WH/GOP have bailed on Katherine Harris

[Rose Siding]

TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Jeb Bush and the White House are pushing House Speaker Allan Bense to challenge fellow Republican Katherine Harris for the U.S. Senate, fearing her candidacy would damage the GOP's chances in that race and the governor's contest next year.
...
Gov. Bush and Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, are among those who have reached out to Bense since Harris declared her candidacy last week.

President Bush's political adviser, Karl Rove, also has lent support to the Bense recruitment effort, several Republican sources said.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-asecbense17061705jun17,0,1693760.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state

[dogday]

1. That just goes to show they screw people who help them, they

screw people who don't help them, they just screw people period.

[acmejack]

2. Maybe it will PO her so bad she'll talk!

Now that would be something!

[Ravy]

8. As much as I would hate seeing her face on TV again....

... I am sure I would watch her spilling the beans about 2000.

[Eloriel]

16. She can't without incriminating herself, which is unlikely.

The arrogant bastards know they're safe.

[Kurovski]

32. And she may be wary of coming down

with a bad case of suicide.

[Rainscents]

17. Amen!

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Of course

They have to keep their hands clean. Once you've served your purpose, goodbye. Must be nice being a republican.

[DemoTex]

3. Et tu, Brute?

They are eating their own again I see.

[AaronforAmerica]

7. Gallagher or Crist

Any word on whether Gallaher or Crist are reconsidering switching over from the Gov race to take her on?

www.StopJohnBolton.com

[Orangepeel]

26. that seems unlikely.

they have both been itching to be governor for a long time and would be unlikely to switch over knowing that jeb and rove were courting someone else.

[NV Whino]

4. I think this is good news

But it's hard to tell.

[gratuitous]

5. Nah, Katherine will just stay in her safe House seat

She'll get re-elected long enough to qualify for a federal pension, then vanish and become a question in Trivial Pursuit Turn of the Century Edition to come out in 2014.

[DemBones DemBones]

10. I think she'll be very unhappy if she can't move up in politics.

No staying contentedly in the House for her! It would be great if she got pissed off enough to rat out the Bushes. We can dream. . .

[gratuitous]

11. She strikes me as more of a "used" than a "user"

Which means I don't think she has much ambition beyond what her fascist overlords hand her. She might have developed a will of her own, which would be extraordinarily dangerous to the Bushistas, but she seems content to do what she's told for now.

[wicket]

6. You lie with dogs, you're gonna get fleas

Couldn't have happened to a more deserving person!

[paula777]

9. The only reason the monkey is in office is because of Cruella

Boy, they have no loyalty, do they.

[Blue_Roses]

12. WOW

these people are ruthless. :rofl: Harris hands Bush the presidency and they turn their back on her...omg...nothing could be sweeter:bounce:

[warrens]

13. As they tell Flounder in Animal House

After they total his father's car. "You fucked up. You trusted us."

[Fla Dem]

23. That's what they should say to everyone who voted for them. nt

[OneTwentyoNine]

27. Nope, brothers car......

But your right about the trusting part....

[senseandsensibility]

14. Taking eating their own

to a new level. I used to laugh when mediawhores gushed about how "loyal" this administration was. The only thing they're loyal to is money. It serves Harris right, of course.

[riskpeace]

15. Bense will run, locals predict.

Allan Bense is gonna run.

[wryter2000]

18. Unless I misunderstood

Harris was one of the R's who voted against funding for library and bookstore searches. That was a surprise to me.

[gordianot]

19. Hope she gets mad and tells what she knows!

[Roland99]

28. She'll end up with all-expenses paid trip to Gator Alley.

[gordianot]

29. LOL Pity the Gators.

[Roland99]

30. Her makeup alone will turn it into a SuperFund site.

[gordianot]

31. It would be in character but alas the SuperFund is not what it used to be.

Just disgraceful how Bushco treats the environment.

[Al-CIAda]

36. Damn, thats funny. n/t

[Me.]

20. Couldn't Happen To A More Deserving Person

So deliciously ironic.

[bleever]

21. Calling Ken Blackwell...hello Mr. Blackwell...this is your future calling.

Not the lake of flames or orange jumpsuit, just the near-term political future.

:)

[Ikonoklast]

22. My sentiments exactly

Nat'l repugs will kick Blackwell to the curb faster than Harris was used up. "We got what we needed, now please just go away. If not, we'll leak some dirt on you to our press and ruin your life. Karl."

[FreedomAngel82]

25. I think so too

Isn't he running for the governorship in Ohio? I don't think he'll get it. Nobody will come to him because of what happened in 2004 there and the coin scandal. They don't want to get caught.

[elizm]

33. Sweet justice n/t

[tallahasseedem]

34. Nice. Maybe she will get pissed and turn on them.

Fun for all.

[Awsi Dooger]

35. The GOP is admirably hands on in isolating candidates nationwide

The responses in this thread miss the point. This is emblematic of what Rove and Co. have done since taking office and particularly since the 2002 midterm. Instead of merely sitting back and allowing individual states to identify their own flawed candidates the White House has virtually dictated who the nominee will be. The only significant time it failed was in 2002 when Rove backed Reardon in California and he was defeated in the primary by one of the most incompetent candidates of all time in Simon. After that disaster they found the recall loophole, and other states have been much more reluctant to ignore the White House handicapping. I think it's brilliant and I'm more livid we don't follow suit with a national party head than anything going on in our party right now.

Of course, if your handicapping royally sucks then perhaps it's best to remain on the sidelines and observe. Isolating a bland New England senator like Kerry last year was hardly our best move given the necessity to oust an incumbent. We overstated a war record to absurd degree as opposed to basic likeability and ability to sway independents and the critical block of white women. I wish that was irrelevant Monday morning QBing but myself and many others on DU emphasized it ahead of time.