Former Florida Gov. Bob Graham tries to chill state GOP's ardor for oil

[seafan]

God, we miss Bob Graham.


Former Florida Gov. Bob Graham tries to chill state GOP's ardor for oil

By Adam C. Smith, Times Political Editor
September 6, 2009

Former Florida Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham has watched the politics of offshore drilling flip 180 degrees in recent years. Any hint of easing restrictions on drilling off Florida's coast used to be political suicide, but these days Republican leaders in Tallahassee are clamoring to embrace drilling.

So when Graham stopped by Political Connections on Bay News 9, we wondered what he thought of the new push for drilling by some Florida politicians: "I could use some very strong language, but I won't on this family television station. It's not only very bad policy for Florida because of our vulnerability, but it's bad policy for America," Graham said in the interview airing today, noting that America controls about 3 percent of the known reserves of petroleum worldwide and consumes 25 percent.

"What are we going to do," the Democrat asked, "have a policy of drain America first so that we can deplete us totally and then we'll be 100 percent reliant on foreign sources?"

.....

And former Senator Graham weighed in on Crist's good buddy pick as our interim US Senator:

Graham is concerned that Gov. Charlie Crist's selection of former campaign manager and aide George LeMieux to take the Senate seat Graham used to occupy means Florida won't have much influence while crucial legislation is being crafted. Picking someone with congressional experience would have made much more sense for the temporary job, he said.

"We need to have somebody that can be a player to represent Florida's interest at this time, and George is going to have a steep learning curve," said Graham, who was also decidedly unimpressed with the gambling compact LeMieux and Crist negotiated with the Seminole Tribe.

"We kind of gave away the store to the Seminoles," Graham said.

Crist could have appointed Bob Graham to hold the seat until the election. At least Florida would have a true fighter representing the people's interests for the next crucial 16 months.


Florida is mired so deeply in Republican cronyism and filthy corruption. And there is no improvement on the horizon.

[tosh]

1. I want him back.....

Senate, Governor's mansion, either one. Please, Sen. Graham, come out of retirement!!

[madfloridian]

2. Not just Republicans

Some major Democrats are leading the push for drilling as well.

[seafan]

3. It just does not compute... intelligent reasoning has been kidnapped and ransomed.

Thanks for keeping up the fight, madfloridian.


If we go down as a country, I'll go down fighting.