"All I can say is if there was some liberal Democrat in this office, it would have been a hell of a lot worse," Bush said.

Critics, including Senate Republicans who voted against the governor's top priority of school vouchers, said they saw payback in his choice of cuts.

Sen. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, who late in the session lost his majority-leader post after the failed voucher vote, pointed to the loss of $20 million for Jackson Memorial, the teaching hospital for the University of Miami medical school that he has long championed.

"I just don't know what to say," Villalobos said. "That money was for indigent care. It was going to benefit the entire community."

Nancy Argenziano of Crystal River, another of the four Republican senators who voted against vouchers, said she could not understand how Bush could have vetoed $55,000 for volunteer firefighter equipment in Hamilton County or $100,266 for a training program for the blind in Citrus County.

"I'll be damned if that's a turkey," Argenziano said.

Bush, as he has in the past, denied that vetoes of his critics' projects were retribution. He said that getting back at those legislators by hurting their constituents did not make sense. He acknowledged, though, that he thought it appropriate to reward his allies.

Argenziano said:"Of course he rewards his friends. Let's see: Staubach, Convergys — he always rewards his friends." She referred to large outsourcing contracts that Bush's administration has awarded to Republican donors.

The senator said that she, in contrast, was trying to help residents in some of the poorest counties in the state. "I guess when you're born with a silver spoon, you just don't recognize that."

GOP Convention

Tampa's "Plans For Hosting '08 GOP Released".

Oil Drilling

A potential wedge issue with independents?

With the cost of gasoline hovering near $3 a gallon, a majority of Floridians -- mostly Republicans -- now back a Bush administration proposal that would allow oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico 100 miles off the state's coastline, according to a poll released Thursday.

Supressing The Vote

Of course, this is all about the long term GOoPer objective to surpress voter turnout:

But the Legislature didn't make a law addressing bad intentions [in voter registration groups]. Instead, the 2005 law painted all independent voter-registration drives with one wide, tarry brush, creating rules so punitive and unworkable that they could shut down voter registration drives by groups as venerable as the League of Women Voters.

That may have been the Legislature's fatal mistake. "Don't Mess With the League of Women Voters" is one of the unwritten rules of politics. "Don't Mess With the League of Women Voters Without Cleaning Up Your Own Mess First" should probably be stitched into a sampler and hung in the Capitol rotunda. The organization has been helping Florida voters register since 1939, and its reputation for dogged voter advocacy and nonpartisanship is well established. When it levies criticism about voting practices, the barb justly stings.

The Legislature might not have intended to go after groups like the League. But lawmakers definitely didn't intend to go after the most likely sources of elections fraud -- because they didn't name political parties. Party operatives don't face fines of up to $5,000 per voter registration. Only independent groups do.

And many of those groups won't be registering voters this year. As the League and several unions pointed out in a lawsuit filed against the state last month, Florida ranks 39th in registration of voting-age residents. Nearly half of all new voters registered in 2004 came from independent groups, the suit says.

"Mailroom Glitch"

"Voters whose last names begin with the letters A or B received the ID cards of relatives, neighbors and crosstown residents rather than their own. The cause was a mailroom glitch that resulted in up to 1,000 people receiving the card for the next person alphabetically on Broward's voter registration rolls." "Mailroom glitch shuffles voters' registration cards". See also "Glitch leaves some Broward residents with wrong voting ID card".

Liquidation

"An estimated 300,000 insurance policy holders will have to take their business elsewhere or transfer to the state's plan because three private insurers couldn't recover from past hurricane losses, state financial officials said. Florida Preferred, the last of three troubled subsidiary companies belonging to the Tampa-based Poe Financial Group, agreed Thursday to let the state take over its business and liquidate the company, state officials said." "Last of three insurance companies agrees to liquidate".

"Values" Judge Removed

"A judge will be removed from the bench for defrauding voters by grossly misrepresenting his qualifications while using illegal contributions to pay most of his campaign expenses, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The justices unanimously agreed Circuit Judge John Renke III of New Port Richey was guilty of campaign violations during his 2002 race in the 6th Circuit, which covers Pinellas and Pasco counties." "Supreme Court removes judge for campaign violations".

"The high court concluded Renke's father, former Republican state Rep. John Renke II, and his law firm illegally contributed $95,800 of the $105,550 spent by his son's campaign. The legal limit is $500 per person." And, the Court found that "Renke misled voters with advertising and literature that proclaimed him 'a Judge With Our Values,' implying he was an incumbent when he was not, and falsely claiming he was more experienced than his opponent." Id. See also "Judge's removal stands as warning".

Masilotti

"Last week, Masilotti abruptly quit his third and final commission run just days after Republican Party leadership raised questions about the Martin County transactions — warning that unless Masilotti fully disclosed his involvement, it could mean trouble for him at the ballot box." "Deal that benefitted Masilotti family is subject of probe".

Harris vs. McBride

"37 percent of respondents said they favored Harris, compared to 13 percent for Will McBride, 4 percent for LeRoy Collins Jr. and 2 percent for Peter Monroe. Her three opponents all entered the race May 12, which was the last day to get on the Sept. 5 primary ballot. More respondents — 43 percent — didn't choose a candidate. In a head-to-head with Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson, Harris trailed Nelson 58-25." "Support weak for Harris in Senate poll".

