How it began last August....how Florida Democrats began their propaganda war

[madfloridian]

against the DNC. They tried to hurt fundraising, emails were sent out from county chairs, even ours, saying that people should call the DNC to tell them how they felt...and they listed the contribution number. Hint..hint.

One county chair attached a Time magazine article which called it Dean's war against Florida. Not a word about Florida Democrats going along with the GOP and voting for it. Not a single word.

Florida Democrats worked with the GOP, voted for the primary bill 115 to 1

House Republicans and Democrats passed the earlier primary bill (HB 537) by a 115-1 vote - a challenge to the national parties that are wielding threats in an attempt to prevent a nationwide race for earlier and earlier primaries.

.."Florida lawmakers believe the state's demographic and political diversity merit a greater say in the selection of nominees. They're tired of candidates treating the fourth-largest state as a fundraising ATM, only to take the money to campaign in small states like Iowa and New Hampshire. And they say they are willing to call the bluffs of the national parties, which have threatened to take away delegates the state parties send to the nominating conventions. National Democratic Party rules could even punish candidates who campaign in states that move their primaries earlier than Feb. 5 by essentially not recognizing the state's delegates.

Florida Democrats had been warned many times what would happen. There was even an option if they tried to fight the early primary date.

But James Roosevelt Jr., the rules committee’s co-chairman, said he was not convinced that Florida Democrats had done all they could do. He said it was “clear that the Republicans were the moving force behind the selection of a date that violated both the Republican and the Democratic rules, but that the efforts to oppose that were form over substance.”

Here is part of the email that was sent out to some Democrats here in the county. Other county mails were even more obvious, like the one from the St. Lucie county chair...but that's another story.

Florida launches its propaganda war against Dean and the DNC.

The following article is from TIME and was sent to me by the DEC Chairs Assn. If my phone calls from registered Dems are any indication, many, many of them will not get out to vote in the primary, either because they figure their votes won’t count or they are just plain disgusted with the party. We need to impress on the DNC that they must to change their minds. More is at stake here than the delegates. The Republicans would rejoice if we don’t go to the polls since their tax package is also on the ballot! The DNC phone# is [phone]. The contributions # is [phone]. They need to hear from you- all of you- on this issue. Please forward this to anyone on you email list that you think would be interested."

Now I see everyone seems to be calling for a revote. Well, everyone but Hillary's Florida people, that is. Wonder why they don't want one?

Anyway the new phrase seems to be "make the DNC pay for caucuses and count the votes." Yep, that is correct. After trying to damage the credibility of the DNC and hurt its fundraising....it seems they might need the money after all.

Well, someone needs to talk to our boss here Bill Nelson. He says we will absolutely NOT have a caucus

But then we caught up with Bill Nelson today: "Absolutely not," he said when asked if caucuses might be a good idea. "It’s a huge cost."

Nelson, a Clinton backer, remains confident Florida’s delegates will be seated, though he said Howard Dean keeps insisting he’s powerless to make it happen. "It hasn’t sunk into their their thick heads, the chairman and the DNC, the train wreck that’s about to come if we don’t get those delegations seated."

Not a word from the state chair, Karen Thurman. She's letting Bill take charge. I am not sure that is wise because Bill and Grace Nelson have been extremely close to Hillary for many years through their affiliation with the Fellowship.

They just might put that closeness first above standing up for the people of Florida.

After starting a propaganda war against the DNC, sending emails to hurt their fundraising (what a lack of party unity)...and using the media here against Howard Dean in an ugly way...they don't want a caucus.

And if they DID want one, they would expect the DNC to fully pay for it. They tried to hurt Dean's fundraising during the a crucial time for the party..selfishly. They refused his offer of almost a million for a caucus.

Do all the people who are writing blogs, example Tom Hayden at The Nation...know all this history? The anti-DNC campaign waged by Florida, the efforts to hurt fundraising...do they know or care?

Bill Nelson spoke, and I am sure the gods of redos listened.

[rox63]

1. The Clinton/DLC branch of the Dems hates Dean

They've actively tried to get him removed as DNC chair. Remember Carville ranting about that last year?

[zanne]

3. Of course they did. He's a real Democrat! nt

[madfloridian]

5. All of Florida hates Dean now. The propaganda worked.

.

