Good prospects for three Democrats in South Florida congressional races

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Joe Garcia, running in District 25, speaks at fundraiser on the key nature of Annette Taddeo's candidacy in District 18. He says she is doing the heavy lifting that will help him win and also help Raul Martinez in District 21.

Cry foul: Lincoln Diaz-Balart won't debate Raul Martinez

Sorry, little mistake in the headline. Replace the word foul with fowl, for chicken. That's should be the modifier for Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who's not up to the challenge of meeting his challenger in the debate arena.

Close readers of this blog may remember back on Sept. 10 when there was a post reporting at least two debates scheduled between the rubber-stamp incumbent and the Democratic contender for FL-21's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The post quoted from the Miami Herald column by Channel 10's respected political reporter Michael Putney, who was himself to be moderator or co-moderator of two debates between Martinez and L. Diaz-Balart.

Sorry to report now that the Martinez campaign says it's all off. As I suspected back on Sept. 10. Too good to be true. The Diaz-Balarts never have the fortitude to meet a challenger.

Last night I was at a fundraiser for Annette Taddeo, challenging Ileana Ros-Lehtinen in FL-18, and a welcome guest was Joe Garcia, who's running against Mario Diaz-Balart in FL-25. No surprise to hear both Annette and Joe report no luck in enticing their opponents to debate. They may hint at this date or that, only to pull back.

Why do they do this? My guess is that they may fool some few voters who will approvingly remember the little news story saying the Republicans had agreed to debate, but not see the one reporting the debate had been called off.

Thanks to the Raul Martinez campaign for rounding up links to various news stories about the "debates," as follows:

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/692549.html

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2008/09/get-ready-to-ru.html

http://www.local10.com/editorials/17503337/detail.html

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2008/09/channel-10-miam.html

Time for a laugh, in case it's hurting so much

This is too droll.



Wasn't the ending fantastic?

Thanks to the Florida Progressive Coalition Blog for showing this video.

How's Barack doing?

You've seen the headline stuff about Barack Obama's brilliant appearance at University of Miami's BankUnited Center before 8,000 very happy people. This report will assume you're up on the main points, and I'll cover some side elements.

This was the fifth time I've seen him speak in person, and never has he spoken with such power. Was it only that the sound system was totally cranked up? I don't think so. He's ahead or rising in the polls, the economic issues have turned fully negative on the Republicans and it's entirely their own doing, and Obama is in his full stride with six weeks-plus to go.

He has a way of tugging on the heartstrings that I don't see analyzed much. In the past week I finally finished reading "Dreams from my Father," his memoir that we may think of as a recent book, but which in fact was published in 1995, "before his political career began," as Wikipedia puts it.

The book is full of tender and penetrating thoughts about his parents and everything he was discovering in his background (subtitle is "A Story of Race and Inheritance"), and as I read, my eyes often welled up with emotion and admiration of his power to describe.

His standard speech uses this repeatedly. His late mother appears and becomes a reason for his race for the presidency, through the evocative trauma of her fight against cancer and the health insurance maze. His still-living grandmother Dunham is in there, too, with her determined but slow rise in the business world and encounter with the glass ceiling. In the book, his African female relatives are the lead characters in his sojourn in Kenya, and he brims over with empathy for their struggles. I don't see how women, especially, can avoid succumbing to him. "This is personal, for me," he said about health care issues and his mother's final illness.

So in his speech Friday afternoon, Obama brought out memories of his mother and grandmother with the refrain, "That's why I'm running for president." And not to forget his wife, Michelle, whom he likened to the Chaka Khan song "I'm Every Woman." John McCain is a weak opponent in this area, as Obama counted McCain's deficiencies in equal pay, abortion, discrimination and health care.

McCain. in a speech earlier Friday, somehow tried to blame Obama for the economic mess. "I think it's clear," Obama retorted, "that Sen. McCain is a little panicked right now."

Further: on the silliness of Republican charges, "That's what you do when you're out of ideas."

