To those who would lead, Florida is back in play

[mia]

"Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., wears a U.S. flag pin...."


AP PHOTO/JAE C. HONG



...Obama will be the keynote speaker on Friday at the annual luncheon hosted by the Cuban American National Foundation honoring Cuban Independence Day....

Alfredo Balsera, one of Obama's fundraisers and a Latino adviser, called Obama's decision a "bold" move to reach out to the politically influential but traditionally conservative foundation that many Democrats have shied away from in past campaigns....

Balsera said Obama can appeal to Cuban-American voters on issues like high gas prices and the economy as well as his view on keeping the Cuban embargo but loosening restrictions on travel and sending money to relatives in the country.

"The fact that he is coming here in person to deliver that message himself and to present himself to leaders of the community is incredibly powerful," Balsera said.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080517/NEWS/805170524/0/FRONTPAGE



I hope Obama is well-received in Miami. Here are some articles about Obama on the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) website.

http://canf1.org/cgi-bin/artman/search.cgi?action=search&keyword=obama&categoryNum=

[DemVet]

1. Back in play for what, the Nomination?

We sure as hell didn't give a damn who THEY wanted for the Nominee.

"Count Every Vote"....yeah...riiiiigght. :eyes:

[RC]

3. Ya think if maybe they'da played by the rules, their votes wouda counted?

Play be the rules? In Florida? Sure, ya betcha. Only Hillary and the rethugs think rules are for others.

[DemVet]

6. Who's "they"...the Repub legislature that moved up the date?

[MadHound]

No, that would be all the entire Democratic legislatures, excepting one, who voted for moving up

Florida wasn't a 'Pug mugging, the Florida Dems went along willingly.

[mia]

18. Nearly a year ago "Florida Democrats back Jan. 29 primary "

Florida Democrats back Jan. 29 primary
Posted 341d ago | Comment | Recommend E-mail | Save | Print |

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-06-11-1519408278_x.htm

By Brendan Farrington, Associated Press Writer
MIAMI, Fla. — Florida Democrats have embraced an early primary on Jan. 29 despite the national party's threat to penalize them by taking away half their delegates to the national convention.
Karen Thurman, the party chairwoman, and Sen. Bill Nelson said Monday that the leadership had voted unanimously to accept the date. The state party has to submit a plan to the Democratic National Committee by Friday.

Republican Gov. Charlie Crist established the date last month when he signed a bill moving up the Florida primary.

While some states are slated for early contests -- Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina -- DNC Chairman Howard Dean has warned states that jump ahead of Feb. 5. Dean has said Florida will lose half its delegates and all its superdelegates if it holds its primary before the February date.

If the Florida Democratic Party decides to make its early primary binding, any Democratic candidates campaigning in the state willlose their delegates.

[RC]

15. The republican legislature set the date for the Democratic primary?

[Birthmark]

21. No other way to work it.

The Repubs controlled both Houses of the Legislature and Governorship.

[itsrobert]

4. Give it a rest

I get enough whining about Florida and Michigan in emails from the Hillary campaign. It's like one a day.

[DemVet]

7. The Truth does hurt now, doesn't it?

[Blondbostonian]

11. What a bunch of bullshit

You will say or do anything to try and get your girl the nomination.

You KNOW the Democrastic leadership at the Florida Legislature was in favor of this. I'm sure you have seen the You Tube video of the Dem leader joking and saying he "really, really really" wanted this to pass.

There's no outcries of people thinking they're being cheated besides the Hillary voters. I've been to the events down here and it's a Hillary rally and nothing else.

The truth hurts, doesn't it?

[Birthmark]

22. So what if the Dem Leadership was in favor of it?

Could they have stopped it? (Hint: The answer is "no.")

So...the DNC is disenfranchising 1.75 million Floridians over something that the State Dems couldn't have stopped if they wanted to stop it. It just rankled the DNC's delicate sensibilities that they didn't want to stop it, I guess.

