Opinion: Reno's running for governor is an exciting prospect

Women throughout Florida should be thrilled and energized! The landscape of Florida politics has changed forever. For the first time, a woman, former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, has created a major "buzz" about running for governor and is considered by many to be the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. Moreover, another well-regarded Democrat, Lois Frankel (minority leader this past legislative session), has also been considering a run.

There are plenty of capable women in Florida who are either elected officials or considering running for office. The high-profile aspirations of Frankel and Reno will make it easier for other women to take the plunge and become public servants. As more women get into the political pipeline and make their mark, they will become state legislators, congresswomen, senators and Cabinet members. But they need and deserve the full-throttled support of women along the way.

So thank you, Lois Frankel and Janet Reno, for blazing the trail once again. One of these women may well be our next governor. Our time has come!
-- Paula Xanthopoulou, president, National Women's Political Caucus of Florida, Miami

Her baggage is good

Your May 22 editorial about Reno's baggage was terrible. Janet Reno's personal baggage is good. It is about standing up for what is right. I believe that most voters do not share your opinion that there are solid candidates out there.

Reno had the job of representing Bill Clinton and all his baggage. In Florida she will be representing the state she loves.
-- Richard S. Lee, Largo

Reno would be an easy target

Re: Reno's baggage, editorial, May 22.

As a super-conservative type of guy, I was really elated when the Democrats started slapping themselves on the back when Janet Reno announced that she is considering a run for governor.

Did they really think that the most controversial attorney general in our lifetime stood a chance against Jeb Bush? Have the Democrats had their heads stuck in the sand for the past 10 years?

All I could envision among my tears of joy were some of the bumper stickers that would be starting to show up as soon as she announced she was a candidate. What fun this would be for us common munchkins to get back at the wicked witch.

What a let down it was to read your editorial, as it must have been to Janet Reno also, I'm sure. Oh, well, such is life.
-- Guy Nash, St. Petersburg

Looking for other options

Re: Reno may join race.

It's time to vote independent!
-- Lynne Shelby, St. Petersburg

Be accurate on rumor's origin

On May 12, reporter Lucy Morgan inaccurately reported that Democrats.com was "the first to actually publish one of the rumors, suggesting a romantic relationship between [Jeb] Bush and [Cynthia] Henderson."

In fact, Bill Cotterell of the Tallahassee Democrat was the first to publish "The Rumor" on May 10, referring to "the supposed Clintonesque dalliance of two high-ranking public officials," whom he coyly refused to name. Democrats.com linked to Cotterell's article and supplied the missing names, which were known to every journalist in Tallahassee, including (by her own admission) Lucy Morgan.

One day earlier, Democrats.com drafted a story about "The Rumor," but we never published it -- as Morgan well knows, because she interviewed us about it.

On May 19, Morgan attacked us again, basically accusing Democrats.com of starting the rumors altogether. This is utterly false, and Morgan knows it -- or should have done the research to find out.

Democrats.com simply researched rumors that came to us from sources in Tallahassee who we consider credible. Because of their employment status, our sources cannot risk their jobs by coming forward, which is why we cannot publish more details. But we nevertheless believe their stories are true.

Rumors of men in power having affairs are not unusual. Often, despite vehement denials (like that of Gov. Bush), they turn out to be true. Think of Gary Hart, Bill Clinton, Robert Livingston, Newt Gingrich, Henry Hyde, Dan Burton and Rudy Giuliani, to name just a few. When the rumors surfaced, each one insisted they were lies. Now we know the truth.

We at Democrats.com are proud of our journalistic accomplishments. Each day, we report the facts that the pro-Republican corporate media refuses to publish. In particular, we are proud of our exhaustive coverage of the ever-growing body of evidence that the Republicans stole the Florida election through official misconduct, not voter error.

Millions of Americans share our outrage. In the next election, we will sweep all Republicans out of office.
-- Bob Fertik, managing partner, Democrats.com, New York

A story well reported

Re: Story spills from rumor with roots of anger, by Lucy Morgan, May 19.

Hear, hear, for Lucy Morgan! A real journalist who speaks the truth and lets the chips fall where they may. Integrity should be the hallmark of all journalists -- no slants, no bias, just reporting the facts in an objective manner.

