Gov. Scott refuses to take stage because of fan The 2014 Florida gubernatorial debate got off to a wild start. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT WE HAVE GOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST.[APPLAUSE]FLORIDA GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT.OUR INCUMBENT GOVERNOR AND THEREPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FORGOVERNOR IS ALSO IN THEBUILDING.GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT, WE ARE TOLDTHAT GOVERNOR SCOTT WILL NOT BEPARTICIPATING IN THIS DEBATE.NOW LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT THIS ISALL ABOUT.GOVERNOR CRIST HAS ASKED TO HAVEA FAN, A SMALL FAN PLACEDUNDERNEATH HIS PODIUM.THE RULES OF THE DEBATE THAT IWAS SHOWN BY THE SCOTT CAMPAIGNSAY THAT THERE SHOULD BE NOFANS.SOMEHOW THERE IS A FAN THERE,AND FOR THAT REASON, LADIES ANDGENTLEMEN, I AM BEING TOLD THATGOVERNOR SCOTT WILL NOT JOIN USFOR THIS DEBATE.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LADIES ANDGENTLEMEN, THIS IS A DEBATE,ROSEMARY, WHAT CAN WE SAY?WELL --(INAUDIBLE)WOW.GOVERNOR --WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU A QUESTIONOF GOVERNOR CRIST.I AM ASKING ROSEMARY ABOUT THESITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES IN.GOVERNOR CRIST, DID THE RULESOF THE DEBATE SAY THERE SHOULDBE NO FANS.NOT THAT I AWARE OF.THE RULES THAT THE SCOTTCAMPAIGN SHOWED US ABOUT NOELECTRONICS.ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT AFAN OR EDUCATION AND THEENVIRONMENT AND THE FUTURE OFOUR STATE, I MEAN REALLY.[APPLAUSE]THERE ARE SERIOUS ISSUES FACINGOUR STATE AND IT'S LIKE FUNDINGEDUCATION APPROPRIATELY, ANDPROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT ANDBEING SURE THAT WE HAVE ETHICALAND HONEST LEADERSHIP.IF HE IS GOING TO GIVE IT TO ME,I WILL TAKE IT.THIS IS NOT A PLATFORM FORONE CANDIDATE.WE HOPE THAT GOVERNOR SCOTT WILLJOIN US ON THE STAGE.I AM TOLD THAT GOVERNOR SCOTTWILL JOIN US ON THE STAGE.IN ALL FAIRNESS OF GOVERNORSCOTT, I WAS SHOWN A COPY OF THERULES THAT SAID THERE WOULD BENO FANS ON THE PODIUM.VERY STRANGE.MY UNDERSTANDING IS THATGOVERNOR SCOTT WILL BE COMINGOUT.FRANK, HAVE YOU SEEN ANYTHINGLIKE THIS?NO, I HAVEN'T, A REMARKABLETRIBULATION NO MATTER WHAT SIDEYOU THINK YOU ARE ON.WE ARE PLACED IN AN AWKWARDSITUATION OF HAVING TO DECIDETHIS.THE RULES OF THE DEBATE, THE

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