In the general, Nelson beats Harris "58 percent to 25 percent in the Quinnipiac University poll. The survey of 1,086 registered Florida voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points." "Nelson More than Doubling Up Harris".

[From May 15 - 22, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,086 Florida registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points. The survey includes 424 Republican voters with a margin of error of +/- 4.8 percentage points.]

Immigration Bill Passes

"The Senate voted 62-36 to pass the bill. Florida Sens. Mel Martinez, a Republican, and Bill Nelson, a Democrat, both voted for it." "Senate vote gives hope to undocumented immigrants in South Florida". "Senate passage of its immigration bill by a 62-36 vote on Thursday sets up a confrontation with the House, where many lawmakers equate the citizenship offer with amnesty.". "Senate passes landmark immigration bill". See also "Senate approves border reform" and "".

Sure

"A day after Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty was cleared of criminal wrongdoing in his business dealings with a prominent developer, the mayor Thursday refused to answer questions about it, saying it was 'time to move on.'" "Crotty: 'Time to move on'". See also "Cautionary tale" ("Instead, he had deluded himself into thinking he was offered the deal because he and Mr. Carter were in a Bible study group together. Florida can't afford its elected officials to be so naive. Do politicians really think people are cozying up to them because of their sparkling personalities?")

Slosberg

"State Rep. Irving Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, should leave the Palm Beach County Commission out of his politically charged dispute with the county Health Care District over its finances, County Administrator Bob Weisman told Slosberg in a letter this week. Slosberg, a county commission-appointed member of the Health Care District board, has accused the district of "hoarding" taxpayer dollars because it had an average cash balance of $180 million on its books last year." "Slosberg not on record, county says".

Gallagher Support

"State Sen. Bill Posey of Rockledge and Ralph Poppell of Vero Beach each endorsed Gallagher, who faces faces Attorney General Charlie Crist in the Republican primary race to succeed Gov. Jeb Bush. Also signing on with Gallagher was Cocoa Beach Mayor Leon Beeler, the campaign said." "A Few More Central Florida Pols for Gallagher".

Bill in Orlando

"The former president is set to headline a lunchtime fundraiser for the Florida Democratic Party at the Orlando Marriott Downtown on June 12. Party officials didn't have more details yet." "Clinton is Coming to Town". See also "Clinton's On The Way".

FCAT Follies

After taking office in 1999, Gov. Bush mutated the FCAT - which was in the works long before his tenure and, by coincidence, was coming into use just as he became governor - from an assessment tool into a branding iron. F grades and vouchers, he insisted, would shame poorly performing schools into doing better. That approach motivated school districts to put struggling students in smaller classes with specially trained reading teachers - a welcome development, even if a more skillful governor might have accomplished the same thing through encouragement and incentives, not threats.

Districts also have gotten better at teaching to the test. That may not be a bad thing when the test measures basic reading skills in elementary schools. For the writing portion of the FCAT, however, it's gotten ridiculous. Many kids who barely can read, according to one portion of the FCAT, are skillful writers according to another. Why? Teachers have learned how to teach especially well to the writing test.

Since 2001, the percentage of third-graders who can read at grade level has risen from 57 to 75. That's an FCAT success, and Gov. Bush shares in it. But high school scores suggest that teaching to the test does not lead to long-term learning. Somehow, reading improvements in lower grades vanish in the 10th grade. In 2001, 37 percent of 10th-graders could read on grade level. This year, it was 32 percent.

Moreover, when this year's 10th-graders took the FCAT as fifth-graders in 2001, 52 percent of them were reading on grade level. It's encouraging if Florida's elementary and middle school students are reading better. But the FCAT numbers show that they aren't making the transition to the more challenging reading skills required by high school.

"The Ultimate Insider"

"Rod Smith's campaign for governor this afternoon named Chris Korge, a South Florida lawyer and national Democratic Party fundraiser, its general campaign chair."

Korge, who was already raising money for Smith, is a national player in Democratic politics. Most recently, he was one of the folks in charge of fundraising for the 2004 Kerry-Edwards presidential campaign.

He's also close enough to Bill and Hillary Clinton ... .

Budget

"Gov. Jeb Bush plans to sign the state budget today, and if history is a guide he'll likely cross out some items with his veto pen." "Bush set to sign state budget". The overimportant Tax Watch weighs in: "Budget 'turkeys' include the Dali". See also "Bush urged to veto millions in local projects".

Advertising War

With about 100 days left before party loyalists choose their nominees for governor, polls show a widening gap that favors Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Davis and Republican attorney general Charlie Crist.

But pollsters caution that few Floridians are too concerned about the races right now, saying the inevitable onslaught of TV advertisements, debates and direct mail pitches will be the ultimate factor for the Sept. 5 primary votes.

"The start of the campaign is the start of television advertising," said Peter Brown, assistant director of Quinnipiac's polling institute. "It is phenomenal how little attention is paid to politics before you get close to an election."

I am Shocked

Here's what happens when a Bush appoints "an 'activist' for the Bush-Cheney campaign" to investigate a "Bush Pioneer": Orange County mayor cleared in special prosecutor's probe".

