Just a reminder: Charlie Crist is NOT a Democrat

[Ken Burch]

There's going to be an ACTUAL Democratic candidate for the Senate in Florida. Most likely, he'll be Kendrick Meek, a solid and hard-working progressive who can be elected if he gets the party's full support.

Charlie Crist is just a cynical center-right opportunist. If he does get elected, he won't vote with us on anything that matters, won't organize with us(why WOULD he?)and it's hardly even a certainty that his current support will hold up(you can assume that Faux Noise is going to go after him 24-7 now).

And, last I checked, it's against DU rules to back an independent when we've got an actual Democratic candidate.

Just don't go there, folks. It can't be worth it and Crist is not on our side.

[PBS Poll-435]

1. We agree on something! OMG!

:thumbsup:

[Aramchek]

2. but he's not a Repuke anymore. They will make sure he knows that.

I would rather have Crist than Rubio.

[Ken Burch]

8. That doesn't have to be the only choice

And Crist's current numbers will not hold.

[Mojorabbit]

50. Unless the polling numbers change

the winner will be Crist. The republicans have written him off and threatened anyone who works for his campaign to never be able to work with the republican party in the future. He will have nowhere else to caucus with but the Dems.
It is still up in the air but Rubio must not win.

[Raine1967]

9. I would rather have Meek -- let's keep the eye on the prize.

[Aramchek]

93. sure, so would I, but that doesn't mean we should burn our bridges with Crist

[Atticus]

133. Maintaining a bridge with Crist is a fool's errand.

Name ONE Republican in the last couple of decades who has not considered that such bridges are for one-way traffic only; i.e., we can occasionally cross over to their side, but they will never cross to ours.

Further, energy and resources used in "maintaining" such a bridge would mean less than an all-out effort for OUR candidate.

Screw the Pubbies, including Crist!

[WeDidIt]

3. Meek is the DU candidate

Crist need not apply. That door shut months ago. He had his shot to pull a Specter and he let the moment pass.

[FreeJG]

103. Again, Meek does not have the numbers statewide. 2+2=5? is just blind obediance

[Mz Pip]

4. the only reason I

cheer on Crist is that he will split the Republican vote and hopefully guarrantee a win for Meek.

It's all about the numbers.

[csziggy]

5. The only reason to root for Crist is to split the Rep. vote and give Meek a better chance

It would be lovely to have 1.5 Democratic senators - Bill Nelson is only Democratic half the time as I count it - in Washington to represent Florida. And I believe Meek would be an excellent one.

[Raine1967]

6. HEARTY K&R

In this case the enemy of my enemy is not my friend.

He's a useful tool. My eyes are on the prize and Meek is the man to get the job done. I support MEEK!!!

[LakeSamish706]

7. Damn, is he something like Joe Lieberman? n/t

[PinkFloyd]

65. That exact thought went through my mind.

Should he win, he'll be the GOP's own lil' Lieberman...sometime reliable but a pain in the ass when you need his support the most.

[flyarm]

85. NO!!!!!! this is nothing like what Lieberman did..not even close and that meme is bullshit!

Lieberman lost his democratic Primary to a democrat..

Our Fla cut off date for registry to declare for a primary run is April 30..

Charlie is no Lieberman!..not even close!

Charlie is liked by both dems and repugs..I would say he is liked by even more dems than repugs.

You can not equate the two..you would be dead wrong..and you would seriously hurt Meek by doing so..you will build an anger among dems who seriously like Crist..you will send more to Crist camp by doing so, out of anger and blow back!

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ken Burch]

11. There's no meaningful difference between Rubio and Crist

And Crist won't be progressive on anything if he's elected.

You don't have to settle for "just barely not right-wing". Voting for Crist is giving up.

[Dappleganger]

18. You're wrong

If you think that there's no meaningful difference between Rubio and Crist then you have no idea what you're talking about.

Crist is to the left on more issues than many DLC'ers, and even some of President Obama's.

Today Crist is an independent and no longer a republican candidate.

Personally, I hope that Meek gets the nomination but if it comes down to a 2-way race between Rubio and Crist, I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP TEABAGGING, FAR-RIGHT WING ACTIVIST RUBIO FROM THE US SENATE.

I know a hell of a lot of REAL FL liberals who plan to do the same, too.

[Name removed]

19. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[flyarm]

52. + 1 million from another Floridian! and I hear the same from every dem i know..and i know alot of

Florida dems! alot!

[Name removed]

51. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

76. delete

[JCMach1]

67. Good god man, what are you smoking

:smoke:

No difference?


You've not been paying attention over the years then.


Rubio would be one of the most disgusting POS right-wing Senators in Washington if elected. Crist is actually pretty damn close politically to where our current democratic Senator from Florida sits, Bill Nelson.


No difference???????

[Sebastian Doyle]

71. Bill Nelson probably isn't the best example of what a "Democratic" Senator should be

..though he's slightly more tolerable than Ben Nelson, I guess. :shrug:

[JCMach1]

73. Florida is a state where the middle ground ususally wins in statewide races

That's why Obama did so well!

I have no qualms about voting for Meek if he comes-on and runs a successful race. However, I do believe Rubio must be defeated at all costs.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

77. I Don't Think A Bernie Sanders Would Win A Statewide Race Down Here

Bill is no more or less conservative than any Democrat who has represented Florida in its history with the possible exception of Claud Pepper who was way before my time or anybody here's time.

[laughingliberal]

94. " You don't have to settle for "just barely not right-wing". "

Don't we settle for that all the time when we have a Blue Dog facing a Republican? I sincerely hope Meeks can take the seat but "just barely not right wing," describes a lot of Democratic Senators these days in case you haven't noticed. As someone else said, this move by Crist is helpful in, hopefully, splitting the Republican vote.

[Lorien]

106. Says the guy from Alaska. Crist is more progressive on environmental issues

than any DLCers-who aren't "Democrats" either!

[Ken Burch]

115. I'm not an apologist for DLC'ers.

And it's not like Meek is a DLC'er.

[Ken Burch]

49. BTW, last week you were calling Crist a puppet.

The strings are still there, dude.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

75. Florida Is Not The Deep South

Obama carried it.

The majority of its residents were born somewhere else or are first generation Floridians.

If Meek loses it will be because he is a bland candidate with little statewide recognition. His race will play a smsll role.

