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“Both campaigns received a letter in advance from the debate organizers (FPA and LF) stating the format, logistics and other detailed information relating to the debate. The letter also specified that ‘candidates may not bring electronic devices (including fans), visual aids or notes to the debate, but will be provided with a pad and pen,” states the statement.
“The Scott campaign signed and returned the letter on Thursday, October 9. The Crist campaign signed and returned the letter on Monday, October 13, 
but with the added hand-written note ‘*with understanding that the debate hosts will address any temperature issues with a fan if necessary.’ Dean Ridings, FPA President, received and reviewed the note and told the Crist campaign that the partners want all candidates to be comfortable, but that he expected that Bailey Hall, the newly renovated-facility at Broward College where the debate was to be held, would be maintained at a comfortable temperature, and if there was a temperature problem, the partners would deal with it appropriately.”
The statement says that the temperature on stage under the lights was reportedly at 66 or 67 degrees around 6 p.m., an hour before the debate started. Pretty chilly if you ask Ladra. But maybe Crist gets has a lower threshold for steamy. Because someone from his campaign put his favorite 
little fan under his podium.
What’s the big deal? You would think that Scott wouldn’t mind. I mean, it must be a little distracting for his opponent to have a breeze constantly blowing up his pant legs. And now, just look at all the good jokes you got.
The GOP statement says that Scott never refused to join the debate. “Rather, the Scott campaign was waiting on resolution of the rules issue before Scott took the stage.”
In a separate email, Crist himself said the fan provided Scott with the perfect excuse to avoid debating the issues.
“Trust me — I didn’t want to argue about a fan on the podium. I wanted to talk about education, the environment, and what we can do to make the future of Florida a little bit brighter. But Rick Scott insisted on finding any reason he could to avoid answering a few questions,” Crist wrote in another fundraising email. “His shady behavior has always shown his blatant disrespect for the intelligence of Floridians. Last night, he took it to a whole new level — it was the ultimate ‘pleading the fifth.’
” Although even I have to admit, it was pretty ridiculous. A little fan scaring away a sitting governor? Come on!”
He ends the email saying that he still has a “massive fundraising gap to make up, a huge get-out-the-vote operation to fund, and only 19 days to go.”
But the Crist campaign is missing a real opportunity here for fundraising, ala Sen. Marco Rubio with the water bottles after he took that famous sip on live TV. I see bumper stickers that say “Crist is FANtastic” and hundreds of thousands of those little plastic fans that are attachable to the dashboard — in Democrat blue, maybe — emblazoned with “Crist is Hot” in white letters across the top band, sold for $5 a pop.
Ladra bets you make up that fundraising gap in no time. In fact, put me down for a pre-order on the fan. Politics is always hot around here.
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