Posted on 08/09/2002 6:18:35 AM PDT by floriduh voter
By KATHRYN WEXLER, Times Staff Writer © St. Petersburg Times published August 9, 2002
TAMPA -- The luncheon was sponsored by the Tampa Bay Black Republican Club and billed as a chance for African-Americans to get to know Gov. Jeb Bush.
But about half the audience of 500 wasn't black. Most weren't Republican.
Even the preacher who gave the invocation, Hillsborough Commissioner Thomas Scott, was a Democrat.
"What is it like to be black and Republican?" club president Eric Brown asked the crowd before introducing the governor as a friend he met a year ago.
"Sometimes we feel totally out of place," he said. "But deep down in my heart, I know I'm doing the right thing."
Only about 5 percent of Hillsborough's black voters are registered Republicans -- a major reason Thursday's event at Tampa's Doubletree Hotel was less a show of support than an introduction to the Republican way of thinking.
In the last election, Bush won 14 percent of the African-American vote statewide, an unusually high percentage for a Republican. But some of his policies have proven controversial, especially his One Florida initiative, which eliminated race as an explicit factor in college admissions and state contracting.
Over a lunch of chicken and cheesecake, Bush made the case that he has promoted the interests of African-Americans.
"As governor, I have woken up each day to embrace diversity," said Bush, who announced he will be the next chairman of the United Negro College Fund.
Contracts with African-American-owned businesses in Florida are up 120 percent, Bush said. And the percentage of black students in public universities has increased.
"It's worked," Bush said. Before One Florida, state colleges were "too lily white in my opinion."
African-American Democrats such as Lashune Harris were not convinced.
"I hear what he says about the education program," said Harris, an official with the Tampa Housing Authority. "But there are other statistics I've seen that contradict what he supports."
Others said the governor's track record speaks for itself. "I think he will go down as one of our education governors," said the Rev. Maxie Miller of Plant City.
The luncheon cost about $100 per table and was free for individuals, said Brown, of ROI Consulting Group Inc. in Tampa. The Tampa Bay Black Republican Club began in 1999 and has 25 members, he said. It was the group's largest function thus far.
Campaigning politicians were acknowledged and applauded, including City Council members Rose Ferlita, Charlie Miranda and Shawn Harrison, County Commissioners Jim Norman and Ronda Storms and Tax Collector Doug Belden.
But it was Bush who garnered the excitement. Spectators crowded around him, grabbing his hand and begging for snapshots. At the end of his speech, he appealed to people in fluent Spanish.
"He's almost like Elvis, " said Sheila Allen, a Town 'N Country resident and owner of a travel agency. "Everybody wanted to touch him. Everybody wanted to talk to him."
But not her.
"I don't like Jeb's father. I don't like Jeb's brother," she said.
Bush also pointed to his record in putting African-Americans on governing boards and on the bench. He noted that only black judges are facing opposition in Hillsborough, suggesting he was suspicious about the competition.
"I'm not saying anything other than stating the facts here," he said, to murmurs of agreement. "I hope this group supports (them) financially."
Finally, the travel agent who just doesn't like the Bush Family, she attended the event and apparently, even in the midst of the war on terror, she's still employed. Floriduh Voter
MEANWHILE, I am happy to report that President Bush maintains a favorable rating of 69%. Gee, Americans really like a man who doesn't lie, steal or cheat on his wife in the Oval Office and elsewhere. Bubba wore America out, scandal after scandal.
That was Bubba's legacy in addition to not going after bin laden after the 1993 tower attack, etc. And HRC? Not giving money back to Enron? What a greedy little Senator.
Unfortunately it's proven good for them, though bad for our country.
Forgive me from straying off topic on my own thread. To self: Shame on me, don't let it happen again. Self-correcting and self-flaming.
I think she did give the Enron money back, but kept the Imclone/walsal dinero. Apparently, for HRC, some money is dirtier than other money.
Bubba's legacy: Osama bil Clinton.
Was this a joke, or am I missing something? Who is going to be next head of the UNCF, not Bush, right?
Jeb's been given a bunch of awards by all kinds of groups. He's a high achiever when it comes to public service and that's the quote from the Times. You can visit their on line site - do a google search. That's the quote. Ask the author if she was joking because her phone number is: 813-226-3383 Kathryn Wexler.
"Seek and ye shall find," says the Good Book. No one puts more faith in this proposition than the Vice President's lawyers: Given the time, they know, Democratic counters in Democratic counties seeking more votes for the Democratic candidate for President will find them. Indeed, Time.com already reports that when helpful election officials in Pinellas County, which went for Al Gore, "removed the chaff from ballots before they were submitted for recount by the machines, Gore-Lieberman picked up an additional 417 votes."
The Railroad
Is this reporter related to the Rep. Wexler of Palm Beach/Telequest fame?
I need closure. An apology to Republicans nationwide would be a start...the congressional record expunged, Florida taxpayers getting their money back from the USCCR extortionists (along with an apology). Racism? No. Ms. Berry, do you beat your husband?
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