[flyarm]

83. In Tampa/ St Pete market...west coast Fla .not one Meek's commerical yet..not one

we have had a barrage of commericals for Rubio, Crist..non stop..not one commerical ..for Meeks..how can Meeks even contimplate winning when he is not known in the West coast of Florida and he hasn't even begun to campaign?

We have had Crist / Rubio commericals all winter and spring..

Remember this is a state of snow birds..many of our voters go north for the summer..and come back in the fall, in time to vote..

Not one commercial and very few stops here in the west coast counties by Meeks..to date, and they have been unsuccessful stops here..with very few dems showing up to see him or donate to him..and very little knowledge of him by dems.

How about we trust the dems in Fla to know what is right and best for us?

Polling to date for Fla is

37% Rubio
30% Crist
22% Meek


I can not for any reason sit back and allow Rubio to be my senator.

When Meek comes to St Pete and gets 3 people to show up at a fund raising Luncheon among dems..I have grave worries...and valid worries.

I want to know what is wrong on the national level of Dems that they continue to allow this crap to go on in my state.

They throw away great dems ..and refuse to help great candidates and we get shit on a shingle ..heck more than half of those who run under the Dem banner and get national DNC/DCCC money are former "KNOWN" republicans ..and they get the dem money..while real dems..excellent dems.. get jack shit! And this is nothing new...and we dems in Fla are well, well aware of it!

The DLC sweeps in and gives us a dem in name only!
And here we have people not from our state telling us what we have to do here on DU????????

We have been dealing with it longer than most in other states can imagine, and we are well aware of what we have to do to save our state from Rubio!

And unless Meek steps up to the plate and starts to campaign on the west coast and northern part of our state...and puts effort in the I-4 corridor...we will be left with little choice..but to do what is nessesary to save our state from Rubio! The I-4 corridor will decide who our senator is ..and to date Meek's is not known by most of the population in the I-4 corridor!



and Thank you DemocratSinceBirth you are 100% correct!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Fla is not the deep south..the east coast of Fla is populated by many many from the North East of the USA

The west coast of Fla is mostly made up of Northern mid west states and mid-westerners..

And Charlie Crist is from St Pete..the anchor of the I-4 corridor.

[Dappleganger]

12. I vote for whoever puts progressive values FIRST.

You got a problem with that? I don't care.

[Ken Burch]

14. That means you'd vote for the Democrat.

Crist doesn't put progressive values first, and he'll never organize with us. We don't have to settle for a Southern Lieberman.

[Dappleganger]

21. Meek has no message up here in NE FL

Get him up here to tell us what he plans to do. The NE FL liberals I know are planning to vote for the person who vetoed SB 6 to save their JOBS and PUBLIC EDUCATION.

[Ken Burch]

23. SB6 isn't the only issue that matters.

And it can't be worth selling out the first African-American to win a statewide primary in Florida. You'll make blacks abandon the Democrats forever in Florida if you all sell Meek out.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ken Burch]

28. You can't seriously argue that they'd ever get a good deal from Crist.

Or that they'd ever vote Democratic again, if you sold Meek out. Nothing Crist has done could possibly justify abandoning the ACTUAL Democratic candidate. If you settle for a centrist independent once, you forfeit the right to work for anything better in the future.

Crist isn't worth it. And he can't be worth crushing the spirits of every African American Democrat in Florida, none of whom would ever forgive you. You don't have to settle for the bland cynical white guy.

[Dappleganger]

30. SO, you're only supporting Mr. Meek because he's AA??

Jesus H. Christ.

[Ken Burch]

31. No, of course not. I also support him because progressives have an OBLIGATION

to support the most progressive candidate in the race.

And because Democrats have an obligation to back the Democratic nominee.

It can't be progressive to back Crist. And you can't seriously think black Democrats in Florida wouldn't feel universally betrayed.

[Dappleganger]

57. You've given me zero proof that Mr. Meek is a progressive democrat.

At least TRY to appear intelligent by posting proof.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

78. That's The Only Reason I'm Voting For Him And He Has A (D) In Front Of His Name

He is a bland candidate with little statewide recognition.

Even with Crist in the race I'm afraid Rubio will win.

[aquart]

13. THANK YOU!

[FarLeftFist]

15. Charlie Crist Ad on far-right

In Florida it is illegal for gays to marry or adopt children, but it is legal to marry your cousin and make love to animals. Just sayin'

Link: http://thinkprogress.org/2010/04/29/floridas-laws/

[Ken Burch]

16. There are now "Unrec's" on a thread calling for party loyalty on DU

:wtf:

[Ken Burch]

17. self-delete

dupe-post.

[DCBob]

20. What if the day before the election and its Rubio & Crist neck & neck with Meek out of contention?

I suspect many Dems would vote for Crist. I know I would.

[Ken Burch]

22. If you do that, you'll make the Florida Dems "white only" forever.

Blacks will never back the party again. And we can assume Crist will never represent blacks.

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ken Burch]

26. Why are you backing a conservative independent against OUR party's nominee?

You act like Meek sold you out on something. He never did. And, unlike Crist, Meek was never a Bush supporter.

[DCBob]

27. WTF are you talking about? This has nothing to do with racism?

This about stopping fascist Republicans from taking over our country.

[Dappleganger]

29. That poster makes no sense at all.

I give up on even trying to reason with him.

[DCBob]

32. Yes, for sure, but I do understand what he is trying to say... but..

sometimes there are bigger picture things to consider and clearly this is one such situation.

[Ken Burch]

35. You're willing to tell blacks in Florida that they have no right to expect primaries to count

if THEY win them?

You know blacks there would forever hate the party in that state and would never forgive any "liberal" who sold out and backed the right-wing Crist.

[DCBob]

38. Really dont get why all the reference to race???

You are one confused dude.

[Ken Burch]

40. There was NEVER , in any OTHER Florida Democratic primary

a mass abandonment of the actual Democratic nominee. For ANY reason.

This would be the only time in the history of that state that the nominee was simply repudiated...and by people pretending to be "liberals"?

This would never be happening if the likely nominee in Florida was white, and you know it.

And for the love of god, Rubio isn't THAT popular. You don't have to settle for beating a Republican with a FORMER Republican.

[DCBob]

45. B F'KING S.. This has nothin to do with race. I didnt even know Meek was black until few days ago.

Most people on this site have been mispelling him with an "s". He is an unknown to most of us. This is only about stopping Rubio any which way we can. period.

