Political junkie

Politics: Bad for your health or just sickening?

Talk about hitting a candidate when she's down.

During a League of Women Voters debate Monday, City Council candidate Kevin White asked opponent Bernadine White-King how voters could count on her after she missed 23 days of the campaign.

White-King didn't campaign because she was in the hospital.

Before health problems slowed White-King down, she said she had been campaigning for a year and half.

"Kevin," she said, "that was beneath you."

ECLIPSE OF MAYOR'S RACE: It may be tough this week to get voters to pay attention to the mayor's race, which probably hurts candidate Frank Sanchez, who needs to make gains against Pam Iorio.

Who will pay attention to a municipal election as the nation plunges into war?

The conflict in Iraq "drowns this out," said Susan MacManus, the University of South Florida political scientist. "The public has been inundated with bad news."

Almost everyone who will vote next Tuesday has made up their minds, she said. "At this late date, it is very, very hard to change people's opinions."

President George W. Bush's broadcast to the nation Monday night bumped off the League of Women Voters debate, which was supposed to be televised at the same time. Out of respect to the president, the debate was taped instead.

FLYING OFF THE HANDLE: Voters watching the tape-delayed debate will see Iorio challenging Sanchez about comments he made recently about the lack of international flights at Tampa International Airport.

During a debate last week, Sanchez asked Iorio why the airport had not done better increasing the number of international flights from TIA.

The comments angered airport executive director Louis Miller, whom Sanchez later called to apologize.

On Monday, Sanchez said his comments never were meant as criticism.

"They were taken as though I was criticizing the airport or Mr. Miller personally," Sanchez said.

He said he does thinks the airport can do more "to attract more (international) flights here," but that overall, "TIA is one of the best airports in the world."

BUS CREDENTIALS: Also during Monday's debate, both candidates were asked about the last time they rode a city-run bus.

"It's been many years since I rode a HARTline bus," Iorio said.

Same story for Sanchez.

"I haven't ridden on HARTline since I was a kid (in Tampa)," he said. "When I was in school at Harvard, I regularly rode the bus."

IORIO IN THE MORNING: Iorio will spend about $45,000 to air her first television commercials on the major network affiliates and on Time Warner cable TV this week. Her ads will air during newscasts and morning shows including Good Morning America and The Today Show.

The ads shows Iorio talking to voters, making a straightforward promise to improve roads, neighborhoods and downtown.

"If you ask me to be your next mayor, I'll work to make Tampa a more livable city," she says. "This is my commitment to you."

PUBLIC SAFETY ENDORSEMENT: An association representing more than 1,500 retired Tampa firefighters and police officers endorsed Iorio's bid for mayor Monday.

"We know her. We trust her. We just feel she is the best to move the city of Tampa forward," association president Bud Maxey said.

Iorio has picked up endorsements from four other major law enforcement groups -- the city firefighters union, the Hillsborough County firefighters union, the largely black New Breed Association of Firefighters, and the Associations of Black Law Enforcement Officers.

POLL GAP: Sanchez attacked front runner Iorio all last week, but it hardly made a dent, a new poll suggests.

A poll of registered voters conducted by WFLA-Ch. 8 gives the former elections supervisor a commanding about 65 percent over Sanchez. The former Clinton White House aide got about 35 percent of the vote. Only about 1 percent were undecided, according to the poll. Iorio said she's running as though she's behind with the election one week away. Sanchez campaign spokesman Kevin Kalwary said he doesn't give the poll much credibility because he heard that county residents -- who can't vote for Tampa mayor -- were called.

"How do you respond to that kind of poll?" Kalwary said. "We ignore it."

PEP FOR SANCHEZ: Sanchez may lag far behind in the polls, but his supporters still think he can win.

South Tampa eye doctor Jack Guggino put a message on his marquee at his Swann Avenue office urging Sanchez to stick it out. He did this after former candidate Charlie Miranda suggested Sanchez withdraw from the race.

"Successful people 'never, ever quit,' " the sign says. "Go for it!!! Frank Sanchez."

PROBLEMS WITH THE PAPER? Recently, we wrote about the "Campaign Wish List" posted at Sanchez headquarters. It listed such things as copy paper, stationery and ink cartridges. Last on the list, in extra-large print was toilet paper.

After we reported that, the campaign added another item:

"Fair press coverage."

-- Got a tip? Call Times staff writer David Karp at 226-3376 or karp@sptimes.com. Times staff writers Ernest Hooper and Brady Dennis contributed to this report.

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