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.
Yeah, he's a rino with a lifetime ACU rating of 96%.
This move is an unmitigated disaster for the GOP.....Martinez will prove utterly ineffective as Chairman of the RNC...we need a full time rawhider...not a part time equivocator
Wonderful, another one issue Republican.
Idiocy
I am an Orlando attorney, and I know Mel Martinez personally. I've dealt with him on a professional basis. Years ago, my wife babysitted his kids. He's a nice guy, and a good attorney. I'm not sure he is the right man for this job, though.
Having said that, I do think that he was probably appointed in the hopes that he'd mend fences with the Hispanic voters, which does make some sense.
What's good about this?
Looks like another bad move.
ROVE is a genius.
Martinez will come in handy when the 30 million illegals are given citizenship.
He will be able to speak to them in spainish and tell the when to vote, how often to vote and who to vote for.
ROVE... YOU MAGNICIENT BASTARD.
Mel Martinez is a life NRA member.
Pro-amnesty. Co-authored the Hagel-Martinez amnesty legislation. No way.
http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/_wsj-sandra_day.htm
I don't have anything against Mel Martinez - I just question the wisdom of having a Senator serving as the chairman - I believe we need someone serving in the position full time and a Senator cannot do that.
This loser supports the shamnesty. For that reason alone I will do what ever I can to stop him. Sealing the border is issue one.
If the Republicans vote for an amnesty bill, they're toast in 2008. It would become just another billion dollar welfare bill.
Hey, off topic, but wasn't Adrian Conauer the guy from Good Morning Viet Nam??
susie
Thank you MindBender - I appreciate your insight. I find it amazing that people start yelling RINO when his ACU score is 95 and 100%. It's a shame we have such an appetite for our own...
My thoughts exactly. I thought U.S. Senator and leader of the RNC were both full-time jobs. How on earth can a guy be effective in both positions?
I guess we should be grateful that Vicente Fox was not awarded the job.
I see you're a political consultant.
Do you work for Martinez?
That's an excellent way to persuade people to your point of view. Call them names and insult them. Very impressive.
susie
Yes, and he is as wild and fun today as he was then.... or even more so.
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