Think I exaggerate about Florida's attitude? Here's a county chairperson's rant against Dean. [View All]

[madfloridian]

And you know what? This is, incidentally, a person who not too long ago asked another Democrat why she was not able to get people to do anything. She said nobody wanted to work, no one was enthusiastic. Nobody volunteered anymore.

County leaders reject do-overs

LAKELAND | Polk County Democratic Party leaders, like party officials throughout the state, are saying no to the "do-over" recommended by National Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean. Ignoring the primary and replacing its results with a caucus might satisfy national party leaders, but it won't satisfy Florida, local Democratic officials said.

..."Howard Dean is trying to squirm out of the mess he's created," said Polk County Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy Simmons. "They already gave us those options months ago. The voters of Florida have spoken."

This is the same chairperson who sent one of the many emails that the state county chairpersons sent out saying in effect to stop donations to the DNC. They all put the blame for the moved up early primary and loss of voter choice on the DNC. They never presented both sides.

Shifting blame..email excerpt

. We need to impress on the DNC that they must to change their minds. More is at stake here than the delegates. The Republicans would rejoice if we don’t go to the polls since their tax package is also on the ballot! The DNC phone# is [phone]. The contributions # is [phone]. They need to hear from you- all of you- on this issue. Please forward this to anyone on you email list that you think would be interested."

Nancy Simmons wonders why so many people have just not bothered, won't volunteer. In 2003 and 2004, things were changing. DFA people were among the ones who did work gladly. Others were excited. We ran our own candidate for office, get enough petitions to avoid the filing fee, worked the malls to get voters signed up.

Gee, wonder what happened? Gee, could it be the attitude the party leaders have? Refusing to tell the truth? Blaming the national committee for what they did willingly and knowingly?

Anyway, Bill Nelson has already said there will be no caucus. He said it in his usual angry way.

But then we caught up with Bill Nelson today: "Absolutely not," he said when asked if caucuses might be a good idea. "It’s a huge cost."

Nelson, a Clinton backer, remains confident Florida’s delegates will be seated, though he said Howard Dean keeps insisting he’s powerless to make it happen. "It hasn’t sunk into their their thick heads, the chairman and the DNC, the train wreck that’s about to come if we don’t get those delegations seated."

People I talk to are beginning to understand simply by passing the word around that this was an attempt to show how important Florida was. I have had a few ask me if it were an attempt to hurt Dean's place in the party. Floridians are not ignorant. We just don't have very nice leaders. And the media is in full attack mode against the mean Dean and the DNC.

I don't care about a caucus...I don't think a do-over should be allowed. It was offered in the spirit of allowing the votes to count, even though the whole mess was started by Democrats as well as Republicans. Democrats introduced the bill, sponsored it, voted for it by the very wide margin of 115 to one

House Republicans and Democrats passed the earlier primary bill (HB 537) by a 115-1 vote - a challenge to the national parties that are wielding threats in an attempt to prevent a nationwide race for earlier and earlier primaries.

.."Florida lawmakers believe the state's demographic and political diversity merit a greater say in the selection of nominees. They're tired of candidates treating the fourth-largest state as a fundraising ATM, only to take the money to campaign in small states like Iowa and New Hampshire. And they say they are willing to call the bluffs of the national parties, which have threatened to take away delegates the state parties send to the nominating conventions. National Democratic Party rules could even punish candidates who campaign in states that move their primaries earlier than Feb. 5 by essentially not recognizing the state's delegates.

There is not a positive climate here anymore for people who in 2003 were excited and thought they change things. A little dose of truth from the state Democrats would go a long way toward restoring faith in the party...but that will never happen.