Deutsch attacks rival Penelas,Dade mayor called liar, friend to the GOP

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Mon, Aug. 25, 2003

Deutsch attacks rival Penelas
Dade mayor called liar, friend to the GOP
BY LESLEY CLARK
[e-mail]




FEUDING: Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas addresses the Lake County Democratic Executive Committee in Leesburg on Sunday. U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, right, criticized his fellow Democrat. ADAM ROSCH/THE DAILY COMMERICIAL


LEESBURG - U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch tore into his U.S. Senate Democratic rival Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas in person Sunday, accusing Penelas before a stunned audience of ``single-handedly doing as much as anyone to help George W. Bush become president.''

As a stone-faced Penelas sat beside him, staring straight ahead, Deutsch, of Pembroke Pines, looked at the mayor and called him a ''pathological liar'' for suggesting that he had labored to elect Al Gore during the 2000 presidential race.

Then Deutsch repeated his accusations that Penelas has engaged in ''illegal and criminal'' fundraising in his bid for Senate.

Deutsch's attacks -- the most vicious, personal ones to date -- came before more than 100 Central Florida Democrats, two months after launching long-distance barbs at Penelas, whom Deutsch views as his most likely rival for the Democratic nomination to replace U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/6610977.htm

(Peter Deutsch may have his work cut out for him, campaigning against a Cuban-American in a Cuban "exile" area. Hope he has his car bombing insurance paid up!)

[guajira]

1. I Was at That Dinner - Just a Few Yards from the Speakers Table!

The attack on Penelas by Deutsch was really vicious and garnered sympathy for Penelas. The Central Florida crowd booed Deutsch and kept shouting to him to forget the past and talk about the future! One even yelled "sit down!!"

The luncheon was generally very upbeat, with lots of local and state dignitaries present. Most people I talked to said they never intended to vote for ANYONE from South Florida, so the attack was in vain in any case.

Gee, for awhile I almost felt like I was back in Miami!!! LOL

[Judi Lynn]

4. A few yards from the speakers' table

Interesting!

Was there any clear cut support for Deutsch? I used to think he was o.k., during the all-out assault on President Clinton. I think his was one of the voices of moderation, and that he didn't desert him in his hour of tribulation.

I also thought he got in there and raised hell during the 2000 recounts.

Then I learned he is completely slavish to the Cuban mafia, and I lost my respect for him. Sigh.

I just started to look up Deutsch to find an article about his unwavering support to Presidenet Clinton, and I stumbled across this site, highlighting April, 2003 stats on Floridians running for Bob Graham's spot. The information is four months old, but the site itself is very interesting!

Favorability ratings for Graham and other possible cadidates

Bob Graham (D)
Favorable: 47%
Unfavorable: 23%

Bill McCollum (R)
Favorable: 22%
Unfavorable: 13%

Betty Castor (D)
Favorable: 18%
Unfavorable: 7%

Alcee Hastings (?)
Favorable: 14%
Unfavorable: 18%

Mark Foley (R)
Favorable: 12%
Unfavorable: 6%

Johnnie Byrd (?)
Favorable: 8%
Unfavorable: 11%

Alex Penelas (D) 27%
Favorable: 10%
Unfavorable: 4%

Peter Deutsch (D)
Favorable: 11%
Unfavorable: 7%

Daniel Webster (?)
Favorable: 9%
Unfavorable: 4%

Allen Boyd (?)
Favorable: 7%
Unfavorable: 3%

http://www.politicalstrategy.org/2003_04_10_weblog_archive.php

If you have any spare time, look up http://www.politicalstrategy.us/

I've never seen this place before, have you? The "about us" section indicates they are not rightwingers, a refreshing change of pace!

[Mika]

2. Peter Deutsch is a friend to the CANF & "exiles"

Cozying up to the Miamicuban extremists is a prerequisite for a future in S Fla. politics (I'm talking about campaign dollars made by exploiting anti Cuba politics), and will continue to be - as long as Americans continue to allow an extremist minority of so called "exiles" to hijack US foreign policy.

[MetaTrope]

3. Did he mention that Penelas was vacationing in Spain

in the wake of the 2000 election? And at the same time that Bush Sr. and Schwartzkopf were also vacationing together in Spain?

