As Sen. Bob Graham sets his sights on the White House - or a return to his current post - two would-be successors are already stepping up the gamesmanship.
By Associated Press
Published June 30, 2003
MIAMI - While U.S. Sen. Bob Graham has not ruled out seeking re-election if his campaign for president fails, two high-profile South Florida Democrats are not quietly waiting on the sidelines.
U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch of Fort Lauderdale lashed out at Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas Sunday, accusing Penelas of damaging Al Gore's chances in the disputed 2000 presidential election in Florida. It was the first indication that if Graham does not seek re-election to the Senate, the Democratic primary could be a wide-open fight.
Deutsch said he declined to attend the state party's annual Jefferson-Jackson gala Saturday in his home county because party officials were planning to honor Penelas. The Miami-Dade mayor received an award for his work on a constitutional amendment requiring the state to offer pre-kindergarten classes to all 4-year-olds.
"This man did as much to hurt Al Gore as any person in the United States of America," Deutsch said Sunday in a telephone interview. "It is inappropriate for the Democratic Party to honor someone who helped elect George W. Bush."
Penelas called Deutsch's comments "very unfortunate. I don't think good Democrats should be acting that way. This is a time when we're trying to rebuild the party, and I think this kind of bickering is just going to tear down the party further."
Deutsch and Penelas are among five Democrats hoping to succeed Graham. Graham, who was first elected to the Senate in 1986, has not ruled out seeking re-election. But he told reporters Friday he did "not anticipate" being on the ballot for Senate next year.
Deutsch and some South Florida Democrats have accused Penelas of failing to aggressively campaign for the Gore-Lieberman ticket in Florida. Bush defeated Gore by 537 votes and secured the White House after a five-week legal battle and an opinion by the U.S. Supreme Court that ended Gore's recount effort.
During the aftermath of the election, some angry Democrats contended Penelas had shied away from actively supporting Gore because he didn't want to hurt his own chances in the September 2000 mayoral primary. The Cuban-American mayor was re-elected after winning that primary with 52 percent of the vote.
Many Cuban-Americans, who make up the largest voting bloc in the county, had vowed to punish Gore for the Clinton administration's handling of the Elian Gonzalez seizure even though the vice president opposed returning the boy to Cuba.
Penelas also attended a trade mission to Spain in mid October 2000 and failed to attend campaign events with Gore in South Florida during the race's stretch run, further angering some activists. But the mayor said Sunday his work for the Democratic ticket was formidable.
"I was an early and strong supporter of Al Gore. I helped him and President Clinton raise millions of dollars and I helped him win Miami-Dade County by 30,000 votes," Penelas said.'
The skirmish was first reported in Sunday's edition of the Miami Herald. Deutsch said he was particularly irked when he read similar comments made by Penelas in the Herald that the mayor had helped Gore win the county.
"This guy is a pathological liar," Deutsch said.
Penelas responded: "This kind of bickering is not going to get us anywhere."
Deutsch was one of Gore's most ardent supporters during the 2000 race and ensuing recount and donated $250,000 to the Gore campaign that year.
Other Democrats considering the nomination include former University of South Florida President Betty Castor and U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings of Miramar and Allen Boyd of Monticello.
The Republican field includes former U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum of the Orlando area and U.S. Rep. Mark Foley of West Palm Beach. U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon of Palm Bay and state Sen. Daniel Webster of Winter Garden are also considering the race.
