Stop buying the fucking RW bullshit about that special election in Florida. Shame on those who do!!

[LynneSin]

There was no grand message from that election. There was no forecast of upcoming doom and gloom because we lost that race. Why are we buying into the Right Wing spin about us losing that election when that election was an uphill battle from the start.

We lost a congressional race that was in a district held by republicans for 32 years. That means since the years of Ronald Reagan the good people of the Northern St Petersburg area of Florida have had a republican representing them. Heck this use to be Katherine Harris's old district - these people love their looney GOPers. Sure there has always been some redistricting of this area but each time it's always a republican that wins.

Here's the thing.

This election wasn't even held during a major election cycle, not even a minor one. It was held during a random time selected in mid-March and I hate to say it, Democrats are pretty unreliable voters. But even as unreliable as voters can be and especially democratic voters, Alex Sink still kept that race competitive. She really only lost by 2% of the vote and yes I know that the GOP was hurt a bit by a Libertarian on the ticket. But that's the thing - that race was competitive. It makes me wonder what could have happened with FL-13 if this was a major election cycle... could we have pulled off the upset?

But the GOP do not want democrats gaining hope so instead they are spinning spinning like Charlotte with her web and writing messages in hopes that the people reading them will believe what they say. And you know what, I'm seeing people here at DU actually starting to believe them.

Stop buying into the GOP spin cycle. Had Alex Sink lost by 10 points I would have recognized we may have problems. She came close - who knows what might happen in 2014?

Keep the hope alive!

[okaawhatever]

1. K & R nt

[one_voice]

2. k&r

[lonestarnot]

3. Not buying any slime with my hard earned dough.

[madfloridian]

4. The only "gloom and doom" I see....

is the FL Democratic party and its hesitance to take strong stands. I just posted about it, and I really believe it. I watched the campaign play out, and Jolly unfortunately made a better impression as a personality. The Democrats here need to work on strength of candidates and messaging techniques.

[Springslips]

7. Do you mean how the Dems reacted to Obamacare?

As one example?

Doing the entire " it's broken, we plan to make it better," strategy isn't going to work. It's weak. It only reinforces the distortions of the right--almost sounding like an admission. Puke! They need to go out and strongly stand by it! When W-Dumb Iraq war was finally seen as the sad disaster it was in 2004, did you see the repukes try to snake away from it? No.

They need to get a spine, and fight.

[madfloridian]

10. Your last sentence....

pretty much describes my thoughts about FL Dems. They were among the first to follow the DLC ideals, and looks like they aren't over it yet.

[sendero]

31. That last sentence...

.... doesn't just apply to FL Dems, it applies to almost all of them.

Want to GOTV? Say something EXCITING and MEAN IT.

[bvar22]

37. Led by DLC/3rd Way Darling Debbie Wasserman-Schultz,

..who couldn't even be bothered to endorse or campaign for DEMOCRATS in 2008.
Instead, she was observed partying with her Republican "colleagues" at their fund raisers.

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, the co-chair of the Democratic Red to Blue committee at that time, refused to endorse of campaign for the following 3 Democratic challengers for Republican seats:

Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chair Joe Garcia

Former Hialeah Democratic Mayor Raul Martinez

Democratic businesswoman Annette Taddeo

All three had won their local Democratic Primaries, and were challenging Hard Core Republican incumbents with whom Wasserman-Schultz had become cozy.
Not only did the head of the DCCC Red to Blue Program REFUSE to endorse these Democratic challengers,
but she appeared in person at at least one (possibly more) Campaign/Fundraiser for their Republican opponents.

FL-18, FL-21, FL-25: Wasserman Schultz Wants Dem Challengers to Lose
by: James L.
Sun Mar 09, 2008 at 7:15 PM EDT
<snip>

Sensing a shift in the political climate of the traditionally solid-GOP turf of the Miami area, Democrats have lined up three strong challengers -- Miami-Dade Democratic Party chair Joe Garcia, former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez, and businesswoman Annette Taddeo to take on Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, respectively.

