Letter from RPOF Chairman Al Cardenas -- Focus Email on Bush/Mcbride campaign

Letter from RPOF Chairman Al Cardenas -- Focus Email on Bush/Mcbride campaign

The few people who are jumping into the political waters offered by Democrat Bill McBride are finding themselves standing in a very shallow pool. There is no vision; there are no new ideas. There are only the vague ramblings of a man who thinks tooting the one-note horn handed him by the teacher's union bosses ought to be enough.

It's not nearly enough, of course. Anyone seeking to be elected governor of the fourth largest state ought to respect the people enough to offer up detailed ideas. So far, the only new ideas are coming from the campaign of Gov. Jeb Bush.

Just as he did four years ago, Gov. Bush is presenting the voters with a clear agenda. Just this week, for instance, Gov. Bush unveiled a package of anti-crime measures called a "Blueprint for Safety." The package is designed to protect Floridians from some of the most dangerous elements of our society.

The Blueprint for Safety consists of three major initiatives. First, it will put in place a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 25 years for repeat sex offenders or even first-time sex offenders if a jury deems them to be especially dangerous. Second, the proposal will increase the security and safety of sex crime victims by making it easier for them to get restraining orders against their attackers once the attacker is released from prison. Third, it will let victims of a single sexual assault obtain a restraining order. Current law requires proof of repeated attacks before a restraining order can be issued.

Crime victims and their support groups are already applauding Gov. Bush for this initiative. Florida's crime rate is the lowest it has been in about 30 years, thanks to Jeb's leadership in this area and the Blueprint for Safety will compliment his earlier efforts.

And what is McBride's anti-crime package, you ask? Good question. It's a question he was asked in the first debate and was unable to answer. His mindset is reflected in the words of his spokesman, Alan Stonecipher, who said in the Tampa Tribune that crime "is not a burning issue around the state."

Tell that to a woman who was the victim of a sexual assault and can't get a restraining order until it happens a few more times. Tell it to the woman who lives in fear of a former attacker getting out of prison. Crime isn't an important issue to Bill McBride because his little one-note horn can't play that tune. But it's certainly important to crime victims and their loved ones, and to people who understand the only way to have less crime is to get tough on it, not ignore it.

Yes, the McBride campaign is standing in a shallow pool. And on November 5th, the waters will swirl down the drain.

"'The latest ranting from teachers union boss Maureen Dinnen exposes her true colors,' said RPOF Chairman Al Cardenas. 'Her thirst for power has blinded her to the needs and concerns of real teachers and parents. She spends her every waking moment accusing the Governor of not doing enough, then springs to the attack every time he proposes a new initiative designed to help teachers or improve our schools.

"'The reality is now clear. The union bosses are ignoring what should be their core mission and are dedicating themselves - and the dues teachers pay - almost exclusively to pushing their liberal political agenda. At the expense - literally - of teachers throughout Florida, they are promoting the beliefs of a few of the union's most liberal, partisan members.

"'Dinnen and her cohorts care more about protecting their own power than actually helping teachers and improving education. They are adamantly against anything that weakens their stranglehold on salaries and benefits for teachers - regardless of how much it helps the men and women dedicated to helping our children learn.'"

Gov. Bush this week unveiled "Blueprint for Safety," tough-on-criminals initiatives that will protect Floridians from sex offenders.

"Over the last four years, we have worked hard with our law enforcement community to strengthen Florida's sentencing laws, making it easier to put dangerous criminals behind bars and keep them there. As a result of these laws, and our partnership with law enforcement, our communities and families are safer, and Florida's crime rate is the lowest it's been in 29 years." Gov. Jeb Bush, Office of the Governor, 10-9-02

"Corporate lawyer Bill McBride, who regularly seems to alter his messages and views to increase his appeal to whatever audience he is speaking to, once told a White House conference on poverty law and pro-bono work that he lives in a 'poor area' of Florida, and that his 'neighbors' live in mobile homes. In fact, McBride is a millionaire who lives in a $550,000 lakefront home built on his $370,000 grove, and his wife reported income of over $6 million during the last two years alone. McBride's closest 'neighbors' live in palatial compounds of their own.