[Ken Burch]

46. Rubio isn't THAT freaking popular.

Meek can win if he gets 40%. That's easy to achieve.

We don't have to settle for a walking hairstyle.

[flyarm]

54. you have no idea wtf you are talking about! eom

[Dappleganger]

61. OMG

You think that Meek will get 40% in a 3-way??

You're quite clueless.

[QC]

80. OK, that statement proves that you know absolutely nothing about Florida politics

and thus have nothing meaningful to add to any discussion of the topic.

[Dappleganger]

60. Do you even live in this state?

Your bio page says you live in Alaska. If you haven't lived in this state for at least the past five years, you really have no idea what you're talking about.

[flyarm]

117. but there was a massive abandonment by the democratic party to the Florida vote

for a woman nominee that won this state overwhelmingly and those votes were stolen and were abandoned in 2008!

Many Dem women in Florida will never forget that or forgive it..I hear it almost every day from Dem women.

Both AA and hispanic and caucasian women!

In fact I would say it goes further than abandonment..it goes to disenfranchising!

[Ken Burch]

120. Hillary lost the nomination fair and square. She would have lost WITH Florida

And nothing would be different if she'd won.

Good God, you're blaming MEEK for the Florida decision?

[FreeJG]

122. You are more than wrong on this...the dem party is NOT loyal to dem winners in primaries even...they

STOOD DOWN!!!! Just look at the Kathleen Ford for Mayor campaign in St. Pete Fla. After she beat eight other candidates on her own!!! Now the 4th largest city in Florida has a freakin creationist mayor!!!

This dude believe we lived with the dinosaurs!!! The Earth is only 2-4000 years old!!! My God on the city council he went to the school board to have that crap taught in SCIENCE!! The progagandists endorsed this guy, Bill Foster, and some dem leaders even stood on the steps of city hall, denouncing the dem candidate!

Go figure...only in Fla do you see total party treason by the LEADERSHIP.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

144. We're Lucky In Orlando

We have a progressive Democratic mayor, an openly gay city councilwoman, and anti-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation.

[Dappleganger]

58. He is quite confused.

I don't see where race has anything to do with this at all and never brought it up until the OP did.

[DonCoquixote]

70. Race

Crist is the only WHITE GUY running, even if he does hide the fact that his real last name is "Christodoulou", a name of Cypriot origin. which is to say, half-Greek, half-Arab, but that would have never gone down too well with the Good Ol Boys in Florida's Voting Booth.

But here are the dynamics, you have a Black guy running in a Stae Democratic party where racial tensions are still rather raw. There are many PUMA's here who are still angry about 2008.

You have Rubio, who is a Cuban, and will get the feared Miami poltical machine in full gear, problem with that is, many in the Suburbs are getting wary of Hispanic inflience in Florida; these are the people who are wirting in our local op eds about how they "understand Arizona" because Florida faced "amy of the same issues." Of course, if they were to enact the Arizona style law they want so badly, they know they would have risk ticking off the Cuban base, and the GOP, for all their wickedness, is not going to butcher the Goose that continues to lay Golden Eggs everytime Campaign Funding time comes around.

So who is the safe alternative that lets people vote GOP without having to say they are GOP. Congratulations, just like Menthol Cigarettes and Lo-fat Ice Cream, Crist will allow people to indulge in their vices while acting like they are really trying to do something about it. Now they can vote for the man that proudly billed himself as "chain gang charlie" who enjoyed having chain gangs paraded along our roadsides, most of whom had a certain shade of skin color, one that pleased the talk radio jocks here that liked the fact he put certain people "in their place." It got creepy when Crist did nothing to discourage outright racist talk. But then again, in his hometown, he supported St. Petersburg destroying a middle class black neighborhood called the "Gas Plant" district so that they could build a baseball stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, the same stadium St. Pete wants to get rid of because, supposedly, people are too scared of "the neighborhood" to go to Baseball Games.

I realize much of this seems new, but I have had to eat a steady diet of this crap because I live here.

[flyarm]

116. the dem party had no problem telling 2 million + dems their primary votes didn't count in 2008!

so now you are making a racist comment!

We have a state with others besides AA ..who vote..and 2million pulse had their democratic primary votes stolen in 2008 by the democratic party..you may not remember it, and you may not have been disenfranchised..but Democrats here in Fla do not forget it! Of all races! And Genders!

[Ken Burch]

123. You act like every Dem in Florida wanted Hillary. They didn't

And nothing would be better if she HAD been nominated(which she wouldn't have been since she was clearly beaten even without Florida)except for John McCain, who would have been certain to win if Hillary had been the nominee.

Is that what you're mad about? That we didn't lose again in 2008?

[flyarm]

125. she won the state of Fla overwhelmingly..Obama only won 8 counties in Fla

Edwards won 11.

but don't worry those votes were stolen..and save it if you think I was for Hillary ..I was not.

But i know lifelong dem women (as a former ELECTED delegate for them in 2004)..that will never get over their disenfranchisement..that are extremely bitter about what was done to their votes and to the voters of Fla..and many many of them will never vote again.

Psss..I belong to the oldest Democratic womens club in the nation...and those women will never get over it!!

In fact our former DEC Chairs wife told me she will never vote again..and hell would freeze over before she would ever vote for Obama..she was a delegate in 2008 for my state..and the Fla delegation was treated like shit in 2008 when they went to Colorado..( she was there in 2004 as well..so she knew the damn diference!)They kept Fla out of sight so the people of this nation wouldn't know the truth of how and why our votes were stolen..

Maybe the rest of the nation does not know..but Fla dems know damn well how and why our votes were stolen and the crooked shit that went down to steal this state!

Count on this..it won't happen again..and Obama will not carry this state again!


OHHHHHHHHHH..and by the way..Meek is toast..Billionaire Dem Jeff Green..opened a primary challange to Meek at the deadline last night ...

While you were playing the race card here..many of us Fla dems knew Green was going to file right at the deadline.. ... we now have a Fla DEM challenging Meek???????? So is he racist too?

[Ken Burch]

127. NO race card played. Were you all backing Crist to get Green into the race?

And, other than being a bazillionaire, is the guy actually any good?

I'm guessing he'll be a centrist hack too.

[flyarm]

135. He is a Jeb tool! and no I, nor any dem I know wanted Green to do this or get into this race

This is a total Jeb move.

