Wednesday open thread

May 28, 2014 · by · in Website News · 25 Comments

Per usual, let’s talk about it. All comments on any subject welcome provided they are not libelous.

25 comments

  1. Robert · ·

    Long time reader. First ever comment.

    I’m at Crist supporter but I cannot help but say the article that was written here last week about Charlie and his lack of confidence was on the mark. I agree he looks a different candidate than in the past. Still he is our only hope for the Democrats.

    I get the sense Nan Rich has gone from being a very marginal candidate to being a more mainstream one though not one that can actually get the votes to win a nomination. The progressive groups and those who are supporting her because they oppose the Florida Democratic Party have been chipping away on the ground and it seems to be having an impact. This is unfortunate as our party wants to win this election and has selected the candidate with the best chance of winning it in Charlie.

    I am very concerned that even though Charlie is going to win this primary is going to be closer than expected and he’s going to come out of the primary weakend.

    My view is it is imperative right now for the Florida Democratic Party to force Nan Rich out of the race even if it means that Charlie promises her some executive appointment. This race is now getting more and more lively and the hope was that even though she was running she was just a minor annoyance and a general election campaign could be run from the get-go.

    I know people supporting her get testy and sensitive whenever the implication is made that they are supporting Rick Scott. But right now without question is obvious if you look at the Poling and you talk to people around the state that the Nan Rich candidacy has helped Rick Scott surge. Of course it is not the only factor but it is a key factor.

    The implication that those supporting her are knowing dupes of the Republicans is unfair I agree. But they are unconsciously being duped and this is something the RPOF and Governor Scott certainly are thriving on.

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    1. Kartik Krishnaiyer · ·

      Charlie Crist himself as a candidate benefited from vibrant primaries as a Republican in 2002 and 2006. In 2002 much of the RPOF Tallahassee establishment lined up against him – he ran hard and beat them. In 2006 the Gallagher candidacy was backed by some of the most right-wing forces in the state after Crist had danced all over the place on issues as Attorney General. Crist beat them badly. In both cases the momentum he carried took him into the general. Let us also not forget in 2010 Rick Scott had a difficult primary where he was the underdog. He honed his campaign skills and won. Alex Sink had the party clear the field for her and she ultimately lost.

      The talk that we must avoid a primary is another desperate measure of throwing things against the wall and seeing what sticks for a party that has found new and creative ways to lose elections. I hate to harp on it, but it is reality … Florida Democrats have won just SEVEN percent of the elections for state offices since 2000, the worst percentage of any major political party east of the Mississippi River.

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      1. Tracey Johnson · ·

        Even worse in a state where dem/lean dem outnumber republicans by near 10%.

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    2. Joe Kreps · ·

      The corrupt corporations and special interests in Charlie’s pockets can’t tell Nan what to do. What makes you think the party bosses could or should tell her to drop out. There is going to be a primary where the people will decide. You are obviously backing a lame horse with too much baggage. When Nan wins the primary it will be the political story of the year. Everyone will then know who Nan is and the true democratic principles she stands for and she will get out the vote and wipe the floor with Scott, the same as she is doing with Crist. Time to get off the Charlie Horse and back a true blue leader, Nan Rich.

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  2. Concerned Democrat · ·

    Candidate recrutiment for the state house even in very winnable seats continues to be extremely poor. The Senate has essentially been written off. If Crist does not win and right now I think he loses, where are we come 2015?

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  3. Dems in 14 · ·

    I’d love to see the authors at this blog talk about how the Nan Rich candidacy is costing Charlie Crist this race. Costing the Democrats costing us a chance to lead.

    The open defiance of many Democrats around the state towards their very own state party is galling and shows precisely why we don’t win elections.

    Kartik comes up with all these theories as to why we drop elections when the most obvious one is people don’t fall in line behind a party and thus we don’t win because the party is meant to lead and if people don’t follow the leader we lose.

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    1. Kartik Krishnaiyer · ·

      So the party, one that loses election after election should “lead” and we should just follow like sheep? Is that your implication?

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      1. Joe Kreps · ·

        These Charlie supporters continue to snipe behind fake names. They defend the party bosses like they are the party bosses or worse yet, Crist operatives. They are getting desperate. The Charlie fade of 2010 is back again like a long lost friend.

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    2. Dave Trotter · ·

      Again, you lack the basic understanding of the difference between partisanship and ideology. Many of those voting for Rich see Crist and Scott as basically the same. Therefore, they do not care if they vote for Rich, as a Crist win is not a priority.

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    3. Tom Bryson · ·

      A democracy by it’s very nature is driven from the bottom up, not the top down. It’s elementary.

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  4. Justin Snyder · ·

    Florida Dems, we need to have a little chat.

    Stop blaming us for the failures of our party’s leadership. If you honestly think, that a website like this one, is the main reason we are losing elections, you are either not paying attention, or simply doing the dirty work of the party to save face. We have some serious structural and operational problems within the party at the state level, and thats undeniable. One day, The Florida Democratic Party will be willing to get down in the trenches, fight the elephants instead of capitulating, feeding them peanuts and sealing our fate of irrelevance… right? These Val Demings, Ed Jany, and Alex Sink stories are becoming the norm. It’s time for FDP to review everything and for it’s members to hold our leaders accountable. Where is the candidate recruitment? Where is the statewide organizing outfit? Why has our press shop been reduced to a lair inhabited by twitter trolls focused only on retweets and mentions rather than, you know, getting votes?