In response, Crotty's press office ... Oops I mean "Jeb!"'s press office announced it was thrilled with the news:

"We appreciate State Attorney Russell's diligence and thorough review of this matter," said Alia Faraj, a Bush spokeswoman. "It has come to a close. Based on the findings submitted to our office, it completely exonerates Mayor Crotty and he can now focus on his duties."

Stormy Issue

"House and Senate Democrats on Wednesday called for a special session on insurance reform and urged Florida homeowners to send copies of their soaring premium bills to the Legislature's Republican leaders."

"Floridians are getting tired and fed up with their ever increasing insurance rates," said House Democratic Leader Chris Smith of Fort Lauderdale. "Some are paying more in insurance premiums than they are in mortgage payments."

Democrats have launched a website (http://www.stormingmad.com/) that outlines their proposed reforms and urges homeowners to start agitating for an insurance fix.

"Jeb!" Watch

"Bush on Wednesday would not rule out a future with the National Football League but sidestepped questions about his interest in becoming NFL commissioner, saying he wants to focus on his job and the league won't wait until the end of his term on Jan. 2." "Bush skips queries about NFL interest". See also "Bush dodges NFL rumors", "Bush answers NFL buzz: I'm governor", "Gov. Bush Stiff-Arms NFL Bid", "Gov. Bush, tired of job suggestions, says no to NFL query".

Racial Profiling?

"In the wake of a traffic stop by Tallahassee police, state Rep. Priscilla Taylor has asked fellow members of the Legislature's Black Caucus to investigate police use of racial profiling. Taylor, D-West Palm Beach, was stopped on her way to the Capitol on April 27 when a local police officer thought she had an expired auto tag. " "Legislator takes issue with traffic stop". See also "Legislator calls traffic stop racial profiling".

FCAT Follies

"Only about a third of all students who took the FCAT science exam met the state's grade-level standard, according to results released Wednesday." "FCAT science results disappoint as only one-third make the grade". See also "FCAT, national test show state's students struggle with science".

"Inflated impression of Jeb"

A reporter concedes that

we [in the media] sometimes have an inflated impression of Jeb Bush's knack for straight talk.

Slosberg

The PBP argues that "since his appointment in 2004 to the board of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, state Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, has shown neither preparation for nor commitment to the agency's mission of providing a trauma system and offering medical services to the working poor." "Remove Rep. Slosberg from health-care board".

Scripps

"Give Scripps more time".

Fun With Charlie

In "Florida's next governor, by God", Jac Wilder VerSteeg has a little fun with Charlie being introduced at a religious gathering as follows "'I introduce to you, as the Lord Jesus has said, the next governor of the state of Florida, Charlie Crist.'"

My only caution is that the Bible readily demonstrates that just because God says something will happen, it doesn't mean that what happens will be good. Consider the story, from Genesis, of Pharaoh's butler and baker.

HD 53

"A second Republican, Thomas Piccolo, has jumped into the race to succeed Charlie Justice is St. Petersburg's heavily Democratic House District 53" "A Republican in HD 53".

Puerto Rican Voters

"Puerto Ricans choosing Florida, could cause political shift".

Cotterell

"When amendments go through the legislative process, you can voice your opinion. Lawmakers listen to their constituents before doing whatever the lobbyists who give them campaign contributions want." "'Well, duh . . .'".

Mel The Slugger

Try not to laugh:

Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida -- a key force behind the Senate's immigration bill -- explained Wednesday how he cajoled Republican colleagues to support his plan during morning workouts in the Senate gym, joking that "if I pushed too hard, they'd send me back" to Cuba.

He recalled "some shouting" at a negotiating session over his compromise plan with several senators, including Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and some staffers.

"Kennedy looked at me and said, 'He and I will work this out,' " Martinez said. "Kennedy and I slugged it out some, and then we joined arms on this."

Wingnut Donors

Scott Maxwell gets an "A" for this piece in today's Orlando Sentinel.

"From the vote-with-your-pocketbook files, you might be interested to know which local companies served as donors for last weekend's Florida Family Policy Council fundraiser in Orlando. Many organizations donated auction items to the group that fought to keep Terri Schiavo alive, supports a ban on gay marriage and opposes choice with regard to abortion. Among them:"

Universal Orlando,

the Roper YMCA in west Orange County,

the University of Florida,

and sports teams such as the Orlando Magic and the Miami Dolphins.

not all of the donors listed on the program realized to whom they were giving. So said Mike Hill, a spokesman for UF's athletics department, who said Wednesday that his group knew only that it was donating football tickets to an evening with Jeb Bush. Had the school realized the political nature of the group and its efforts, Hill said, "We would not have contributed."

Exposing the FCAT Spin

Kudos to the Tampa Trib editorial board for pointing out that

the annual fixation on the trend in FCAT scores obscures a continuing and painful reality: Far too many students cannot read, do math or understand science at grade level.

It's plain awful that only 32 percent of Florida's 10th-graders can read as they should. This means that two years before they hit the job market, 68 percent have substandard reading skills.

And it should be a statewide embarrassment that after third grade, the number of proficient readers steadily declines. Reading aptitude shouldn't peak at 8 years old.

On the science side, the FCAT scores reveal another shame. None of the grades tested - fifth, eighth and 11th - posted better than a 35 percent rate for mastery of the material. Only 2 percent of fifth-graders, 1 percent of eighth-graders and no high school juniors received top-level science scores, which hardly bodes well for a state focused on growing its high-tech and health care businesses. ...