But if you understood our Fla crooked politics, you would know that..this is what people here have tried to make you understand!

This is a disaster for we dems!

But expected by the damn Jeb machine!

[Ken Burch]

128. Fine...those women wanted a party to the right of the one we have now.

Obviously, they weren't very good Democrats if they still think the candidate who'd have vaporized Iran was worth having(hint, war from now on is always gonna be right-wing and can never again be good for women).

And Obama had the nomination won fair and square even if Florida had been at full strength.

Those women should have backed an ACTUAL feminist. Not a hawk.

[flyarm]

136. no these women many many senior women wanted a woman Pres in the twilight of their lives

wow you are so off you have no idea how off you are in your interpretation..

You are 360 degrees off!

And you are not even attempting to understand what we Fla dems have tried to explain to you in this thread....so I am done trying..keep your head in the sand ..it seems that is where you want to be!

But you heard it here first..do not expect or even dream of seeing Fla in the dem column...it is not going to happen...and it will not be my doing ..but our national dem party's doing!..Because just like you..they don't listen to the dems on the ground here!! They just lie to us and then shit on great dems ..excellent dem candidates and then run republicans as dems and give them all the help in the world ..and money .
You can stay blind to it...you don't live here..you don't vote here..and you have not experienced it as many times as we have ..over and over and over again...we here on the ground in Fla ..can not ignore it.

We know what we have to do to keep Jeb's boy out of the senate..we will do all we can to stop it..without any help from you or the national dems..

[Ken Burch]

34. You gave up on being a progressive.

And you've forfeited any right to ever claim black people as allies if you back the cynical white hack against the actual Democratic nominee.

Would you be willing to tell black people in Florida, if you did what you're trying to do, that they should EVER trust the Democratic party or "liberals" again? Why would they? A mass defection to Crist would mean white liberals in Florida don't give a damn about blacks. It could never mean anything positive.

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[flyarm]

137. you are really a nasty person..and you refuse to listen to what Fla dems are explaining to you..

ad that is rather pathetic.

[Ken Burch]

33. Which can't be done by supporting cynical centrist independents

Besides, if Crist takes the seat this year, it means it will be almost impossible for an actual Democrat(the only possible progressive choice)to ever take it in the future.

Crist can't be progressive in the Senate, and he won't organize with us. SO what's he worth? He'll be just another center-right prima donna. We don't need to settle for a Southern Lieberman.

[DCBob]

36. And if Rubio wins, the teabaggers are emboldened and grow in strength..

and this country may never be the same.

[Ken Burch]

37. And if Crist wins...nobody's emboldened at all

Beating a rightist with a center rightist is NOT a victory. It's like campaigning for Nixon against Wallace and arguing that THAT choice would matter.

[DCBob]

39. It will likely cause a great deal of chaos in the GOP/teabagger alliance..

Which is good for Democrats and good for America.

[Ken Burch]

41. Not if it means Florida's Senator is STILL, effectively, a Republican.

It's meaningless to vote center-right against right. Such a trivial difference can't matter.

[Ken Burch]

42. Dupe post. Self-delete.

n/t.

[Ken Burch]

43. Nothing that involves abandoning blacks can be good for Democrats

We won't get any African Americans to run for anything in Florida again if you do this. Doesn't that bother you at all?

And we can assume that Crist won't be pro-civil rights. Centrists aren't.

[Dappleganger]

64. That's complete and UTTER bullshit.

Really, your so-called attempts with arguing your position are quite tiresome.

To say that no African Americans will never run for anything again in FL if Meek doesn't win is LUDICROUS. I'm sure that Glorious Johnson who's running for Jacksonville city mayor would love to address that post of yours directly. I encourage you to friend her on Facebook and ask. She's very good with communicating so I'm sure you'll find her easy to understand. Thankfully she has far more patience with people such as yourself than I do.

Good NIGHT.

[flyarm]

86. this guy has no idea what the demographic of Florida are..and therefore clueless!

and i might ass ..racebaiting!

[Dappleganger]

63. DCBob, it's quite doubtful

that the OP has the capacity to think ahead like that far ahead. It really may hurt him.

[Ken Burch]

44. And I suspect you're going to do everything you can to make sure that's the situation

You're working to keep Florida in the past if you do this.

[DCBob]

47. Bye Ken. I am done with this thread.

Peace.

[Ken Burch]

48. YOu want to back a right-winger against a right-winger, that's your call.

The rest of us aren't willing to give up.

[Doremus]

53. Just a reminder: A former (R) running as an (I) usually will draw votes from the (R)s

thereby helping the (D) candidate.

That may have something to do with the DU delight with same.

[Ken Burch]

55. That part, I could live with

The open declarations IN THIS THREAD that a lot of people who pretend to be "liberals" are going to back Crist AGAINST the Democratic nominee in the fall? Not so much.

[flyarm]

89. I think you are raising a false flag..and i think you are doing it deliberately!

I don't think anyone is saying they wil support Crist above Meek..but what you are ingoring is reality..

and deliberrately so.

"The reality of Florida" you obviously do not comprehend or understand and quite frankly..you are not from Florida..and Perhaps it would do everyone a favor if you minded your own business and stay out of our business..we know what we have to to to beat Rubio..and we know full well how damn dangerous Rubio is to our state and to our National Government!

It is incombant for Florida dems to keep Rubio out of the senate!

Unlike Mass..we will do what we have to, to make sure we never hear the words..Senator Rubio!

The best thing for Meek is that we will now have an Open Primary where all voters can vote..not just registered dems or repugs..it is almost impossible to steal an election here in Fla with an "OPEN PRIMARY"!
Which is now what we will get with Charlie in the race as an Indy. But do not count that as a given for Meek.
He and the dem party need to step up to the plate..and fast..if they do not ..we dems in this state will take it into our hands to stop Rubio!

Do not forget..we have 2.5 million registered Indy's.

If you do not understand the politics of our state of Fla ..which obviously you do not..then stay the hell out of our business! We know what we have to do! We are pretty damn savy of what we need to do and how to do it to keep Jeb's boy Rubio the fascist out of our senate seat!

And your racist crap does not bode well for dems here ..it does not resonate well and it only angers our voters! So stop that crap!

