Posted on 06/25/2002 5:45:36 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
Did you hear it last night?
A thunderous, whooshing noise coming from somewhere near downtown Miami?
That was the sound of Miami's bid to host the 2004 Democratic National Convention being flushed down the proverbial toilet by Alex Penelas. Last night, our Democratic mayor held a fundraiser for Mario Diaz-Balart's Republican congressional campaign.
''Mario's a friend,'' Penelas said Monday before the $250-per-person event at Perricone's Marketplace. ``That goes beyond anything else.''
Penelas, without a hint of sarcasm, said he believes hosting a fundraiser for a Republican will actually strengthen Miami's chances of landing the Democratic convention. Miami is one of five cities vying for the event.
''It helps us with both the Republican and the Democratic conventions,'' he said. ``We are trying to put on a very bipartisan effort.''
Not everyone shares the mayor's rose-colored view of things.
''This is terrible,'' said a local Democrat active with the national party. ``This is an out-and-out betrayal. It's embarrassing for the party. It's embarrassing for the city's efforts to bring the convention to Miami. And it's just plain dumb.''
The dumb part was placing his name on the flier.
''The Honorable Mayor Alex Penelas & Herman Echevarria cordially invite you to attend a fundraising reception to support Mario Diaz-Balart, candidate for U.S. Congress,'' states the flier, faxed to deep-pocketed individuals who regularly do business with the county.
Echevarria, a Republican, is one of the mayor's closest allies and has exploited that relationship for years, weaseling his way into numerous deals at County Hall.
Truth be told, it isn't really shocking to learn Penelas is supporting Mario Diaz-Balart, the younger brother of Lincoln, already a member of Congress. Penelas has had a Faustian pact with the Diaz-Balart clan for years. He supports them, and in turn they run interference for the mayor with Republicans.
Some Democrats suspect it was the Diaz-Balarts who persuaded Penelas to abandon Al Gore in the final weeks of the presidential election and turn his back on the former vice president during the recount. Nationally, Democrats are still peeved with Penelas over that boondoggle. Since the recount, Democratic leaders locally have been trying to mend fences with the national party hierarchy. Trying to lure the Democratic convention to Miami was an important first step.
On July 18, the site selection committee for the Democratic National Committee is scheduled to arrive in Miami to look the town over.
On the eve of that visit, Penelas is doing cartwheels for Diaz-Balart.
''It's nuts,'' a Democrat says.
''I'm surprised,'' said Annie Betancourt, the likely Democratic nominee to challenge Diaz-Balart. ``I've been a loyal Democrat for years. I've got the scars on my back to prove it. And for the mayor to host a fundraiser for a Republican.''
Betancourt's voice trailed off.
''I'm sure that will raise some eyebrows in Washington,'' she added.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the DNC refused to comment on Penelas' fundraiser. Privately, Democrats say DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe is furious with Penelas.
Who can blame him? The problem here isn't Penelas deciding to support a friend. It's that he is so arrogant, he doesn't think the rules apply to him.
''I support lots of Republicans and lots of Democrats,'' he blithely says.
The result is that Democrats don't trust him, and Republicans -- while they may not try to kill him -- won't really help him, either.
No wonder Penelas is lousy at bringing home the bacon.
According to the news media, when a Republican supports a Demmycrat, it is an act of wise bipartisanship but when a Demmycrat supports a Republican, it is a lousy stab-in-the-back betrayal.
''This is terrible,'' said a local Democrat active with the national party. ``This is an out-and-out betrayal. It's embarrassing for the party. It's embarrassing for the city's efforts to bring the convention to Miami. And it's just plain dumb.''
Somehow I don't think this same person was using this same language during the Jeffords defection.
I see him all the time at local events and every time he locks eyes with me, I can see him remembering that stinging defeat. He truly hates all gunowners, but especially 2nd Amendment activists. So anything that happens to him that is bad politically, I have to grin....'cause he has been mentioned more than once as a possible veep candidate by the Dems. Not anymore, I guess. LOL
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