Ocotillo
05-10-2006, 09:30 AM
The NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/09/us/09cnd-bush.html?ex=1304827200&en=c3f49d4a8fe55d0a&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss) has this blurb about Bush's recent visit to Florida.
After saying hello to his brother and straightening his tie, the president shook hands with Ms. Harris and spoke with her for roughly 30 seconds, with Ms. Harris talking far more than the president, who did not kiss her or put his arm around her — or do anything more than pat her on the back.
The Ms. Harris in the story of course is Katherine Harris the infamous Secretary of State of Florida during the recounts of the 2000 election.
Jeb Bush said this about the Harris campaign:
"I just don't think she can win."
Mix with that I heard Ed Rollins on the radio this morning and I don't have the exact quote but, he was implying there may be something wrong mentally with Harris.
Now this is interesting. Harris is loathed by Democrats for her role in the Florida recount. She went on to run for a House seat and won and now is trying to get the Republican nomination for Senate to run against Democrat Bill Nelson. The support of the Bush brothers has been tepid at best. Add to her problems she received an illegal campaign contribution from Mitchell Wade who worked for the same defense contractor that bribed Duke Cunningham.
Considering her role in helping W get into the White House, you would think she would be a folk hero of sorts to Republicans. Yet the Bushies are very cool to her and now another prominent Republican is hinting she is crazy. What gives?
The "loony" meme is common among the right to lessen credibility of an opponent. They use it on Al Gore and Howard Dean. So the Republicans have decided to throw Harris from the train.
It would be much cleaner and easier to simply convince another major figure within the party to run for the nomination than to launch this smear against Harris. For example, the rumor is insiders are trying to get Alan Bense, the Speaker of the Florida House to run. He has until Friday to get in the race. The best way to do this would be quietly so as not to show open division within the party. So why the smear?
Should Harris become a loose cannon and feel she was undermined by Jeb and the president, she does know where the skeletons are buried in the debacle of the Florida recount. If she started making embarrassing claims about what went down in Florida, the right would need to discredit her. Perhaps that has already begun.
After saying hello to his brother and straightening his tie, the president shook hands with Ms. Harris and spoke with her for roughly 30 seconds, with Ms. Harris talking far more than the president, who did not kiss her or put his arm around her — or do anything more than pat her on the back.
The Ms. Harris in the story of course is Katherine Harris the infamous Secretary of State of Florida during the recounts of the 2000 election.
Jeb Bush said this about the Harris campaign:
"I just don't think she can win."
Mix with that I heard Ed Rollins on the radio this morning and I don't have the exact quote but, he was implying there may be something wrong mentally with Harris.
Now this is interesting. Harris is loathed by Democrats for her role in the Florida recount. She went on to run for a House seat and won and now is trying to get the Republican nomination for Senate to run against Democrat Bill Nelson. The support of the Bush brothers has been tepid at best. Add to her problems she received an illegal campaign contribution from Mitchell Wade who worked for the same defense contractor that bribed Duke Cunningham.
Considering her role in helping W get into the White House, you would think she would be a folk hero of sorts to Republicans. Yet the Bushies are very cool to her and now another prominent Republican is hinting she is crazy. What gives?
The "loony" meme is common among the right to lessen credibility of an opponent. They use it on Al Gore and Howard Dean. So the Republicans have decided to throw Harris from the train.
It would be much cleaner and easier to simply convince another major figure within the party to run for the nomination than to launch this smear against Harris. For example, the rumor is insiders are trying to get Alan Bense, the Speaker of the Florida House to run. He has until Friday to get in the race. The best way to do this would be quietly so as not to show open division within the party. So why the smear?
Should Harris become a loose cannon and feel she was undermined by Jeb and the president, she does know where the skeletons are buried in the debacle of the Florida recount. If she started making embarrassing claims about what went down in Florida, the right would need to discredit her. Perhaps that has already begun.