During a July 20th, 1999 White House conference, McBride introduced former President Bill Clinton. In his introduction, McBride spoke at length about the importance of pro-bono work, and the need for lawyers to represent the poor. Then, in a Gore-like attempt to exaggerate his personal story and add credibility to his remarks, McBride stated, 'I live in a poor area of my state. The only time many of my neighbors see a lawyer is when the lawyer is representing the mobile home park owner evicting them or taking their car because of a defaulted title loan charging 80% interest. Often just access to a lawyer can save them from unfair misery.'

"McBride has a long history of trying to be all things to all audiences. Just yesterday, the Bush campaign revealed that in St. Petersburg, McBride claimed he supported increased gun control, but in more conservative Jacksonville, he said that he did not support more gun laws. This repeated habit has caused the Miami Herald to write that McBride has 'a propensity to shift his message depending on the audience.'" (9/9/02)

Excerpts from an article by Wes Allison and Lucy Morgan in the St. Pete Times on 10-11-02:

"Bill McBride, the Democratic nominee for governor, made off-color remarks about a decade ago at a gathering of Holland & Knight lawyers and apologized after some listeners were offended. "Three lawyers who heard McBride's attempt at humor as he introduced a longtime friend said Thursday that his words fell flat and made many listeners uncomfortable. They said he made a crude reference to a woman's breasts and indirectly referred to a man's genitals.

"'Everyone had a jaw hanging down,' Terry McCullough, a former Holland & Knight lawyer who was there, recalled Thursday. "Lawyers who recounted McBride's comments this week said several lawyers at the meeting found the remarks inappropriate.

"The incident occurred about the time McBride became managing partner of Holland & Knight, the nation's seventh-largest law firm, in 1992.

"Several said McBride's remarks were insensitive to women. 'The next morning some of the women were saying, was that dumb? Yeah,' said Linda C. Kane, a Holland & Knight partner."

"While taking a pleasant stroll through a warehouse district the other day, I heard a great ruckus and the sound of hammering and sawing coming from behind a half-open garage door.

"I peeked inside and saw a number of Democrats. They were huddled in a circle around a work table, obviously laboring hard and as fast as they could. Now and then one of them would bang a thumb with a hammer and yelp in pain.

"'We're building Bill McBride's environmental platform,' their leader offered. 'We have to have one by Saturday.'

"'I'll tell you his environmental platform,' he snorted, nostrils flying. 'He's not Jeb $%^$ Bush. That's his environmental platform.'

"But the others tried to hush him up, and assured me there really, really was one.

"I asked if I could see the environmental platform, and they stepped aside. Of course, it was still a work in progress, not even nailed down all the way around, and they hadn't put any finish on it yet. Also, there were a few stray wires sticking out.

"I pointed to at a couple of planks on the back side, halfway hidden from view. 'Excuse me,' I said, 'but aren't these left over from Bill's law firm?'

"Somebody flipped a switch and the McBride Environmental Platform jerked to life. It shuddered a few times before settling into a putt-putt rhythm. A light on the side of the box flickered on and off several times. A little bell rang and a piece of paper spit out.

"'Bill McBride's education policy will improve all aspects of life for Floridians,' the paper said.

"'I think you made a mistake,' I pointed out. 'It's talking about education policy, not environmental policy.'

"'But that is the McBride environmental platform,' Bearded Guy replied. 'Same as his economic platform, his criminal justice platform and his everything-else platform. Better schools will make them all better.'

"'Let me see his education platform then,' I said. Eagerly, they ran over to a closet and pulled out another little box that was almost identical, except that it appeared well-worn. After the same warm-up and rigamarole, it produced another slip of paper, which they handed to me proudly.

"'On the topic of better schools,' it said, 'Bill McBride is in favor of them.'"

Governor Jeb Bush and First Lady Columba Bush this week joined African American leaders from throughout the state at the Victory 2002 African American Leadership event in Orlando.