But the pitfall of FCAT scores is that the annual announcement trumpets success and ignores the big picture. If Florida is going to compete on a global scale for jobs and wealth, these scores need to take giant steps soon.

Bribes

"Ray Liberti, a former West Palm Beach commissioner and state legislator, admitted Wednesday to using his powers as a city official to harass business owners in exchange for bribes from investors who wanted to buy the businesses below market value." "Ex-lawmaker admits taking bribes to play the heavy".

Q Poll

"Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Davis far outpaces party rival Rod Smith and narrowly leads the Republican candidates to be Florida's next governor, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University." "Davis leading in poll; many undecided".

The Buzz points out that the Q "does not question only likely voters. The Connecticut school polls registered voters, and critics say the results provide an inaccurate snapshot of the primary electorate, hence the incredibly high undecideds about three months before the primary."

Pruitt Allegations

More details of the allegations against Pruitt:

• Pruitt began receiving $2,000 a month from Royal Palm Beach homebuilder Wally Sanger in 2003, the same year Pruitt started making payments on a discounted house Sanger built for him in Port St. Lucie. Neither Pruitt nor Sanger would describe in detail Pruitt's duties in exchange for that money. Seven years earlier, Pruitt had inserted language into a school construction bill favorable to Sanger and his partners, including West Palm Beach political consultant Randy Nielsen, who formed a company to market concrete portables within days of the new law's passage.

• Pruitt, from 2001 to 2005, collected $819,115 through three political committees, and during those same years paid $458,346 of that to three friends and allies: Bogdanoff, Fort Lauderdale lobbyist Carole Duncanson and Nielsen's Public Concepts firm. In 2003, a partner of Nielsen, Richard Johnston, paid Pruitt $56,966 from a realty business based in the Public Concepts suite.

• In 2003 and 2004, Pruitt raised $264,434 through the charity he ran, Partnership for Better School Funding, but spent only $7,495 on scholarships for needy students, a stated top priority of the charity. In those years, he also spent $104,489 on a bus tour he took with Bogdanoff to support the state Bright Futures Scholarships, culminating in a massive political rally at the Capitol courtyard in Tallahassee. Those years were also when he collected the pledges from other senators that would make him the Senate president for the 2006-08 term.

• Pruitt, on Aug. 18, 2004, directed his legislative staff to field a state Division of Elections query regarding one of his political committees.

• Pruitt, in 2004 and 2005, reported receiving $19,607 from one of his political committees for "reimbursements," even though the law at the time required more detail than that single word.

• Bogdanoff has been using state taxpayer money to rent a Fort Lauderdale building outside of her district that she herself owns, and which is also used as the address for her Enterprising Business Solutions consulting firm, for her law office, and for Pruitt's charity.

Ethics Complaints

"The incoming Senate president and a House member are accused of misusing funds."

A Broward County Democratic activist has filed ethics complaints against incoming state Senate President Ken Pruitt and a House member from Fort Lauderdale, alleging various offenses, including misuse of charitable donations intended for educational scholarships.

Pruitt, through his lawyer, and state Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff dismissed the complaints to the state Ethics Commission as "pure politics." Both are Republicans.

Mean Girls

"A bitter internal dispute has caused the demise of one of Florida's most prominent Republican clubs. When the Florida Federation of Republican Women, led by longtime activist Anne Voss of Tampa, refused to let two members renew their membership, the organization's national office ordered it dissolved." "GOP women's group dissolved".

The Buzz can't figure out who was refused membership renewal ("Formerly Federated Women") or why.

Feisty CFO Debate

Alex Sink had to sit between Lee and Johnson, the poor thing:

For a race that’s not getting much attention, the candidates provided some excitement during the discussion hosted by the Orlando Tiger Bay Club. Johnson questioned Lee’s leadership in the Senate and said an insurance bill he worked on was “an embarrassment.” Lee said Johnson was simply making shallow, politically motivated remarks.

Then there was Sink, the former president of Bank of America’s Florida operations, who more or less was able to talk about her experience and positions without being challenged.

"Offensive" Republican Values

"The Florida League of Women Voters has faithfully helped register voters for 67 years, but Republican lawmakers now have put them out of business. Chalk it up to last year's election reform law, and call it a political disgrace." "Offensive voter registration rules" ("Florida ranks 39th in the percentage of voting-age residents who are registered, and any attempt to frustrate genuine, nonpartisan, volunteer efforts to improve that rate is offensive.")

Insurance Discrimination

"Insurance companies that use credit rating information when deciding whether to insure someone will have to prove that the use of the credit score doesn’t discriminate under a new state rule that the industry is challenging. State Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said Tuesday that the Office of Insurance Regulation will begin enforcing the rule, despite the challenge." "State rules question credit scoring in insurance decisions".

Nelson

"Nelson denies D.C. tree flap".

Go Figure

"So how does the state Legislature react? By making it easier to build in hazardous coastal areas." "Bill Puts Lives, Tax Dollars At Risk".

Adams

"The former lieutenant governor, who died Monday, was nearly impeached after winning office with Reubin Askew." "A political career, clouded by scandal". See also "Ex-Lt. Gov. Tom Adams, dead at 89, remembered for work, controversy" and "Rites Saturday for Adams, once a powerful politician".

