Huh? What? Riptide was there when he appeared with President Obama touting the stimulus in Ft. Myers.
Even though the White House is claiming that he did in fact pretty much endorse the bill, Crist says he was just trying to make the best of a political reality.
Here's what Crist said to the press today, via The Buzz:
"The bill that passed wasn't exactly what I would want to vote for. But it's what passed. And once that happened, you need to realize you need to do everything you possibly can to fight for Florida and our fellow Floridians, whether they're school teachers, construction workers or whatever it might be. And so once this happens, you know, I think it's important to embrace it, fight for Florida's fair share and do what's right for the state."
However, Crist did have this to say at the Ft. Myers event, "We know it's important to pass this stimulus package."
​Looks like Marco Rubio might have pulled off a bit of a victory thanks to the results of New York's 23rd congressional district. Sen. John Cornyn announced yesterday that the National Republican Senatorial Committee won't be inserting itself into primary's anymore.
Though the NRSC's endorsement still stands, it seems like Cornyn is playing a bit of revisionist history with his words.
"As far as what's happening in specifically Florida -- we made a decision to endorse Gov. Crist at his request. But we'e really not involved in the primary," Cornyn told Politico.
But it was Cornyn, head of the NRSC, who originally met with Crist and played a big part in persuading the Governor to forgo re-election in Tallahassee to seek the Senate seat. The NRSC requested Crist to run before he ever requested their endorsement.
Riptide is more laughing at these flyers, then with them. They're pretty ridiculous.
​This we know for sure: Michael Gongora's name will be on the ballot for the Miami Beach runoff election for the Group III Commission seat on Nov 17th. His opponent isn't quite clear.
In the three way election, Gongora came out with the most votes, but because he didn't come close to receiving 50 percent, he'll face a runoff. The other two candidates -- Alex Fernandez and Gabrielle Redfern -- are currently only 17 votes apart, with Redfern in the lead.
Gongora was first elected to the Commission in 2006, even though (or perhaps thanks to, this being Miami Beach and all) an anonymous flyer went out describing him as a "liberal homosexual in the style of Mark Foley." Then a scandal involving a lawyer from his firm representing a client in front of the design board cost him re-election in 2008. 2009 see's him come closer to returning to the board, despite a flyer that went out portraying him as a drunk driving Godzilla paid for by shameless Broward political attack dog Russ Oster. Gongora did have a few DUIs, but that was back when he was a young liberal Godzilla in the style of Lindsay Lohan he says.
The unofficial mascot of the Conservative movement.
​Last night Democrat Bill Owens pulled off a surprising win in New York's 23rd congressional district special election over insurgent Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman who had forced the Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava out of the race. When talking about the results just about every talking head on every network mentioned the Rubio-Crist Republican primary quagmire in Florida. But what does it actually mean for us here in the sunshine state?
As we mentioned yesterday, Charlie Crist --the establishment, moderate Republican in the race-- and his supporters now have a pretty powerful talking point: Sure, a conservative movement-backed candidate like Rubio may be able to theoretically knock off a moderate Republican in the primary, but what's the point when they can't even win amongst the general populace? They can't even do it in a traditionally Republican area, what's the game plan for a notoriously purple state like Florida?
Some starry eyed conservatives painted the result as a win for the movement, noting that it proves Republicans can't win without support from the far-right. But, if we're going down that road, it also proves Conservatives can't win without moderate support either.
The handful of City of Miami voters who bothered to roll by the polls yesterday sent an age-old but always cringe-inducing message: Cash and name recognition wins elections.
via Tomas Regalado for Mayor
Your next mayor's real campaign slogan: NO!
​Actual plans for the city? Meh. Not so important.
In the four contested races in the city, voters went nuts over well-funded Tomas Regalado for mayor (71.67 percent) and incumbent Michelle Spence Jones in District 5 (82.75 percent), and gave a nod in District 3 to Frank Carollo (52.29 percent). They sent District 4's Francis Suarez and Manolo Reyes to a runoff.
So what do these guys have in common? What grand, overarching vision for the City of Miami's future can we divine from these results?