"Columba and I are so pleased to be here today with our friends and supporters at this great event. Your leadership and commitment to our state is immeasurable. Your support means so much to me, to Columba and Frank, and your dedication and hard work will take us to victory in November." Gov. Jeb Bush, Office of the Governor, 10-7-02

I don't have favorite in the Governors race. However, it is amazing to witness the hypocracy of those who do.

Don't necessarily consider the fact that someone in the military is the best qualified candidate. After spending over 20+ years around the AF, I would guarantee that serving in the military even in a combat zone does not qualify one to be Governor or any other office. In fact, some people I have known in the military are the least qualified. You minimize military experience, when it doesn't fit Jeb. Bill Clinton would probably agree with your logic

Somehow flying a plane even as a member of the National Guard takes a lot of skill and they could have been called into combat but the mission of that wing was to protect our borders. You enhance military experience when it applies to the President. Bill Clinton would probably reject your logic.

I think you have gotten disoriented with your attempt to tie a US Marine combat veteran to the draft dodging clinton, and you are marching backards. There are a lot more brave US Marines that will soon be going into combat. They deserve a better future than to be compared to bill clinton when they are no longer useful to your political agenda.

Meanwhile, I raised your point about Reno to my Demo acquaintance, and he said she nevertheless did quite well in Southern Florida (where the Battista Cubans have the most influence, ironically enough).

That's because the majority of Cuban Americans in South Florida are REGISTERED REPUBLICANS and COULD NOT vote in the Democratic Primary in South Florida. The two largest Democratic voting blocks in South Florida are the Jews and the blacks and both voted heavily for Reno.

You're welcome!

Are you referring to Senator Inhofe's speech in which he went to the Senate floor and chastised Clinton for the China technology sale/transfer that jeopardized our security? What a first post! The story that followed that speech - when the propeller mysteriously came off his plane while he was flying it and he had to glide in to survive - was interesting. Your Senator Inhofe is NOT among the spineless!

Yes, the RPOF does an excellent job. Your added touches when posting just make it better!

Hi ghostrider, I have not seen your posts in awhile. And, as I recall, you and I don't usually agree, but, here I think I will perhaps side with you by making this one point.

A person I know who is a very thoughtful voter and does not toe a party line recently said to me he feels all candidates for an office that has the power to send men in to war should have served in our nation's military and he wished this too was a requirement for the job of Commander in Chief.

I post this person's opinion not to slight GW or Gov. Bush, but merely to add the fact that IMO, many average voters want people with military experience in political office, if said office includes the power to send our nation's sons and daughters to war.

Also in the service: Tom Daschle, Jimmy Carter, Ramsey Clark, Oliver Stone, etc.,....

And as the only college graduate in his Marine company, McBride eventually saw the war through the prism of a socio-economically-skewed America. "Lower middle class to poor kids were being asked to die for their country, but had the least stake in what was going on," figured McBride. "An experience like that shows the awesome power of government. Making decisions that change people's lives."Link

McBride was there, but he sure didn't have a clue who was fighting for our side and why.

Those "poor kids" had a great deal at stake, Mr. McBride. That's why the vast majority of them - most over 20, most middle class or above - volunteered to serve to protect and defend the freedom they know our country stands for. Most of them knew that Communism is a failed and deadly system...especially for the "little guy".

Will the Real Vietnam Vet Stand Up?, by B.G. Burkett and Glenna Whitley. Excerpts from Stolen Valor: How The Vietnam Generation Was Robbed Of its Heroes And its History

About his stance on gun rights, please check out Joe Brower's thread titled The "F-Troop": Florida Gov. Candidate Bill McBride/Lt. Gov. Tom Rossin, put out by the Unified Sportsmen of Florida. McBride's running mate Tom Rossin is anti-gun rights. As for McBride, you can read the following comments and decide for yourself:

It isn't McBride's noble Marine service that paints him as a Clinton soulmate, it's his own people and McBride's long time far left activism. There are military men and women who are fighting for a another version of America. Chris Matthews said that Hillary Clinton once said she pledged allegiance "to the America our country could be." That's the philosophy of today's Democratic leadership, including Bill McBride.

