Jeb Bush criticizes Katherine Harris' Senate campaign

The Gainesville Sun ^ | April 7, 2006 | Joe Follick

[Clintonfatigued]

Gov. Jeb Bush ratcheted up his criticism about the foundering U.S. Senate candidacy of fellow Republican Katherine Harris Thursday, saying he was concerned her woes made it difficult for his party to defeat incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.

He said he has not been asked to intervene in the race in any way, and Bush has emphatically said he won't enter the race in his last year as governor.

Last month, Bush issued Harris advice via the media, saying the congresswoman from Longboat Key needed to make the race less about her turmoil and more about Nelson and the future of the state and country.

"I gave her that exact advice and it's gotten worse since," Bush said Thursday. "I am the party leader and I've got concerns."

[MikefromOhio]

EEE if you think that FR is represenative of more than about 20% of the voting public you are deluding yourself.

[HitmanLV]

Right. FR is probably only representative of the most conservative 5% of the american public, much like DU is representative of 5% of the american public.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Jeb Bush is not a leader. He is nothing more than a cog in the GOP establishment machine, someone who cares more about the party and its image instead of helping real conservative candidates.

[MindBender26]

>Jeb Bush speaketh The Truth

[Clintonfatigued]

Oh, well. As long as we influence American public discourse in a positive way, I don't need to be in the majority.

[MikefromOhio]

Yep. Exactly.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

EEE if you think that FR is represenative of more than about 20% of the voting public you are deluding yourself.

So how did Harris win all of her previous elections then?
Did she do a magazine centerfold spread or something?

[MikefromOhio]

Jeb Bush is not a leader. He is nothing more than a cog in the GOP establishment machine, someone who cares more about the party and its image instead of helping real conservative candidates.

Whatever. If that were the case, then you don't care one way or the other if he supports her or not. Which makes me ask WHY do you care so much?

[MikefromOhio]

Being a congresscritter is a helluva lot different than being a Senator.

Now she has to contend with Miami and the liberal areas of the state, not just the district that elected her.

Come on now EEE.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

The GOP has lost the confidence of that voter.

The grassroots will always come out and support conservative candidates, regardless of how the GOP is faring in general. Harris has the votes, especially in the conservative panhandle and suburbs.

[MikefromOhio]

Oh, well. As long as we influence American public discourse in a positive way, I don't need to be in the majority.

That is the attitude people on FR SHOULD have. It's certainly NOT what the people on DU have.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Which makes me ask WHY do you care so much?

Why do you care if Harris runs? You guys are practically begging for Harris to step down. You people are like the opposite of those guys who buy billboard space and ask a girl to marry them, sheesh.

[MikefromOhio]

You guys are practically begging for Harris to step down.

Quote me. Bet you won't find it.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Being a congresscritter is a helluva lot different than being a Senator.

Please. Harris would be a breath of fresh air in the stale Senate. How hard is it to bloviate on an issue and mug for the cameras, anyway? Face it, the Senate isn't the idyllic institution that it once was.

Now she has to contend with Miami and the liberal areas of the state, not just the district that elected her.

They're not going to vote Republican even if Jeb runs, so what's the big deal?

[Clintonfatigued]

I'll be honest. If I thought that begging could convince Harris to drop out of the race, I'd do it. Her campaign is destroying any chance of unseating a weak incumbent.

[MindBender26]

>So how did Harris win all of her previous elections then?

In Republican-heavy districts where we could have won with Elmer Fudd and statewide on tickets with real vote getters at the top.

Please help us understand. Do the Ben Franklin close:

Draw a line down the middle of a sheet of paper. On the right side list all the things she has done to help her campaign attract swing voters this cycle.

On the left, list all the things she has done to hurt herself and the Party statewide.

Little lopsided isn't it?

[MikefromOhio]

You didn't quote me where I was involved in "practically begging for Harris to step down. "

Now quote me or take it back.

[MikefromOhio]

They're not going to vote Republican even if Jeb runs, so what's the big deal?

Umm hello ever hear of being motivated to vote AGAINST someone? You were here in 2004 correct? You ARE aware that something like 20 MILLION Kerry votes came from Anybody But Bush types RIGHT?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I didn't say you specifically. But it's clear where you guys stand. You respect her and like her but she's gonna lose anyway. Why you don't want her to run is incomprehensible. You think her supporters are automatically going to vote for whatever flunky replacement candidate the RNC scrounges up?

[MindBender26]

> Harris would be a breath of fresh air in the stale Senate

There is a small matter of being "elected" in order to be in the Senate.

It's not that we don't love KH for 2000. It's just that we accept the reality that her missteps in 2006 make her totally unelectable state wide this year.

Why do we owe her the support, to the exclusion of anyone else?