While there is an enormous sense of excitement and optimism surrounding these candidacies, some Democratic lawmakers, including Florida Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Kendrick Meek, are all too eager to kneecap these Democratic challengers right out of the starting gate in the spirit of "comity" and "bipartisan cooperation" with their Republican colleagues:

But as three Miami Democrats look to unseat three of her South Florida Republican colleagues, Wasserman Schultz is staying on the sidelines. So is Rep. Kendrick Meek, a Miami Democrat and loyal ally to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. [...]

This time around, Wasserman Schultz and Meek say their relationships with the Republican incumbents, Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and his brother Mario, and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, leave them little choice but to sit out the three races.

"At the end of the day, we need a member who isn't going to pull any punches, who isn't going to be hesitant," Wasserman Schultz said.

Now, you'd expect this kind of bullshit from a backbencher like Alcee Hastings, but you wouldn't expect this kind of behavior from the co-chair of the DCCC's Red to Blue program, which is the position that Wasserman Schultz currently holds. Apparently, Debbie did not get Rahm's memo about doing whatever it takes to win:

The national party, enthusiastic about the three Democratic challengers, has not yet selected Red to Blue participants. But Wasserman Schultz has already told the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that if any of the three make the cut, another Democrat should be assigned to the race.

http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1537

The bloggers also are furious with Rep. Kendrick B. Meek (D-Fla.), who similarly refuses to endorse the Democratic challengers to the three Cuban American Republicans.

They are calling for Wasserman Schultz to step down from her leadership role at the DCCC. And they're not letting up, even after one Florida liberal blogger reported that the congresswoman seemed "frustrated" by the blogs and had asked to "please help get them off my back."

This prompted even harsher reaction from perhaps the most influential of the progressive political bloggers, Markos Moulitsas, a.k.a. Kos, founder of Daily Kos, who wrote on his blog Wednesday: "On so many fronts, the Republicans are standing in the way of progress, on Iraq, SCHIP, health care, fiscal responsibility, corruption, civil liberties, and so on. Those three south Florida Republicans are part of that problem. And she's (Wasserman-Schultz) going to be 'frustrated' that people demand she do her job?"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/19/AR2008031903410_3.html

Here are Kos comments on the Wasserman-Schultz betrayal of the Democratic Party:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/03/20/480511/-DCCC-Says-Uproar-Over-DWS-Recusal-Much-Ado-About-Nothing



A lot of time has passed since 2008, but I don't take these kinds of betrayals lightly,
and don't forget them easily.

---bvar22
cursed with a memory


http://sync.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4478022

[CBHagman]

5. Amen.

[LisaLynne]

6. There is a vested interest in making sure we are demoralized.

We need to not play into their hands.

[Lex]

16. +1

[MrMickeysMom]

8. I recognize what went on with Sink...

In fact, my sister and BIL had a lot to do with Alex's support network in the neighborhoods that needed to get out the vote. That is why 39% turnout should be examined.

What the GOP would love for people to forget or never remember is the re-districting in the south end of Pinellas County neighborhoods. These people have re-districted themselves this way because that is the only strategy they have left.

You are right (as usual) LynneSin. This is what the GOP does… This, and more… They are scared because they can only gerrymander for strategy for so long.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. Just keep reminding yourself that these are the people who claimed Palin was the future of the GOP.

[madfloridian]

13. I am not one of those people.

I am saying there were problems in FL 13 candidate wise. When Bill Clinton called for Alex the last few days...he did not say a word about Democratic values. He said she was going to help us get along better with the other party. She did not take firm stances either. David Jolly has terrible views, but he was a better candidate because he was so positive about what he stood for.

[hfojvt]

24. I wonder if that is a DCCC campaign slogan

Our candidate is doing that in my district too, just like the candidate did in 2012 - and lost big. I just don't think that is a winning message, although Obama sorta won with it in 2008.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

29. People were pissed at Bush and the Republicans for defending him....

Remember "McSame"?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

28. I know YOU aren't. I'm talking about the Beltway prognosticators....

Those guys are worse than some of the stuffy old guys in boardrooms trying to figure out what today's teenagers want.

[Cha]

11. If Sink would have won.. the m$m would have found someway to have

spun that into a defeat for the Dems.

thanks Lynne

[RKP5637]

12. Well said!!!!!!! n/t

[JI7]

14. i think it's more of wanting it to be true, there were some who wanted Terry Mcauliffe to lose

so they can use it to bash democrats some more .

