is all abuzz about Skeletor's Florida Governor Rick Scott's "fantrum" last night in the Florida governor's debate. For those living under a rock, Scott initially refused to debate because his opponent former Governor Charlie Crist had below his podium a fan. After sensing the ridicule being heaped upon him, Scott relented and joined the debate. But the story was told. #Fangate was born.
The conventional story holds that Rick Scott was just being ridiculous and looked foolish for his tantrum. But I think that misses a big part of the story. I think Rick Scott had a ploy set up to try and embarrass Crist as a "rulebreaker" and a priss. Let me explain my theory (or you can listen to my explanation below the fold.
(1) Crist's use of fans for ALL public speaking appearances was well known in Florida political circles.
(2) Scott raised the issue prior to their previous debate on Spanish television ("Scott threatened to boycott last Friday’s Telemundo debate in Miramar if Crist got a five-inch portable fan in the Miramar studio. Gelber said the network’s debate producer, Maria Barrios, agreed to the request.")
(3) Scott profited from a debate rules flap with Alex Sink in the 2010 governor race.
(4) Scott had inserted in his proposed debate rules a parenthetical to the conventional ban on electronic devices that also prohibited fans. ("No electronic devices (including fans.)")
(5) But Crist did not accept that restriction, reserving the right to use a fan.
(6) Despite this, Scott told the moderator that the rules prohibited fans.
I think Scott's ploy was set up at that point. He was going to depict Crist as a rulebreaker and a priss. But Crist foiled it in two ways. First, as the moderator said, "somehow there is a fan there." Because there was a fan, Crist could comfortably walk out unannounced by the moderator and demonstrate he was ready to debate. Consider the surprise the moderator expresses when Crist just walks out.
And once Crist stands out there, Scott's ploy is ruined, Crist is ready to debate. Where is Scott? is now the question. And then Crist delivers a coup de grace:
Are we really going to debate about a fan? Or are we going to talk about education, and the environment and the future of our state. I mean, really!
There are serious issues faces our state, and it's like funding education appropriately, protecting our environment, making sure we have ethical, honest leadership. I mean, if he's gonna give it to me, I'm gonna take it!"
At that point, Scott's gambit had backfired. He looked the fool. He had no choice but to debate. Scott was left with little but
absurd lies about "waiting" for Crist:
It was a cheap ploy gone wrong and it may cost Scott the election.