Gore says Penelas betrayed Democrats

[kskiska]

Former Vice President Al Gore, who lost the 2000 presidential election by 537 votes in Florida, on Saturday called Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas ``the single most treacherous and dishonest person I dealt with during the campaign anywhere in America.''

The statement was e-mailed by a Gore spokesman in response to a Herald inquiry about Penelas's role in the 2000 campaign. Gore supporters say the vice president had counted on Penelas for a late boost in the Hispanic community, and the mayor did not come through.

The harsh remarks come just three months before Penelas faces a Democratic primary election for the U.S. Senate. Gore's reproach could seriously damage the mayor's bid to succeed Sen. Bob Graham, since party loyalists tend to dominate turnout in a primary.

In a telephone interview Saturday evening, Penelas defended himself, saying he was ``by Gore's side from the very beginning.'' ''Al Gore has a right to be upset about the election, but had he won his home state of Tennessee or West Virginia, we wouldn't be here,'' Penelas said. ``He also owes an explanation as to why he waited until the middle of October to engage in Florida.''

more…
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8850672.htm?1c

[troublemaker]

1. Nice RW talking point regurgitation, dude.

''Al Gore has a right to be upset about the election, but had he won his home state of Tennessee or West Virginia, we wouldn't be here,'' Penelas said. ``He also owes an explanation as to why he waited until the middle of October to engage in Florida.''

Why not just confess, dude? Your explanation's just make it worse.

[RoyGBiv]

5. I had the same reaction...

This is supposedly a Democrat saying this? Sounds like it is straight out of the RW playbook.

Well, maybe he and Zell share brain cells...or something.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. I agree with you. Penelas just showed what a slimy weasel he is with

that comment.

[leesa]

33. Completely. A Republican talking point....we seem to be knee-deep in

Right-wing 'plants'

[Zhade]

44. Is the guy DLC? It would explain a lot.

I'm convinced that the DLC is THE primary vehicle for Republican infiltration into the Democratic party.

That, or it lets conservatives-at-heart pretend they're Dems to soothe their conscience.

[JI7]

2. yeah, because of the Elian thing

i heard reports about him being an ass before the actual elections took place. it had to do with the clinton administration returning relian to his father.

[bluestateguy]

3. Payback is a bitch isn't?

Isn't it?

[Daisey Mae]

4. Myself.... I would listen to Al.....

We really don't need another Zell Miller in Bob Graham's seat... I would rather see a real Democrat elected.... We have a couple of great congress men from Florida....Why not them?

[daleo]

6. I presume Gore is not counting Bush and his lot in this statement

"the single most treacherous and dishonest person I dealt with during the campaign anywhere in America."

Maybe the use of the word "person" disqualifies the chimp from consideration, though.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Al Penelas would make a maggot gag

He backstabbed Al Gore repeatedly during the 2000 campaign.

Posted on Sun, Jul. 13, 2003




JIM DEFEDE/COMMENTARY


Sword hangs over Alex Penelas


``I was an early and strong supporter of Al Gore. I helped him and President Clinton raise millions of dollars and I helped him win Miami-Dade County by 30,000 votes.''

-- Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Alex Penelas made those comments last month, they created an uproar. Anyone who actually followed the 2000 presidential election remembers Penelas abandoned Gore in the final months of the race, and worse, had turned his back on his supposed friend during the infamous Florida recount.
(snip)

U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, who is also running for the Senate seat being vacated by Bob Graham, referred to Penelas as ``a pathological liar.''

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, another Senate contender, laughed at the notion Penelas helped Gore, describing Penelas instead as ``a negative inside the Democratic Party machinery.''
(snip)

Why did he abandon Gore? Because in the wake of the federal government's decision to raid Elián González's home and send the boy back to Cuba, Penelas was afraid to be seen with Gore knowing it would anger his Cuban-American supporters.