If you're a far left Democrat, McBride's your man. He's running as a moderate because that's the only way far left Democrats can get elected.

Cut through the talk to McBride's position on issues:

"But when it comes to core ideology, no one in the field outflanks him on the left. That, of course, could be a ruinous niche nationally, but not statewide."

"He's unabashedly supportive of public schools and teachers and activist on behalf of the environment and minority inclusion. He sees the value in unions and the good in affirmative action. He believes gays and lesbians should enjoy the same legal rights and benefits as married couples. He is, as he has said, a "proud and unapologetic Democrat.""

"To suggest that any private school is better than a public school is disgraceful…" Bill McBride.
Link

If you're still not sure, his wife Alex Sink, is a longtime feminist and big $$$ donor to far left causes, a member of "Emily's List" who has donated campaign $$$ to terrorist apologist Cynthia McKinney among others.
Alex Sink's Political Contributions
McBride's Political Contributions.

McBride was there, but he sure didn't have a clue who was fighting for our side and why.

Hey! The man volunteered to fight a war for his country at time when most Americans evaded, when many dodged, an when some fled. He volunteered for the US Marines, who were widely known to get many of the toughest battle assignments. He was there when it counted for you and for me. He earned better than to have some "Ragtime Cowgirl" belittle his sacrifices.

If you were half as astute as "Summer" in the comments above, you would realize and acknowledge that. Acknowledgement of facts and truth in no way provides support to one's opponent. It provides support to the integrity, honesty and credibility to the person offering the acknowledgment. The reverse is also true, and it says much about the lack of integrity, honesty and credibility of the person attempting to distort the facts.

I don't like McBride's malignant liberal politics any more than other conservatives, but I am equally revulsed by those who belittle America's soldiers and veterans for the sacrifices that they have made - especially when the comments come from those who weren't there and/or didn't serve and fight. I think I read that that evil, vile, disgusting, serpent-head James Carville was a US Marine at one time. If so, then I would never belittle him for that. Somewhere, every polluted cloud must have a silver lining - even in his case. Carville's malignantly liberal and deciteful political record is so wide open for view, that he can be easily attacked on facts.

No one has to spin away the truth. So it is with McBride. After belittling his military service, you hit his record. Fair enough, it was easy enough to slam him for that. If you can't stoop so low as to acknowledge a combat veteran's record of courage and patriotism, you could just ignore it and strike at his public record. You can and did hit him pretty good at that.

A person I know who is a very thoughtful voter and does not toe a party line recently said to me he feels all candidates for an office that has the power to send men in to war should have served in our nation's military and he wished this too was a requirement for the job of Commander in Chief. I post this person's opinion not to slight GW....?

I am sure you had no intention of slighting the President - and you did not. President Bush was a fighter pilot. As such, he was one of the "cream-de-la-cream." He was one of the Air Force's best. Everyone should respect him for that. The very process of becoming a fighter pilot subjected him to the life threatening stresses and critical split second decisions that now prove valuable to him.

ME: >>Meanwhile, I raised your point about Reno to my Demo acquaintance, and he said she nevertheless did quite well in Southern Florida (where the Battista Cubans have the most influence, ironically enough). <<

You: >>>That's because the majority of Cuban Americans in South Florida are REGISTERED REPUBLICANS and COULD NOT vote in the Democratic Primary in South Florida. The two largest Democratic voting blocks in South Florida are the Jews and the blacks and both voted heavily for Reno.<<<

Me again: Well, the Demos are hoping that Reno's campaigning for McBride in South Florida will get the Democrats to show up on Nov. 5th. Meanwhile, evidently she can't annoy the Cuban coalition into not voting for McBride because they will vote Republican anyway. OUR hope, however, is that she'll inspire the Cuban population to turn out in drove$ to support Jeb. But the Demos think they'll do so anyway, and meanwhile her endorsement of McBride will put him over the edge.

What are the latest poll results, generally speaking. Is McBride still down by 6%?

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