Posted on 09/18/2004 7:32:30 PM PDT by tellw
ORLANDO, Fla. - (KRT) - Democrat John Kerry's presidential campaign, blown off course in Florida by three hurricanes, plans to resume efforts to win the crucial battleground state next week with a blitz of five key cities.
Kerry or his running mate, John Edwards, plans events in Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Miami and West Palm Beach, the campaign said Friday. Details will be released Saturday.
The resumption comes at a crucial moment for the Kerry campaign, locked in a battle with President Bush for the White House.
In recent weeks, Bush has moved into a lead in some national polls, though the dozen or so battleground states - which will decide the presidency - remain statistical tossups.
For Kerry, it will be his first campaign trip to Florida since July 26, when he appeared at a forum in Cape Canaveral, on his way to Boston to accept the Democratic nomination.
He also visited Punta Gorda shortly after Hurricane Charley decimated the Gulf Coast town, but he made no campaign appearances.
In campaign terms, Kerry's nearly two-month hiatus may seem like a lifetime in a state long targeted as the linchpin in this fall's presidential race.
But Democrats say hurricanes here are changing the political calculus.
"We think the race here essentially has been frozen for several weeks," said Matt Miller, a Kerry campaign spokesman. "But, obviously, we want to be in Florida as much as possible between now and November."
Bush, though, has been active. He is scheduled to tour the hurricane-ravaged Pensacola area Sunday, along with surveying damage left by Hurricane Ivan in neighboring Alabama.
Bush's visit to Florida, which he carried by 537 votes four years ago, will be his 28th trip to the state since he took office.
He also made trips after Hurricane Charley, presenting $2 billion in federal aid, and after Hurricane Frances, for which he has requested an additional $3.1 billion.
The Kerry-Edwards events set for next week were still being finalized Friday.
"It'll be good for him to come here," said Doug Head, Orange County Democratic chairman. "This town is still a little torn up from Hurricane Charley. People have been pretty distracted for the past month."
Kerry had intended to be in Florida, but the triple hit from hurricanes forced those plans to change. He canceled a couple of Florida appearances in deference to the cleanup efforts, and Edwards also canceled an appearance in Fort Myers last month when Charley loomed.
An independent group helping Democratic voter efforts also canceled a Miami Beach fund-raiser with entertainer Bette Midler because of that storm.
"People's attention has clearly been on other things," said Matthew Corrigan, a University of North Florida political scientist. "And that's usually not good for a challenger who needs their focus to make his case."
Haven't these people been through enough?
alert to Florida freepers! Get on the RATS mailing lists (state party websites may put out info too). If I see anything on the Reuters wire on dates/times/locations I will post it.
Any chance he can visit NASA again? I'd like to see some new pix - poses with hoses & the bunny suit.
But will Kerry hold a press conference? 37 days and counting.
Kerry has completely ignored the Southern States of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi....what is he afraid of? When are you going to blitz us..KERRY?
It's not Easter anywhere.
Poor Kerry, a day late and a dollar short. Floridians have lived through so many wind storms lately, that they probably won't even notice one more blow hard.
He would need a translator.
I'm going to be all over this guy. I'm off to Protester Warrior to make some signs...hee hee!
Kerry didn't show up once in any of the times that Florida was hit by each of the hurricanes, unlike Bush who was there days after each hit. Kerry is toast in Florida!
LOL! My sentiments exactly. Haven't the people of Florida had more than enough blowhards visit them recently?
Another hard part for Kerry is that flying down to Florida eats up a lot of time away from the midwest battleground. It's not there's any other states within 500 miles of Florida that Kerry is even remotely competitive in.
Time to set out the rat traps.
then Send in a Translator for Kerry :-)
Bill:
Shame on you not knowing that John Kerry hasn't participated in a press conference in the past 35 days. I thought you were looking out for us. Maybe you should stop by some of those internet blogs, or watch Hannity & Colmes once in a while, because that information has been talked about on both. What say you Bill? Please keep your response pithy.
And we're still distracted Mr. Head. Especially if Jeanne or Karl starts bearing down on us. Tell Effin' to leave us alone!
Charlie, Frances, Ivan, Kerry, maybe Ivan again, ...
I'm too nice a guy to say that's what you get for watching O'Full of himself. If there's not a good ballgame to watch, spend that hour at FR, as you know, you'll learn a lot more.
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