MEDIA WINNER: Pamela Brown CNN Newsroom anchor Pamela Brown grilled Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) about his past positions on abortion as he campaigns for his old job as governor of the Sunshine State, directly asking him to “square” his previous statements with his current political rhetoric. Crist, who is facing Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), infamously switched from a Republican to an independent to a Democrat over the past 12 years of his political career, and has a range of comments on the contentious topic of abortion to match these transitions. Brown pressed Crist for answers about the uphill climb he is facing with recent gains by Florida Republicans in voter registration and DeSantis' massive war chest, and she really dug in to the abortion issue, questioning him repeatedly to clarify his views. “Do you still identify as pro-life?” asked Brown. “I’m pro choice and that is why I have a hundred percent rating by Planned Parenthood, by NARAL,” Crist replied, citing his veto of an anti-abortion bill when he was governor and attacking a bill signed by DeSantis as "barbaric." Brown kept following up with more tough but fair questions, getting Crist on the record for one of the most-debated issues of this election cycle in a closely-watched statewide race with implications beyond the 2022 midterms. |