It was interesting to hear him say that he supports the crisis intervention the Bush administration now is undertaking -- he specifically named Treasury Secretary Paulson and Fed Chief Bernanke, not Bush -- and he said he backs bipartisan work in Congress to find solutions.

Finally, he cited "my friend Hillary Clinton" and her 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling.

One last note: the honor of introducing him was given to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20), who declared that Obama will be carried to the presidency "by the women of this country." A few weeks ago she was not in the Obama camp but rather fighting every way possible to get Sen. Clinton the nomination. In Denver she also was honored by giving one of the seconding speeches for Obama, so I've got to say she has come around to the good side of the ledger throughout. Reward: in all the TV images of this speech she's sitting right there behind him. Further payment by her: her endorsement of all three Democratic candidates for congress from South Florida, Annette Taddeo (FL-18), Joe Garcia (FL-25) and Raul Martinez (FL-21), who were mentioned by name in Obama's speech. (Correcting that they were NOT on stage.)

Dave Patlak takes on McCain (surrogate)

Our own Big Dave Patlak took the Democratic side Friday morning on CBS-4 against Frank Cuzzocrea, who calls himself a libertarian Republican on his Facebook page. You can look at it here:

http://cbs4.com/video/?id=62462@wfor.dayport.com

There was one juicy moment when the Republican, to dig himself out of a tough spot, kicked George W. Bush in the butt, saying, "Fortunately, John McCain is not George Bush." Like that "fortunately."

Big Dave did a fine job pinning McCain back to Bush's record and pointing everyone's attention to Barack Obama's appearance later Friday at the University of Miami with the theme of Change.

Slide show of Obama rally scenes

The photos posted on this blog earlier today were sent direct from my cell phone to the blog.

Inside the hall, waiting for Obama

Jamie, Holly and Alexi among the crowd of 8,000.

Jill Sands of Miami in line to hear Barack Obama

Waiting for Obama

Long lines already before 8 am for speeches starting noontime.
Capacity 8,000.

Obama rally: don't be late

Friday morning the doors open at 9:30 for the event scheduled to start at 11:45 a.m. Please don't think that you can wander up at noon and flourish your on-line ticket and get in.

It's first come, first in. When the fire marshal says that's it, the doors will not swing open to anyone. The organizers expect most of the audience to be in by 10 a.m., certainly by 11 a.m. There are to be at least three speakers, so expect to be there until 2 or 3 p.m.

This is at the University of Miami's BankUnited Center, once known as the basketball fieldhouse, also as the Convocation Center. It's just off U.S. 1, across from the University Metrorail Station.

If you see an old guy with a big hat in the parking lot giving helpful directions, that might be me.

The event is billed as a Women's Rally for the Change We Need. I'm assured that men also are welcome and do not need to bring lipstick.

Not a headline to read before a cup of coffee

In all the meltdown news in today's papers, this was the headline that got me to click over and read first:

Money Market Funds Enter a World of Risk

Your Money - Money Market Funds Enter a World of Risk - NYTimes.com

Too much Lehman in the recipe -- that's the problem. The neighbor-nurse worries that her Florida retirement is wobbly thanks to too much Lehman in the mix. The next seat at the table last night worries that her bank, WaMu, is next in line. This is not just Wall Street. This is 71st Street in Miami Beach, too.

Obama's own words on the economy

Get it straight from the candidate.

Obama campaign spending $39 million in Florida

It seems like an incredible amount of money, but in fact as I figured out a year ago when we had a municipal election here on Miami Beach, the candidates for city commission spent $130.55 for each vote cast. (Link to that post.)

Now, if all 10.6 million registered Floridians actually vote on Nov. 4, that would be only $3.68 per vote spent by the Obama campaign. Compared with all the robo-calling and glossy mailers we residents of Miami Beach suffer from our aspirants to the city commission, it's a pittance.

Before I report on what David Plouffe says in the video below, let me just post the detail of who's leading among registered voters in Florida with about three weeks until the close of registrations:

• 4.4 million Democrats
• 3.9 million Republicans
• 2.3 million minor and non-party

Please don't let anyone think that this is a Republican state, despite what we have in Tallahassee. Democrats are in a temporary trough; we will be out of it soon to show there's better ways of doing state business. And we won't be mean about it the way the pit-bull Republicans are.