During the final months of the presidential campaign, Penelas refused to make any appearances with Gore. In fact, Penelas took his family on a trip to Spain during the last month of the race rather than help Gore in those crucial weeks.
(snip/...)

~~~~ link ~~~~
The Miami Herald requires free registration

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Let me tell you, it is not easy being a Cuban-American Democrat. It has been very, very difficult for me to remain a Democrat because of the incredible pressure I've gotten from the Cuban-American community that's predominantly Republican," Penelas said, his voice rising as he drove down Armenia Avenue. "When people question my loyalty to the party, they don't understand. I think Democrats want people like Alex Penelas, who have had to fight an uphill battle to remain as a Democrat and to live by the principles of the party.

"I don't have to prove my Democratic credentials to anybody."
(snip/)

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/08/31/Perspective/Alex_Penelas_confront.shtml

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Scurrilous]

8. "Let me tell you, it is not easy being a Cuban-American Democrat..."

Sure hasn't hurt Raul Martinez. He's a Cuban-American Democrat and has been elected Mayor of Hialeah (5th largest city in the State of Florida) eight times.

Let me tell you Alex, it's not easy being a Cuban-American Democrat who betrays his party during a Presidential race. Something I think you will personally discover when you have your rear-end kicked during the upcoming Senate primary.

[MarkTwain]

9. Yep. Maggots have a sense...

... of taste and, in some cases, enjoy a valuable and beneficial role in the greater scheme of things.

Penelas has neither. He's one of the most selfish, conniving, whoring, thieving, and valueless politicians ever to darken Miami-Dade county. And believe me, this is a county where you really have to work hard to obtain that characterization because there are hundreds vying for the title with equal ability.

I hate the mother fucker and what he has done to this county and to the good name of the Democratic party. He's going to get suitably "rewarded" for his decades of professional behaviour in about three months. The only problem will be is that Alex will not go away thereafter.

[He loved Big Brother]

37. As a native of South Florida (Palm Beach County)

I highly enjoyed this book, which mentions Penelas, and some other atrocities in the government ranks of Miami-Date County. - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0964035480/qid=1086553565/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-3477284-7555214?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. All Penelas' comments say to me is that it would be easier for the

Democrats to select a representative that isn't Cuban-American. Penelas isn't completely wrong. The Cuban-Americans do tend to side with Republicans, however, there's plenty of other hispanics in Miami besides Cuban-Americans in Miami and they're pretty fed up with their lives being dictated to by the Cuban-American networks.

[Catt03]

14. I agree

And also with the statements on this thread about Penelas supporting the Democratice party.

My expereince in Florida in 2000 is the same as Penelas; we were abandoned by the party and they came in too late.

[AlGore-08.com]

18. More on exactly how Penelas stabbed Gore (& all of us) in the back

http://www.evote.com/features/insider/insider02062001.asp

Is That a Knife in My Back, or Are You Just Sorry to See Me? february 6, 2001

(Snip)

If you recall, after Election Day 2000, Miami-Dade County was one of the three key battleground counties in which Al Gore hoped to pick up enough votes in a recount to swing the election to the Democrats.

So, on the day after the Election, when it looked like there was a good shot at pulling out a victory, Gore made calls to various party people in Florida, and most especially, called Alex Penelas in Miami. Gore's key request was to make sure that the Miami Dade County election workers would have the full support of the city government -- especially in terms of getting enough workers to do the recounts, and in getting whatever else was needed to make the recount go forward.

Penelas assured Gore that he would do everything possible to help him, and Gore reported to his close advisers that whatever else happened, they could count on the City of Miami and Alex Penelas.

And then, Alex got on a plane and went to Barcelona, Spain for a two-week vacation. Miraculously, overnight, all of the support for Gore in Miami vanished, and the Miami-Dade County Election Board found itself with no extra budget money, no volunteers from the city government, and in fact, were so short-handed that they couldn't even call county employees over the weekend to come and help them with the count because they were denied access to the home telephone numbers and call lists that the city of Miami kept in readiness for emergencies.

