The Jeb Bush Nobody Knows - Part 8: Why Some FL Dem Voters May "Never Forget" -- and, vote for Jeb

Various information throughout article, including newest announcement here ^ | Jan. 9, 2001 | summer

[Achilleus66]

Anything for you, sweet summer ;-)

[summer]

:)!

[summer]

FYI -- More good news:

Cabinet Approves $35 million land buy for panthers]Jeb thrills FL environmentalists]

[summer]

Hi Dog,

See the text I put in bold in the article below.

In light of what I truthfully wrote and explained in this essay, it's amusing to me that four out of five campaigning Dem gov candidates have now decided not to say to FL voters:

"Never forget what happened in Nov 2000."

LOL...

Article:

Democratic Candidates Blast Bush

Democratic Candidates Blast Bush

Four of the party's gubernatorial hopefuls network at a Polk fund-raiser.

Sunday, February 17, 2002

By BILL RUFTY
The Ledger

LAKELAND -- The Democratic Party in Polk County is back.

At least that was the feeling of officials and rank-and-file party members Saturday night as Democratic candidates for governor came to Lakeland.

The event was the Jefferson- Jackson Dinner at Cleveland Heights Golf & Country Club in Lakeland, and Republican Gov. Jeb Bush was the main course, served up in fiery remarks by the gubernatorial candidates.

State House Democratic leader Lois Frankel, state Sen. Darryl Jones, former Holland & Knight managing partner Bill McBride and former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno all took swipes at Bush, the man each wants to face in this fall's election. The Democrats will compete in the Sept. 10 primary, and the winner will face Bush in the Nov. 5 general election.

The $50-a-plate Lakeland event was a fund-raiser for the Polk County Democratic Executive Committee. Organizers opened an additional room to increase the seating to 243, but they still had to turn down others who wanted to attend, said Polk County Democratic Party Chair Sharon Becker.

"The message is: It is OK to be a Democrat again," Becker said of the crowd. "Our policies make more sense, but they don't fit on a bumper sticker. They are more complicated and more compassionate."

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, the only Democrat to carry Polk County in 2000, could not be at the event, but his 25-year-old daughter, Nan Ellen Nelson, a professional singer, led the audience in "God Bless America" and then sang one of her original songs.

As the candidates arrived, makeshift receiving lines popped up around each, nearly crowding out people trying to find a table.

The four candidates blasted Bush for what they said was his inaction on education, health care and other key social issues.

"His idea of education reform is the FCAT (test), and he uses it as a substitute for the real way to improve education -- paying teachers competitive wages, more attention to the early grades and reducing class size," Frankel said. "He has no plan other than some bill floating around that will allow advertising on school buses."

"Jeb Bush has done nothing with education, health care and the resources that were necessary to move this state ahead," Reno said as she was approached by a long line of well-wishers.

McBride, who gave up dinner to work the tables and shake hands with as many diners as he could, said the party has to get the word out to voters about the current governor.

"He ran on Democratic Party principles and has governed from the far right," McBride said. "He has not served Florida well."

But it was Jones, who suffered at the hands of GOP senators when then-President Clinton tried to appoint him secretary of the Air Force, who had the hottest of the criticisms.

"When you are as close to the situation as I am (in the Florida Senate), you quickly realize that the governor is running this state into the ground," Jones said. "When you know what he is doing and what the possibilities can be, you can either walk into the sunset or stand and fight. And I intend to fight."

A fifth [Dem] candidate, Bob Kunst of Miami, was outside in the parking lot protesting because he was not allowed to sit at the head table and speak.

"I figure they will all split the boring vote, and I'll win the vote of those who are angry," said Kunst, who is traveling the state with placards proclaiming that Bush "stole" the 2000 election for his brother, President Bush.

Mainstream Democrats at the event were careful to distance themselves from Kunst. They said the way for the party to win is to focus on the future and the issues.

Much of the focus inside the building Saturday night was on the Democratic Party's hopes in Polk County.

Among those attending were past and present party movers and shakers, including Homer Hooks and his wife, Lois Harrison, Polk Tax Collector Joe Tedder, unsuccessful congressional candidate Mike Stedem, former Tax Collector Hobson Strain, state party secretary, Juanita Geathers, state Committeeman Bob Grizzard and former state Sen. Scott Kelly of Lakeland, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for governor in 1966.

"I can't recall the last time we had a turnout like this," Kelly said.

