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HURRICANES CHARLEY AND FRANCES kept Gov. Jeb Bush away from the Republican National Convention in New York City. But he was there in spirit. Among the signs spotted among Florida delegates: a professionally printed red and white, "JEB '08."
While the president's brother dismisses talk of a presidential run, some Florida Republicans apparently remain keen on the idea - much to the chagrin of convention staffers. When several Florida delegates waved Jeb signs during Georgia Sen. Zell Miller's speech, convention workers promptly confiscated the unauthorized messages. "The Morning Grind" column on CNN's Web site reported what happened after someone slipped one of the signs to a producer:
"As we were getting ready to go live a woman ... came out of nowhere, slapped the hand of our producer who was now holding the sign, wrestled it out of his hand and RAN into a crowd of yellow hat wearing convention workers. ... It was appalling - she attacked him."
PRESIDENT BUSH LEFT his nominating convention with rising poll numbers, a unified party behind him and a Democratic challenger struggling to regain momentum. But as the president refocuses his attention on Florida's 27 electoral votes, he better hope people like A.R. "Pete" Carpenter are few and far between.The vice chairman of CSX Transportation from Jacksonville is a lifelong Republican who in 2000 became a Bush-Cheney "Pioneer," raising more than $100,000 for the campaign. In November, Carpenter will vote for John Kerry.
"This was very, very difficult for me. I have voted Republican since Goldwater," said Carpenter, a longtime friend and supporter of Jeb Bush. "But when I look at these deficits that seem to have no end and the handling of Iraq - everything from the pre-attack intelligence gathering to the post-invasion handling of Iraq - this administration is either sophomoric or inept or something awful. None of the conclusions are good."
There's no evidence of vast disaffection among Republicans. A recent St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald poll found 9 percent of people who voted for Bush in 2000 backing Kerry, while 4 percent of former Gore voters are now backing Bush.
JOHN KERRY'S FLORIDA campaign folks insist they feel great about his prospects for winning Florida, but they're still bringing in reinforcements. Look for one of the country's most prominent Democratic strategists - John Edwards' former national campaign manager Nick Baldick - to arrive in Florida soon to help out with the campaign. Baldick was a former top operative to Al Gore and knows Florida well, having worked for Gore here in 2000.
Times staff writer Adam C. Smith contributed to the Buzz. Have a tip? Call 850 224-7263 or write to bousquet@sptimes.com