[madfloridian]

15. I hope you are not saying shame on me because of my OP

Because that would really upset me. Have worked with her campaigns as well as her late hubby's gubernatorial contest with Jeb. Neither were very good candidates, though Alex was better than last time.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024652573

[LynneSin]

23. Your comments were valid - there were issues with her campaign

There were issues and perhaps she could have done a better job.

But I've seen posts where people are buying into the concept that this race is somehow the magic mirror that will forecast doom and gloom for the Democrats in 2014. For that I call bullshit.

Even if Sink did run a poor race and side with a more moderate stance and Clinton's calls were ineffective she still came within 2% of winning that race. Sure there was help from a Libertarian but she was competitive enough for this special election that to me there could be hope in 2014.

I think the best message we can get from this election is how to better our message. If anything FL-13 gives me hope that we might be able to take back the house at the mid-terms AND hold on to the Senate.

[madfloridian]

26. I appreciate the response.

We have to make our message better and stronger and clearer. Jolly's stances should have been countered firmly and immediately.

[Fuddnik]

17. It wasn't Katherine Harris's old district.

Her district was in Sarasota-Bradenton on the other side of Tampa Bay. Jim Davis' (now Kathy Castor) is in between them.

[delrem]

18. Yes, well, you lost it.

So it's at times like this that "Deal with it" comes in.

"Dealing with it" can be looked at in two positive ways.
In rationalizing why it was lost, and in understanding why it was lost, and it's increasingly rare that that our explanations of these ways synchronize.

Neither way can be satisfied by a "Hey, you dumb right-wing fuckers, it doesn' t matter because ....." soliloquy.

[ReRe]

19. I didn't buy it....

What I want to know is why the Democrats can't get a winning PR group behind them. Is it because Democrats have no money? Is it because PR groups are reptilish and Democrats just can't work with them because of the evil they ooze? Why, from what little I listened to yesterday & today, you'd a thought the 2014 election was over, and I DON'T listen to Foxed-up-News or CNN!

I agree with everything you said, but I have one gripe about Alex Sink: she sounded like she was running away from Obamacare. If Democrats all over this country sound like that, we just might loose. If Democratic candidates stand up straight with some backbone, unafraid of those SOBs, they'll win. Democrats all over this country should be on fire in the run up to this midterm election. Their staff should be campaign mgr, wardrobe, and o-p-p-o-s-i-t-i-o-n research!

Losing this election is NOT. An. Option!

[DallasNE]

20. Too Much Spent On 20 Second Sound Bites

And not enough on the ground operation and GOTV.

[hfojvt]

21. never hurry, never worry?

Shame, shame, shame on people who don't see things my way.

[daybranch]

22. I have a hard time with third way democrats

What would we have gotten really. Just more triangulation. This certainly is not something real Democrats need if we want to help our people. If Sink is not willing to speak out strongly for Democratic policies like the Affordable Care Act, then good riddence. We do not need anymore entrenched third way Democratsd in Congress. And if fact if a candidate is not a populist, we just lose by electing them without reven fighting. Thank you Sink for following the safe road. Where did it get us?

[LynneSin]

25. In the end this is more than the campaign that Sink ran...

and she didn't do that great of a job.

It's the fact that she ran a shitty campaign and was still competitive.

That says so much more than me than a Republican winning a district held by republicans for 32 years by only 2%.

It tells me if we got the right candidate in there that will run a strong race and not back away from the fact they are a democrat I think we could have won. But in the end there are people out there that would still vote for a shitty democratic candidate over anything GOP.

[NCTraveler]

34. +1

In a campaign like this, 2% can be the difference in a good campaign manager and a great campaign manager. It was that close.

[MrMickeysMom]

30. "Where did it get us?"

I believe if you don't stand for something, and we don't seem to with 3rd way Dem messages, you get this.

She (Sink) also lost a close race for Governor in 2010 against the criminal of Tallahassee now in charge…

We better deal with this.

[NCTraveler]

33. What would we have gotten?

Sink - Supports a womans right to choose. Jolly - Extreme pro-life

Sink - Will consistently vote for the passage of Democratic bills. Jolly - Oppose all democratic bills.

