In Florida, Gov. Crist backs Obama

In his press confererence last night and in his appearance earlier in the day in Indiana, President Obama referred repeatedly to the disconnect between partisan Washington and the rest of the country, which is in bad need of help.

“You didn’t send us to Washington because you were hoping for more of the same,” Obama told the crowd in Elkhart, Ind. “You sent us there with a mandate for change and the expectation that we would act quickly and boldly to carry it out.”

Apparently, at least one prominent Republican in Florida agrees with him:

“WASHINGTON (CNN) – Republican Florida Gov. Charlie Crist will introduce President Obama Tuesday at a Florida town hall meeting plugging the stimulus plan.

Crist was one of 19 governors, including four Republicans, to release a joint letter publicly urging Congress to to pass the president’s stimulus package — a move that earned him an appreciative phone call from Obama.

The Florida governor has said he wants to help Obama push for the measure. The bill is currently being considered by the Senate after failing to draw GOP support in the House.”

Indiana and Florida have both been hit hard by the deepening recession. They are also Republican-leaning states that went to Obama last year, states the GOP needs to get back in its column.

In a White House statement, Obama said that “Gov. Crist and I have seen firsthand the toll that this economic crisis has taken on the American people, and we agree that we can’t allow politics to get in the way of urgent relief for the millions of families and small businesses that need it.”

Crist said Monday that he is happy to honor a White House request that he call GOP lawmakers and make additional appearances on Obama’s behalf.

“I think he’s doing the right thing,” Crist said.