Posted on 11/04/2004 2:30:51 PM PST by I still care
Election 2004 Bush based hunch on Pasco
Gov. Jeb Bush predicted his brother would win Florida after seeing early returns from the county.
By LUCY MORGAN, Times Tallahassee Bureau Chief Published November 4, 2004
TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush said he knew his brother was going to win Florida on Tuesday night just as soon as he saw election returns from Pasco County.
"The two counties I look at - thankfully they are ones that come in early - are Pasco and Orange," Bush told reporters Wednesday just minutes after learning that U.S. Sen. John Kerry was conceding defeat in the presidential race. "When I saw that we were up by a significant amount in Pasco County, I did call my brother and said, "This is much better than our projections were - you're going to win.' "
He waited late into the night for more confirmation.
At a Wednesday morning news conference, the governor recalled predicting his brother would win Florida by four points.
"I was off a point," Bush added. Unofficial returns show President Bush winning Florida 52.1 to 47.1 percent with a margin of 367,702 votes. Quite a difference from the 537 vote margin of victory four years ago.
"I could sense the president was going to carry the day," the governor said. "The intensity of support was so strong, people were motivated. [Last modified November 4, 2004, 00:41:23]
He lost to Gore by 1000 in 2000, and to see him so far up (about 20,000) we knew he had to win Florida, especially when the South counties started to come in and couldn't seem to change the result.
Florida was callable hours before the networks finally broke down and did it. We were sitting there thinking, why won't they call it - for at least an hour.
What a great night!
The GOP Victory Party in DC...or the one in Florida?
Where was the one in Florida?
Great!
Bush 103,195
Kerry 84,729
Nader 1,260
Four years ago Gore took Pasco by about 2000 votes. What a change!
Leni
I was also looking county by county vs 2000 on Tuesday.
I had a feeling Bush would win as soon as I saw Virginia returns.
Bush was stomping Kerry in Virginia counties by bigger numbers than 2000.
When the FLorida county numbers started coming out.. I started celebrating.. I knew it around 9:00-9:30.
I was at Gonzo's house party in Tarpon Springs. I had a ball with various freepers and lurkers who showed up.
Always check with the state forum to keep abreast of Florida freeps. You click the flag on your profile page and you'll find the forum. I don't know where you live, but Florida is divided into three chapters, Northern, Central and Southern. There are chapter leaders. If you need more info, freepmail me at "MinuteGal".
Regards, Leni
New Port Richey
I couldn't understand how they couldn't call the election even after all the polls closed everywhere! CBS stated since Kerry didn't concede Ohio they couldn't call the state no matter what the lead! Nonsense.
Leni
Tarpon Springs?!
I've been there...only as a tourist though. I like eating at Pappas' restaurant right on Highway 19.
But I've seen other parts and it looks like a nice suburb.
One of the Pasco votes was mine, another my wife's. We moved here right after the 2000 election. The only problem is, ever since the election I can't get the Zippedy-Doo-Dah song out of my head!
I heard on the radio today that the Kerry campaign called all the other networks after NBC and FOX called Ohio and begged them not to call it.
It was great!! I also was at a similar type party. When local Orlando news anchors were stating people waiting in lines for up to 9 hours to vote and announcing that a lot of Hispanic voters this time around were going for Bush, I yelled, "Bush is going to win Florida by a margin far exceeding any need for a re-count!"
Leni
I was a Frontline volunteer in Orange County and I Knew Bush was going to win. We were passionate. And there were alot of us.
I know Karl Rove and Ralph Reed will get all the credit for the ground game but let me tell you, the machine wasn't that great, it was sloppy and when the machine wasn't sloppy, it was aloof. The Rove/Reed machine DID NOT deliver the I-4 corridor for Bush. The I-4 Corridor was key because the Panhandle cancels Miami, and the East Coast cancels the Gulf Coast and the game came down to the Urban Centers of Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa along I-4 and we were PASSIONATE volunteers. The sloppy, aloof machine the RNC and Reed/Rove put together could not keep us from helping our president. We came and called, and walked and waved signs and we were diverse. I stood on the street in the heat being eaten alive by ants with Gus, a hispanic man that spoke with a heavy accent that could not be more in love with Bush, Debbie an executive dripping in diamonds on fire for Bush, a young couple with their baby in a stroller, and a college guy with tatoos and gothic markings radical for Bush. It was these volunteers who united by one thing, we saw Bush as a providential man of the ilk of Lincoln, Churchill and Reagan.
It was love my friend, love that beat the hate of the left. Love that filled the Jaguar Stadium in Jacksonville with 58,000 Bush Zealots, and thousands that flocked to arenas in Orlando and Tampa. I knew, and I knew earlier than Jeb.
Bush did not need the Boss or Schilling. He was enough. He stumbled through his speeches and right into our hearts. And together, we held the line in Florida and kept the ball in play so Ohio could throw the touchdown pass to the heartland receiver.
Bet on it, believe it. I was there. And when Fox called Florida for Bush, IT WAS THE PROUDEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE. My son and daugher were proud of me for fighting for their future. And I was fighting with every ounce of strength in my body, for the troops, for the unborn, and for the valiant dead of WWII. I could not let the generations that came before me DOWN and the generations that will come after. And when I say I, I mean the thousands of us here in Florida who felt that we had been put here by God to fight this fight and we did. And he blessed us, poured out blessing so great that our cup runneth over. Daschle, 5 in Senate, 4 in Congress, a mournful Dan Rather.
Jeb I could have told you sooner. I could have told you how much your brother is loved. I saw it in the eyes of my fellow volunteers. There is a guy named Gus, an hispanic and as Dick Morris the hispanic vote accounted for 2.5 million of the margin that Bush enjoyed. Gus was why we won in Florida. It was Gus and the rest of us. I have Gus's phone number if Jeb and his brother want to call to thank him for the hand. Gus, I will NEVER forget the day we stood our ground and did our part for America.
Amen.
AS a former Pasco county resident(on Pasco Rd close to San Ann.) Thanks for taken up the slack. I miss those ABC Pizza House salads.
Turtle
Great job
Many thanks for your effort
Rejoice and enjoy and GLOAT as much as you want
They thought Florida (and the rest of the country)were up for sale. Maybe next time they will just donate to pay down the national debt.
I had a sense that the President would carry the day too. But I didn't want to listen to it, in case it was wishful thinking.
I feel I was smart in, after I voted, I went out and kept myself busy and away from news outlets 'til about 7:30 PM when I started, tentativly, reading FR and I put on WIBA at 8:00 PM when the Wisconsin polls closed.
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