Charges fly in the homestretch of tough (Florida) Senate, governor's primary races

[steve2470]

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/21/1786507/charges-fly-in-the-homestretch.html

Candidates in the homestretch of tumultuous races for governor and U.S. Senate fanned out Saturday across Florida, with once-vulnerable political insiders surging in the polls and mega-rich outsiders struggling to regain momentum before Tuesday's election.

In the Republican gubernatorial race, Attorney General Bill McCollum dredged up an old deposition to continue his tarring of opponent Rick Scott as a shady businessman. Scott, also campaigning in North Florida, dismissed the attack and countered that McCollum was in hock to special interests and ransacking state party coffers to keep his campaign afloat.

In the Democratic Senate contest, U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek rallied voters in Jacksonville and condemned a harsh new mailing in which rival Jeff Greene accuses him of ``bland promises'' on Israel. Greene stood by the ad and touted his political independence in appearances before a heavily Jewish crowd at a Broward County diner and a Hispanic-oriented trade show in Kissimmee.

The latest polls show Greene and Scott slipping out of their front-runner spots after weeks of outgunning their opponents with explosive television spots and mailings. A Mason-Dixon poll released Saturday found McCollum now leads Scott 45 percent to 36 percent, while Meek has opened up a 12-point lead over Greene, 42 percent to 30 percent.

[msongs]

1. gee maybe Meek is gonna get some attitude and spunk he can use in the general nt

[flvegan]

2. Looking at the primary on Tuesday...

I'll be holding my nose when I vote. Can't stand either Dem. Can't believe that this is the best we can do. AGAIN.

[lpbk2713]

3. All the negative ads are making me sick.

They are all running them, particularly the two billionaires.

It's a damn shame this is the best we can come up with for candidates for public office.

[XOKCowboy]

4. Anybody but Greene PLEASE!

That guy makes my skin crawl. Do we need Dems like him?

[Scurrilous]

5. "That guy makes my skin crawl."

Jeff Greene's Party Yacht: The Insider's Tale From His Former Stewardess

<snip>

Sharyn Peach has been in the news a lot lately, telling of the days she worked on the yacht owned by Jeff Greene, a candidate for U.S. Senate. Peach, from Fort Lauderdale, is lead singer of BitchFire, winner of the New Times 2009 Readers Poll for Best Band. She agreed to write a first-person tale about her days as a stewardess on Greene's yacht.

"Working for Jeff Greene on the Summerwind was an experience I was hoping to forget. I almost did, until about two months ago. I was sitting on my couch in Fort Lauderdale, watching TV, not particularly paying attention to the commercials. Then I heard it. A voice I haven't heard in four years. It made me cringe. I looked up and started yelling, "Oh my God! Oh my God!" It was Jeff Greene, running for U.S. Senate. Are you freaking serious????? Do people really not know about him and his past behavior? I still cringe when his commercial comes on.

Working on Greene's 145-foot Choy Lee yacht was like being "locked" in Studio 54 in its prime. It was nothing short of "Sex, Drugs, and Techno Music." Celebrities, "hired" party girls, mayhem, and debauchery. I saw more tits and ass in one night on Jeff Greene's Summerwind than I have for the past seven years on South Beach.

I had recently moved from Boston to South Florida and was looking for a new career. A friend recommended the yachting industry, and I signed up for a yachting course. A recruiter came to me with the Summerwind opportunity in March 2006. I thought I had finally found the perfect job. The ability to travel and experience different parts of the world. Normally a graphic designer, I thought I'd try something a little more exciting. And that it was.

When I first got on the boat, I was impressed with its size but not so much with its design. The crew seemed nice and welcomed me aboard.

Everything was great for five days or so, and then Mr. Greene got on board with two young ladies from California. Mr. Greene was demanding and condescending. He was never satisfied with anything. He was always yelling at the crew. Things quickly went from fun to frustrating, and I knew something wasn't right.

From that point forward, I kept a journal. I detailed every experience I had on that boat for the month I was there."

more


All Aboard Jeff Greene's Yacht (NSFW!!)

http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/slideshow/all-aboard-jeff-greenes-yacht-nsfw-30830827/

[XOKCowboy]

7. OMG I hadn't seen that. I'm pissed enough about what his boat did to the reef in Belize

I'm a yellow dog Democrat but I'd have a hard time voting for Greene.

Are stories like that being printed all over Florida?

[Scurrilous]

9. "Are stories like that being printed all over Florida?"

Yep.

Stories about strippers, cocaine, reef destruction, etc. are all over the Florida papers and news media.

Greene even threatened the St. Petersburg Times w/ a lawsuit over their articles about his shady real estate deals and scandalous party boat adventures.

Meanwhile...

McCollum, Meek hold commanding leads in respective races

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-final-mason-dixon-poll-20100821,0,7486055.story

Good news! :thumbsup:

[XOKCowboy]

11. Thanks!

Great to hear it!

[csziggy]

8. Greene has been spamming us with robocalls

Five in the last two days alone. If I knew nothing else about him, that would make me vote against him! But I already voted using early voting.

[Scurrilous]

10. I've been getting those too.

My brother is the only one I know who has kind words for Jeff Greene.

He works at a direct mail advertising agency and the Greene campaign is blowing big bucks on mailers.

:P

[flyarm]

6. I see a problem with these poll numbers..many many Florida Voters have already voted!

we have vote by mail, I sent my ballot in 3 weeks ago!

My county alone sent out 250,000 ballots over 1 month ago!

We have early voting which started : Statewide, early voting begins 15 days before an election.

My ballot was sent to me July 12th 2010

The primary takes place Aug 24th.