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Crist Explains His Plans To CBS4'S Ted Scouten

ST. PETERSBURG (CBSMiami) -- To a crowd chanting, " Charlie!  Charlie! Charlie! Republican turned Democrat Charlie Crist  announced he is running for governor and he's making no apologies about his party swap.

"I think it's a glorious thing to do," Crist said in a one-on-one interview with CBS4's Ted Scouten shortly after he announced his intention to take his job back. "Really the leadership of the Republican Party really lost it's minds and they've been like anti-women, anti-gay, anti-minority."

Crist said when he looks at Florida today, he's frustrated, especially with education.

"Cutting education 1.3 billion dollars the first year Governor Scott was in office, then 300 million dollars for higher education the second session," Crist pointed out.

"I mean taking the heart and soul out of educating out children, giving them a great opportunity to have high paying jobs and a better economy. All that relates, and I don't think he gets that and that seems sad."

On health care, he plans to follow the president's lead.

"I don't understand why the politicians in Tallahassee won't support medicaid expansion," he said. "By doing that, let's think about this, they're leaving a million of our fellow Floridians without health care."

He's with the President too on same sex marriage and women's issues.

"Who are we to judge and tell other people what to do," said Crist. "You know, when it comes to women, why should anybody tell them what to do with their body and their health care and frankly for everybody who are we tell anybody who to love or who to marry. That's not for us, that's for each individual to make that decision."

When asked about destination casinos, like the ones being proposed in Miami-Dade and Broward, Crist said he's open to listening, but has not made up his mind.

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