[Dr.Phool]

7. As soon as I get the lawn mowed,

I'm putting out my "Dean For America" yard sign.

[madfloridian]

8. Now there's a thought..

We still have ours as well...you know all us kool-aid drinkers and cultists. LOL

[Dr.Phool]

13. I was cleaning out the garage the other day, and there it was.

[xxqqqzme]

17. I still wear my 'Give 'em Hell Howard' button

It would be better for the Democratic party if the dlcers just embraced the publican party. Then the moderate publicans/dlcers could duke it out w/ the rabid, rong wingers and we could have our democratic party back.

[madfloridian]

23. And my hubby, another cultist, has a deep blue sweatshirt

with Howard Dean in big letters on it.

[K Gardner]

2. K&R, thanks for staying on this !

[UALRBSofL]

4. I called Karen Thurman's office yesterday

We'll see what happens.

[Dr.Phool]

6. Here's another wrinkle from Buzzflash

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/editorblog/036

(snip)


According to the Washington Post, mathematically it is almost impossible for either Clinton or Obama to win based on the pledged delegates in the upcoming contests. So, at this moment, it is likely that the superdelegates will potentially decide the winner. But remember that there are still a small number of delegates pledged to other candidates sitting out there. It is possible that Clinton and Obama will end up so close in the delegate count that neither of them will attain the threshold number of delegates needed to be nominated.

That is why the DNC Credentials Committee could play such a pivotal role in terms of a decision regarding the status of the Michigan and Florida delegations, if the Clinton and Obama camps do not agree to caucuses that would allow for a full campaign in each state.

That leads us to the three co-chairs of the DNC Credentials Committee: Alexis Herman, James Roosevelt, Jr. and Aliseo Roques-Arroyo. All three of them served in the Clinton Administration. Okay, as far as we know they are all reputable, upstanding people, but if you were Hillary Clinton and these three people worked for you and your husband during the 8 presidential years Hillary includes on her "35 years of experience," wouldn't you feel like you might have some influence on the three co-chairs? After all, the decision of the DNC Credentials Committee will be political; this is not a judicial process.

(snip)

[madfloridian]

9. Now it is once again being turned into Obama "cultism". Just like they did with Deaniacs.

This is not accidental. It is organized and planned, and the media is picking up on it.

More and more I find myself wondering.....what I will do.

[Tatiana]

10. I would be willing to donate to the DNC just so they would pay for Florida's (F*ckup) Caucus

Thank you madloridian for continuing to highlight this important issue.

:hug:

[elixir]

11. MadFloridian, could you point me to where I can read a full accounting of the FL situation?>

I need to read the whole history to understand where we are now. Thanks in advance.

[madfloridian]

25. I am putting together a new list...my old is outdated.

It won't be found in the media. No one bothered to worry about the truth cause Bill Nelson was doing it. Easy to spread propaganda. I am trying to cull my list and add some new stuff.

[madfloridian]

26. I am still working on it to get it in better order.

.

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. Sounds like the way to break the power of the old guard Dems in

Florida, is through the DNC.

[UALRBSofL]

14. Maybe, but when all is said and done

and if the delegates do a sit out it will all come down on Dean's shoulders. Just my opinion.

[madfloridian]

28. Yes, it was intended for that purpose in part.

Florida Dem leaders have not been happy with the 50 state plan. They feel we are bigger and that others are not as entitled.

[Gman]

15. So help me with something here I've never understood...

I don't understand what the FL Democratic Party's motivation was to go this route? Why would they go along with the GOP to the point of the detriment of their delegation? Was the FDP so powerless in the legislature but they didn't want to appear weak so they go along to the tune of 115-1. I remember one of your posts talking about one state senator that laughingly made a motion to change the primary date to conform with the rules knowing full well it wasn't going to happen. That to me almost sounded like the Stockholm Syndrome (link for those that never heard the term) where the hostages start identifying with the kidnappers. Or maybe the FDP didn't want to appear weak to the point that the GOP determined when the Democratic primary in Florida would be.

There was some political reason, and political reasons are usually based on self-preservation, that the FDP decided to go this route. Why is it easier to blame Dean rather than the Florida GOP? That's again where I keep coming to the Stockholm Syndrome situation.

You did a great job reporting the blow-by-blow when this was happening. But I never was able to determine the FDP's motivation.