First, take the mayor's race. Tomas Regalado's message to voters basically boiled down to one word: NO. Regalado didn't really run on his merits as much as he ran as far away as possible from outgoing mayor Manny Diaz. Regalado was the change candidate and his opponent, Joe Sanchez, could never escape his typecast as Diaz's Mini-Me.
It didn't hurt his chances that Regalado raised almost a third more cash than Sanchez, and dominated the older, Cuban-American demographic (who were likely none too upset about his past support for terrorist Eduardo Arocena).
Here at New Times, we get wild-eyed people coming to our offices with similar stories all the time. They're not usually running for office.
Apologies to Matti Bower, but wouldn't it have been sweet if Herman had won? It's not so outlandish a prospect: Roughly 37 people voted in the Miami Beach election, so our hero with the Prince Valiant 'cut probably could have snuck into office if he had the wherewithall - and McDonald's vouchers -- to bribe the homeless population of Flamingo Park into voting for him. And then Mayor Herman could have tried to institute his new policy banning non-residents from driving on the causeway, sparking a revolt that would have certainly ended in somebody getting beheaded.
Alas, now the island is stuck with a severely sane mayor- which really doesn't represent the populace at all, if you think about it. (But there's salvation coming in a couple of years: a particular candidate is been rumored to have been seen scrawling "HERMAN 2011" on picket signs using chicken blood early this morning.)
Raphael, you may be the moron of the month- for lack of a better word for your unique brand of faildom- but Goddamnit, we'll miss you.
Tomas Regalado will be Miami's next mayor, winning with about 72% of the vote. Joe Sanchez, his competitor and fellow City Commissioner, netted a disappointing 28%. We'll do more thinking about this tomorrow, I'm sure, but for now the results.
Miami Mayor: Tomas Regalado
Miami Commissioner - District 3: Frank Carollo
Miami Commissioner - District 4: Francis Suarez (44%) heads to a runoff with Manolo Reyes (40%)
Miami Commissioner - District 5: Michelle Spence-Jones
The most heated races on Miami Beach will head to runoffs later this month, but Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Commissioner Jerry Libbin win easy re-election.
Former Commissioner Michael Gongora will head to a run-off in his bid to return to government, but against who is still unclear.
Miami Beach Mayor: Matti Herrera Bower
Miami Beach Commissioner Group I: Jerry Libbin
Miami Beach Commissioner Group II: Jorge Exposito and Maria Mayer will head to a run-off with about 38% of the vote each.
Miami Beach Commissioner Group III: With about 42% of the vote Michael Gongora heads to the run-off. Though Alex Fernandez and Gabrielle Redfern are currently 31 votes apart, with two precincts yet to report.
​The citizens of Hialeah sure weren't hungry for change. All three offices up for election went easily to the incumbents. Notably, Katharine Cue, who was appointed to the commission last year, won her first election.
​​Some of you, apparently not a whole lot, but some went out to the polls today to elect mayors and various council people and commissioners in Miami, Miami Beach and Hialeah.
Though, even if you didn't make it out to the polling places we hope you're at least somewhat interested in who won, and what it means. So Riptide will be liveblogging the election results tonight, most likely startin g around 7 pm, and we'll try to make it as fun and exciting as possible.
We'll be keeping close eyes on all the Miami elections, that wild Miami Beach commission race, and that unfortunate Hialeah council race featuring a former beauty queen and a disgraced cop.
Live blog starts here in reverse chronological order.
10:11 - I think this is going to be it for us tonight in regards to this live blog, but expect more coverage tonight and tomorrow morning.
10:08 - The Miami Beach Commission Group 2 is still too close to call to tell who will go to the run-off.
10:06 - Miami Commission results: District 3 - Frank Carollo will win outright. District 4 - Manolo Reyes and Francis Suarez will go to a run off. District 5 - Michelle Spence-Jones wins with 83%.
10:03 - Regalado is celebrating his landslide victory in Miami. Just to reiterate what we said earlier: Joe Sanchez got a smaller percentage of the vote than shock jock Enrique Santos got in 2005 when he ran against Manny Diaz. Man.
Let's hope it's not a '97 repeat, but a large number of absentee ballots have been returned so far in local elections today where polling place turnout has been low.