Sink - Supports equality. Jolly - Thinks affirmative action is the white mans burden and is a bigot.

Sink - Supports progressive taxation. Jolly - Supports tax breaks for the wealthy.

Sink - Against drug testing of welfare recipients. Jolly - Supports drug testing of welfare recipients.

The difference is night and day. They are not even close.

" If Sink is not willing to speak out strongly for Democratic policies like the Affordable Care Act, then good riddence."

She ran commercials supporting the ACA. She has supported the ACA in the past.

"This certainly is not something real Democrats need if we want to help our people"

Pro Choice, Progressive taxation, supports the ACA(wants to strengthen it), supports equality.

What is a real Democrat?

[Jamaal510]

39. +1

Judging from your list, Sink sucks at being a 3rd-way Democrat.

[AverageJoe90]

27. Makes sense to me, TBH.

Sink may not have been the best campaigner but, it really does say something about her opponent Dave Jolly, and his party, when he only won by a mere 2%.....in perhaps the least convenient time for Democrats, and with Sink's poor campaigning. Had she done just a little better, we might have won even then. But still, 2% is hardly a landslide for the GOP. It's nothing *but* a close call.

[NCTraveler]

32. I think a lot of people, including myself, like to make.....

a single excuse as to why a candidate lost. It is often easy to justify when one can do that. It is rarely the case. I personally think Sink and her team attempted to run a campaign similar to the one where she ran for State Treasurer. She did extremely well there. She placed herself in a position where the voters simply associated the need for trust with the position of State Treasurer. Floridians felt she was extremely trustworthy for the position. She attempted to do the whole trust thing again when she should have been touting ideas. Even her commercials where ideas were mentioned she always went back to trust. Jolly had it all going on. Sink went for the "I will work with Republican" while Jolly threw the kitchen sink at her. He ran a very brutal and aggressive campaign. The PAC's backing him were ruthless. This is the way it really needs to be in Florida. Jolly touted his own ideas while ruthlessly going after sink.

I think it should be respected as to how close the race was. The party needs to wake up and understand that this is a winnable district. I also don't think it was KH's district. North St. Pete is also one of the smaller sections of the district. It covers much more.

Good post and I do find hope in this race.

[glowing]

36. LOL - so many ads back to back.. but the one that stood out was the ad by Jolly

to my son.. who said Sink took a vacation on the taxpayers dime.. That was direct dig at reminding these old, racist ass hats, that she's a Dem like Obama and they all believe on their circle jerk sites that the President is stealing from tax payers.. he shouldn't take a vacation... Anytime Michelle does anything for herself on her dime, she's "mooching" as they call he Moochelle off of real working people. I think that commercial really sank her at the end.

[glowing]

35. Living where I do in this area (just a bit to the outside in Bilirakus district), I've said the same

things... This was always an uphill battle. One of the problems with Sink was that she was "carpet bagging" and unless she won, she wasn't moving over here. The fact that the vote was so close is really good news; considering how wacko picking March (middle of spring break crazy season) was to hold this election. It was the same week that USF had spring break... And if you are younger (non-retired), you are probably running around like a mad person or picking up extra shifts, or sitting in longer traffic lines. It's insane down here in this area, this time of year.

Also, this district is really gerrymandered with individual voting habits by address to make the votes work. The last couple of election cycles it was becoming more and more competative. It should be interesting to see the number in 2014 and again in 2016. The republicans should actually be shaking in their boots that it was so damned close during a special election designed to convenient their older, retired base.

[LynneSin]

38. Amazing - you said it better than me with better talking points

I never considered that the election was held during spring break. And I'm sure the republicans planned it that way just like Christie planned Booker's senate election 3 weeks before his own governor election.

We need better election laws that eliminate this bullshit that allows for the dominant party in a state to create these kinds of voting havoc. I don't like the idea of special elections because they cost the taxpayers money and are usually planned to ensure that the optimal type of voters come out to vote.

There was a primary coming up in August. The special election could have been held them and Young staff could have maintained the duties of that congressional district outside of voting until that election.

But that's politics for you - as the Rolling Stones sing - You can't always get what you want

[Rex]

40. Thank you!