Charlie Crist befuddled on why Sarah Palin wouldn't pay more attention to him in '08

TheBlaze Blog got around to reading some of Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's memoir, co-written by his lookalike Ellis Henican, and it can mostly be summed up as 340 pages of why Crist renounced the Republican Party and should now be elected as the next Democratic governor of the Sunshine State.

AP Photo/Allen Eyestone

The book recounts the cute moment Crist told Obama adviser Valerie Jarett he was going to register as a Democrat (he was formerly a Republican-turned independent) during a White House tour. And the first line of the final chapter begins, "I am convinced of it: The Democratic Party is the right home for me."

Here, we hone in on one of the more interesting points in the book: When Crist campaigned for John McCain in 2008.

Crist first tells of how he was deeply considered as a possible running mate for McCain, only to be passed up for Sarah Palin. Crist doesn't say anything overtly negative about Palin. But he seems deeply upset that she wouldn't talk to him on the trail.

An excerpt from "The Party's Over: How the Extreme Right Hijacked the GOP and I Became a Democrat":

I tried to be friendly. "Anything I can do for you, just let me know," I said cheerily.

"Thank you" was all she answered, her words almost encased in ice.

That was about the extent of our friendly banter. ...

She was campaigning a vital swing state, and still she never asked me: "What's going on in Florida? What are the local issues here? What are people thinking about?" Even if she didn't care, why not make idle conversation?

Little-known first-term governor plucked from Alaska to serve on a national party's presidential campaign. But why wouldn't she talk to Charlie?!

Of note: Crist is leading his opponent, incument Rick Scott, by nearly 10 points in the latest Quinnipiac poll.

"The Party's Over" publishes Feb. 4.