DNC caught lying to candidates about Florida straw poll & boycott threat

[pruner]

National party leaders and several of Dean's eight rivals for the nomination have complained that the Florida straw poll would drain precious resources at a critical time. The Democratic National Committee has even asked each campaign to sign a letter to Maddox promising to boycott the convention if a straw poll is held. So far, the campaigns are reluctant to embrace the threat out of fear of alienating activists in the nation's biggest swing state.

<snip>

It appears increasingly inevitable that the straw poll would happen despite the DNC's protests.

<snip>

Among the campaigns, confusion reigns over what to make of the DNC's boycott threat.

Aides to Edwards said last week that the North Carolina senator would definitely participate in the straw poll.

Jadotte said Saturday that the Kerry campaign ''has no position'' on the poll and had not seen the DNC's letter.

Trippi, Dean's campaign manager, said he was told by DNC officials that every campaign had agreed to sign on to the boycott threat except Dean's. Matt Bennett, a spokesman for Clark, said the Clark campaign was given the same pitch by the DNC -- that only Clark remained uncommitted to the boycott.

''This puts all of the campaigns in an awkward position,'' Bennett said, adding that the campaign revoked its signature from the letter Saturday after learning it was misled by a DNC operative.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/7047929.htm

[WilliamPitt]

1. My heart breaks for Florida DUers

but if the Democrats spend one dime in Florida, it will be a dime wasted. Jeb Bush has more years now to boll weevil his people into state power there. Good money after bad. Win every state + 1 other, and not Florida. Sad but true.

[pruner]

2. I assume you're referring to the general election season…

and not to the primaries and/or possible straw poll.

[WilliamPitt]

3. Correct

[pruner]

4. what are your thoughts about a straw poll…

and the way the DNC is handling the issue?

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. Gore did win Florida

But thanks to Katherine Harris, 19,000 voters were purged from the voting rolls and over 10,000 people had theie ballots thrown away because they voted for Gore and also wrote in his name.

In 2002, Jeb had to create chaos in the primary and then he let the new touch screen systems take care of the rest in order to make it look like he won.

So don't write off Florida so quickly, we just need to get back our rights to a fair and free election and any dem will take this state easily.

[JanMichael]

12. Not 19,000 but 57,700.

http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=210&row=1

Actually the total number was closer to 90k but I can't find that article right now.

[TruthIsAll]

21. Wrong. 95,000 were purged, according to Greg Palast..

Gore whould have won the state by over 150,000 votes easy if not for BushFraud.

[FloridaPat]

5. In Michael Moore's new book, he said he has talked

to the higher ups in the Democratic party and they've written off next years election as unwinnable. Does anyone know who these people actually work for?

[Freddie Stubbs]

18. I'm sure that the 'higher ups' in the partyt old Mr. Moore that

Party leaders often tell writers that they are leading a lost cause.

[mrgorth]

23. Please oh please

tell me this is not the truth. How could the DNC decide NOT to fight our worst enemy ever? They think they can f'ing beat Guiliani next time? C'mon! Is this a ploy by the DNC to get the vote out? I heard McAuliffe on NPR the other day and he sounded incredibly positive. There HAS to be an insider here...HELP!!!

[madfloridian]

6. The DNC is playing games, isn't it? And thanks for writing us off.

Telling at least two campaigns that they were the only ones boycotting the straw vote. That is such a shame.

Florida has had that vote for years. Now they are being manipulated by the DNC not to have it. Why?

I will just bet you now that convention candidates who sign up will be especially scrutinized by Maddux, whose candidate is NOT Dean.

I want to give a hearty thanks for writing us off. We shall all crawl back into our little hidey-holes until Jeb is through with us.

I will pass the word to all the others who are working so hard to get ready for next year. We can rest now, and know the fight is useless.

[TSIAS]

7. I've already got my delegation secured

I signed up a few months ago. I didn't have to specify whom I supported.

On edit- Do you know who Maddox supports?

[pruner]

8. you must specify now (per DU's unspoken rules)

so… who is it that you support?

;)

[TSIAS]

9. Dean (n/t)

[pruner]

13. thanks for replying

I hope you know I was just kidding about DU's unspoken rule(s).

:)

[TSIAS]

14. I know

:)

[pruner]

15. doh!

I just noticed that you're a MOD.

:dunce:

[madfloridian]

17. Ha, pruner, open mouth insert foot.

That was funny.

:hi:

[Orangepeel]

11. Maddox will probably be officially neutral now that Graham's out

as far as I know, he hasn't taken a position.

As I understand it, we haven't had a straw poll since the 1992 election season. There was no reason to for 96 and the Gore campaign stopped it for 2000 (at least that's what I've been told).

I saw Edwards speak when he was in Orlando yesterday (he was very impressive, by the way), and he committed to fighting for Florida should he be the nominee. :thumbsup: Senator Edwards!

[madfloridian]

16. All I heard was that it was not Dean. Not sure.

I would have imagined Graham before. I think he will be neutral, but how the heck will he be on guard for Dean supporters? Or Kerry? Or anyone?

The candidates that are going from here so far have not had to tell who they support. This article sounds like he will be on guard, and I hope he does not assume.

I am very tired of people writing us off. Except for our neighbors who are still believing in the religious war (because their churches say so), I see anger and frustration here with this administration.

[Orangepeel]

19. I think he responded to a direct question

that's how I read it.

The article mentions the email sent to Dean supporters that "walks recipients through the process of delegate registration and reminds them the state party's 1991 straw poll ignited the candidacy of a future president with some parallels to Dean." I'll bet that the reporter specifically asked Maddox about it and Dean, which is why he responded that way.

I can't imagine that Maddox would commit to any candidate he wasn't 100% sure would win the nomination (except Graham because of the home town boy thing)

[madfloridian]

20. That makes sense.

That is one of the mails I did not get. I am getting two or three of some and none of the others. We have an email list of the Dean supporters here, so I find out from them. I need to get that straightened out about the mails.

Several are already signed up to go from here.

[AnnabelLee]

22. When I attended the WI Dem Convention

in June, I did not participate in the straw poll, because there was a letter, signed by all of the candidates, asking their supporters not to participate. So, this arm-twisting on the part of the DNC has apparently been going on for a while, & only now is it being talked about. The DNC couldn't stop the WI straw poll; it looks like they are pulling out all the stops to prevent one from being held in FL.

I remember being berated by several DUers for not taking part in the straw poll--I guess I was very naive, but I took the letter with the (xeroxed) candidates' signatures at face value.

[pruner]

24. it wouldn't surprise me to find out the DNC had forged a few of those sigs

I hope Dean's flashlight is strong enough to send the big fat cockroaches at party HQ scurrying too.

[madfloridian]

25. Question on this statement of Maddox

How could he do this without asking one's preference?

SNIP...."The accusation was waved off by Florida Democratic Party Chairman Scott Maddox, who said Saturday that he would be careful to give no single campaign an advantage, even if confronted with a last-minute flurry of interest from Dean backers.

VOWS FAIRNESS

"I'll make my appointments in an equitable manner,' Maddox said.``There won't be anyone stacking the deck."