He said he hoped the party has learned from past mistakes and will use the successful event as a new start.

"We failed to get the young, bright candidates," Kelly said of the fall of Democratic Party dominance in Polk elective offices that began in 1996. "We sat on our laurels while the other side didn't.

"We have to get out and recruit the best candidates and teach them how to get the message across."

Bill Rufty can be reached at bill.rufty@theledger.com or 863-802-7523.

[Dog Gone]

There is no question that it would be a stupid strategy for a Democrat to run on a theme of the 2000 election mess. Voters have put that behind them and now solidly support the President.

Their task is to try to separate Jeb from George, and make Jeb the issue. At least for 4 out of 5 of them, anyhow.

[summer]

There is no question that it would be a stupid strategy for a Democrat to run on a theme of the 2000 election mess.

I agree -- yet, it is clear to me that some Dems have still not gotten the word to leave behind the theme of Election 2000. Or, they did get this DNC memo, but are choosing to ignore it... :)

[summer]

Dog, Dick Morris on O'Reilly, right now, just said the reason Gore lost 90,000+ votes in FL was due to Gore's failure to support environmental issues down here in FL. And, as my editorial says -- that IS what happened! I don't always agree with him, but I think Morris is right! (And, I was right, too!) The truth comes out at last! :)

[summer]

Dog, BTW, I do realize I am not the first to have thought of this! But, it is just fascinating to me that this conversation about Gore is finally finding its way into more mainstream media. Check out the review, below, and the part I placed in bold, of Morris' new book that he was promoting on O'Reilly:

Power Plays: 20 Top Winning (and Losing) Strategies of History's Greatest Political Leaders
by Dick Morris

List Price: $25.95
Our Price: $18.17 You Save: $7.78 (30%)

This title will be published in/on April 2002 and will be released on April 16, 2002. You may order it now, and we will ship it to you when it arrives.

Hardcover 384 pages

Editorial Reviews

...

From Library Journal
Famed Fox commentator Morris looks at political moves throughout history--from Lincoln's splitting the opposition over slavery to Gore's near-miss at the presidency--to see what principles we can discover.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Book Description

Dick Morris is the frankest and most outspoken political analyst in America today. His commentary on the Clinton White House, the 2000 election, and the rise of George W. Bush has been marked by the sharpeyed political savvy only an insider can bring to bear.Now, in Power Plays, Morris provides a revealing context for the machinations of contemporary politics. Casting an eye across the annals of history, Morris investigates 20 of the most dramatic political moves of all time -- from the wildly effective to the disastrous. From Abraham Lincoln splitting the opposition over slavery, to Winston Churchill's emergence from obscurity to lead Britain through WWII; from Ronald Reagan and his conservative doctrine taking over the country, to George W. Bush co-opting Democratic issues under the banner of "compassionate conservatism" -- Morris illuminates these and many other gambits through his uniquely insightful perspective. Equally compelling on successes and failures of the past -- including the real reason Al Gore lost in 2000.

[Dog Gone]

I missed Morris on TV, but I have to agree with him. The bad thing for Gore is that he's lost those votes to Bush for good. And those same voters will stick with Jeb this time around.

[summer]

I think you're right -- and I predict that will be one of the big "surprises" in November 2002, that FL's Nader voters will vote for Jeb. Those voters are still feeling so hostile to Dems, including Gore. I listened to some of those Nader voters/callers on C-SPAN after Gore's speech, and they are just not with him. We'll see what happens in November...

[Clemenza]

Summer, thanks for linking this article. Remember that Democrat Senator Bob Graham supported the new airport, as did Democrat Miami-Dade "County Mayor" Alex Penisless, er, Penelas.

[summer]

Thanks for your post here, Clemenza, and yes - I do remember! I bet other FL voters remember as well... :)

[summer]

Please forgive my indulgence here, as I am pinging my JEB! list to all 25 threads JUST THIS ONE TIME, on this ONE day so close to the end of Campaign 2002.

I did so in the hope you will simply bump your FAVORITE thread!

I read somewhere that positive news about a candidate at the very last minute will sway an undecided voter to vote for that candidate.

Consequently, this is a one-time, last minute, push -- so please do bump a thread.

Who knows, your bump may be the one that an undecided lurker sees! And, every vote does count.

Thanks for your help here! :)

[kinganamort]

ELECTION BUMP
GO JEB

www.repunk.com