Fan flap delays Fla. gubernatorial debate

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Political junkies gathered here Wednesday to watch the second gubernatorial debate between Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic challenger Charlie Crist.

The contentious tone of the meeting, held at Broward College, started with a five minute delay because Scott contended that a small fan at Crist's podium violated a rule against the use of electronic devices. That turned what was already a nasty race even nastier and more bizarre.

Scott eventually strode on stage, to which Crist replied, "Governor. It's good to have you with us now."

Scott and Crist fought over everything from self-defense laws and the economy to the environment and gay marriage.

Florida State University political science professor Carol Weissert said the voters missed out on an honest discussion about the issues.

"What I was looking for was a little more perspective," Weissert said.

"The people of Florida want to know what are these guys going to do if they're elected, and we didn't hear as much of that as I'd have liked," she added.

A panel moderated by former Gov. Jeb Bush campaign adviser Mac Stipanovich, public relations firm president Steve Vancore and political reporter Bill Cotterell discussed the debate in Tallahassee before and afterward.

"On style points, Charlie was clearly a better performer," Stipanovich said after the debate, with Vancore agreeing that Crist connected with voters through his personality.

Polls and pundits are calling the race a near dead heat.

There is little common ground between Scott and Crist, which Crist noted after both men talked about their faith in God.

"Maybe it's the only thing we agree on, Rick," said Crist, who preceded Scott as governor before he switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic.

The candidates disagreed on gay marriage and Florida's "stand your ground" law, as well as how each has handled education and the environment. They also blamed each other for rising utility costs.

Asked if justice was served when neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman was acquitted of murder for fatally shooting unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin last year, Crist used the opportunity to suggest amending the stand your ground law.

"Everyone believes in that American premise and it is the right thing to do to defend yourself and your property," Crist said. "But when it gets to the point where you have a statute on the books that allows the instigator ... to end up killing another human being after they started the incident, there is something fundamentally wrong with that law."

Scott said Martin's death was tragic, but the law should remain as is.

"I believe in the right to defend yourself. I can't imagine losing a child like that, but I have talked to sheriffs and police chiefs," Scott said. "I stand with them that we need to have the existing law in place."

As he has done throughout the campaign, Scott blamed Crist for rising unemployment during the recession and took credit for lower unemployment during the recovery.

"Charlie is the zero-wage governor: 832,000 people went from wages to zero wages when Charlie was governor," Scott said.

Crist quickly shot back:

"Rick, there you go again, trying to blame the global economic meltdown on me. It is unbelievable that he would continue to say that, but he says it. And he also says he created all these new jobs all by himself."

Scott also tried to blame Crist for a law that allowed Duke Energy to collect money from customers for a nuclear power plant on Florida's Gulf Coast that will never be built.

"That's not true. That was Jeb Bush," Crist said to audience applause.

Bush signed the bill in 2006 that Scott referred to, but Crist signed a separate bill amending the law to add language that also allowed power plants to charge customers for the cost to run transmission lines from nuclear power plants.

Scott was asked if Florida's constitutional ban on gay marriage was discriminatory, but he refused to directly answer the question, even when asked a second time. He did say he supports traditional marriage.

Crist said he supports gay marriage.

"Who is it for us to tell other people who to love and what is it in our right to tell other people who to marry?" Crist said.

Scott then pointed out Crist supported the gay marriage ban when it passed in 2008.

Contributing: The Associated Press