For instance (and again, pardons, I'm delaying a report on the Obama campaign), the Republicans are clearly to blame for two crooked instances of voter manipulation uncovered in the media.

• The St. Petersburg Times reports on our neighbors the Florida Republicans sending mail to seniors who are Democrats, telling them that they're shown as registered Republicans. Whose "honorable" name is on the mail? John McCain. What's the effect? Attempt to confuse Democratic voters, attempt to "cage" them out of their vote on election day.
• Next report is from Politico, about a national "push poll" targeting Jewish voters and asking them leading and nasty questions about Obama. Be aware of this and don't hesitate to report suspicious calls and mailings. By the way, the name on this was John McCain.

Official Democratic reaction:

"It is disgusting that John McCain and his Republican cronies would prey on Florida's seniors. John McCain's dishonorable and dishonest campaign prove he and his Republican Party are so desperate for four more years of Bush politics that they will do anything to win - except talk honestly with voters about the issues that matter," Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman said. "Frankly, John McCain should be ashamed of himself for preying on seniors like a bogus reverse-mortgage peddler."

Now, finally, the video in which David Plouffe, manager of the Obama campaign, lays out the situation for the last seven weeks.



The key point in this, to me, is that Florida is the biggest battleground state that he mentions -- requiring $39 million to fund the TV and radio ads, the staff and grassroots to win our 27 electoral votes.

Beyond that, we have huge jobs to do in the grassroots. Looking back to 2004 when George W. Bush won Florida by 380,000 votes, Plouffe pointed to the half-million African-Americans who didn't vote, and the 900,000 registered young citizens who didn't vote.

"We can win if we just turn them out," he said.

Exactly.

NJ Gov. Corzine talks taxes in Miami

Jon Corzine talks with audience members at Miami-Dade College. Strongly backing Barack Obama's economic program, he said only 2 percent might have their taxes raised while 95 percent would get lower tax bills.

Questions from the audience showed this message is having a hard time against Republican lies declaring that Obama would raise taxes.

Wish I had been running the video camera when Corzine jumped up and down like a little kid in mock frustration at how hard it is to combat a blizzard of what he politely called "misrepresentations."

Friday morning: Barack Obama at UM, free public rally

Tickets required, sign up at http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/flcoralgables (corrected signup link).

Announced this afternoon from the Obama headquarters for Florida in Tampa (where all the staff is getting tuned up for the last seven weeks), it’s to be a Women’s Rally for the Change We Need.

I believe no lipstick is required, however.

The rally will be at the BankUnited center on the University of Miami Campus, just off US 1 and across from the University Metrorail station.

Doors open at 9:30 a.m., program to start at 11:45 a.m.

No banners and signs, please, they say. No doubt some good stuff will be passed out.

“As we stand at a pivotal moment in our history, Senator Obama is the only candidate who truly understands the hopes and dreams of everyday Floridians,” Steve Schale, Florida campaign director, said. “While John McCain will increase healthcare taxes for millions of Floridians and bring four more years of George Bush’s cynical politics as usual, Barack Obama, as our President, will stand strong for Florida’s middle class families by supporting a National Catastrophic Insurance fund, which would stabilize the insurance market, real tax cuts for 8.7 million Floridians, and by protecting social security from the Bush/McCain privatization plan.”

John McCain's friends

Our friends at MoveOn have worked up a good video on the lobbyist rule that would follow a McCain victory.



Well, I'm off to a night of phone-banking for Barack.

McSame demo with cutouts

Almost alarming, how much these cutouts look like the real perps.



John McCain was raising money Monday afternoon at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Miami, and a crowd of about 50 of us from the Miami-Dade Democratic Party and the AFL-CIO demonstrated for two hours, getting good response from motorists on Biscayne Boulevard and from people waiting for the next Metromover.

He ain't no maverick, we said, with signs and cutouts on the theme of Six of One, Half a Dozen of the other.