More: "Tom Adams enlivened state history" "In memory of".

"The conscience of the House"

"James L. Redman, called the 'the conscience of the House' for his campaign against corruption during 12 years in the Florida Legislature, has died. He was 74." "Florida lawmaker became 'conscience of the House'".

Drinking the FCAT Kool Aid

Expect a spate of stories like this today: "FCAT reading scores improve".

In the meantime, the Dems will point out that "The real measure of Florida's public schools lies with independent research groups that show the state has the worst graduation rate in the nation, and Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT, scores languish near the bottom, [House Democratic Leader Chris Smith of Fort Lauderdale] said." "FCAT scores are up, Bush says".

"Bill protects billboards instead of trees"

"Unless Gov. Jeb Bush gets wise and vetoes a bill obsequiously endorsed by an overwhelming majority of tree-weary legislators, this state's cities and counties will have to remove vegetation on public lands that gets in the way of billboards on private lands. Should this measure become law, it would be forbidden to plant trees, bushes and even some flowering plants that might obscure a 500-foot clear view of roadside advertising on major highways. On less-important roads, a 350-foot clearing would be required." "Skewed view".

Fat Fight

"The crack [by Dubya] reminded some of Castro's comments last November in which he called the governor 'the fat little brother in Florida,' then added, 'It is not a criticism, rather a suggestion that he do some exercises and go on a diet.'" "Jeb: I'll keep chompin'".

GOP Convention to Tampa?

"Tampa bids for 2008 Republican convention".

What's On Your iPod?

"Instead of listening to music while jogging, voters will be able to use their iPods or MP3 players to catch up on candidate positions on political issues next summer. Anyone with a phone can to listen, live, to a candidate forum on education, government efficiency and environmental impacts of growth. And if they miss the non-partisan discussion, they will be able to point and click their way through the candidates and the issues at www.ForThePublic.net." "Voters can dial, download info".

Raw Political Courage

"Bush ready to sign bill restricting Cuba travel".

Why Is This Even An Issue?

Playing politics with death:

[A]ccording to Jenny Greenberg, director of the Florida Innocence Initiative, the bill nearly didn't get through the Legislature. In the House, she said, it was amended so as to weaken it. In the Senate, it almost fell victim to the struggle over who will become the chamber's president in 2008.

The Senate sponsor was Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, who has been right on this issue from the start. Sen. Villalobos had been set to succeed Ken Pruitt, the incoming president. But Sen. Pruitt is backing a switch in 2008 to Sen. Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach. "It should have been a cakewalk," Ms. Greenberg said, "but it almost didn't get heard." She credits Sen. Villalobos for getting the bill passed despite the irresponsible attempt to punish him by killing the bill, and she praises the Florida Bar for helping at the right moment.

"Laughably ineffective ex-Education Commissioner Jim Horne"

"Along comes the Legislature, however, trying to mess up a system that is working. House Bill 135, which is on its way to the governor's desk, would set up a new bureaucratic entity — the Florida Schools of Excellence Commission — to authorize and oversee charter schools in place of local school boards. Charter school companies paid Florida's laughably ineffective ex-Education Commissioner Jim Horne a lot of money to get HB 135 passed. And you can bet that they weren't seeking enhanced oversight." "Reject state commission to guide charter schools".

Siplin

"Senator pleads not guilty to misusing public money charges".

Citizen Fight

"Homeowners across the state are banding together to protest Citizens and the high cost of property insurance." "State insurer has a fight on its hands".

Is the NFL Nuts?

"Could Gov. Jeb Bush's future be in football? While U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has publicly flirted with the idea of becoming the next commissioner of the National Football League, Bush has been privately approached to gauge his interest in the job and was reportedly receptive." "Are you ready for some football, Jeb?" See also "Jeb Bush: NFL boss? It's been discussed" and "Jeb approached about top NFL job".

Is the NFL nuts? Why would they flirt with incompetents like Rice (the "National Security Advisor" who presided over the biggest national security disaster in U.S. history) and Bush who has been largely a failure as Governor.

And why would the NFL want as a commissioner the one individual who probably has done more to harm race relations in Florida than any current elected official. Aside from the policies he has pushed, Jebbie can't keep his mouth shut. "Bush's history of politically unfortunate rhetoric goes back to 1994, when he famously answered a question on the campaign trail by saying he would do 'probably nothing' for blacks if elected governor." "When Jeb Bush speaks, people cringe".

Air War begins

"Crist to begin TV campaign".

Jeb Watch

The writer of this piece, "Jeb Bush would be ideal U.S. envoy", is aparently unaware that a diplomat has to have diplomatic skills. Then again, Jebbie did participate in a few overseas trade missions (with GOoPer contributors tagging along), and he did sell water pumps in Africa while his daddy was president (see "Jeb Bush followed the family game plan: Earn your fortune, then run for public office. A vast network of deals made it possible" and "The Justice Department says a water pump company fraudulently helped Nigeria obtain $74-million in taxpayer-backed loans"), the latter should be particularly helpful in any diplomatic endeavor.

U.S. Rep. Jim Davis for months has cast himself as the inevitable Democratic nominee for governor, the guy leading in early polls and fundraising, and winning the backing of Democratic giants like former Sen. Bob Graham.

