Politics

Florida isn't Rudy's territory, Nelson says

By ADAM C. SMITH, STEVE BOUSQUET, ALEX LEARY, and BILL ADAIR, Times Staff Writers
Published January 6, 2008

ADVERTISEMENT [AP photo] Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani are not presidential timber, according to Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida's Democratic senior senator. But who does Nelson support? He isn't saying yet.

Rudy Giuliani may be banking on his strength in Florida to deliver him the Republican nomination, but Florida's top Democrat, Sen. Bill Nelson, sees little to worry about in Florida if Giuliani does win the nomination.

"He doesn't look like a president. He doesn't talk like a president, and he doesn't act like a president," said Nelson, who added that Mitt Romney may look the part but also fails to act the part.

And John McCain? "He's the toughest of the crop," said Nelson. "The only one of the Republican candidates that really can win in November, that has a chance to win in November, is John McCain."

Since they'll be in the neighborhood ...

Buzz hears no indication that any of the Democrats are considering breaking the boycott of Florida's Jan. 29 primary, but Nelson said he'll be surprised if some don't hit Florida, at least after South Carolina's Jan. 26 Democratic primary. He dismissed the widely held view that he's sure to endorse Hillary Clinton. "Clearly the nominee is going to need Florida in November, so I'm going to wait and see how they treat us in the meantime," Nelson said.

Hmmm, that's a good point

Here was our exchange with Democratic New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson on that topic. Richardson was the first candidate to promise the Democratic leaders in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina (the only states authorized to schedule an election before Feb. 5) not to campaign in Florida:

Buzz: "After South Carolina on Jan. 26, are you going to come campaign in Florida?"

Richardson: "Well, I can't."

Q: "You're the boss."

A: "It's illegal."

Q: "Is the Iowa Democratic Party going to put you in jail?"

A: (Laughs) "Well, I'll consider it. You know, I wanted to campaign in Florida. I'd do well there. You know Florida's been very good to me in fundraising."

Iowa and Florida, by the real numbers

Giuliani will be back campaigning in Florida this week, and his campaign is doing all it can to downplay the significance of Iowa and New Hampshire, where he has campaigned little.

"As of yesterday, there have been over 151,000 absentee ballot requests from Republicans in Florida," campaign spokesman Elliot Bundy said Friday, the morning after the Iowa caucuses. "With 95 percent of the precincts reporting in Iowa, 116,114 votes have been counted."

This author might have inside information

Former Sen. Bob Graham is writing a spy novel. The former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee told the Buzz that his as-yet-untitled novel has a main character named Tony Ramos, who works for the State Department's Intelligence and Research Bureau, an elite intelligence agency that has been more savvy and accurate than other U.S. spy agencies.

Graham doesn't yet have a publisher, but he said the book is pretty far along. Giving the full plot would take 30 minutes, he said. But he summed it up by saying that Ramos, a 30ish resident of Hialeah, "ends up with the task of saving the world."

There's also a Graham-like character in the book. "But unfortunately he gets killed early in the novel," he said. But that has given Graham an opportunity to essentially plan his own funeral. "I'm selecting the music."

Money pours in for Amendment 1 push

The political committee working for passage of the property tax amendment, Amendment 1, on Jan. 29 reports raising $2.6-million so far with another burst of checks just before Christmas. Recent donors to the group - Yes On 1, Save Our Homes Now - include: Communications International of Vero Beach ($100,000), 21st Century Oncology of Fort Myers ($50,000) and Jupiter investor Larry DeGeorge and Leon Advertising and PR ($25,000 each).

The Florida Association of Realtors wrote the first and by-far biggest check, for a cool $1-million

And part of that push includes the governor

With Jan. 29 approaching, Gov. Charlie Crist is heading back out to promote the property tax cut plan. On Monday, he'll go to Hollywood (we need to specify Hollywood, Fla., given the guv's love for out-of-state travel) to discuss the plan with a "bi-partisan" group including Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish.

Opponents, meanwhile, will roll out their message Tuesday at a fire station near the Governor's Mansion.

Storms to visit 'Political Connections'

Check out Political Connections on Bay News 9 today, where the guest is state Sen. Ronda Storms. The show airs at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Adam C. Smith, Steve Bousquet, Alex Leary and Bill Adair contributed to this week's Buzz.

[Last modified January 5, 2008, 22:43:50]