The St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP staged a debate this past Saturday to allow black residents to familiarize themselves with the candidates in newly drawn Congressional District 13, and to allow the candidates to familiarize themselves with the residents and the issues that concern them.
The debate turned out to be one-sided. Why? Because Charlie Crist refused to show up.
David Jolly showed up. Charlie Crist had better things to do.
The NAACP actually held out, waiting for Crist, as it wanted to be fair, and give all candidates the opportunity to be heard, and give the black residents of CD 13 the opportunity to hear the candidates speak to the issues that are important to their lives.
Apparently Charlie Crist felt he had already mentioned President Obama's name, and that should be enough to win the votes of black people. Why should he bother to show up to an NAACP debate?
Check out St. Petersburg NAACP president Maria Scruggs addressing the issue of Crist's no-show here:
Charlie Crist showed up at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club for that debate, but not the St. Petersburg NAACP debate.
One would think there was something terribly pressing that kept Charlie from attending the NAACP event.
One would think.
It just so happens Charlie Crist was putting up signs. That's what kept him from addressing the concerns of the black residents of Congressional District 13. See the video below, shot on the very day of the debate.
I have said it before, and I am saying it again. Charlie Crist never met a black face he didn't try to use, and he is doing it again. The St. Petersburg NAACP isn't worthy of him showing up to a debate. The community isn't worthy of him addressing their concerns.
SIGNS were more important than speaking to people he expects to vote for him. Signs.
The only thing he wants to do is slither through the churches, where he doesn't have to actually address issues, where he can name-drop President Obama and then expect the black vote.
This is the exact thing he did in 2014, and it is why he did NOT get the percentage of the black vote he needed to win the governor's race.
Black people should be tired of being used by Charlie Crist.
If he can't bother to show up for us, why on earth would we show up for him?
He has shown you what your importance is to him. He would rather place signs than address your issues and concerns, but let the St. Petersburg Yacht Club or the Tiger Bay Club call him, and he runs to their side faster than Usain Bolt!
It was also relayed to me by a VERY reliable source that members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who were in Florida helping to rally black voters up and down the ballot, stayed away from Charlie Crist. Apparently they know him very well.
I did see them doing things with Val Demings in Orlando. I saw them doing things with Bill Clinton in Broward County.
You tell me, St. Pete, did members of the CBC rally for Chain Gang Charlie?
He gathered a small group of black people to stand behind him as he spoke about early voting. People he didn't have to speak TO.
Are you starting to get the picture, black St. Pete?
Or do you need me to spell it out for you further, because I can definitely do it!
Leslie Wimes is founder and president of Women on the Move and the Democratic African American Women Caucus, www.daawc.com. Follow Leslie on Twitter: @womenonthemove1.