[madfloridian]

16. Media attention and to promote the inevitability...

right before Super Tuesday. Now..that is my opinion only. But I think it bears out. Florida broke all rules to get to Jan. 29, saying they would get good attention before the Feb. 5 Super Tuesday.

If they had waited one week.....all votes would have counted. Now they really have to make Dean look bad to make themselves look good.

[Gman]

18. It's got to be more than just that

That they would knowingly sacrifice so much for media attention and just to be right before Super Tuesday doesn't seem rational. Now we're Democrats and we will tend to do some things at times that are not very well thought out to the point of being outright stupid. But people like Bill Nelson are not idiots either. It's like Nelson is providing the cover because the FL GOP decided this is the way it was going to be and the FDP didn't want to appear impotent. But, to me, in order to avoid that, all the FDP had to do was file a suit against the State of Florida for forcing the FDP to violate party rules regarding their primary. I would have thought that kind of suit would have had immensely more merit than the one they filed against the DNC.

There is some kind of self-preservation going on here. Possibly for the Democratic legislators, maybe the state chair too. Nelson was sitting pretty anyway after beating Catherine Harris pretty handily a year before so he didn't have anything to worry about for 5 more years. That also put him into a good position to provide the cover.

No, I think there is much more too it. As usually happens, those that know aren't going to say. But somebody or some group made a decision that this was how they were going to handle it. The reasons and motivation, to me, remain the mystery.

[madfloridian]

20. Well, I will say this...

The ones who did the most pushing publicly were Hillary supporters and her campaign chairs in the state.

Not that that means anything. It was always known she would get a massive win here.

[Gman]

21. Then it was likely a gamble

that they thought they could win that would put them in higher regard in the future Hillary adminstration because they gave Hillary momentum going in to Super-Tuesday. I'm a Hillary supporter, but I know how things work too. So, it was likely more of a self-aggrandizement thing than self-preservation. Self-aggrandizement happens after self-preservation is assured. Right now that sure thing doesn't look so sure.

I don't have the least bit of a problem with the Hillary people in FL trying to put themselves, and by extension the state of Florida in general, in a better and more influential position in a Democratic administration. If the Obama or Edwards or et al people would have done the same type power play for their candidate I'd have no problem either. In the long run the players get their perks but the working people of Florida win too.

But they could have done the same thing by making the GOP controlled legislature the bad guy rather than the DNC and Dean. There's been an ongoing feud between Clinton people in general and Dean. But right now, not pursuing other options was pretty short-sighted. Back when all this went down, Hillary was way ahead in the polls and no one expected the contest to be what it is now. That's 20/20 hindsight.

I guess I'm looking for sense where there really isn't any other than the self-aggrandizement.

[AtomicKitten]

19. Top Three Co-Chairs on DNC Delegate Credential Committee all served in Clinton Admin.

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/editorblog/036

[madfloridian]

22. One thing, though...Roosevelt was a head of the committee that sat hard on FL

because they worked with the GOP.

"But James Roosevelt Jr., the rules committee’s co-chairman, said he was not convinced that Florida Democrats had done all they could do. He said it was “clear that the Republicans were the moving force behind the selection of a date that violated both the Republican and the Democratic rules, but that the efforts to oppose that were form over substance.”

[AtomicKitten]

24. all of it seems a bit incestuous

and, quite frankly, makes me uncomfortable

This is a recipe waiting to go bad. :(

[spag68]

27. Florida vote

Isn't it ironic that if the Fla. pols. had just done the right thing and opposed the rethugs, their votes would have been among the most important of the nomination process. I don't blame Mr. Dean, for what the Floridans did to themselves. No voter in any state is more important than any other, all are necessary to make a democracy work. I know this is pie in the sky stuff, but I just wish all us Dems. would get on the same page, and not tear down HRC, or Obama. I get sick when people here call Pelosi a bitch traitor or some such thing. Get with it guys, this is the most important election since the one we handed to Nixon, and we all have an obligation to support each of our choices. That said, if we can't act civilly to all our dems., then we will ultimately fail. IMHO there are ops. of the rethugs whose sole purpose is to hang around and stir up crap, so don't fall into the trap. We are DU and ALL Dems. should at least get our respect until they screw up, then vote them out, but don't destroy our party in the process. Thank you and good night.