Not a good enough reason to throw out my vote. Therefore, unless the DNC comes to some new wisdom or maturity, I will deprive them of a second chance to throw out my vote...in November.

[dansolo]

25. They were penalized more harshly because they didn't even even try

The DNC recognized that the Republicans were fully able to move the primary ahead without any involvement of the Democrats. If the Democrats even raised minor objections, they wouldn't have been stripped of all their delegates. But because they went along with the Republicans, voting almost unanimously for moving the primary, they can't now come back and try and place the blame solely on the Republican legislature and governor.

[bigbrother05]

28. If the FL Dem leadership hadn't embraced it fully (1 no vote)

They would have lost half their delegates and might have been in a position to negotiate with the DNC. The rules committee, pushed by Harold Ickes from the HRC campaign, went with the "death penalty". The FL & MI party leadership are the ones that sold out their voters. The leadership's belligerence is the reason the DNC took such a hard line.

[whopis01]

38. More Republicans voted against it than did Democrats

And Seiler even voted for it in the end

[whopis01]

36. They could have voted against it.

In the final vote, none of the Democratic Representatives and none of the Democratic Senators voted against the bill.

Two Republican Senators did vote against it.

[Birthmark]

40. That's even worse, isn't it?

1.75 million FL Democrats disenfranchised for someone else's thought crime.

It's looking like I'll be sitting this election out.

[boobooday]

8. Cuban-Americans have traditionally been a solid block for the GOP

Reaching out to them could really make a difference in the GE, when it comes to Florida.

It means that Florida could be in play in the GE. If Cuban-Americans down here vote Dem, we could win it.

[mia]

10. Miami Cubans are masters at political organization and the CANF

has a lot of influence locally and nationally. They were once a solidly Republican organization under Mas Canosa. More recently their former director, Joe Garcia, became the head of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. Garcia is now running for Congress.



Not to undermine your accurate take on Miami-Dade's ability to count votes...

"Count Every Vote"....yeah...riiiiigght. :eyes:

[Birthmark]

12. McCain will carry Florida

The idiots in the DNC appear to be committed to losing FL.

[RC]

17. Idiots in the DNC? Do you mean the DLC, maybe?

[Birthmark]

20. No, you mean the DLC

I mean the DNC. :)

[RC]

34. In case you missed this...

No candidate has the right to divide a state's Democrats and cause tension.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6018442

[mia]

35. Thanks for this link n/t

[hokies4ever]

13. FL and MI 101

Their delegates will be seated on 5/31. The waiting period is supposed to punish the legislators. Everyday that goes by is another day that they are swamped with angry e-mails and calls from their constituents. Howard Dean knows this, so he's in no rush to end their living hell. Smart Hillary supporters would realize this and stop beating this issue.

*psst* Hillary will still lose if FL and MI are seated

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. That's a great pic. And I have to say Obama certainly has guts.

This is one of the most partisan political groups in US politics. I think Obama's crossover appeal, and his willingness to wade into unfriendly waters is most impressive. It'll be interesting to see how he's received there. I was also taken aback when Obama paid a visit to the House, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fl), and Cuban American just had to have her picture taken with him (LOL). I have no doubt that they'll overwhelmingly support John McCain, but I see Obama maybe eating into that support just a bit.

p.s.: pay no attention to the sour grapes people with NO donor stars, they're protesting :eyes:

[mia]

14. That photo would "speak volumes" around Miami.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fl), and Cuban American just had to have her picture taken with him...]

[Vinca]

5. The whole flag pin thing speaks volumes about this country.

Children are starving, soldiers are dying, families are losing their homes, jobs are leaving, people are dying from lack of healthcare and what is the focus on? A cheap, Made In China, flag pin. How about we spread the rumor Barack has red, white and blue towels and red, white and blue sheets and red,white and blue magic underwear and red, white and blue cereal for breakfast? Wait . . . scratch all that. Only Mitt can have magic underwear.

