Politics

Dems upbeat at convention

In the penalty box, they are defiant about the DNC but enthusiastic about candidates.

By ADAM C. SMITH and JENNIFER LIBERTO, Times Staff Writers
Published October 28, 2007

State Sen. Steve Geller, the Senate minority leader from Cooper City, speaks to Florida Democratic Convention delegates in Lake Buena Vista.
	[AP photo]

LAKE BUENA VISTA - Florida Democrats have grown accustomed to being at the head of the class in presidential politics.

But Saturday, as thousands of true believers converged on Disney World for their state convention, it looked more like they'd been placed in detention.

The annual convention has long been a showcase campaign stop for presidential candidates.

This time the only presidential candidate willing to talk to Democrats in America's biggest swing state was former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, the longest of long shots.

Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller at one point wryly warned Democrats to curb any overt enthusiasm for presidential candidates lest a newspaper reporter from Iowa spot them.

"Make sure you don't let them see your signs, or we'll all be in trouble," quipped Geller, sporting on his lapel a defiant "Size DOES Matter" button depicting the state of Florida towering over Iowa and New Hampshire.

Florida Democrats are losing a mini civil war that erupted when the state violated Democratic National Committee rules by scheduling its primary on Jan. 29, earlier than any state except Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina is allowed to.

Not only have those four states persuaded the candidates not to campaign in Florida -- although raising money here is still allowed -- but the Democratic National Committee has also stripped Florida of all its delegates to the national convention in Denver.

Many Florida Democrats expressed their view of the DNC chairman by wearing a button showing a large screw running through the words "Howard Dean."

Other buttons promised "No Vote, No Money," calling for Floridians not to make campaign contributions to the national party for declaring Florida's primary officially meaningless.

And yet, even with the defiance and the lack of top candidates, the activists who gathered at Disney's Yacht and Beach Club were raucous and upbeat, as they cheered red-meat partisan speeches and attended campaign training sessions. A few hundred people canceled plans to attend, but fears of a dismal turnout proved unfounded.

Instead of pitches from presidential candidates, they heard from keynote speaker Steny Hoyer, the House majority leader.

"We're very excited by the plethora of strong candidates, even if they're not here," said Misty Brown, 42, a Miami-Dade county employee who is leaning toward voting for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. "In the bigger scheme of things, they did what they felt they needed to do and we're still here."

State House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber of Miami downplayed concerns about the Republican contenders campaigning constantly in Florida, while the Democrats bypass the battleground state.

"You see these Republicans candidates everywhere, and the more you hear about them and the more you see them, the less you like them," Gelber said. "The way to assure victory in '08 is to keep the Republican nominees before the public so they see how little ideas they have, and how they have nothing to say about the future of our nation."

But plenty of Democrats fear that in a close race, the Democratic boycott could make a real difference in the battle for Florida's 27 electoral votes. A Quinnipiac University poll released last week found that 22 percent of independent voters, crucial to winning Florida, said they were less likely to vote for the Democrat because of the national party penalizing the state.

"If not on the merits of the case, this is why chairman Dean should lift the ban," said Sen. Bill Nelson, who has also sued the DNC over its treatment of Florida. "We simply cannot afford another misguided Republican administration."

The boycott hasn't stopped supporters from doing their own grass roots campaigning. Barack Obama, Bill Richardson and Clinton signs were omnipresent, and Friday night Clinton supporters rolled out a giant birthday cake for her 60th birthday.

Even her fans though were not entirely forgiving of her pledge not to campaign in Florida.

"Hillary ought to ask her husband. He didn't blow us off," said Arlene Farachio, a Jacksonville retiree, before the cake came out.

Adam C. Smith can be reached at asmith@sptimes.com.

[Last modified October 27, 2007, 23:06:16]