[guajira]

6. He tried to talk about Penelas' trip to Spain but..

Central Florida Dems weren't interested in hearing it. The purpose of the dinner was to let voters get acquainted with the various candidates and socialize at the same time. Deutsch came off as nasty and vindictive.

Ex-Rep. Karen Thurman was there. She is great, but got defeated in 2002 by Rep. Ginny Brown - remember the Repuke who suggested digging up soldiers remains in France and returning them to the US, and people started mailing her packages of chicken bones?

Karen says she will run again, and I sincerely hope we can get her back in office. We need her!

[Jim Sagle]

5. Deutsch was physically attacked during the Florida recounts.

That may account for his vehemence.

[Say_What]

7. When I initially read this I thought it was great, then I Googled

Deutsch +canf and what a surprise. Like so many pols, the guy is bought and paid for by the CANF. :puke:

[robbedvoter]

8. Peter Deutsch was one of the Florida 14

For those who seemingly forgot the 2000 coup, 14 congresmen - not all black - asked the Joint session to reject the Florida's electoral votes for obvious reasons. Penelas was indeed very duplicituous during the vote recount. So I do not know what CANF connections are you googling (have you tried Penelas too?), but Penelas is clearly in the pockets of BFEE while Deutsch is one of the 14 heroes that challenged the coup. (that would be when the Florida votes were not counted and W was installed on the throne - for those who don't seem to care)

[Say_What]

12. Deutsch longtime supporter of the embargo against Cuba

2000 was a busy year for Deutsch.

<clips>
...Deutsch, 42, a longtime supporter of the U.S. embargo against Cuba, used his name and U.S. passport to check into the Nacional Hotel but said he believed his presence was never detected by Cuban security authorities.

At the Nacional, he bumped into a Washington-based U.S. journalist and, separately, an anti-embargo colleague from Congress, Rep. Maurice Hinchley, D-N.Y. The journalist and Hinchley were on officially sanctioned trips.

``It was incredibly interesting and useful. I have a much better perspective, it's a bizarre place,'' Deutsch said in a telephone interview on his return to Washington. ``I don't think there's a person there that wants to be there, except for maybe high government officials.''

Deutsch said his trip violated Cuban laws because he was not really a tourist and sought out dissidents. But it was legal from a U.S. standpoint because he obtained a Treasury Department permit.

http://www.cubainfolinks.net/Articles/visited.htm

---

PETER DEUTSCH (D-FL)Detailed Contributor Breakdown (see CANFs Free Cuba PAC)

http://www.opensecrets.org/1996os/detail/H2FL16041.htm

Top Recipients of Cuban-American Contributions, 1979-2000

Peter Deutsch* D FL Total: $40,950

http://www.opensecrets.org/pubs/cubareport/appendix.asp

---

and last but by no means least this little bit of information about Deutsch's character--looks like he's just demonstrating his MO by attacking Penelas.

"...Deutsch didn't care. He wanted the congressional seat.

He was driven. He was relentless. He was single-minded.

His campaign workers slept on the floor of his home. He kicked in $350,000 of his own money.

The race was the first major campaign in Broward that saw the widespread use of ruthless negative ads.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/sfl-cpol19jul19,0,449746.column?coll=sfla-news-col

---

As for Penelas, anyone nutty enough to vote for that a$$hole deserves everything they get.

[jos]

9. Penelas deserved it

He stabbed the party in the back during the recount. That's the issue. All this other stuff is a separate issue.

[w4rma]

10. Sword hangs over Alex Penelas

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.

And yet in recent weeks, Penelas has been trying to rewrite that history. Campaigning to be the state's Democratic nominee next year for the United States Senate, Penelas has portrayed himself as a party stalwart who stood shoulder to shoulder with Gore.

Penelas' words angered his rivals.

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.''

All this rancor made me wonder if Al Gore had heard about the mayor's boastful claims that he was a ''strong supporter'' of the former vice president and that he was instrumental in helping Gore gather votes in Miami-Dade County.

''I had heard that, yes,'' Gore told me when I reached him by phone on Saturday.

What did he think of the mayor's revisionist memory?

