Posted on 11/13/2006 3:17:45 PM PST by MindBender26
Please pardon the Vanity, but Mel Martinez is a friend and I thought FReepers might like some insight in him.
Mel Martinez and his wife Kitty are outstanding people. Mel was born in Cuba. At 10 and 11 years old, with Castro in power, he wouldn’t take off his Catholic scapula. Other boys would hit him during basketball games because he wouldn’t disown his religion, as Castro demanded.
Mel came to this country under Kennedy’s Pedro Pan program. Imagine arriving in Miami with nothing, absolutely nothing!
I’ll cut to the chase; 25 years later, a very successful and honest lawyer, he has the happiest day of his life when he and his beautiful wife, and their kids, welcome his mother on her escape from Cuba, into the house they bought for her.
In 2000, he was recruited to run for he House seat being vacated by Bill McCollum, but said no, because he didn't want to be away from his family 3 nights a week.
When the RNC needed someone to debate Charlie Rangel, Fidel Castro's favorite congressman, on Larry King Live on CNN, we recruited Mel with just a few hours warning. Mel was the Orange County [Orlando area] mayor at the time and Rangel made the fatal mistake of underestimating him. After 60 minutes of debate, not even Larry King's "assistance" could help Rangel score even one point against Mel. In plain English, on the issue of the Elian Gonzalez, Mel Martinez had Charlie Rangel for lunch on live TV!
The Bush family saw him on Larry King and the rest is history. The president chose Mel to be HUD Secretary in his new administration, and in what is probably one of the toughest jobs in Washington, was the most successful HUD secretary was seen in 30 years.
Mel then returned to Florida and ran an uphill battle to be our senator. He beat a reasonably strong opponent, and even more importantly than that, never once veered away from his long-held principles. He is an adamant opponent of abortion, understands that the most important thing in America today is to defeat terrorism and return a sense of personal responsibility to each and every American.
I had the pleasure of flying with Mel back to Washington the day after the election. Trust me on this one, he sharp, conservative, understands the issues better than 99% of the people in Washington... and most importantly, has seen the vicious or press the nature of communism and other leftist governments up close. If there is one man in the United States that Hugo Chavez fears more than anyone else, it's Mel Martinez.... and it would be a smart if the Islamic terrorists and their fellow travelers feared him too!
There are many more wonderful things Mel has done during his career in public life, and before but I won't go into them here.
With the Hispanic vote critically important for any success in any future national election, (and growing faster than the Black vote) , the selection of Mel Martinez as a new RNC chair is a brilliant move.
He should take a cue from Hillary Clinton and pick a State in which to reside that isn't a socialist haven Maryland is.
Being the Maryland RNC Chairman and a single term Lieutenant Govenor is terrific but having a big gap in your resume is not.
That's fine and heart-string tugging, but we are allowed to give our opinion, right?
Or we should just nod appreciatively?
My opinion: This choice stinks. Not only that, Martinez is putting party politics over representing his FL constituents. He can't do both. Give the head honcho RNC job to someone who currently isn't an elected official.
Here's the deal: Martinez went for something "doable"......something that will actually happen, you know what I mean?
Something that people will agree on (I know....I know...agreement is like krytonite to some people here) but we are a country of all people and we need to agree on somethings!)
We are just never, ever going to deport all those people; and you all mock those who try to do something, anything.
How's that working out for you and the Democrats now?
Regards, Ivan
...but you didn't even answer my questions !
Facts always do. :-)
That's right. Mend fences with 15% of the voters and to hell with the other 85%.
If you think the problem is with conservatives (and plenty of other voters) who object to this, you're sadly mistaken.
If you think the problem is with conservatives (and plenty of other voters) who object to this, you're sadly mistaken.
I agree onyx, he's a fine choice for that position. I only home that Michael Steele gets a good spot somewhere so he's not forgotten. He has a terrific future as well.
Jeb gets to name his replacement as senator too :o)
I'm a little upset about Steele not getting the job.
Rubbish.
If you don't understand that THAT was the answer, well......
With all respect, if you don't like the answers, don't ask the questions.
PS, re: spin, thank you!
Perhaps you should turn off Hugh Hewitt and turn on Michael Barone, considered the expert on polling data.
It was Hispanics and Catholics, who deserted Bush in droves this time.
I have seen Mr. Martinez in action. He is an excellent choice.
Sorry for the double post everyone.
And Howlin, I voted straight R this election. Unlike our President, I don't see the silver lining as being that his amnesty program gets foisted on us.
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