[bridgit]

59. Ding! Winnah Winnah Chicken Bartered Dinnah!

:kick:

[flyarm]

87. In this case scenerio ..you could be very wrong..unless Meek's decides to " finally" run for office!

We still in Fla have a very angry Dem Base ( mostly women) because their primary votes from 2008 were "taken away" by the dem party..

We have 2.5 million registered Indy's

We have a dem candidate that is known by only the lower portion of South East of Florida, and we have a fairly popular ( by both parties people) active governor who can and will continue to get mega State Media attention! And a dem candidate who gets no media attention...(outside of his own district)...zero!

Oh and we have a governor who now has the teachers and teachers union on his side!

[bridgit]

56. Well fluff my bunting!

[JCMach1]

66. For some reason, you are using the same talking point as Karl Rove did yesterday, "opportunist"

Did you get your memo from FAUX this morning?

Democrats will vote for Meek if he is perceived as a viable candidate.


Personally, however I end up voting, I will be voting ANTI-RUBIO as he is one of the most disgusting POS politicians to come around in a long time.

Rubio is dangerous

[Divine Discontent]

69. rubio is literally DETESTABLE....

I support Meeks politics, but like Kucinich, if he's not close on election day (within 3 points of the lead), I will vote for Crist if he's closer to Rubio. Rubio must be stopped in the voting booth by whatever candidate. Hopefully, that will be Meeks. I hope he doesn't run a quiet campaign.

[JCMach1]

72. Exactly, Rubio must be defeated at all costs...

We don't need JEBtm's bitch in DC.

[Meldread]

68. Not a Floridian, so I try to stay out of their politics, but...

...obviously the ideal is Meek. However, we don't know what is going to happen in a three way race. Nelson and Crist are close ideologically speaking. It's possible that Crist steals the Conservative Democratic support in the State (which is pretty strong), and it becomes a race between just Crist and Rubio. That would effectively - for all intents and purposes - make Meek the equivalent of a third party candidate.

As a progressive, you're effectively then given a choice: You can vote for Meek like a loyal Democrat, knowing that he'll only get 15%-20% of the vote at best. Or you can vote for Crist in an attempt to keep Rubio - the more Conservative choice - out of office. In the end, you'll end up with what is effectively another Senator Nelson, but from a progressive point of view that's still an improvement over a Senator Rubio.

Just my opinion on the matter, and I do believe that Crist is likely to take moderate Republican's and conservative and some moderate Democrat's... and they'd be the base of his coalition. That'd leave Rubio with the Teabaggers who are ultra-conservative, and Meek with liberal Democrats. In Florida that might not be enough for either Rubio or Meek to win, and as clearly evident in this thread there appears to be some progressives that are ready to hold their nose and vote for Crist - which is just further evidence of how much trouble Meek is going to be in by this move.

...not that anyone really believed Meek had a chance to start with.

If I'm Obama I call Meek and tell him that if he collapses in the polls, and it becomes clearly evident that he's going to lose, then I would encourage him to drop out of the race. I'd then encourage him to endorse Crist, and campaign for Crist on the condition that Crist joins the Democratic caucus with the Democratic Party when he comes to Washington D.C. Then Obama should campaign with Crist if he desires... but all of that is 100% dependent on Meek's polling. If it looks like he has a good shot, then damn it do whatever it takes to push him over the top. There is no point in settling for a pale imitation in Crist when you can have the real thing in Meek.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

79. Pity Us Floridians

To be saddled with a Governor McCollum and a Senator Rubio. Florida is a winnable state for the Democrats but it seems we have a dirth of popular statewide candidates.

[Lorien]

109. The Florida Dem party seems hellbent on running crap, corrupt candidates whenever possible

most are owned by developers. It was a miracle that we managed to get a great congressman like Grayson elected in this State.

[flyarm]

90. at this point Meek is polling dismally..but that does not mean it will stay that way..he has a real

window of opportunity right now as does the Dem party..but it will be a short window..Either the dem party and Meek hit this state hard...commericals non stop..and Meek getting out into counties where no one knows him...or it will be over before it begins!

Meek was in my county 2 weeks ago..no one showed up to see him..not even the strong dem population here!

He had a fund raising luncheon..I was one of 3 people who showed up..it was pathetic..I was embarrassed for him!

As I said there is a short window here..very short..and the dems either grab the reigns or get out of the way..because to date I know many many dems who went to Crist's Announcement last night..I was invited and did not go..Crist is reaching out big time to dems ....and inviting us was just the beginning.."I know" for fact ..he is hiring local angry dems for his new staff! many are going to him enthusiastically after what was done to our delegates in 2008!

The ball is in the Dem's court to act fast..but the game will be over if they do not act fast!

[Ken Burch]

97. If Meek needs to campaign harder, fine, he should do that.

But it's not like you'll be able to work for other Democrats in the future if you back Crist this year.

[flyarm]

98. he has hardly campaigned at all! and his showings are less than dismal!

as a formerly elected dem delegate for my county I have never seen anyone Dem have only 3 people show up for a fund raising luncheon..and for a campaign rally less than 30 dem people show up..get real..I have never seen that in my state or county for an dem candidate!

As for working for other Dem's in the future..how about the Dem's work with us?????????? Where the fuck is the dem party???????????? Sorry but we are not seeing them!..this dem party abandoned the teachers..they give money to re-pukes to run as Dem's from the national level..The president abandoned our environmentalists and the people of Florida who have worked for decades ..decades... to stop drilling off our coastlines..until today..when he had to BACKTRACK..when we are facing an eco-system disaster the worst to ever face this nation..but he totally ignored our crys until now!..and it took him almost 2 weeks to speak out about it????????? Obama and the dems promised the NASA workers they would not lose their jobs..well 9,000 are now losing their jobs..and all the small businesses that operate near KSC are all going to go out of business..

Our shrimpers will lose 5.3 billion ..billion... in business over this spill..the same people that begged Obama to not allow any more drilling..and were shit all over..we have the largest shrimp fleets in the world and they will now be destroyed for possibly decades!

please spare me your lectures..

Go do your talking to the DLC and DCCC and Dscc..who keep shitting on the Dem's of Florida and then come begging for people's votes with more fake promises. People have long memories and are damn sick of the promises for candidates they don't know.

I have had it shoved down my throat from people i begged to vote for dems in my county after Obama opened up drilling..It got so bad I had to shut down my emails! And not a word from Meek..in fact even Nelson was going against his word on no drilling!

