Obama directing Florida delegate "purge"?

"As Sen. Hillary Clinton concedes the presidential nomination today, Florida Democrats are still sniping over possible changes in Sen. Barack Obama's delegate slate."

Democratic National Committeeman Jon Ausman of Tallahassee, who filed the appeal that got Florida back into the convention, sent an e-mail to party activists warning that names on Obama's slate of 67 delegates are being reviewed by Tallahassee City Commissioner Allan Katz and Miami attorney Kirk Wagar for a "purge." ...

"The very powerful lawyers supporting Barack Obama want to take care of their friends at the expense of the little people who campaigned hard for the delegate slots," Ausman said. "There are 67 Obama delegates selected in Florida. It's the intention of Kurt Wagar and Allan Katz to purge 30 to 35 of them and replace them with other people."

I wasn't born yesterday, but "'very powerful lawyers supporting Barack Obama"

want to take care of their friends at the expense of the little people"'

"Florida Dems debating possible changes to delegate slate". "Little people"? Spare us, Jon.




McBush "seriously misguided"

Dems go after McSame: "for the second straight day, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee was assailed by Democrats who say he does not care enough about issues that matter to Florida."

On a blazing afternoon that his campaign probably envisioned as a great photo-op, McCain was forcefully explaining why he opposed a bill last year that included $2-billion for the Everglades.

He pointed out that the money was tucked into a $23-billion water project plan that included money for more than 900 other projects.

"The fact is, this is the way we do business in Washington. We take a worthy project and we load it up with pork barrel and unnecessary projects," McCain said, flanked by Gov. Charlie Crist and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart.

Diaz-Balart shows us his infamous inability to think (on his feet):

Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, joined the Florida congressional delegation in supporting the bill. But he sought to portray the difference as a sign of McCain's independence.

"I admit, I was being parochial," Diaz-Balart said in a hastily arranged conference call with reporters as McCain's bus was on its way to the Everglades. "Sen. McCain … does what he believes is right for the entirety of the nation."

"McCain takes up environment". More: "McCain tours, backs Glades".

"McCain had to answer for positions he has taken against the interests of Florida on two key state issues: a bill including Everglades restoration money and a national catastrophic insurance fund." He was joined by a collection of fellow Bushco sycophants in the original vote:

Some Florida Republican House members sided with Bush and McCain against the bill - Adam Putnam of Bartow, C.W. Bill Young of Indian Shores, Tom Feeney of Oviedo, Cliff Stearns of Ocala and Jeff Miller of Chumuckla.

"Everglades, Catastrophe Fund Issues Burden McCain".

"'McCain was very seriously misguided,' said former Florida governor and former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham ... Congress overrode President Bush's veto of the bill, meaning it became law. Graham said if the veto had been upheld it would have been "a shot in the head to end Everglades restoration."" "McCain visits Everglades".




The rich are different

"Interest groups and politicians are choosing up sides for a multimillion-dollar campaign over a November ballot issue that'll put billions of dollars in taxes up for grabs. The Florida Association of Realtors is committed to spending at least $1 million to promote Amendment 5, but it may be outspent by other business groups out to defeat the $9 billion per year tax swap." "Interest groups battle over tax swap".




Special

"Crist Friday morning issued an executive order calling for a special election to replace state Sen. Bill Posey. As expected, the schedule will mirror normal election dates this year. A primary will be held Aug. 26, the general election on Nov. 4. Those are the same dates as others running for state office this year. But because Posey's successor will be chosen ahead of 2010 when the seat was scheduled to come open, the race will technically be a special election." "Crist calls for special election to replace Sen. Bill Posey".




McCain: Castro must "Empty the prisons"

"McCain listed three conditions before he would sit down with Cuban leader Raul Castro:"

[1] "Empty the prisons, [2] hold free elections and [3] have human rights organizations functioning in Cuba."

One wonders why he didn't impose the same preconditions on meeting with Chain Gang Charlie?




Bill gets a headline

"A bill Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson filed Friday would abolish the electoral college and replace it with a direct popular election for president. The bill would establish six rotating regional primaries beginning in March and ending in June every four years. Each region would take turns going first, removing exclusive power from Iowa and New Hampshire, the nation's first caucus and primary states." "Nelson bill ends electoral college".




Heaven help us

"Braden senior Mike Egloff, 18, was not allowed to attend his graduation ceremony scheduled for today after administrators came across a rap song he helped record and upload to MySpace.com. School officials cited profanity, sexual innuendo and threats of violence in the recording, which did not involve any public property. ... These particular song lyrics are not egregiously offensive."

Lyrics cited include "Lakewood boys is going bleed" and "Lakewood Ranch, I'm your No. 1 problem."

"School fails basic free speech test".




Raw editorial courage

The Orlando Sentinel editorial board shows its liberal stuff: "The best way to celebrate oceans is to keep junk out of them".




An Ihe I-4 Corridor thing

Ruth: "At least you have to admit this will make it easier to find Tampa if you are motoring along I-75 - once you reach the giant Confederate flag at Yahoo Junction head west until you arrive at Gooberville, where the strange life gets weirder every day." "It's Their Right, But It Makes Us Look Intolerant".