Davis may be the frontrunner, but his mantle of inevitability is looking increasingly thin. All the momentum in recent months has been with state Sen. Rod Smith, whom Davis has been unable to shake. Consider:

Smith is far outpacing Davis in labor endorsements, a potential force in Democratic primaries. By all accounts, Smith would have won full endorsements from the teachers union and state AFL-CIO had those unions not changed their rules to require two-thirds support for an endorsement. Some local affiliates will still push hard for Smith.

Smith so far has nearly kept pace with Davis in money-raising, despite losing crucial fundraising weeks because rules bar lawmakers from raising money during the legislative session. Through March 31, Davis had raised $2.2-million to Smith's $1.9-million.

"Christ for Crist?"

"A reverend who introduced Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist during a breakfast with other pastors Monday said the Lord came to him in a dream two years ago and told him Crist would be the state's next governor."

The Rev. O'Neal Dozier, pastor of the Worldwide Christian Center in Pompano Beach, said that before the dream he did not know Crist, nor had Crist made known his plans to run for governor.

"The Lord Jesus spoke to me and he said 'There's something I want you to know,'" Dozier said. "'Charlie Crist will be the next governor of the state of Florida.'" ...

"I introduce to you, as the Lord Jesus has said, the next governor of the state of Florida, Charlie Crist," Dozier said.

Bush, who appointed Dozier to a group that nominates judges in South Florida, didn't directly respond to the remark, but praised Dozier.

Nelson

"A U.S. Interior Department inspector general's report claims Sen. Bill Nelson went 'condo shopping' with a high-ranking National Park Service employee in 2002 and asked 'if the trees could be cut' near a condominium he was interested in purchasing." "Condo hunt scrutinized". See also "Sen. Nelson says he never asked if trees could be cut".

Stupid Statement of The Week

Troxler's column today:

"Everywhere else in the world," explains state Rep. Joe Pickens, R-Palatka, "people are paid according to their performance, not according to their longevity."

"He has been eating a lot"

"It's one thing to have someone notice your weight. It's a whole other thing to have your brother, leader of the free world, poke fun at it." "Picking on Little Brother". See also "President notices little brother is still growing".

Neverending Story

"The state loses nothing in giving Scripps more time. It only ensures a better formula for success." "Scripps".

Hastings In

"U.S. Rep Alcee Hastings wins eighth term".

CD 8

Hartage and Stuart have company in the CD 13 Democrratic primary: "The dynamics of the U.S. House District 8 race against incumbent Ric Keller, R-Orlando, were changed at the 11th hour when Democratic candidate Alan Grayson joined the race. Grayson, a millionaire attorney whom The Wall Street Journal described as waging a one-man war against contractor fraud in Iraq, brings a personal fortune that could upset the campaign war chest balance that once had Keller clearly on top financially."

"On the Republican side, Keller can no longer assume he will be the party nominee for the general election, with Republican businesswoman Elizabeth Doran in the race." "A Democrat with big bucks".

Here's an idea

Troxler has an idea:

Every public schoolteacher in the state of Florida should switch to the Republican Party, with the express intent of stacking that party's primary elections with as much pro-public-school bias as possible.

After all, what are teachers going to accomplish by staying Democrats? They have no obvious preference between the two Democratic candidates, Jim Davis and Rod Smith. There's no risk of the party nominating somebody the teachers won't like.

On the other hand, there most definitely is the risk that, once again, the Democrats will nominate a nice guy (think Buddy MacKay in 1998 or Bill McBride in 2002) who gets creamed by a better-known Republican in November. In that case, the teachers will once again be on the losing side.

Do you think this is crazy? Sorry. Just trying to think outside the box, as the saying goes. Now, about those labor unions ...

"Jeb!" Suddenly Too Busy to Meet

After the kerfluffle over "Jeb!" scheduling a meeting with incumbent Sen. Alex Villalobos' GOoPer challenger, "Bush didn't meet with Miami-Dade School Board member and Florida Senate candidate Frank Bolanos after all on Monday due to a scheduling change." "Bush-Bolanos Meeting Cancelled". Jebbie's flacks claim it was a scheduling change; let's see if it is rescheduled.

Adams Killed In Accident

"Car crash kills former Lt. Gov. Tom Adams".

Harris

Several days ago Adam Smith penned, "Briber paid for 2nd meal for Harris", about Harris' difficulty in being forthright about her gifts from defense contractors for whom she did favors. Today, Jeremey Wallace follows up with "Harris, Wade dined".

Mel Avoids "National Language" Issue

After sidestepping the "the politically thorny, emotionally divisive question of whether to make English the "'national language,'" by getting out of town and avoiding the vote ("Senators Go Own Ways On English Bill"), Mel Martinez found an audience he might be able to handle, seventh graders. "Seventh-graders question Sen. Martinez on immigration". Mel nevertheless continued to sidestep the question:

"Is English going to be the national...?" asked a student named Sean, wearing tousled hair and a blue shirt. Before he could finish, the senator broke in.

"English is the national language," Martinez said.

Palm Beach County Dems?

"Democrats outnumber Republicans in Palm Beach County Commission Chairman Tony Masilotti's suddenly up-for-grabs western District 6. But the county GOP has a deeper farm system of upwardly mobile municipal politicians positioned to run for the job." "Commentary: Margolis' vow helps open door to Republicans for Masilotti seat".

