Posted on 07/08/2004 9:57:50 AM PDT by kattracks
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Democrats John Kerry and John Edwards, on their first trip together to the state that narrowly put President Bush in the White House after a fierce recount and court fight in 2000, promised Thursday that "every vote is going to be counted" this year.The presidential candidate told thousands of screaming supporters gathered in an airport hanger in Broward County, ground zero in the recount, that he's discovered that Edwards' two young children, ages 6 and 4, were "good at math."
"Those kids really know how to count," Kerry said. "I've given them a special duty in this election. We're sending Jack and Emma Claire down there to help those Republicans in West Palm Beach count those votes."
As the crowd erupted, Kerry boomed: "I've got news for you. In 2004, not only does every vote in Florida count but every vote is going to be counted."
Kerry said elections officials in Florida still are trying to fix voting machines. "I'll make a deal with them," he said. "They fix those machines and we'll fix America!"
The campaign visit to Florida — just two days after Kerry chose Edwards as his vice presidential running mate — underscored the importance of the state that Bush won by 537 votes over Democrat Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election.
Recent polls show Bush and Kerry locked in a close race in their battle for the state's 27 electoral votes, the largest prize of the battleground states and a 10th of the total needed to win the White House.
Since March, each campaign has spent more than $10 million in television commercials in Florida, where the president's brother Jeb easily won re-election as governor in 2002.
The only Democrats to carry the state in the last three decades are Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Bill Clinton 20 years later even though Florida has about 300,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans.
From Florida, Kerry and Edwards were headed to New York City for a concert fund raiser featuring the Dave Matthews Band, Mary J. Blige, John Mellencamp, Jon Bon Jovi, Wyclef Jean, Whoopi Goldberg and others.
The $7 million the concert raised will be divided between Kerry's campaign and the Democratic National Committee. Last month, a similar concert in Los Angeles raised $5 million.
I can't wait to see what they (Democrats) try to invent when Bush wins Florida by a wide margin. I'm sure it will be just as funny as "Bush stole the election".
if there were it would be a Dim.
All votes in Florida will be counted.......including felons
Florida to let former felons vote
http://www.nj.com/newsflash/national/index.ssf?/base/national-27/108930600238520.xml&storylist=national
Over and over again, if necessary!
Glad I looked through all the posts here first, because I was going to post that same thing, almost verbatim.
I take a nobody, see? Teach him what to say. Get his name in the papers and pay for his campaign expenses. Dish out a lotta groceries and coal. Get my boys to bring the voters out. And then count the votes over and over again till they added up right and he was elected. Yeah...
Johnny Rocco, Key Largo
Very perceptive. If this election is close, and if the Dems lose Florida again, they will attempt to discredit, disallow, overturn the results..They're laying the precedent for the idea that the election was stolen..
"Why the administration didn't have the RNC on all the talk shows touting this information repeatedly and taking the lies away from the DNC is beyond me."
Two words: NEW TONE
Subtly suggesting that a 6 and 4 year old are smarter than the average Florida voter... (This one will go right over their heads)....
Using Kerry's own words against him isn't getting dirty, it's getting smart.
And the new tone isn't working particularly well, I would remind the administration.
WHAT YOU SAID!
Thanks. I was looking for that one. ;-)
Let's ask Kerry to assure the military votes are counted too.
"Hey Kat, don't forget the FL panhandle voters too. They got robbed when NBC called the race for Gore, and then switched it back to Bush after 5 minutes, but the damage was done because discouraged panhandle voters went home."
Can't be like liberals, folks. Have to get our fact straight. You are correct that NBC made the call 10 minutes and 20 seconds before the Florida panhandle polls were closed, but they (or any other network) did not switch back "after 5 minutes". Here are the on-air times for the network calls for Gore; Retraction of Gore; Bush; Retraction of Bush; for Florida on that election night/morning.
CLOSING STATE CBS ABC NBC/MSNBC FOX VNS WINNER
======================================================================================================
7:00 PM Florida: 7:50:11 PM 8:02 PM, 7:49:40 PM* 7:52 PM, 7:52 PM Gore
Retraction 10:00:00 PM 10:16 PM Retraction
Bush 2:17:52 AM 2:20 AM 2:17:30 AM 2:16 AM* Bush
Retraction 3:57:49 AM* 4:00 AM 4:02:00 AM 4:05 AM Retraction
Note: The '*' indicates which network was first to make a call.
Source: ON-AIR NETWORK AND VNS CALLS, PRESIDENTIAL RACE, NOV. 7/8, 2000
dvwjr
"As the crowd erupted, Kerry boomed: "I've got news for you. In 2004, not only does every vote in Florida count but every vote is going to be counted."
"Unless, of course, they're military absentee ballots."
Or votes by people that were told to go home because Gore already won Florida.
Yes, lets count them absentee ballots too. There ought to be a simple federal law. Failure by any state or county official to count a military absentee ballot...equals four months in the local jail for each vote they fail to count. That would quickly fix the problem. And I wouldn't allow any judge to subsitute the punishment and lessen it. One crime equals one punishment...period. Let them get used to doing their duty just like a guy does his duty onboard a sub in the Atlantic or on guard duty along the DMZ.
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