MSNBC: GOP launches rescue mission in Florida race

[seafan]

GOP launches rescue mission in Florida race

Associated Press
Oct. 20, 2006

Once-secure congressional seat now in jeopardy, polls say

VENICE, Fla. - High-profile Republicans are rushing to help salvage the party’s hold on a Florida congressional seat that likely would have been secure had Katherine Harris been the incumbent.

With Harris leaving the seat to make a bid for the U.S. Senate, despite her party’s initial disapproval, Florida’s politically conservative 13th District is threatening to fall into the hands of Democrats.

The prospect of a GOP loss brought Gov. Jeb Bush, Sen. Mel Martinez and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney here Thursday to campaign for businessman Vern Buchanan, whose internal polls show him trailing slightly.

Even after spending about $5 million — more than half of that from his own pocket — Buchanan is beginning a string of events that Republicans hope will push him past Democrat Christine Jennings, a former bank executive.

snip

Buchanan said his business dealings have been legitimate and the attacks are a distortion. He said he is wealthy enough that he can be independent.

“You can’t buy me. I don’t need the money that’s up in Washington,” he said. “I’m not going up there for some guy to buy me lunch.”

snip

From a local source:

GOP governors rally at Venice airport

By Greg Giles
10-20-06

Party faithful were treated to a double dose of Republican leadership Thursday when Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney paid a visit to the Venice Municipal Airport for a Republican Party rally.

Under sweltering heat in the Agape Flights hangar, whose owners are friends of Congressional hopeful Vern Buchanan, supporters waited an hour for the Jeb-u-lator-Romney flight to arrive.

When the governors showed up, it was Bush who looked worse for the weather, while Romney appeared cool.

snip

Buchanan thanked former state Rep. Nancy Detert, whom he defeated in the primary, for "stepping up for the party" and endorsing his campaign. Detert introduced Bush and thanked him for his first official visit to Venice.

snip

Bush and Romney conceded the congressional races were going to be tough, and bashed Democratic party leaders as an unacceptable alternative.

"Would you want (California Democratic Congresswoman Nancy) Pelosi to be speaker of the house," Bush asked. The ralliers cried "No!"

That's just what will happen if we don't retain control the the House, Bush told followers.

Bush also warned of a major shift in the Iraq war if Republicans are unable to retain control in Congress.

"It oozes out of them -- they want to cut and run" from the war, Bush said.

snip

(Emphasis added)

[BootinUp]

1. Buchanan says wealthy enough to be independent

what a crock. So you got enough eh?? Then push for taxes on the uber wealthy asshole.

[Jack from Charlotte]

7. What are the polls saying? Who will win this seat? nfm

*

[brentspeak]

15. If he's such an "independent"

why is he running as a Republican?

Agreed: this is one wealthy guy who deserves to be heavily taxed.

[C_U_L8R]

2. hilariously pathetic

someone throw them some waterwings

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. Why does someone like Buchanan or Harris spend millions of

their own money, for a job that pays peanuts in comparison? It's not like Republicans understand public service.

[Frances]

4. I think they run for Congress so that they can make laws

that say they don't have to pay tax on their money and that they can leave all of their untaxed money to their children who then won't have to pay any tax either.

They want to turn the country into an aristocracy where the king (formerly president) doesn't have to answer to the people and the king's favorites can do whatever they want to the rest of the people.

That's why they are for letting in as many immigrants as possible to work for them. They can keep wages down because the immigrants won't complain, and even if they do, it won't matter because under their plan the immigrants won't be able to become citizens and have the right to vote.

[BootinUp]

5. Thats how I see it.

good summary of the crooks agenda.

[Strelnikov_]

13. Seconded. You Are Right On The Money. The Goal Is Oligarchy

Read Jack London's 'Iron Heel' for a picture of what they are trying to establish.

[krispos42]

12. All those hot congressional pages? lmao

Lord knows a consenting adult won't touch Harris without beer goggles or some other vision-impairment device.

Rodney Dangefield has a term for her: a 'double bagger'. You put a bag over your head in case the one over her head breaks! :rofl:

[ellenfl]

6. i'm getting really tired of the homophobia in these campaigns.

that pelosi threat is a very thinly veiled threat that homosexuals will be running the country! terra! terra! the use of that insinuation is disgusting.

ellen fl

[ClintonTyree]

8. Venice Airport......isn't that where the 9/11 hijackers trained?

Funny Bush should be visiting there to help his pal, even more funny that his pal, a Republican would-be Congressman, OWNS the place. Hmmmmmm. Makes one wonder, doesn't it? At least it SHOULD make you wonder. :shrug:

[seafan]

10. Yes, this was Jeb's first "official" visit to the Venice airport.

Make one wonder how many unofficial visits happened.


We have already heard of one.

It's time to pull out http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1328855">Minstrel Boy's old thread on one of Jeb's unofficial visits to the Venice airport at 2 am on September 12, 2001.

[AnnieBW]

16. Yep

My Repuke in-laws live there. :puke: Apparently lots of drug-runners use that airport.

[Tracer]

9. "Agape Flights"?

That struck me right away:


Agape¯ (written ag?<pi>h in the Greek alphabet, and pronounced /aga?pe/ or /a?gape/), is one of several Greek words meaning love. The word has been used in different ways by a variety of contemporary and ancient sources, including Biblical authors. Many have thought that this word represents divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, thoughtful love. Greek philosophers at the time of Plato and other ancient authors use the term to denote love of a spouse or family or affection for a particular activity, in contrast to philia, an affection that could either denote brotherhood or generally a non-sexual affection, or eros, an affection of a sexual nature, usually between two unequal partners, the lover (eraste) and beloved (eromenos). The term is rarely used in ancient manuscripts. The term was used by the early Christians to refer to the special love for God and God's love for humanity, as well as the self-sacrificing love they believed all should have for each other.

Agape has been expounded on by many Christian writers in a specifically Christian context. In this Christian context, agape has been defined as an intentional response to promote well-being when responding to that which has generated ill-being (Thomas Jay Oord).

[onehandle]

11. Trust me. I'm a rich guy.

Where have I heard that before?...

[buddysmellgood]

14. Keep running your mouth Jeb. We want a plan, not more of the same in Iraq.