Gore paused for a moment.

''I don't have any comment on that,'' he said. ``I would just prefer not to comment on it.''

But then he quickly added: ``I don't rule out commenting on it at a later time, but I don't care to comment on it right now.''

And to make sure I heard him, he said it again: ``I don't rule out commenting on it at some point in the future.''

Well, that ought to give Penelas a few sleepless nights. Gore is holding the proverbial sword over Penelas' head, allowing the mayor to squirm, and letting him know that some day soon he might talk candidly about his old friend.
…
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/columnists/jim_defede/6291255.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

…
Democrats accuse Miami-Dade County mayor, Alex Penelas of betrayal for not recounting ballots
…
http://www.burrelles.com/transcripts/nbc/toda0012.htm

[Orangepeel]

11. You bet I'm for Betty

I'm supporting Betty Castor.

Penelas is a kick-ass motivational speaker, but he's a sorry excuse for a Democrat.

I admire many of the things Deutsch has done in the past, but I'm not happy with his hawkish views on Iraq or the viciousness of his attacks on Penelas (although they are true).

http://www.bettycastorforsenate.com/

Castor Strong In Senate Poll (from a story reported in the Tampa Tribune on 8/7/03 and sent out by the campaign in a press release)

A Poll published August 7 tested the name identification of potential Democrats. Betty leads among both the general electorate and identified Democrats!

Full Poll Sample:

Betty Castor 51%
Deutsch 35%
Penelas 39%
Hastings 50%
Boyd 25%

Democrats only:

Betty Castor 59%
Deutsch 39%
Penelas 36%
Hastings 54%
Boyd 29%


McCollum Poll Has Betty Ahead of GOP

A poll taken for Bill McCollum found Betty beating all Republicans tested – including McCollum.

Betty Castor 33%
McCollum 31%
Undecided 37%

Penelas 27%
McCollum 32%
Undecided 40%

Deutsch 28%
McCollum 31%
Undecided 40%

ABOUT BETTY CASTOR
http://www.bettycastorforsenate.com/

At just 23, as a teacher in East Africa, Betty Castor helped to lead two-dozen young girls from three continents to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Why? Because, she believed, life should be a journey of challenges. She told young women that they could do anything they set out to do and that their efforts would enable them to help others reach their dreams.

In the years since, Betty has taken on many public and private sector challenges – and she has successfully climbed more than one mountain.

She has held many prominent positions, most recently as President and CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Betty served the people of Florida for over three decades beginning with her service on the Hillsborough County Commission.

Betty was the first woman to serve as President Pro Tempore of the Florida State Senate. Her tenure as Florida Commissioner of Education is highlighted with many initiatives, particularly the public/private partnerships that engaged the business community in our public schools.

As a member of the Florida cabinet, Betty championed Florida’s environment and strongly opposed efforts to permit offshore oil drilling.

As Education Commissioner, Betty was an advocate of Florida’s Universities. As a legislator, she created the “Centers of Excellence Program” in key academic areas. She initiated the well known “tech prep” program for community colleges to ensure that Florida industries had a qualified and prepared workforce.

In 1993, Betty became the President of the University of South Florida, only the second woman ever to head a State University. Betty’s focus on research led to the university’s designation as a Research 1 Institution. She oversaw the expansion of the Medical Center and regional campus development. Betty helped to create an endowment of over $220 million.

Betty has always understood the synergy between excellence in education and prosperity in business. She helped initiate the I-4 High technology Council to attract new industry; she participated in the Florida Council of 100 Business/Higher Education Partnership; created a relationship between the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Education and Industry Coalition to enhance technology education; and successfully supported efforts to establish “Linkage Institutes” between Florida Universities and Community Colleges and those in other countries to foster economic development initiatives.

Betty’s professional leadership activities range from membership on the Florida Board of Bank of America to the national board of the March of Dimes to the Executive Board of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute.

Her extensive experience at the local and state level and nationally in key policy-creating positions makes her uniquely qualified to represent Florida in the United States Senate. Her career is one of excellence and firsts. She is the only Democratic candidate who has ever run and won a statewide election.

Betty is married to Sam Bell III, a former state legislator. They have six children.