Politics

Dems say 'not us', but Dean knows better

By ADAM C. SMITH
Published June 17, 2007

As Florida Democrats try to escape punishment from the national party for busting the established primary schedule, a sob story is emerging:

How can the mean ol' Democratic National Committee punish beleaguered Florida Democrats for the Republican-controlled legislature and governor deciding to move the presidential primary so early in violation of committee rules?

Puh-lease.

Party chairman Howard Dean might swallow that if a Democratic state senator, Jeremy Ring, hadn't sponsored the original bill moving the primary to Jan. 29. Besides, Dean knows he lobbied early on to get Democrats to back off the bill and folks like House Democratic leader Dan Gelber blew him off publicly.

Toward the end of the session Democratic lawmakers started to grasp the implications and pursued a token amendment to push the primary to Feb. 5, which, as expected, went nowhere.

Then they voted for the overall election reform bill, of course, because it included paper trails for voting machines. Florida Democrats steamrolled by Republicans? They could have been, but that's not what happened.

Political connections

Check out Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, on Political Connections on Bay News 9 today at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Putnam, the third most powerful Republican in Congress, weighs in on why he doubts Rudy Giuliani can win the Republican presidential nomination and how Congress will respond if there hasn't been significant progress in Iraq by September.

"I think that you will see the support in the Congress for a redeployment of U.S. troops - still in the region, perhaps even still in the country - but one of reinforcing Iraqi troops and less of being referees between a Sunni and Shia conflict, " Putnam said.

Sorry, Bill

This Miami Herald correction caught our eye last week: "A photograph of Bill Clinton and Officer Alan Davis on Page 3B in Monday's local section did not intend to imply that the former president had involvement in a sexual solicitation case against the officer."

Courting Hispanics

Apparently Florida Republican politicians understand better than the GOP presidential candidates the importance of courting Hispanic voters. Gov. Charlie Crist, Sen. Mel Martinez, and state House Speaker Marco Rubio plan to address the National Association of Latino Elected Officials convention at Disney World, June 28-30, but every Republican presidential candidate declined the organization's invitation.

Bense and Mitt

Mitt Romney will be back in Florida Monday, for a fundraiser at former House Speaker Allan Bense's place in Panama City. Two days after that Tagg Romney, Mitt's oldest son, will be in Palm Beach for the Florida Association of Broadcasters annual meeting.

Adam C. Smith contributed to this week's Buzz. For much more breaking political news check blogs.tampabay.com/buzz.

[Last modified June 17, 2007, 08:09:37]