You talk like you think you live here and you have race baited..I think you need to stay the hell out of our business in Florida..because it is people like you that are making it hard for Meek..by playing that dispicable game!

I love Meek..I adore him..but unless he and the dems at the national level get him some name recognition..he doesn't have a fat babies fart of a chance of winning.

And i for one will not throw my vote away for blind obedience to any party and have to say Senator Rubio!

I know how evil that MTF is!

Stop talking down to people from my state ..we know damn well what is going on and how this can possibly end up!

And stop the damn race card..

If you want to help us ..then demand from the national dem party that they stop supporting the lady at the top of our FDP who gets a paycheck from Florida dems and a hefty check from one of Jeb's best buddies..

The national dems told us to STFU when we demanded she be removed or stop taking a pay check from Jeb's buddies!..and drinking her martini's...........

We have a 12.3 unemployment rate here in Fla ..many counties much much worse..people are not in a good mood! Especially to be lectured to by people who don't live here or can not vote here!

Oh and let me add..many of our seniors ..many women... were shit all over in 2008 ..lifelong dems who no longer come out to dem events..because of the way they were treated...hell the Obama folks disappeared from our DEC's....you know all the "NEW DEMOCRATS" ..that called lifelong working and devoted dems nasty names and called them racists...hell the new dems don't show up in such large numbers that for a year..many DEC's could not get forum votes at meetings because the new democrats didn't bother to show their faces!!..you can't call senior women the "C" word, and then expect them to come out in numbers and vote for our candidates..can you??? ..sometimes payback is a damn bitch isn't it?


Remember it was only a couple of weeks ago that many of us Gulf Coast dems were begging for help here to stop Obama from allowing drilling off our coast lines..only to be told to behave with blind obedience or to STFU...right here at DU!

How is is working for us now ??????????

Were you breathing the horrible air.. like we were... for days after the intitial spill?

No but we were on a huge portion of the Gulf coast ..

Will you be seeing the dead birds that we are already seeing on our coastlines?

But it was people here on DU telling us we needed to act in Blind obedience to Obama opening our waters to drilling!..what we have fought decades to stop or keep out of our waters!

You come down here and beg people for their vote..my days of doing so are over..I will no longer beg people for their votes...only to see what they were promised get shit all over and then have to take the nasty blow back for it!!

Tell the national democrats to start acting like democrats..I have even seen here over and over that principles..democratic principles and values don't matter..well you live and die as a people on principles and values. When you abandon principles and values..people will act accordingly!

[Ken Burch]

99. I agree with your entire critique of the party

And yes, the woman running your party should be sacked. None of the changes you want will be achieved by humiliating the party's Senate candidate, though. It's not Kendrick Meek's fault that your party's leadership sucks.

And voting for a candidate to Meek's RIGHT is hardly going to help progressive causes in Florida, or anywhere else.

BTW...can you please stop with the "only three people showed up" thing? That was one event(which you've now referenced at least four times in this thread, and any candidate can have a bad day. You've made that into the entire Meek campaign and it was just one moment.

And I'll agree that I'm an outsider. But I know that nothing good anywhere comes from a progressive Democratic anywhere being thrown under the bus in the name of "pragmatism".

[flyarm]

101. No dear..you are all wrong..completely wrong..it has all come down from DC!

DC dems stopped us from removing the FDP chair..

DC dems have lied to the people of Florida!

DC dems have fucked with our states candidates!

DC dems stole our primary votes.

Rahm fucked with our state..Ramn was and is running our State FDP chair..

It is DC that has fucked the dem party of Florida!

It is DC dems who decide who gets money for campaigns here..they withold money from real dems and good loyal dems and they give the money to Fake dems!..Fake dems who change affiliation from Repigs to dems to run in Dem name only!

So please..you have no idea what goes on here..so save your mis-informed opinions!

[Ken Burch]

104. OK, DC Dems did all that. But that is Rahm and Obama, not Meek

Meek isn't part of that.

And voting for Crist can't possibly result in a defeat for Rahm.

[FreeJG]

105. Oh yes Meek has been a part of this...for too long! He kept his seat by keeping quiet.

Now he will pay like we all have, because of NO accountablility at the top.

Flyarm is correct here, it is the very pattern of Blind obediance that has gotten us into this center right mess we have today.

Real dems will do the real work, it's not of heart for Meek, but it is numbers that science cannot change. We'll have a fascist Rubio if we continue with Bind Obediance!

PS Where was Meek when Florida fought to regain our paper ballot back???? We could not even get a meeting with him, when I personally went to DC myself and met with 21 other members of the congress and senate, and staff. Meek was just not available. Because the machines worked for him. See they have blind obediance too!

I was a staffer for the dem party since 2002 and I KNOW what goes on. Flyarm is 100% dead on!


Oh, and by the way, the biggest democrat from Tampa was on the stage with Crist yesterday! Former forever mayor, Dick Greco!! So PLEASE don't shoot our democratic big guns here in Florida!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

74. As A Sunshine Resident Since 1970 ( I Was A Boy When My Folks Moved Here)

1) I have never voted Republicant in my life

2) I will vote for Kendrick Meek

3) He is a bland candidate without statweide recognition

4) I think Charlie or Rubio will win.

5) If Meek fails his race will be an issue albeit a small one. After all Obama carried Florida.

6) Charlie's chaing gang idea was a publicity stunt but if he's a bigot he did a good job of hiding it. He's a lifetime member of the NAACP. He also suppored the rights of felons who served their sentence to vote. This burden fell primarily on African Americans.

7 Rubio would be a disaster. If he wins it will show how weak the Democrats and the center of politics in Florida is; never mind the left.

[tsuki]

88. If we can split the Republicon vote, Meeks has a chance. But Rubio

scares the sh*t out of me.

[flyarm]

he better scare the shit out of everyone! you are very justified to be scared of him! eom

[Statistical]

81. Well I am not A Floridian but if I were....

I would vote Crist as an anti-Rubio vote if Meeks is down by more than 4 pts.

Simply put Crist is really not much more conservative than Obama. I know that hurts some who see Obama as the next FDR but if you compare policies & votes they are rather similar.

Then you have Rubio who is right out of the stone age and so far in right field it is scary.

Sorry this isn't a time to swing for the fences (voting for Meeks even if he is down 10 points) and end up with Rubio.

The polls will tighten by election day but Meeks needs to pull out a good campaign.

