Graham's long run to White House starts with short speech

The Miami Herald ^ | 4/13/03 | Tyler Bridges

[Gothmog]

It will likely be simply one of the thousands of speeches that U.S. Sen. Bob Graham gives in a political career that began in 1966.

But if Graham can beat the odds somehow to find the political jet stream and reach the White House next year, his speech Saturday at the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center will be remembered as his first public appearance in Florida as a presidential candidate.

Graham spoke for only 10 minutes before about 200 worshipers in a synagogue that was three-fourths full. He called for rebuilding Iraq and a renewed emphasis on combatting terrorism.

The synagogue's president, Mark Gordon, was aware of the potential implications of Graham's appearance, telling the congregation, ``We're honored he's chosen to make this the first step.''

Afterward, Gordon held a fundraiser for Graham at his Aventura home for about 30 Jewish supporters. It was the second Florida fundraiser for the senator's campaign.

''He has been tremendously supportive of our people and the state of Israel,'' said Gordon, who owns a company with the potentially apt name President Aviation.

Later Saturday, Graham flew to Los Angeles to begin his first campaign trip as one of the Democrats attempting to unseat President Bush next year.

He will meet with campaign donors in Los Angeles today, in San Francisco Monday and in the Silicon Valley town of Palo Alto on Tuesday. He said that he will spend 80 percent of his time raising money through the fall.

On Wednesday, he will fly to New Hampshire, where he will hold campaign events Thursday and Friday.

After the Iowa caucus on Jan. 19, New Hampshire is scheduled to hold the nation's first primary on Jan. 27.

In his speech at the synagogue, Graham said now that a military victory in Iraq seems assured, the U.S. government must just as effectively rebuild the country. The U.S. government, he said, has been better at waging war in recent years than at keeping the peace afterward.

Haiti, for example, ''arguably is in worse condition than before our occupation,'' said Graham, who wore a yarmulke on his head and tallit on his shoulders for the speech.

Graham noted that he voted against the Bush administration's request last year to wage war against Iraq and said he did so because he believes al Qaeda and terrorists allied with Syria present a greater threat. He said he believes the antiterrorism focus needs to be on them.

In an interview afterward, Graham repeated his position that the United States ought to consider launching cruise missiles or another form of warfare on terrorist camps in Syria after giving Syria time to dismantle the camps.

''We should lead the international community in dealing with that issue,'' he said.

Graham delayed the beginning of his presidential campaign because of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and his Jan. 31 heart surgery.

His wife, Adele, seemed particularly attuned to his health Saturday, greeting a group of reporters by saying, ``Doesn't he look good? He's lost 12 pounds.''

Graham, who prides himself on his precision, said afterward that he weighed 192 pounds before surgery and now weighs 176 ¾ pounds.

''I feel very well,'' he said.

[Gothmog]

"In an interview afterward, Graham repeated his position that the United States ought to consider launching cruise missiles or another form of warfare on terrorist camps in Syria after giving Syria time to dismantle the camps."

I hadn't heard this before. What a war monger!

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[anniegetyourgun]

Apparently he doesn't feel well enough to address the judicial nominee quagmire in the Senate. This jerk thinks he wants to lead the nation but can't even lead his party out of that crisis. He's a waste.

[jmaroneps37]

graham cracker is running for one reason: He is de facto being 'term limited' out of office. For those who don't understand the situation in Florida, I'll explain.
In 1996 the Florida Assembly flipped almost exactly from one side to another. Where the rats controlled it around 80-40 it went to 40-80 against them. We got firm control of the Senate as well. At that time, things turned so bad for the rats that they nobody wanted to be in charge of candidate recruitment and fund raising. The state rat committee had a bright idea " hey! lets put a black man in charge. It's about time!" The problem was that no black person would bite. One even flipped to Republican over his anger. In July during election years in Fla, one must declare candidacy. In Ft. Lauderdale Assemblywoman Anne McKenzie was "Outed" as NOT EVEN LIVING in her district. She left her office immediately, not at the end of her term but immediately in July, during declaration week.
Things like this have happened all over Florida at a steady pace ever since. Now how does this effect graham cracker?
There is no rat party in Florida. Oh they still get re elected in the hard core anti American big three down state counties, but they are history elsewhere.
Jeb's election showed that hundreds of thousands of new Republicans have flooded the rolls all over Fla. Finally, a poll done three weeks before the election, amongst only voters that speak only Spanish, showed they favored Bush by an incredible 90-10!
If graham doesn't run for president he won't win his seat back anyway - so why not take a lottery ticket on the big one? clinocchio won it in 92, gotta be in it to win it.