State: McBride launches attacks; Bush recruits black voters

ORLANDO -- Bill McBride hammered away Saturday at a new campaign theme provided by Gov. Jeb Bush: "I don't have any devious plans." Across town, Bush's plans, past, present and future, won enthusiastic support from a large African-American crowd.

McBride, the Democratic candidate for governor, received roars of approval at rallies in Orlando, as he sought to capitalize on Bush's closed-door revelation that he had "devious plans" to derail the costly class size amendment that Bush opposes and McBride favors. Bush said his comment to three House members in his office was "sarcastic," and he did not know that a reporter was present with a tape recorder.

"What I say to you in private is something I'll say to you from this podium," McBride told union leaders, who rose to their feet, cheering. "What Florida needs is a governor who's going to be open, who's going to listen. You'll never have to have a sit-in outside my office to get an appointment inside."

Across town, Bush spoke of actions, not words. More than 500 people rose as one and chanted "four more years!" as the governor and his wife, Columba, strode into a hotel ballroom decked out in red, white and blue balloons. Nearly everyone in the hall was black.

Bush got about one in seven black votes in 1998, according to exit polls, but he wants to do better this time. Saturday's "African-American Leadership Summit" was a tribute to Bush's first four years and a call for four more.

The governor took his record straight to black voters: He cited growing numbers of blacks on the bench and state boards, minority gains in college admissions and state contracts and progress in reading by black people.

Bush said it "broke my heart" to see black students who couldn't read, so he decided to set higher expectations for every student, regardless of skin color.

"I know in my heart that we're on the right track," Bush said. To follow McBride's way -- "the old way," as Bush called it -- means returning to two standards, one black, one white, he said. He called it the "soft bigotry of low expectations." That phrase was used by Bush's brother, President George W. Bush, in his 2000 presidential campaign.

Before a friendly black audience, Bush even touted one issue that was controversial two years ago: his One Florida initiative, which replaced affirmative action and set-asides with what Bush calls "a commitment to diversity."

Organizers said most participants paid their own way to the Rosen Centre Hotel. The rally drew a Haitian minister from Fort Myers, a special education teacher from Ocala, a group of uniformed officers from the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the president of the St. Petersburg NAACP chapter, Darryl Rouson.

"We know Jeb. We have four years of history to build on," Rouson said.

Some black voters share Bush's support for faith-based initiatives, charter schools and vouchers that allow students to transfer from failing public schools to private schools at taxpayer expense.

One of the biggest cheers during Bush's speech came when he said: "Now when parents are not satisfied with schools, they have choices they never had before."

The highest-ranking black people in the Bush administration were prominently featured in a lengthy video. They included Secretary of Health Dr. John Agwunobi, lottery director David Griffin and Dr. Rhonda Meadows, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration.

McBride portrayed himself as the candidate of consistency who levels with voters. He has campaigned for smaller classes and more money for schools, paid for in part by higher cigarette taxes. He said Bush had an "epiphany" recently and realized schools need more classrooms.

Polls show Bush leading in a close race. McBride said he is overcoming Bush's advantages because Floridians agree with his agenda and that Bush is on the defensive. "With all that money, with all the family and history and things like that, I think their campaign is scrambling today," McBride said.

McBride also appeared to broaden his message beyond improving schools. He spoke about the need for more high-wage jobs and reducing waiting lists at veterans' hospitals.

The Tampa lawyer met with several union leaders who backed Janet Reno in the Democratic primary. They represented the Service Employees International Union, a painters union and AFSCME, a public employees' union that gave $400,000 to McBride's campaign.

"The cavalry is coming," said Florida AFL-CIO president Cindy Hall.

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Lucy Morgan

From the Times state desk