[Lorien]

110. I am a Floridian, and I'd like to hear anyone make a case that Crist is more conservative than Obama

on the issues. Let's hear your arguments!

Rubio would be an epic disaster. I'll vote for whomever looks like his stronger challenger. We just can't take the risk of allowing a radical like that into the Senate.

[kentuck]

82. If Democrats vote for Meek....?

They can win the Florida Senate seat. Because Crist and Rubio will split the Republican vote. This was about the only scenario in which Meek could win. Now, all the Democrats have to do is vote.

[flyarm]

92. you are totally ingoring our 2.5 million registered indy's! eom

[Ken Burch]

100. You're assuming they'll only vote FOR an Indy!

If they voted for Obama, they can be persuaded to vote for Meek.

[flyarm]

112. I assume nothing of our Indy's ..I have been one of only two Poll watchers "AT LARGE" in my

large SW Fla countY..I assume nothing of how they will vote!

I have watched them come to vote for years...in national and state elections..

Again I will state..I assume nothing..

Nor should anyone!

[flyarm]

113. Oh and you are only assuming they will count our Dem's votes in Fla..

that was not the case in 2008 primaries!

We have our paper ballots back, thanks to Dem's who fought for it and through that fight, we lost our primary votes and delegates in 2008..but that does not mean that they will be counted, as the law restricts the audits..the ballots are still not counted ..only the electronic totals are certified.

Paper ballots are stashed away for recounts only.

The audit process is weak.

The way the law states, there will never be a re-count possible.

So please don't assume anything!

Over 2 million dems votes in 2008 were pissed on by the dem party!

[Ken Burch]

114. And that is a great injustice

You are acting as if I don't care about that.

It's just that I know that voting for Crist can't lead to that being changed.

I agree with your entire critique and all your grievances about the political process in Florida.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

96. A Lot Of Soft Dems Will Vote For Rubio Or Crist Because They Never Heard Of Meeks

He's running a stealth campaign.

[LynneSin]

84. Thank you!

:D

[Tommy_Carcetti]

91. It's going to depend for me how the polls look the week before the election.

If Meek is leading the pack or anywhere close to Rubio, then obviously I'm voting Meek.

If Rubio is beating both Meek and Crist handily and there's no chance for either of them, then I'm voting Meek.

But if Meek is running far behind in third, but Crist and Rubio are in a tight race, I'm voting Crist because no way do I want to see Rubio win.

[Taverner]

95. If the Dems run the Billionare, Crist is the best choice

[Cognitive_Resonance]

102. Crist has no future with the Republicans and will likely caucus

with the Democrats. By all accounts Rep. Meek is a good man with a promising political future, but he doesn't have a chance in this race.

[Lorien]

107. Neither is anyone in the DLC. You vote for them anyway, despite the fact that they

are as far to the Right as repugs on nearly every issue-SIMPLY because they put a (D) behind their name. I vote for the person who takes the most liberal/ progressive action on the issues. That's never been an (R), but it may be an (I) over the DINO, if a DINO is what we're left with. Meek needs to take a clear stand on the issues. Crist has always governed as a centrist who is slightly to the Left of many DLC members on a number of issues.

[glen123098]

108. According to his website he is...

Anti Choice, Anti Gay rights, against "government run healthcare," supports the escalation in Afghanistan, brags that the NRA endorses him. It seems like on every issue he is right wing. True independents like Ross Perot and Jesse Ventura had stances on issues that go all over the spectrum. I'm having a hard time seeing how this guy is anything but a typical republican. Why are the republicans purging him from the party. Is this now considered too moderate?

[JerseygirlCT]

111. Or a moderate. nt

[Cass]

118. Thank you! nt

[Ken Burch]

121. You're welcome, but it sounds like I may be too late.

It's looking like the fix is in for the Great Desertion.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

119. I'll Vote For Meek Because He Has A (D) Before His Name

That being said, as a Florida resident, I feel like Adrian in Rocky 4 when she tells Rocky who wants wants to fight Ivan Drago "you can't win."

He is a bland candidate who lacks statewide recognition. He's as likely to come in last as he is likely to come in first. I'd bet the proverbial ranch on it.

[FreeJG]

124. More BLIND OBEDIANCE!

"He has a D before his name" and you say he can't win. So your blind obediance will bring the country a fascist Rubio! Good job for an actual activist...
:sarcasm:

[Ken Burch]

129. A Crist victory couldn't be a progressive victory.

The guy was always anti-gay, anti-choice, pro-death penalty. Other than the one veto, he was never pro-labor.

Don't know what your rage is really about here.

[flyarm]

126. Meek now has a Democratic Primary Challenger..filed at the last minute at 5 pm last night!

FL-Sen: Jeff Greene Becomes Latest Candidate To Try To Buy Senate Seat
By: David Dayen Friday April 30, 2010 1:35 pm Tweet Share

Jeff Greene, Larry David’s manager a billionaire developer who made lots of money betting against the housing market, has decided to run for Senate in the already-chaotic race in Florida, where Charlie Crist bolted the Republican Party just yesterday to run as an independent. Greene will run in the Democratic primary against Rep. Kendrick Meek, but he has some mavericky-ness in his past:

What is not that well known (at least among those currently chatting about Greene’s Senate bid) is that his previous run at elected office was done as a Republican, not a Democrat. Here’s the relevant graph from that Miami Herald piece:

“After growing up a rock-solid Democrat, the Harvard Business School had made him a middle-of-the-road Republican in the 1980s. He ran in a Congressional primary in the San Fernando Valley and lost.”


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

so do tell us ..where will the dem money from the national party go to??

Want to know what we in Fla know about this?? ..it will go to the former republican..now democrat running against Meek!

so don't piss on our legs here in Fla and tell us it is raininng..we have seen this number many many times before!!

The national party knows Meek can't win..and yet there are dems here on DU that think they know what the hell goes on in Fla and try to intimidate others AND PLAY THE RACE CARD... without having a clue how this state is manipulated by BOTH PARTIES!

[Ken Burch]

131. Are you saying it's better to have it be this guy rather than Meek?

Fine, if you guys want to forerver settle for the spectrum being right vs. bland center-I.E., a non-choice-that's your call.

Nothing I posted was an attack on Florida.

[flyarm]

132. noooo..i just damn well know how the dems in DC work Florida! and the repigs!

This one has Jebs hands all over it!