That is the ideal, but in the real world, journalists often fall short of that goal. Morgan is to be commended for doing what all journalists should be able to do, i.e., have an instinct for a story and be clever enough to follow up on it honestly. Well done, Lucy!
-- John Mashburn, Largo

The egg and Bill

Why has there been a virtual media blackout on former President Clinton's being egged in Poland? I saw a short mention of it on one of the TV stations one time.

I think this is much more newsworthy than one of our state legislators sending someone a bag of manure. Is this an example of selective news gathering?
-- Bob Ecklund, St. Petersburg

Crist's questionable goal

Re: Crist wants $100,000 teacher pay, May 17.

Charlie Crist wants to see teachers' earnings increase to an average of $100,000 per year by 2010. Based on figures for 2000 and 2001 included in this AP article, it will require an 11.3 percent average increase each year to be paying $100,000.

Crist made his comments to the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. Does any member of the chamber expect to increase employee salaries by 11.3 percent in any year, let alone for nine straight years?

Additionally, teaching is a profession but teachers only work about three quarters of the year. When they begin to teach year round they can expect full-time pay.

Thirdly, how much money did the teacher's union contribute to Charlie Crist's campaign. That would shed a lot of light on his comments and his lofty goals for teachers pay. Who was he elected to represent as education commissioner, the teacher unions or the people of Florida.
-- Richard Converse, Palm Harbor

Rhetoric misses the realities

Re: Crist wants $100,000 teacher pay, May 17.

Last week state Educationer Commissioner Charlie Crist said that he thinks that by the end of the decade Florida public schoolteachers could have salaries of $100,000.

I find it ironic, however, that the education commissioner says this as schools must cut staff and services due to the state's Republican Legislature. Crist then goes on to compare his goal with that of former President John F. Kennedy's goal of reaching the moon in a decade.

Commissioner Crist, Gov. Jeb Bush and the rest of the state legislators need to put their money where their mouths are and start funding public education to keep up with the state's growth and inflation.

And as far as Crist's comparing his rhetoric to President Kennedy's achievements, let me paraphrase Sen. Lloyd Benson: "'Commissioner, you're no Jack Kennedy!"
-- Mike Stoessel, Largo

Rays have an impact in the community

I am indeed saddened by the plight of our Devil Rays. I very much want to see them win games and fill the seats at Tropicana Field, as I am sure everyone in this area does. However, despite the lack of impact the Rays have had on the American League standings, I have been a personal witness to the impact they are having in our community. On two separate occasions, I have seen a number of wonderful, young professional athletes help our YMCA serve the disadvantaged.

The first occasion happened on Dec. 23, when two Devil Rays players joined our corps of volunteers delivering Christmas food baskets to approximately 440 needy families in the St. Petersburg area. The two players who assisted us that day were not only eager to help, but showed great compassion and concern for the families and children involved and were well received by the recipients of our gifts.

The second opportunity I had to see firsthand their work in the community was on the occasion of a visit by seven Devil Rays baseball players to one of our outreach programs in the Lealman area of St. Petersburg. The seven players, Raymond the Mascot and the manager at that time, Larry Rothschild, all came to our site and "wowed" the children! Two of the players (currently starters on the roster) spoke to the kids about the importance of staying in school, staying off drugs and respecting their parents and teachers. The message was important and timely, but who said it made it even more effective.

Some of these kids are torn between joining a gang or staying in our YMCA after-school programs. I hope and pray that the YMCA is having a life-changing impact on these youngsters, and I am sure the presence of the Devil Rays players that day had a significant effect on the children who were present.

I conclude by saying that the impact of the Devil Rays baseball team on our community is more than financial and more than providing a winner on the field of play. I have witnessed the commitment of the management and players to helping this community become a better place. I applaud them and I pray that they will be a part of St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area for many years to come.
-- Doug Linder, president and CEO, YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg

Omnipresent ad is offensive

Re: She's got you cornered, May 18.

I am amazed that Verizon has allowed the photo of an attorney to appear on every page of its White Pages directory. It is intrusive to have to see person's face every time I refer to it.

We all know to look in the Yellow Pages if we want to see hundreds of attorney photos. Most of us pay to be Verizon customers. Perhaps those of us offended should cut the ads out and enclose a handful back to Verizon every time we pay our bill.

Shame on whoever made this decision.
-- Pamela J. Thomas, St. Petersburg

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