Real Reason Behind Rick Scott's Debate Tantrum

#144 of My Stupid State

There are enough articles of the sheer stupidity of Rick Scott storming off a debate over a fan. Even the moderators called it "trivial" and "bizarre".

To be clear, the rules said no electronic devices, which means tablets, iphones, or wired transmitters (ala Bush's first debate with Kerry). It does not mean items like a watch or, worse, a freaking FAN: items that do not transmit/receive information.

Bottom line: after a ton of boos, along with a few good zingers Crist mocked him with, Rick Scott was shamed into coming out.

Even more bizarre than refusing to debate Crist over a fan was Rick Scott's bizarre response that he never did refuse to debate over a fan ---after he did just that.

Watch his brief "justification" here. You really can't appreciate how awkward and unprepared Rick Scott was unless you watch it. If you don't have youtube, be thankful. It's painful.

And that, my friends, is the true reason why Rick Scott did what he did.

He can't answer tough questions. He really can't. He is terrible at it. People who call him out for the incredibly horrible things he has done literally frightens him. That is why he is the only governor to deem budget signing ceremonies "private" and holds them in GOP bastions, like the Villages, so he doesn't have to face protestors. It's why he actually ran away from a citizen-journalist.

Petty? Yes. Stupid? Definitely. But FL DEMS, call this for what this REALLY is--Rick Scott was trying to weasel out of answering tough questions because that is what he does!

When he does have to face the media, it is always a spectacle. There is not one non-rightwing interview he has done that hasn't ended badly. National and state reporters pull their hair out. Watch this brief clip below to see what I mean. He was asked the same direct question four times. (If this clip is auto playing, I apologize):

Or this one (the reporter wouldn't let up):

Or this insulting condition he put on this Latina reporter:

CNN's Soledad almost lost it over his demeaning dodging of questions over gun violence:

CNN's Ali Velshi really did.

Scott won't even answer questions under oath.

"Is that a xerox of your signature?" "It looks like my signature, but............... what's your question?"

He is really that bad. There's many more examples, but you get the point. Rick Scott is neither a good politician or candidate. He hates having to answer questions by non-supporters and was obviously looking for a way out. He tried an utterly ridiculous Hail Mary pass that is turning out to be a disaster.

Scott has nothing to run on, but plenty to run from.

When he was finally shamed into coming out to debate, Scott had to defend his cutting $1.3 billion out of Florida schools during his first year as governor, his spiteful refusal to allow Medicaid expansion, his support of the Trayvon Martin verdict, and then got slammed by Crist over one of Rick Scott's largest donors--Duke Energy--which is gouging Floridians across the state.

Scott embarrassed himself several times: he accused Crist of not really being in favor of gay marriage (because he and fellow gay-basher Pam Bondi would be so much better?); he tried to talk about his "integrity" (which gave Crist a slam-dunk applause line about pleading the fifth 75 times after stealing billions in the largest Medicaid fraud case in US history); and then there was his closing remarks.

Many issues over Rick Scott's legacy were never brought up. Unfortunately, most of the issues that were discussed were lost to #fangate. If you google this debate, all you'll hear about is the first few minutes.

I really want Rick Scott to lose because of all he's done to us, but this is Florida, so I'll take what I can get. If the deciding factor is his tantrum he decided to throw over a small fan, so be it.