And had the DC dems helped Meek..or picked a candidate known throughout the entire state..not just Miami..he would not now be in this situation!

Instead of running commericals and getting in front of Fla voters..and getting a running start....Meek has been almost silent ..while Rubio and Crist were running shit loads of commercials..Throughout the state..

Meek is not known hardly on the West Coast of Fla..nor in Dixiecrat land in the north! Nor much of the I-4 corridor!

You can not win this state without taking the I-4 corridor.

Now the Jeb machine is in Full blown Monty..

For every dime Meek will spend ..Green will spend 5-10

And Green has said he will finance his own campaign..and believe me, he has the $$$$$$$$$$ to do so!

Meek doesn't have a Fat babies Fart of a chance now!..and this is what many of us Fla dems have been trying to explain to you..and you didn't want to listen.

Rubio is Jeb guy..he will do anything in his power to get that senate seat for his boy Rubio..

We Florida dems fully understand that and can not let that happen!

Jeb wants control back...the dems put up a lousey weak, weak candidate for Governor..and Meek was not ready for prime time Jeb shit..

Crist is the only one who has ever stood up to the Jeb -Bush machine..we all know this in Fla.

Oh and Jeb is no GW...........he is the very smart one........

Jeb is shooting for the White House in 2012..count on that!

[flyarm]

134. Take a good look at this video of FDP Chair and what she said!!

from my files:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORQZ6iZw1DU

and some other Fla dem even posted it here on DU..it is in the archives!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x105533


yes, this is the Chairwoman of the Fl dem party.........the same Chair that the DC dems fought we Fla dems to keep in her office and job, when we wanted her removed!

[Ken Burch]

139. And I'm not a supporter of that chairwoman, as I've repeatedly explained

My sole concern was to avoid seeing the party's Senate candidate pointlessly humiliated. I had no dog in any other hunts.

Are you actually arguing that voting for Crist will somehow WEAKEN that chairwoman, though? That seems hard to credit.

[flyarm]

140. no what i am saying and have repeatedly said ..dems wanted her removed .Rahmn and Obama stood in our

way removing her, as did the DLC ..they got in the middle of us removing her..she is also on Jebs best buddies payroll while taking a heafty paycheck from we Fla dems.

If anyone is humiliating our dem candidate is it the leaders of the dem party!

[Ken Burch]

146. Well, I hope you are ultimately able to suceed in removing her

Nothing I've said here should be taken as an endorsement of how Rahm & Co. have treated her.

[skipos]

130. Crist will caucus with Repubs and have a voting records as "moderate" as his buddy McCain

as in, not moderate at all. Moderates Republicans are not allowed to exist in the senate (and lately, the house as well).

[peekaloo]

138. Crist is a Republican running as a (NP) candidate.

There is an Independent Party in Florida so he isn't running as an (I).

With that distinction made, fuck him.

:hi:

[HooptieWagon]

141. OP is beyond clueless about Fla politics.

Meeks is a nice guy, but unknown outside of S. Fla, and is running a low-profile campaign to date. He was going to badly lose a 2-person race, and is only barely competitive in a 3-man race. DLC-controlled state party keeps progressives from having much of a chance - DWS even endorses RW repukes over progressives.
All that said, Rubio would be a disaster as Senator. He must be stopped, even if it means holding ones nose and voting for the rep-lite Crist. If Meeks gets his ass in gear and runs a strong campaign, I'd much prefer voting for him. But if not, I'll vote for Crist if he has a chance of beating Rubio (he likely will). Although he would probably caucus with the Reps, at least he'd be as big a PITA to them as Lieberman is to us.

[GreenTea]

142. I recall the same uninformed on DU pushed to vote for "Maverick" McCain- hoping he'd become a Dem.

So easily taken in are these uninformed people, especially about ideology.

These are fucking republicans who joined the republican party by choice, because they believe in corporate fascist republican ideology which is corporations over people....

Just as McCain is a fucking republican, so is the pipsqueak Ron Paul is a fucking republican....as is Crist....This is a democratic forum....these uniformed clowns come out speaking through their ass all the time....they have no fucking clue what ideology means...they have none of their own....Just what ever sounds good and which ever way the wind blows....They will actually support and vote for a fucking republican....Where do these uninformed get their information, Fox news? How old are they, what experience in anything do they have but believing media hype they are told to believe hype and more hype....are these the same uninformed who also believed in Sub-prime lending?

These are fucking republicans....they are fucking liar, will change their platform at the drop of a hat, no scruples anything to convince one to vote for them...How do you think republicans have such power, not because people know & researched republicans sick greedy corporate ideology, republicans gain power because people actually believe these unscrupulous republican hucksters (do they know what a huckster is)?

The same uninformed here were so convinced that McCain was the savior of the democratic party....The same goes with other republicans, the gull and the arrogant ignorance is appalling!

Still the infantile will scream and yell at those who don't believe their republican is different.....Go fucking learn something about what a republican is and their lying filthy greedy selfish racist ideology is all about....Start with republican ideology and they shut the fuck up already!!!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

143. Wow

Why would someone have voted for McCain when there were viable Democratic opponents? That's just plain dumb. I never bought the maverick shtick but I did like when he was troubling Bush* in the primaries in 00.

Now that we got that out of the way. Down here in Florida it appears Charlie is our only instrument to derail the toxic Marco Rubio. Kendrick Meeks is running an ineffective and stealth campaign. He is not a viable candidate at this time.

Oh, Charlie may be a lot of things but he is not a racist. He's a lifetime member of the NAACP and fought to repeal the law that prevented felsons who served their sentence from voting; a burden that fell heavily on African Americans.

One should have some rudimentary understanding of Sunshine State politics before they advise its residents how to vote.

[Ken Burch]

147. Listen very carefully: I wasn't calling CRIST a racist

It was looking very difficult to see, however, that an unwillingness to see an African American as a viable statewide candidate did NOT have a lot to do with the "Dems for Crist" bubble.

You are the state, for example, where(the last time Dems had a majority in the state House)a large block of Dems voted to coalesce with Republicans to stop a black liberal becoming either speaker or majority leader).

I wasn't saying anything about Crist's own racial view. Just a comment about who would and who wouldn't feel represented by him as senator.

[quaker bill]

145. Correct,

though he might be a tiny bit more progressive than some most conservative blue dog dems. I am still voting for Meek.