(More, but it's not about the recount... )

[Judi Lynn]

22. That's excellent information.

Some people were simply floored when they learned Penelas had suddenly gotten up and GONE ON VACATION at EXACTLY the time Gore, and all Democrats needed that very vote recount to go as smoothly as possible. No one saw it coming.

He VANISHED.

You may remember also, that a woman who was needed to run a recount in Ft. Lauderdale, I believe, suddenly WENT ON VACATION herself.

These people are diseased. Unethical. What good are they?

No, Alex Penelas, your "good looks" are simply not enough. You need to contribute, and to be reliable, or get the bleep out.

[DainBramaged]

42. I wonder what riches he obtained in Spain?

Just a thought, simple musing.

[Zhade]

45. That RATFUCKER!

Penelas is either an outright traitor, or a cowardly traitor-by-default, for LEAVING AFTER PLEDGING TO DO HIS FUCKING JOB!

Christ! I never learned this info before. Thanks for the heads-up. I think I'll donate money to his opponent's campaign now.

Penelas can rot in Hell for all I care. He helped betray this country.

(Love the title of the article, btw. Classic.)

[goforit]

29. Send him back to Cuba!!!

Watch the rigging in this one!!!

[Judi Lynn]

30. Someone should put him on a "go fast" boat right back to the island.

If he likes to go on vacations so much, let him! He should leave before the next election. Now seems good.

Why should Democrats assume he would be a better friend to them than he was in 2000?

[halley]

12. PEEnelas

Aside from doing nothing for Al Gore during the election AND recount,
I will never forget him standing on the courthouse steps and announcing that sending Elian back to that dictator was TREASON.
Throughout that whole episode, he showed in his true colors, and
they weren't American.
He's another one I wouldn't vote for dogcatcher.

[Cheswick2.0]

13. Penelas...republican in a donkey suit

go away alex, either of your democratic apponents would be a better choice.

[Mika]

15. Alex Penelas is a lying rat bastard

He and his "exile" cronies (which includes the city of Miami mayor and commission) define quite well the Batistano corruption that once ran Cuba and got kicked out by the sensible people there.



Here's a younger Al with some "exile" undesirables

Echavarria, Penelas, Bolaños, Pedro Rodriguez
Attending an anti Castro rally in Miami

[Tatiana]

16. Penelas is a snake.

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

To think he will be rewarded for his deception and lies... it literally makes me ill. Penelas isn't fit to shine Bob Graham's shoes.

[donsu]

19. agree

nt

[AP]

17. Panelas has come off poorly in everything I've read about 2000.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. Easy with the "greaser" comment.

You're certainly free to express your views, but it only weakens your comments to use such a low class method of communication.

[peacetalksforall]

23. Maybe I don't know the connotations of greaser. Maybe I should

apologize. Let me know. In the meantime, I stand by my low opinion of Penelas.

[AlGore-08.com]

24. It's an ethnic slur used against Mexicans, and by extension, all Latinos

It's pretty offensive, sort of on the same level as calling a Jew a k*ke.

[peacetalksforall]

31. Then, I apologize. I thought I was implying slimey

[jdj]

35. To me it describes the long-hair types (what was long

hair back then, anyway) in the late 50's and 60's who wore their hair in DA's for which you have to have hair cream to hold in place. I did not know it had ethnic connotations, but I don't picture this guy wearing a leather jacket with T-birds on the back, so I don't know how it fits either. Slime-ball is defininitely appropriate. Every body knows Jeb paid for that plane ticket to Barcelona.

[Changenow]

38. Your apology would be sound sincere if you edited your

original post.

[The Backlash Cometh]

39. He's fine.

I accept the explanation.

[Judi Lynn]

27. I can see why that term stuck in your mind. The photo of Penelas, himself,

standing with the three other guys, with his curl on his forehead, reminds one of the fashions in the musical, "Grease." Right?

[robbedvoter]

25. God for him! Absolutely right!

Peter deutsch who is running against him was one of the Florida 14. Case closed.

[Orangepeel]

34. Betty Castor is also running

and polls show that she can beat both McCullum and Martinez (the two likely reps). Neither Penelas or Deutsch have shown that.

http://www.bettynet.com

[BeachBuckeye]

26. And I get to interview him Tuesday nite at a live forum-Al is right

We're having a "meet the candidates nite in Naples Tuesday nite and I will have the opportunity to interview him and ask questions in front of the crowd. Can't wait to ask him about his blatant betrayal of Al Gore.

[Judi Lynn]

