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Politics
3 things we learned from Florida
By BILL ADAIR, Times Washington Bureau Chief
Published January 30, 2008
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Florida presidential primary 2008
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McCain can win Republicans The independents who fueled John McCain's previous victories couldn't vote in Florida, so McCain pulled together enough moderate and liberal Republicans to overcome Mitt Romney's advantage with conservatives. McCain fared especially well with Cuban-Americans and Republicans dissatisfied with the Bush administration. Voters like winners Rudy Giuliani's strategy was to accept early losses in smaller states so he could dominate Florida and show national electability. But voters didn't share his comfort with those losses. Giuliani's anemic results leading up to Florida undercut the core point of his campaign. You can't win if you can't campaign In Iowa, the turning point for Barack Obama was his rousing speech to a Democratic dinner and the TV ads it spawned. But Obama couldn't give the speech in Florida because of a September pledge not to campaign. That froze the race at September levels, when Hillary Clinton had a commanding lead.
[Last modified January 30, 2008, 01:27:07]
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by Sheryl
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01/31/08 12:28 AM
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Obama represents change alright; he wants to end the space program.Irony: Kennedys endorse the only candidate who plans to end one of the best parts of Pres Kennedy's legacy. Why not? We've already given up leadership in medical research. Space next.
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by Mike
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01/30/08 11:32 PM
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Come on Hillary dominated every debate, she should win. We aren't stupid, most of us know Obama is a great speaker, it is just that he has no direction with his plans. After Super Tues, it will be Hil against McCain.
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by Teri
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01/30/08 05:08 PM
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This article is a replica of the conversation in the media about the Democratic Floridian's vote. I am rather tired of it. WE ARE INFORMED. A candidate's visit to our state doesn't dictate our knowledge of her/his potential. We read we watch we know!
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by t-jude
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01/30/08 12:51 PM
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Hillary is a good 2nd choice but Obama represents true change. Also, the majority of his funding comes from smaller donations of average citizens (no favors owed to special interest groups). We'll know alot more after Super Tuesday.
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by Joanne
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01/30/08 10:15 AM
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Re: #3. Maybe the pledge prevented campaigning in Fl; however, it did not prevent voters from following the news nationwide and reading opinion pieces such as St. Pete Times's Philip Gailey wrote recently against Hillary
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by Democrat
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01/30/08 10:05 AM
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Hillary Clinton received over a 100,000 more votes than John McCain, Barack Obama got almost as many votes as Mitt Romney, and John Edwards wasn't far behind Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee.
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by Rick
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01/30/08 09:29 AM
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Do you think we're stupid, Mr. Adair. We've seen enough of Obama over the last 3 months. He beats Brittany Spears in the overexposure department. What we really had was a race devoid of all the BS ads. So you're saying he has more BS than Clinton?
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by Fred
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01/30/08 08:38 AM
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Regarding pont three, Clinton couldn't campaign in Florida, either. I think too many elderly white Floridians voted accordingly.
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News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
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