The City of Miami sent out 27,223 absentee ballots, and as of yesterday 15,108 were returned. That's roughly 15 percent of the City's registered voters who could vote by absentee ballot.
Hialeah, a city with more than 88,000 registered voters has had 9,500 out of 17,093 ballots sent out. Miami Beach, with more than 46,000 voters, only sent out 7,290 ballots, with 2,691 returned.
If any of these races turn out close, especially in Miami and Hialeah, don't be surprised if there's some fight over absentee ballots.
​A Kennedy cousin is apparently mulling the idea of entering the family business by making a bid for Florida's Governor's mansion and challenging Florida CFO Alex Sink in the Democratic primary, according to Naked Politics.
Anthony Shriver -- son of VP candidate Sergeant Shriver, brother of California first lady Maria Shriver and Santa Monica City Councilman Bobby Shriver, grandson of Ambassador Joe Kennedy, nephew of President JFK, Attorney General Bobby, Senator Teddy, and probably a few more, but you get the picture -- is the Kennedy in question. Naked Politics says he's quietly asking around about the idea.
A Miami Beach Resident, Anthony is best known as the founder of Best Buddies International, and an activist for people with intellectual disabilities. His wife Alina, was born in Cuba.
After a few months of publicly flirting with the idea, Republican State Senator Paula Dockery of Lakeland officially announced today that she will run for Governor, and challenge Attorney General Bill McCollum in the Republican Primary.
So, who is this lady and why is she doing it?
She says she's had constitutents practically begging her to run to "offer voters the opportunity to have a different choice."
The fact that she has a very rich husband doesn't hurt either. Hubby C.C. "Doc" Dockery spent nearly $3 million of his own money to champion 2000's successful constitutional amendment that required the state to build a high speed rail system. Jeb Bush urged a repeal of the amendment in 2004 that was successful, and the Tampa Tribune says Dockery spent nearly $800 million to fight it (which we can't fathom nor verify) $800,000 (since fixed Trib typo, apparently). Paula Dockery then played a major part in blocking this year's SunRail plan.
​Florida's 2010 Republican primary and Today's New York's 23rd congressional district special election are two fronts on the same war: the ongoing battle in the Republican party that's pitting moderates and mainstreamers versus tea-baggers and Conservative activists.
And while the New York election's direct effects on the Sunshine State will be minimal, there is an important prize up for grabs between Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio: the all important talking point.
The whole thing is rather complicated, but in a nutshell President Obama appointed Republican Incumbent Republican John M. McHugh to the position of Secretary of the Army, so a special election was called and everyone pretty much expected the seat to remain in Republican control. So the local GOP leaders picked assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, who happens to be pro-choice and believes Gay people should have some rights.
But, New York has a couple of wacky state-level third parties that usually just endorse the mainstream party candidates, but in this case the Conservative party decided to run their own guy, Doug Hoffman (who, will basically be a defacto Republican should he get to Washington).
Let's just get this out of the way: Riptide is the last place you'll read any criticism of Alan Grayson, the U.S. representative from Orlando, for his raging political Tourette's syndrome.
​We wish more politicians would jump on the Grayson crazy train.
Or possibly our favorite Grayson quote, talking about his deep loathing for Dick Cheney:
I have trouble listening to what he says sometimes because of the blood that drips from his teeth when he's talking.
Boom! You say, "lowering the national dialogue," we say pure political comedy gold.
Well, if you missed it this weekend, the New York Times "Week in Review" weighed in on the Grayson phenomenon and came up with a novel theory on the freshman rep: He might just be the first liberal wing nut.
​That Joe Lieberman, what's his deal lately? The former Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate lost the Democratic primary for his Connecticut Senate seat in 2006, only to win the general election. Since then he's been a bit of a loose flyer, and ended up campaigning for Republican John McCain in the Presidental election (infact, Lieberman was on board the Straight Talk Express when it got into a fender bender a few blocks from our offices), Sen. Susan Collins and Rep. Pete King in 2008.
"I probably will support some Republican candidates for Congress or Senate in the election in 2010. I'm going to call them as I see them," Lieberman said in an ABC News "Subway Series" interview aboard the U.S. Capitol Subway System...