28. Oh, Jeez.

That will be a real test of will-power.

I think a lot of folks would like to give him a swat on the head, like Sipowitz, "tuning up" a suspect in the questioning room on NYPD Blue, or whatever that show is.

He can't POSSIBLY know how many people dispise what he did to Al Gore, to this party, and to this country.

He's no hero. He has no right to imagine he should be Florida's next Senator.

On edit:

Although living out of state, I'd really like to see Peter Deutsch win. He's also working on getting a paper receipt for the e-voting systems in Florida, we've heard.

[BeachBuckeye]

32. Its gonna be a tough choice

Peter is a great party loyalist and his opponent, Betty Castor, is a very fine, well qualified candidate. I wouldn't want to guess which will win. I do know its not going to be traitor Alex.

[Judi Lynn]

36. Yes, even out of staters are starting to hear about Betty Castor

in addition to Deutsch. Some of us are tremendously interested in the outcome of that race.

Democrats MUST have that Senate seat this year.

Don't envy you the task of interviewing Penelas, but you will handle it very well, as you do all your interviews on your radio show. He's lucky you're not a jerk.

By the way, your Gore Vidal interview was excellent on your last program.

[guajira]

41. It's a toss-up between Deutsch & Penelas

Who is the greatest slimeball. Betty Castor is the only honest genuine and qualified candidate we have for Senate!

[Fovea]

40. Does this guy get a check from Rove?

Watch me as I spin the responsibity for the
Charlie Foxtrot that was Miami-Dade.

Translation--

If Gore had been immortal, it wouldn't have mattered
that I stabbed him in the back.

[Judi Lynn]

43. Penelas is getting lotsa press!

FEC fines contributor to Penelas mayoral campaign


By KEN THOMAS
Associated Press Writer
MIAMI -- The Federal Elections Commission has fined a former Venezuelan commerce minister for making $2,500 in illegal campaign contributions to the 2000 re-election campaign of Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas, now a candidate for U.S. Senate.

Jose Casal, a former Venezuelan senator and minister of commerce, agreed to a civil penalty of $8,250 for violating federal campaign finance laws barring contributions by a foreign national, according to documents released by the FEC on Wednesday.

Penelas' campaign said the mayor was unaware of the case and did not know Casal.
(snip)

Casal reimbursed five employees of Victec Environmental Services, Inc., for making $500 individual contributions to Penelas' mayoral campaign committee, according to an FEC factual and legal analysis dated Oct. 7, 2003.
(snip/...)

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040602/APP/406021131

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One can only assume he's one of the many rightwingers Latin America "regularly regurgitates" upon South Florida's sunny shores.

God knows they've got enough of them there to start their own police state.

[Judi Lynn]

46. Graham defends Penelas against Gore

Posted on Mon, Jun. 07, 2004

U.S. SENATE RACE

Graham defends Penelas against Gore

U.S. Sen. Bob Graham praised Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas' Democratic credentials in response to harsh criticism from former Vice President Al Gore.

BY BETH REINHARD
[e-mail]

(snip)
.....''People in Florida who know Alex Penelas know he is a quality person and has been a Democrat under difficult circumstances,'' Graham said in a telephone interview with The Herald that was facilitated by the Penelas campaign. ``It is not easy in Miami-Dade County to be a vocal Democrat as a Cuban American.
(snip)

Gore supporters say Penelas broke a promise to rally the Hispanic community in the crucial homestretch. National fundraisers solicited money for Penelas, who faced his own reelection in September 2000, so he could avoid a runoff and help the national ticket. The day after Gore issued the reproach turned into a contest of Democratic firepower between Penelas and U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, a Senate rival who has accused him of abandoning Gore in 2000. For every high-profile Democrat the Penelas campaign cited as a supporter, Deutsch's staff referred to another party leader who would criticize the mayor.

But the harsh words from Gore himself are likely to tarnish the mayor's credibility with party loyalists who typically dominate primary elections. Penelas' leading rivals in the Aug. 31 Democratic primary are Deutsch and former Florida Education Commissioner Betty Castor.

''I think this makes Alex Penelas run third,'' said U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings of Miramar, who is supporting Deutsch. ``If what goes around comes around, Alex Penelas is looking it in the face.''
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/8857193.htm
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