UPDATE: Here's a link to a CBS4 report on the event. Click on the first video to see ample coverage of our demonstration.

Monday 10 a.m.: Meet County Commissioners at new Obama office

This is a voter registration event. Four Miami-Dade County commissioners are to join up at a new Barack Obama campaign office Monday morning and inspire constituents to register to vote.

This will be at 10 a.m. Monday, at the new Campaign for Change office at 257 Miracle Mile in Coral Grove.

Registration ends Oct. 6. Now is the time for a push, and coming together to add their voices will be Commissioners Audrey Edmonson, Barbara Jordan, Dennis Moss and Katy Sorenson.

Everyone else is welcome, too. A few days ago a Campaign for Change office was opened in Hialeah, and probably 200 people attended in a state of high enthusiasm. Y’all come!

Video quality not good, but you can hear what Commissioner Jordan said:

Miami Art Walk for Obama

Were you there Saturday night for the Art Walk event for the Obama campaign? If you were, you saw this wonderful display of light and color on the exterior of the Bernice Steinbaum Gallery, at 36th Street and N. Miami Avenue. There was tremendous enthusiasm for Obama on the streets of the Design District, many signed up as volunteers and some registered to vote.

FL-25: Sen. Bob Graham in festive endorsement of Joe Garcia

Joe Garcia and Bob Graham in the center of the crowd after Graham endorsed Garcia for Congress on Friday.

Some history lessons leap out at you with road signs. Well, today it was a sidewalk sign saying this building in the center of Kendall’s Miami-Dade College was the Dante Fascell Conference Center, and this was where Sen. Bob Graham was going to issue his endorsement of Joe Garcia for Congress in FL-25.

Joe Garcia is fighting to oust Bush rubber-stamp Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, and he was reminded repeatedly during the endorsement ceremony that he has very large shoes to fill since one of his predecessors would be the late Dante Fascell, congressman from South Florida for 38 years until 1993.

Most prominently, said Garcia’s former teacher Patrick Collins, Fascell stood alone as a Southern congressman who refused to sign the racist Southern Manifesto in 1956. That manifesto opposed the 1954 Supreme Court decision mandating an end to school segregation. It must have been like a profile in courage for a first-term Florida congressman to take that stand.

We shall hope fervently for Joe Garcia to be as principled and brave, and Collins suggested it was possible, since the young high school student developed “a zeal to ask penetrating questions and to question long-standing assumptions.”

Next speaker: Francisco “Pepe” Hernandez, president of the Cuban American National Foundation, hired Garcia right out of UM Law School and let him loose on a project that united thousands of far-flung Cubans with their families at no cost to the federal government.

“I am going to do my best” to elect Joe, said this pillar of the Cuban American community.

State Sen. Larcenia Bullard fired up the SRO crowd of students, supporters, reporters and six camera crews with chants of “Yes we will!”

The next speaker, Braulio L. Baez, said he’d always be for Joe despite being a “confirmed Republican” who had been appointed twice by Republican governors of Florida to head a state agency. He and Joe have both had the title of chairman of the Florida Public Service Commission. And both had their hair cut by Joe’s mother.

Bob Graham, former senator, former governor, onetime protégé of Dante Fascell, took the stage after having spent an earlier hour of the morning doing a conference call with the media for the Barack Obama campaign, focused on veterans’ issues. (I know, I was listening to it on my cell’s earbuds while driving to the Joe Garcia event.)

Graham blamed excessive partisanship as the main reason for “Washington is broken” but said “relief is on the way” in the form of the Obama campaign for president and Joe Garcia’s drive for congress.

“I am pleased to join you in endorsing Joe Garcia to be congressman from District 25,” Graham said, then introducing Garcia, who complimented him saying that this country would have been much better if John Kerry had selected Graham as his running mate in 2004.

Speaking to reporters after the event, Garcia ripped into his opponent for not being willing to ease restrictions on helping people in Cuba suffering from two disastrous storms, Gustav and Ike. “My opponent’s position is absurd, it’s patently cruel,” Garcia said. “We want the U.S. government to get out of the way and let people help their family and friends.”