Bush rolls tape of McBride missteps [Jeb's move upsets FL's two US senators, Graham and Nelson]

St. Petersburg Times ^ | Sept. 7, 2002 | STEVE BOUSQUET

[floriduh voter]

Summer, McBride lifted NATIONWIDE INSURANCE COMPANY'S SLOGAN. "NATIONWIDE IS ON YOUR SIDE". What creative geniuses they have at the McLawyer camp. They have to lift a slogan from an insurance company; proving that he can't even pick a good advertising company. LOL

[floriduh voter]

There are exceptions to every rule - FR attorneys are not to whom I am referring, but lots of average Floridians hate attorneys. Democrats only have attorneys in the governor's race.

Voters who had bad experiences with attorneys or just hate them overall - it will be difficult for them to vote for Reno or McBride IMO.

I am not too thrilled myself with the attorneys who have been attacking Charlie Crist.

[floriduh voter]

Jeb Bush and B. McBride are both at the Gator-Canes game today in Gainesville. I hope some freepers report back as to how Jeb's tailgate party went. They were attending.

[AmishDude]

Can you imagine a liberal's tailgate party? Zima, tofu dogs and couscous. And positively no smoking!

[AmishDude]

You know, summer, I respect your opinion but I don't think Reno will win. I'm not basing it on polls or anything like that. I'm basing it on the fact that the Clintons haven't come down to vocally support her. Bill should have been campaigning with her. He either sees that she has a big chance of losing or he wants her to lose. Either way, since the Clintons run the Democratic party, I think the "buses" will be out in force this primary, but not for Reno.

[summer]

Hi AmishDude, Nice to hear from you. I respect your opinion too... but, I do think Reno will win - because she is without question an alternative to Gov Bush.

So far McLawyer has promised he will raise taxes and that's about it. He is quiet on gay adoption, quiet on health care, quiet everything. He does hate Gov. Bush, and he does like to hang around with his GOP pals who also feel out of the loop with Gov Bush. However, FL has to be run by someone who has more ideas than HATE JEB.

Reno has tried to put forth a few ideas; and I think hardcore Dems voting in the primary may well make her the winner on philosophical grounds. We'll find out soon enough! :)

[JulieRNR21]

Good to see the GOP taking off the 'kid gloves'! This is a smart campaign strategy....no wonder the RATs are objecting!

Go JEB Go!

[surely_you_jest]

McBride is a punk. So are Graham and Nelson. I'd love to see Reno take this. GO JEB!

[summer]

FYI -- From the Reno campaign web site:

"Ms. Reno's Primary Election Night Victory Party will take place at the Sheraton Bal Harbour on Tuesday, September 10, at 7 PM...." :)

[floriduh voter]

And, it cannot be an SUV but could be a beamer or some other foreign car.

[AmishDude]

Well, I happen to believe the Democratic party is run from the top, down. Every candidate with any reasonable level of support represents a faction. Behind the scenes, those factions battle it out, form alliances and that largely selects candidates.

I think independent voters care more about issues than the party members. Gay activists aren't worried that McLawyer will abandon them. In fact, as a "conventional" candidate, he's much more predictable and much more tied to the party apparatus.

But, we shall see. The wildcard is the elderly in the south of the state. They aren't tied so much to a faction, so who are they leaning to? Because they will vote.

[AmishDude]

Want to look for a liberal tailgate party? Just look for a fleet of these:

[caltrop]

I disagree with you about Reno supporters. They'll definitely support McBride. McBride voters in North Florida and the Panhandle will either not vote for Governor or vote for Bush if Reno is the nominee. Her position on gun control makes her an absolute non-starter in those areas. I still contend that, if McBride wins the primary, he has a good shot at being elected. The ironic part, if that holds true, is that Bush's ads attacking McBride will have given him the nomination.

[Six Bells]

Bump for Jeb!!

[summer]

I disagree with you about Reno supporters. They'll definitely support McBride.

I don't know about that, caltrop. I have read a lot of comments from Reno supporters on Dem web boards, and others have freepmailed me about them, and IMO, they hate McLawyer as much as they hate Gov Bush. They are confused as to why McLawyer even threw his hat into the ring. They booed him everywhere he went n FL, including the FL State Dem Convention in April and elsewhere. There is a feud already going on between his supporters and her supporters, fueled in part by McLawyer's refusal to drop out of the race early on and run as her Lt. Gov. I'm just telling what I've read.

[summer]

I still contend that, if McBride wins the primary, he has a good shot at being elected.

And, on this point, we are miles apart. I think McLawyer will sink like a stone if he is the candidate in the general election. I asked a lot of Dem voters what they thought of McLawyer, and they basically said they preferred Bush for several reasons at this point in time. Gov Bush's experience as governor counted for a lot. Many FL voters do not want someone new in the FL gov office right now, in the midst of war, who will be doing on the job training.

[summer]

The wildcard is the elderly in the south of the state.

GW won this demographic in Nov 2000, though many people don't know that and don't believe that. GW also won white female voters in FL. I think Gov Bush will do well with both these groups.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Politics are an integral part of McBride's life and are becoming more so by the day. When Hart didn't work out in '84, he signed on first with Joe Biden and then Michael Dukakis in '88. There's still a yard sign in the garage. "I've always been a Democrat," he says. "I may be the last one." A supporter of Bob Martinez when he was the Democratic Mayor of Tampa, he has closely aligned himself to the 1990 gubernatorial hopes of Rep. Bill Nelson (D.-Melbourne), a friend since they met in Key Club while McBride was at Leesburg High School and Nelson at Melbourne High.

Nelson and McBride have a long history together. The congressman is a frequent house guest. While in Tampa, McBride fills his friend's days and nights with meetings and social engagements to help Nelson spread his political base across Central Florida.

Link (BARF^)

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McBride's no innocent newcomer to politics. He's a big Dem. insider...as is his wife:

More on McBride's far leftist wife, "Alex":
It's an interesting position for Mr. McBride, who was, until last year, a managing partner of Holland & Knight, the state's largest law firm. Politics have always been a strong force in his life, and when he married Adelaide "Alex" Sink 15 years ago, politics became even more important.
She is well-known in Florida as a political heavyweight behind the scenes and a generous giver to Democratic causes and candidates, including the feminist campaign group Emily's List and such lawmakers as Rep. Cynthia A. McKinney of Georgia, Sen. Barbara Boxer of California and Sen. Jean Carnahan of Missouri.

The financial director of the McBride 2002 campaign is Richard Swann, brother-in-law of Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Mr. McBride and he are old friends, said Mr. Swann, a lawyer in the Orlando area.

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About the "gay" base, what a difficult choice they'll have between Reno and McBride. Holland and Knight, a Tampa law firm best known for its work on death row and with gay rights...

[not-alone]

You are right, The Cuban anti Reno vote will come out stronger against Janet, lots of old Clinton lovers only want Reno and the Gay vote here will stay home, if it not Reno. That means fewer dragging the nursing home people to the polls also. Most of the retires will just be coming back and may want to vote up north this year. Palm Beach has had the largest request for request for absentee ballots ever about 15,000 almost equal between parties. I believe for or against Reno.

[EllaMinnow]

Janet Reno is here in Tallahassee, campaigning at the FAMU game.
Really.