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Debate may prove decisive: With Florida's contentious U.S. Senate race deadlocked...
Miami Herald ^ | 10/18/04 | BETH REINHARD AND MARC CAPUTO

Posted on 10/18/2004 12:53:46 AM PDT by Cableguy

While tonight's televised debate between Florida's U.S. Senate nominees probably won't be spoofed on Saturday Night Live or The Daily Show, it will feature the trappings of a nationally watched, highly competitive contest.

NBC's Tim Russert will moderate the hourlong match-up between Democrat Betty Castor and Republican Mel Martinez in Tampa. Fox News, CNN and C-SPAN will be among the 19 satellite trucks. An estimated 1.5 million viewers will watch the live event.

A Mason-Dixon poll released Sunday showed Castor and Martinez tied at 45 percent, with only 9 percent of voters undecided. In such a neck-and-neck contest, any zingers or flubs could make a difference in who goes to bed the winner on Nov. 2 -- and may help decide which party controls the U.S. Senate.

''Undecided voters will make an appointment to tune in so they can make up their minds,'' said Forrest Carr, news director at WFLA-TV in Tampa. ``It could be a watershed event.''

That certainly was true of Russert's last Florida debate, in 2002: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill McBride deflated under Russert's tough questions about the cost of reducing class sizes.

Tonight's debate will be Russert's sixth Florida contest since 1994.

(Excerpt) Read more at miami.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: bettycastor; melmartinez

1 posted on 10/18/2004 12:53:47 AM PDT by Cableguy
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To: Cableguy

Bush just HAS to win Florida. Whats wrong with these people??


2 posted on 10/18/2004 12:58:48 AM PDT by GeronL (John Kerry believes in a right to privacy and in gay rights............ ask "fair game" Mary Cheney)
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To: GeronL

Don't fret.... Martinez will win and he will bring the Hispanics along with him.

Compare the two websites http://www.melforsenate.org/ and http://www.bettynet.com/

It's obvious who's running a better campaign and who's a better candidate.


3 posted on 10/18/2004 1:10:30 AM PDT by TFine80 (DK'S)
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To: TFine80

New Wash Times article about the al-Arian links as well...

http://washingtontimes.com/national/20041018-124837-8855r.htm


4 posted on 10/18/2004 1:14:13 AM PDT by TFine80 (DK'S)
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To: Cableguy

Ah, CBS morning news hour in Boston went from a gleeful portrayal of that quartermaster corps' refusal to go on that fuel run, to reminders of Vietnam protests...could this be just the start of the same? To protests against Bush's possible reelection worldwide, to an interview with sainted Koffi Annan about this evil, illegal war which hasn't made anyone safer (not a peep about the UN's food for oil monstrous scam that line Koffi's son's pockets), to a letter writing campaign against Bush by some young Englishman who swore that he loved American culture...or maybe not...to a street demonstration against Bush in London, to a breakdown of how the election at home was going...with battleground states' 90 votes teetering (slant that Kerry Mo was forging on strong here with gushing reporterette). No recent polling numbers mentioned at all. This was early morning CBS at its finest. Oh, yes, they had time in all this to run a clip of Kerry on the stump, one Kerry/Edwards' sign in background.

It's just going to get worse in the next two weeks. The MSM is in full meltdown.


5 posted on 10/18/2004 1:27:26 AM PDT by hershey (i)
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To: TFine80
From the story:

''Mel has to stay on the offensive without looking aggressive -- otherwise, it looks like he's beating up on a woman. And that's never helpful,'' Stone said.

Ah, the wonders of feminism. Women should be treated equally in every respect and should be able to run for public office just like men, but don't you dare confront them the same way you would a male candidate. That would be unfair.

6 posted on 10/18/2004 1:54:08 AM PDT by billclintonwillrotinhell
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To: hershey

I realize you're just monitoring CBS to see how this election is playing in Communist circles, but please don't torture yourself! It's not worth it.


7 posted on 10/18/2004 1:57:24 AM PDT by billclintonwillrotinhell
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To: Cableguy
Betty Castor (as played by Ms. Crabapple from the "Simpsons" doesn't have much going for her in debating on TV.

She's still carrying a lot of Islamic baggage for not dismissing an instructor with terrorist connections at the university she was/is incharge of.

8 posted on 10/18/2004 3:24:38 AM PDT by capt. norm (Rap is to music what the Etch-A-Sketch is to art.)
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To: Cableguy
Betty Castor covered for the terror fund-raiser, El Arian, for years.

http://www.john-loftus.com/bettycastor.asp

excerpt . . .

She (Betty Castor) chose to avoid her duty as a public officer. In an act of moral cowardice, she wrote her staff "I am deeply concerned by implications that the University should 'investigate' entities or people and be the arbiter of what political, social or religious ideology is 'good' or 'evil.'"

Her Vice President agreed that Al Arian's organization was an "important cultural group" that was "part of the USF diversity commitment."

Some cultural group. The only diversity commitment Islamic Jihad has is to killing both Americans and Jews. Mass murder is its only business. Islamic Jihad does not have a cultural or charitable wing, just a pension fund in case one of its terrorists gets caught. I have a collection of Sami Al Arian's home movies of his terrorist speeches on my website. (WWW.John-Loftus.com). One does not have to be a lawyer to conclude that Professor Al Arian's academic freedom does not extend to blowing up school busses.
9 posted on 10/18/2004 3:37:03 AM PDT by Beckwith (John Kerry, sign the Form 180 - petition at http://www.SignForm180.com)
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To: Cableguy

Off topic a little...I think it's hilarious that Bush is talking about stopping terrorism and democracy in the Middle East while sKerry is whining about...flu shots.


10 posted on 10/18/2004 3:39:45 AM PDT by ez (TERRORISTS FOR KERRY!!!)
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