Once Was Not Enough

A girl's gotta eat:

Rep. Katherine Harris wound up embroiled in a firestorm last month after acknowledging she had a $2,800 meal with a defense contractor convicted of bribery.

Now it turns out that wasn't her first fancy meal with corrupt contractor Mitchell Wade. Harris had dined with Wade previously at the same tony Washington restaurant and failed to pay her share as required by congressional rules, her campaign acknowledged Friday.

Candidate Forum

"Setting himself apart from Gov. Jeb Bush and other Republican leaders, Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist said Sunday that he did not support repealing the constitutional amendment aimed at relieving crowded classrooms." "Focus put on class-size caps" ("The four leading candidates to replace Gov. Jeb Bush sparred at a forum sponsored by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa.") See also "Candidates debate state insurance woes" ("Two Republicans and 2 Democrats vying for Florida governor meet in Miami-Dade") and "Gallagher and Crist spar over insurer" ("At a forum with the four primary candidates for governor, Citizens Property Insurance is a lightning-rod topic.")

"Bill to wipe out state safety standards bad for Florida"

"The National Uniformity for Food Act, which passed the House in March, would wipe out food safety regulations in all 50 states, replacing them with . . . nothing. . . . Also on the chopping block: Restaurant safety and food-handling regulations in all 50 states. In a state that relies on tourism, such a restriction could spell disaster. Florida officials also would lose the authority to prevent the sale of spoiled food after a hurricane." "National food act a hazard".

"Drilling fight underscores urgency"

"Opponents can't afford to relax after last week's failed congressional attempt to end a ban affecting large areas of U.S. waters now off limits to drilling for oil and natural gas." "In their sights". See also "Strength in numbers" ("Weldon should join the fight to protect Florida's shores from unwise drilling"), "Gulf Drilling" and "Michael Peltier: Pressure to allow offshore drilling won't be going away" ("Florida delegates to the U.S. House of Representatives last week beat back attempts to relax oil-drilling restrictions off the state's coastline. But the issue is far from over.")

Slow Start

"Sales tax holiday for items related to hurricanes off to leisurely start".

Just One More

"Democrats came within one piece of paper of having a candidate in every congressional race in Florida. Just a day before the May 12 filing deadline, [CD 13 candidate Jan] Schneider loaned fellow Democrat James Davis of Bartow $10,000 to pay the qualifying fee to run against Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow. But when Davis' staff submitted his ted his paperwork to the Division of Elections they didn't have an original loyalty oath document signed by Davis. Without it, the agency rejected Davis' attempt to get on the ballot."

Schneider said she needs every penny she's raised for her own race but thought it important to help the party present a full slate of candidates for voters in November. She said the central part of the state having Democratic candidates on the ballot could have helped draw more attention to the November elections, which could have helped overall turnout in Central Florida.

McBride (The New One)

From The Buzz yesterday,"Harris challenger's deep pockets attract speculation":

We wonder if that question came up Friday night at the Florida Family Policy Council banquet, where the governor was seated next to Stuart Epperson, chairman of Salem Communications, the biggest religious radio broadcaster in America. Epperson's son-in-law is Senate candidate McBride, which has a lot of people wondering if the Orlando lawyer and first-time candidate will pump millions of dollars of family money into the race.

"Everybody's asking that," a chuckling McBride said in his first comments since entering the race. "We're raising the money to be competitive in the primary and more than competitive in the general election. ... I'm looking forward to giving Republicans a viable alternative that can close the gap" with Nelson."

McBride said he was swamped with calls urging him to get in and that he harbors no ill will toward Harris. "It's not about Katherine Harris; it's about finding someone who can be competitive with Bill Nelson."

was born in Tampa 33 years ago. He graduated from Leto High School in Tampa and received a bachelor’s degree from Florida State University, according to a news release sent by his office. After graduating from Florida State, McBride served as a public school teacher for three years.

McBride received his law degree from the Pepperdine University School of Law and started his own law practice in Orlando, where he specializes in immigration law. The William McBride Law Group now has offices in Kissimmee and Tampa in addition to the Orlando office. McBride is a former youth minister and former Christian camp director.

McBride lives in Windermere, an Orlando suburb, and is married and the father of three boys ages 5, 3 and 1.

Good Luck

"Bush's legacy took significant losses during his last legislative session on his attempts to water down the class-size amendment and revive the school vouchers that the Florida Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional. A better way to cement his legacy would be to stanch Florida's hemorrhaging open-government reputation by vetoing rather than signing into law the more than a dozen bills passed during the session's waning days that create or extend exemptions to Florida's open records laws." "To enhance Jeb's record, keep state records open".

Crist: "More smoke than substance"

"Charlie Crist has edge in public posing".

Hot Air

The Miami herald argues that "a lot of hot air was spent on an English-only debate in the U.S. Senate last week -- and for no good reason. The debate centered around ideological grounds and contributed nothing to the immigration reforms that senators ostensibly were shaping." "English-only law an exercise in futility".

"Jeb!" on Verge of Fumbling Away 'Glades Restoration

Jebbie wants to end federal judicial eview of Evergaldes cleanup, saying an administrative agency stocked with Bushco sycophants should do the oversight instead. Even Congress sees through this ploy:

With a court-imposed deadline to clean up pollution in the Everglades seven months away, Florida officials -- led by Gov. Jeb Bush -- have pursued a public-relations blitz to tout the state's progress ...

