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."

[Clintonfatigued]

Is this merely friendly advise, or could the Governor be sending Harris a signal?

[Bubbatuck]

I'm presuming this was a response to a direct question, because while I agree with him, it seems impolitic to say so.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Ooooh, the big bad Jeb Bush speaketh. The guy who didn't have the balls to save Terri Schaivo is now lecturing Harris on her Senate campaign, the same woman who saved his older brother's behind in the 2000 election.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Harris is shaking in her boots.

[Clintonfatigued]

Depends on who you say it to. But for everyone who says it out loud, there are many more who are thinking it.

[HitmanLV]

Such comments would certainly brand him a liberal, DUer, closet democrat, or worse here in the clear minded, clear sighted halls of FR. :-)

The truth is clear to anybody but the most shrill, myopic, and politically inept Freeper Katherine Harris posse. KH is a complete joke of a candidate and all the prayers, good wishes, and pep talks won't make her a winner.

I'm glad that I'm in the company of Jeb on this, but I have to wonder how the KH Freeper contingent will spin these comments into a positive.

[MikefromOhio]

I;m afraid the only one that could beat Nelson would be Jeb himself.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

If anyone's myopic, shrill, and politically inept, it's you clowns who have been dissing her from day one.

[HitmanLV]

For what it's worth, those who have been critical of her chances since day one have been right, and the hopeful in the prayer tent have been wrong.

[Clintonfatigued]

I continue to hope that Katherine Harris will do the sensible thing. But time is running short.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I'm afraid the only one that could beat Nelson would be Jeb himself.

So why didn't he run? Nobody's stopping Jeb Bush from running. He's in the last year of being FL Governor and he can't run again due to term limits. He's got the money, the resources, and the full GOP apparatus at his disposal to defeat Nelson. Again, why didn't he run?

[MikefromOhio]

maybe he didn't want too?

maybe he doesn't want to be a Senator?

There could be NUMEROUS reasons. But I'm pretty sure Jeb would beat the crap out of Nelson in Florida.

And although I wouldn't mind her winning, I've come to think that Harris isn't going to be within 10% of Nelson

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

For what it's worth, those who have been critical of her chances since day one have been right, and the hopeful in the prayer tent have been wrong.

You people who have been critical of her are flat-out smoking crack. You have no facts, no sound logical arguments as to why Harris should drop out. It's all opinion, randomly-selected liberal FL MSM statements, and the usual ad-hominem attacks.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

maybe he didn't want too? maybe he doesn't want to be a Senator?

So this gives him the right to bloviate about Harris' campaign?

It is clearly obvious that Jeb Bush is part of the problem and not the solution.

[HitmanLV]

She has consistently polled poorly against Nelson, and her negatives are higher than Nelson's negatives. To the average voter, Nelson looks better.

All the polls aren't wrong. This has become a Freeper battle cry for too long and it's that mentality that's leading the GOP into a bloodletting in november.

It's not inevitable, but at this point it's likely. We can't stop it if we don't admit that public confidence isn't with Dubya and the GOP these days.

[MikefromOhio]

I continue to hope that Katherine Harris will do the sensible thing. But time is running short.

It's too late to drop out I think.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Excuse me? The average voter? You mean the "moderates" and the "independents" that the MSM uses to describe liberals who aren't going to vote Republican anyway?

Nelson looks better to FL voters? Where's the obligatory picture of a goofball Nelson posing in front of Fat Moore's 9/11 movie?

[HitmanLV]

The average voter isn't notably liberal nor notably conservative.

The GOP has lost the confidence of that voter.

Compared to KH, Nelson looks better to the average voter. Polls consistently show him ahead of Harris, and Harris with high negatives.

She is a loser.

[MikefromOhio]

So this gives him the right to bloviate about Harris' campaign?

Anymore than you or I? Certainly he has more oomph within the Florida GOP than you or I do.

It is clearly obvious that Jeb Bush is part of the problem and not the solution.

Given your previous comment about Terri Schiavo, WHY am I NOT surprised you said that?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

I continue to hope that Katherine Harris will do the sensible thing. But time is running short.

Why don't you just let the chips fall and let her run instead of aiding and abetting an organized anti-Harris campaign by the liberal media?