    I’ve said it once in writings on this topic, and I’ll say it again here. Maybe, just maybe, winning is NOT the main priority for those at the top of the FDP food chain. The problem is not the growing faction of dissenters within the party, its the leadership that’s locked into electoral strategy of yester-decade, thats costing us winnable seats. The DC people do not know how to win here, just ask FL candidates that failed thanks in party to poor strategy and execution via the DCCC an DNC. Our Florida “experts” that have the ear of the party, have only won such elections when there were presidential coattails or a wave involved.

    Thanks for reading and participating everyone!
    JS

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  5. Opie · ·

    We are going to get our clocks cleaned again.

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    1. Joe Kreps · ·

      We have the chance to rally around a true Democrat that the party activists would work their tails off to get out the vote. Time to use Charlie the same way as he is using us. get him to back Nan and prove he wants to be for our party and not just for himself. I f he did that the real workers just might work to have him stomp Rubio in 2016. Yeah…..That’s the ticket..

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  6. Wendy Sejour · ·

    Really?! Are we expected to ignore incompetence on a grand scale and blindly follow? I for one will not. The FDP, and the DNC for that matter, have only themselves to blame for lackluster election results over the years. Justin is right, there are MAJOR problems within the party and ignoring them will not make them go away. I have a brain and will not abandon core ideology and logic to blindly follow anyone person or party, especially when they have proven to be incompetent and craven.

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  7. Go Dems · ·

    To me it is obvious that we have too many pro-business Democrats that have been elected to office recently and too many consultants associated with the party who feel that we need to become more moderate.

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  8. Not trying to be a jerk · ·

    This blog and most of the readers are always complaining about the Florida Democratic Party but yet are not willing to follow the lead of the Florida Democratic Party.

    You complain that we keep losing elections yet we have gone out and gotten the best possible candidate in the state who will be elected governor. This election is basically over Rick Scott cannot get 50%. His approval rating has never been above 40 for any length of time.

    Yet we have all these people complaining that they want a washed up old former state legislator to be our nominee. She is backed by the malcontents of our party. People who want power the party but are rejected because they are not quality enough. Those who always want to throw rocks at people and burn down the house. Those were jealous of their colleagues in both the political consulting profession and in the state legislature.

    These are the people backing Nan Rich’s quixotic candidacy.

    If we did not have a primary Charlie would be 15-20 points ahead right now. All this nonsense the primary help candidates give me an example where it does help the candidate!

    I bet you cannot even come up with one!

    I will party is there to lead. If you want to be a Democrat fall in line with the party and guess what we might win a race or two and set you guys up.

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    1. Joe Kreps · ·

      Dear Not Trying to be a Jerk, You’re not trying hard enough.LOL.

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    2. Kartik Krishnaiyer · ·

      The examples are so numerous that I will have to list them later when I have more time.

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    3. Dave Trotter · ·

      Let me repeat… you lack the basic understanding of the difference between partisanship and ideology. Many of those voting for Rich see Crist and Scott as basically the same. Therefore, they do not care if they vote for Rich, as a Crist win is not a priority.

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    4. Tracey Johnson · ·

      I’m no dem, and this is why.

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  9. POed with the Democrats · ·

    This party is such an incredible clusterf***

    Does anyone believe Nan Rich is a savior?

    No. I personally wouldn’t support her but feel I must vote for her since a message has to be sent to the FDP which as KK and Trotter always say is the worst party in the country. The results do not lie.

    What sort of party would make a deal with a conservative like Crist to be Governor, a man with a lifetime anti-choice, pro-voucher, pro-Bush record while pushing a coup in the legislature that installs the most liberal bordering on socialist member of the House as leader. Yes, one with ZERO moral standing or guiding principles.

    As for our President he is a wishy washy guy who shows little leadership either. Hope and Change is more like business as usual. No wonder we are about to sink like the Titanic this fall!

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  10. Democratic Guy · ·

    I can tell you without any shadow of a doubt those involved with Nan Rich are working with the Republicans. I won’t will not reveal my sources but it will come out in due time. For now just think of some of the people who have supported her and some of those that have helped her on the outside.

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    1. Dave Trotter · ·

      So, the people who work for the life-long Democrat are Republicans while those who work for the former Republican are Democrats? That is the most backward argument I have ever heard in my entire life!

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      1. Joe Kreps · ·

        Dave, I’ve heard a lot of spin in my life but Democratic Guy wins the nut case prize.

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  11. Tom Bryson · ·

    Before and since 2010 Charlie has worked hard handing Rick Scott and the Republican Party a truck load of whips chains and clubs they can beat on him with. Additionally republican disdain for Charlie will assure Rick Scott a big turnout in spite of his low approval ratings. Nan Rich however has no baggage and would present a challenge to the Scott campaign that Charlie cannot. How did the party leadership ever think the Democratic base would turn out in sufficient numbers to elect Charlie. This is all about maintaining the influence structure.

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