[ShortnFiery]

9. Yeah, but I think Obama is "taunting the M$M" ... just waiting for them to ASK about his

actions today. This is a WIN-WIN for Obama. He plays political three dimensional Chess while the whorish M$M is spinning like a top. :-)

Go Obama! :patriot:

[mia]

16. I agree.

I thought that the caption under the photo was odd, given the situation that you accurately describe.

I found it curious that an article listing both Republican and Democratic events would slant the story toward the Dems with their choice of the photo.

[mia]

19. CANF changed date of celebration to host Obama

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/sanchez-obama-will-make-pitch-to-cubans/

According to Frank Sanchez of Tampa, Obama’s adviser on Latin American affairs, CANF has agreed to alter the date of its annual celebration of Cuban Independence Day, May 20, to hold its celebration luncheon on May 23, during Obama’s May 21-23 tour of Florida. Obama will speak at the lunch.

May 20, 1902, was the date Cuba achieved independence from Spain, and tratitionally has been the biggest celebration day of the year for CANF.

CANF spokesmen couldn’t be reached to confirm or deny the report late Wednesday—the organization’s web site still announces the date of the lunch as May 18.

But it seems likely the group’s political loyalty could be up for grabs. Its former executive director, Joe Garcia, is a Democrat, running for Florida’s District 25 U.S. House seat from Miami against Mario Diaz-Balart, one of the staunchest supporters of hard-line anti-Castroism in South Florida....

[KaryninMiami]

23. Yes- Finally someone is giving the Diaz-Bilart brothers a real run-thank goodness for Garcia

Unfortunately, my Democratic congressperson, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and also Kendrick Meek who has a district nearby, have decided not to actively support Garcia or the other Dems running to upseat the Dade GOP's currently in office because she doesn't want to "rock the boat" because if her relationships with them.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/511267.html

"He noted that one factor in the races is the decision by Weston Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz not to actively campaign for the three Democrats because of her close relationships with the three Republican colleagues. Wasserman Schultz, who co-chairs a national party effort aimed at helping House candidates, and Rep. Kendrick Meek, a Miami Democrat, have said they plan to stay neutral because of ties to the three Republican incumbents"

And that's not all. Debbie is also a major Clinton insider (Co-chair of the national campaign I think) and she is one of the most outspoken supporters of the "Count Every Vote" campaign.

I really do hope someone has the courage to run against her next time- I for one have had it with her which is sad because at the beginning when she was first elected, I was a big fan. But then again, I used to be a Clinton fan too. Not any more.

[mia]

24. Meek and Wasserman-Schultz have let Dems down.

I wonder if either of them or Nelson will be attending the Obama events in South Florida.

[KaryninMiami]

26. Doubtful since they are both so involved with the Clinton campaign

Are you attending any of the events here? I wanted to go but the $1000 price tag for the event in Hollywood is a lot of money. If you know of any way to go without paying so much (I'm willing to donate something but after giving almost every month, it's getting a bit expensive), send me a PM. I'm going to pop over to the headquarters on Miami Beach today.

[mia]

39. I've been on the lookout for events in Miami.

The CANF lunch last year was $125, according to their website.
http://canf1.org/artman/publish/events/CANF_Celebrates_Cuban_Independence_Day_at_Luncheon.shtml

[DevonRex]

27. It seems like there must be a really great Cuban American democrat

who could give her a run for her money.

[mia]

31. Annette Taddeo is running against Ros-Lehtinen.

http://www.annette2008.com/index.php

[Patsy Stone]

30. Let's both run against Ileana

Last election, Big Dave Patlak got 35% of the vote without even trying.

I always thought we could do better if the DNC actually put a $$ into the district.

[NJSecularist]

29. Florida - another 27 electoral votes we can thrown down the tube with Obama as our nominee...

But but but but... he's so electable! :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Lone_Star_Dem]

33. I've never noticed how large and sharp his cuspids were before!

No doubt he's part Vampire. Just wait until the Republican get a hold of this one. We're DOOMED in November now! Doomed I tell you! :scared:

[graywarrior]

37. Florida is burning to the ground.