Crist the 'Chameleon' Changes Sides—Again

It must be election season: Charlie Crist is backtracking again. In an effort to beat out his opponent in the Senate primary, Crist-the-populist-Republican is becoming Crist-the-conservative. Though the Florida governor famously embraced Obama at an event to push the stimulus, he now denies ever endorsing the $787 billion package. He's also taped a radio spot bashing the president's profligate ways.

This is the latest in a series of flips on issues ranging from abortion to offshore drilling to his opinion about Jeb and George Bush. "Charlie has given everybody multiple reasons to question everything that comes out of his mouth, a Republican strategist told the AP, but his strategy has worked so far: He's won his last three statewide races. Still, he shouldn't count on winning this round, says one political scientist. "Once you've had your credibility questioned it makes it easier for somebody to continue questioning and for the groundswell to begin, and I think that's what's happened with Crist." (More Charlie Crist stories.)