At the same time that they trumpeted "unprecedented success," Bush, environmental Secretary Colleen Castille and South Florida water managers also pushed to end 14 years of oversight by federal judges in Miami and close the books on the landmark settlement that ordered the cleanup and set a date to get it done -- Dec. 31.

But the months of high-level meetings with Washington lawmakers, White House aides and federal agencies backfired.

Instead of patting the state on the back, key members of Congress threatened to pull federal funding for the sweeping $10.5 billion Everglades restoration plan.

John Scofield, a spokesman for the House Appropriations Committee, said the message from powerful Chairman Rep. Dave Hobson, R-Ohio, and other lawmakers was blunt: "They don't want the state in any way, shape or form to weasel out of the consent decree"

The governor said the state's aim has been misunderstood.

On Jebbie's Desk

"Florida soon may have among the nation's strictest guidelines for long-term care insurance, as a bill the Legislature unanimously passed this month needs only Gov. Jeb Bush's signature to become reality. But whether or not the new rules truly will benefit consumers remains to be seen -- and depends on whom you ask." "Long-term care bill to make insurance affordable, supporters say".

Interns

"Some in Tallahassee notice lobbyist assistants for more than just skills." "Interns who turn heads".

Double Whammy

"There are two hurricane crises plaguing Florida these days: the forecast of greater hurricane activity because of a change in the weather cycle, and the soaring cost of property insurance. The increase in turbulence poses a real threat to the life and property of every resident of our state, from the Panhandle to the Keys. Still, foresight and disaster preparation can mitigate the damage." "Storms hit Florida with double whammy".

Christian Conservatives

"Christian conservatives are seeking a new Republican standard bearer to replace Gov. Jeb Bush, and both Republican candidates are jockeying for the role." "Looking to fill Bush's shoes".

Class Size Looms

"Class sizes looming over state legislators" ("Ray Sansom may be the House speaker who has to figure out how to pay for it").

"Homeownership dreams fade"


"The sizzling pace in home sales has noticeably cooled, signaling that a long-forecast slowdown in South Florida's market may have begun. But the cycle hasn't, so far, eased a pair of critical public policy issues, affordable housing and property tax inequities." "Housing" See also "Out of reach" and "New Orlando home may jump by $6,147".

"Jeb Bush, R-Tammany Hall"

"Gov. Jeb Bush seemed like he really meant it last week when he vowed to take a break from rearranging the pieces on Florida's political chess board. But his pledge barely lasted a day. His endorsement of Senate President Tom Lee of Brandon over Rep. Randy Johnson of Celebration in the Republican primary for chief financial officer came 27 hours after the governor said he learned a lesson from failing to persuade House Speaker Allan Bense to challenge U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris." "Governor's break from political maneuvering doesn't last long".

Ruth was on fire yesterday with "Jeb Throws Political Kisses To Tom Lee":

there was Gov. Jeb Bush, R-Tammany Hall, the other day attempting to manipulate a cast of characters better than Jim Henson in an effort to influence the outcome of the Republican primary election for Chief Financial Officer.

In an unprecedented move, He Who Must Be Posing For Holy Pictures injected himself into the primary by throwing his considerable heft behind Florida Senate President Tom Lee over his opponent, state Rep. Randy Johnson.

Aside from attempting - and failing - to persuade the Florida Swamp Ape to run against Katherine Harris in the U.S. Senate primary, this was the first time Bush had openly taken sides in a contested nomination battle.

"Growth won"

"Florida long ago made the decision to allow population growth to outpace its natural water supply. Growth won." "Why Once-Soggy Florida Now Must Ration Water".

"Shaw-Klein contest a key"

"Bush's swing through South Florida this month highlighted the importance of the House race between Republican U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw of Fort Lauderdale and his Democratic challenger, state Sen. Ron Klein of Boca Raton." "Shaw-Klein contest a key battle in fight for control of House".

"Coping with paradise"

"Florida's sunshine and easy living draw thousands of new residents annually. But, oh, those things discovered when they move here: droughts that spark wildfires; hurricanes with deadly winds; floods that seem to be Mother Nature's effort to reclaim swamp land; sinkholes that demonstrate the fragility of the peninsula state. While Florida has attempted to deal with these issues, there is much to be done." "Coping with paradise".

Raw Political Courage

"Putnam takes a stand against gators".

Poor Lobbyists

"It was interesting to learn from reports filed Monday, for example, that former Florida Education Commissioner Jim Horne collected between $250,000 and $499,000 in just the first three months of this year, much of it from charter school companies. As a public official, Mr. Horne championed charter schools." "Spotlight on lobbying".

Keller

"An item on the front page of newspapers around the country last week noted that 'one House Republican' criticized presidential adviser Karl Rove for siding with liberal Democrats on immigration issues. What the papers didn't say was who that House Republican was -- Ric Keller (right). And here's what the Orlando Republican really said: 'Karl, Ted Kennedy gave a passionate speech on the Senate floor in support of President Bush's position. If you get in bed with Ted Kennedy, you're going to get more than a good night's sleep.'" "Congressional Catchall".