Toni Jennings might be part of devious plot [Jeb's new Lt Gov]

The Orlando Sentinel ^ | March 6, 2003 | Mike Thomas

[summer]

Toni Jennings might be part of devious plot

Published March 6, 2003

Mike Thomas

Is Toni Jennings just another one of Jeb Bush's devious plots?

And does Toni have a devious plot of her own brewing?

These are devious days indeed.

Let's start with Jeb, who began all this deviousness when he claimed before the election to have a "devious plot" to defeat the class-size amendment even if voters passed it.

He faces two big problems during this legislative session. He is facing a rebellious Senate and outraged education establishment.

On top of that, he has to make sure his brother carries Florida in 2004. A key to that will be winning moderate votes in Central Florida. So for his lieutenant governor, Jeb picked a Central Florida woman who is a former Senate president, former teacher and longtime education proponent.

Toni is a perfect fit.

The question is whether that is all she is, or if she actually will have input into Jeb's conservative policies....

She certainly has the credentials and skills to be a good governor....

Mike Thomas can be reached at 407-420-5525 or mthomas@orlandosentinel.com.

[caltrop]

Bush won because: (1)McBride fell on his face when Tim Russert asked him how much the class size amendment would cost and he didn't know - even though it was something he very vocally supported and (2)the Republican Party of Florida spent every dime it could get its hands on on JEB. Had McBride had an answer to the question, any specific answer sufficient to demonstrate he'd thought about the cost, the race would have been close and possibly an upset.

[JohnnyZ]

Jennings is considered a moderate. Can't find her specific failings from a quick Google search, but maybe someone will fill us in.

Jeb won because he is an outstanding governor, and despite the loads of money DEMOCRATS spent on the race.

[summer]

Jeb won because he is an outstanding governor, and despite the loads of money DEMOCRATS spent on the race.

I agree with you on that, JohnnyZ. But, I also think it was crucial to promote and distribute information about his outstanding record, because the only claim the Democrats ever made in that race was their candidate was "not" Jeb. (And, "so what?" was the only response I ever had to that.) I don't think it was ever close to being an upset. I believed from the start Gov Bush would win in a landslide, no matter who the Dems had to run against him.

[summer]

Charlie Bronson is ...definitely a conservative Republican.

OK, I just did a search on google and confirmed that, but, caltrop, who is it that I am thinking of, because that person IS a Dem -- the person I had in mind was one of the three people who, in Election 2000, was on the committee with Gov Bush before Gov Bush recused himself from that committee because of a conflict of interest with his brother being the presidential candidate with the vote recount. Gov Bush was one of three people originally on that committee, and one of the three WAS a male and a Democrat, who I thought was Bronson, but now I realize it wasn't him -- so, who was it?

[summer]

Re your post #21 - caltrop, You should have read the Dem sites' posters comments because they were trashing McBride long before Tim Russert came along. There was a lot of animosity between the Reno supporters and the McBride supporters, and let's face it, McBride never won over her supporters. Without the Dem base -- and without independents and Hispanics, as these groups I believe went heavily for Gov Bush -- there was no way McBride was going to win or even come close. In short, McBride had plenty of problems before Russert interviewed hm.

[caltrop]

You're thinking of Bob Crawford. He used to be Commissioner of Agriculture, was (maybe still is) a Democrat and supported Bush over Gore in 2000. JEB appointed him to head the Citrus Commission and Charlie Bronson left the Senate to go to Agriculture.

[caltrop]

The people who favored Reno in the primary would have, and I'm sure did, vote 99% against JEB - regardless of who the Democrats had on the ballot. The election was decided by the independents. When McBride failed to have an estimate of the cost of the class size amendment he lost the election.

[Lancey Howard]

When McBride failed to have an estimate of the cost of the class size amendment he lost the election.

That is too easy.
Politicians are constantly put on the spot with questions for which they have no answer. Most candidates find a way to dance around these questions or brush them off with a smile. There were several other times, especially during the debates, where McBride seemed to flounder. It all had a cumulative effect.

McBride lost because Bush was a stronger candidate, by far. Even the scumbag Democrat "anger factor" couldn't elect McBride.

[caltrop]

Fair enough, but if you had to point to the precise moment it was when he fell on his face in response to Russert's question.

Bush was an extremely weak candidate, astonishingly so given the amount of support he's received from the Republican Party of Florida's leadership over the past dozen or so years. In September of last year, Bush was unable to break 50% in voter approval and in voters' intention to reelect. Bush won because McBride shot himself in the foot - the voters were more than willing to vote for him if he appeared resonable.

[summer]

You're thinking of Bob Crawford

Yes, you're absolutely right on that - thank you, caltrop! :)

[summer]

The people who favored Reno in the primary would have, and I'm sure did, vote 99% against JEB

I disagree - I don't think they bothered going to the polls at all. I believe they simply stayed home and sat it out. McBride did not inspire them in the least.

[summer]

McBride lost because Bush was a stronger candidate, by far.

Yes, I certainly agree with you on that, Lancey Howard.

[summer]

re your post #29 - caltrop, you can spin the FL gov race till h*ll freezes over, but this bottom line remains true: Gov Bush won it in a landslide. :)

[caltrop]

No argument here. JEB won the election, he's the Governor.

[summer]

caltrop, You are always a great source of info and a good sport when chatting with me. Thanks. :)

[Lancey Howard]

Bush was an extremely weak candidate

???
Are we talking about the same Jeb Bush?
I agree that Jeb went a little too far in appeasing the education mafia and some of the other liberal goofball interests, but Jeb was by no means a "weak candidate", in my opinion.

[caltrop]

You bet we are. In late summer his reelect numbers were lousy. JEB didn't win as much as McBride lost.

[JohnnyZ]

I don't believe in reelect numbers.

Lies, damn lies, and statistics!!!

[summer]

From US News: Washington Whispers via Drudge, today:

Jeb vs. Hillary

With Republicans expecting President Bush to roll to reelection in 2004, their focus is fast turning to 2008 and whom the GOP will run against expected Democratic nominee Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Now, Whispers is told that Florida Gov. Jeb Bush looks strong. "If Jeb is in the mix" for the nomination, says a top GOP official, "it's his."

PS Thanks, FV.