​Jeb Bush has emerged as one of the more sane and reasoned voices on the right, usually by keeping his foot a good distance from his mouth. His modus operandi since leaving office has been to keep a relatively low profile and remain a strong voice for conservatism while not making a buffoonery of the movement by shouting nonsense at the top of his lungs.
Well, until Wednesday at least. Speaking at the tenth U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform Summit, Bush went off topic while responding to an audience member's question and painted President Obama as a capitalism-hater.
​Hey, Marco Rubio, do you think the President of the United States was born in America?
"I don't know the answer to that."
That's what he told a Republican club meeting last night in the Panhandle. The rest of the quote, from Naked Politics: "He's been sworn in already...If someone had evidence they should have presented it a long time ago."
Also adding that he didn't want to "diminish" the Birther nuts who propagate the theory, even though there's no evidence, and every major, credible news organization has found that Barack Obama was actually born in America. If there's anyone who needs to be diminished, it's these loons.
Of course that's Rubio, and these Birthers are his base. He doesn't want to say anything too outrageous, but he has no problem flirting with one of the most extreme and baseless threads of the American conservative movement.
There's two wars going on, Iran's got nukes, the economy is still in the dumps, and so much more, but what has Republican Iowa Congressman Steve King (and possible future Presidential candidate) upset? The fact that Jennifer Lopez and Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson can own an NFL team while Rush Limbaugh can't.
Yesterday, in a House Judiciary Committee hearing addressed NFL Comissioner Roger Goodell about the "controversy," while other far more serious issues were on the table.
Sadly, though, it seems no one in Tallhassee reads Riptide (probably because we are not linked on the Sayfie Review, and as the Sayfie Review continually tells us, the movers and shakers in Tallahassee read things only linked on the Sayfie Review), and they missed our post informing everyone this is just a dumb Internet meme and everyone should just chill out.
​Next American City is a quarterly magazine that covers the progress and change of cities across the nation, so you'd expect them have something to say about the Miami 21 zoning code that was finally passed earlier this month. In fact they say, "Miami 21 is an historic, and perhaps watershed moment in America's urban history."
While we've been following the developments in the local media, it's nice to get some national perspective. For instance, we didn't know that the zoning code is the first of it's kind to be applied to such a large city, and that Denver may follow in our footsteps.
While some people, especially in the context of the upcoming mayoral election, think Miami should stop trying to be a first-tier city (in the words of one local popular blogger: "Why do we need to try to be New York or Chicago? How about let us be satisfied as being Cambridge, Mass or Hartford, CT."), it's nice to be reminded that Miami can (and should) shine as a national example.
Downfall was a pretty good movie about the pathetic, increasingly insane last days of Adolf Hitler, so the film major in me doesn't really know what to make of the fact it's best known as an internet meme.
By adding new English-language subtitles, they transform the movie's climactic scene, in which Hitler (played by Bruno Ganz) rails against his enemies and reluctantly faces his defeat, into the generic story of a rabid blowhard brought low...
...The meme of the parodies -- the cultural kernel of them, the part that's contagious and transmissible -- has proved surprisingly hardy, almost unnervingly so. It seems that late-life Hitler can be made to speak for almost anyone in the midst of a crisis.
So it was almost inevitable that someone would cast Charlie Crist, currently engulfed in a heated primary campaign against Marco Rubio, in the role of Hitler and go to YouTube town.
Marco Rubio doesn't get the joke (maybe it is reassuring to know he wasn't watching dumb web videos when he was Speaker of the State House) and Tweeted his disapproval:
Heard about youtube video using Hitler. It's offensive & grotesque I ask supporters not to forward & hope msm does not promote it.
Of course, Marco might also be uncomfortable with the perhaps unintentional undercurrent of the spoof: If Crist is the Fuhrer, does that make Rubio more politically extreme than Hitler?
As for the video, it's not the funniest version of the meme we've seen, but the last line is pretty priceless: "I should have been a US Senator by now ...President even. Now I'm going to end up running a day spa in St. Petersburg ...Greer, bring in my sun lamp."
Charlie Crist is such an upbeat fellow that I'm sure he'll appreciate the fact that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee just sent out an email touting the Gov's silver fox-ish good looks citing his "Good Hair and Nice Tan." He might be a little sad that it comes as part of a compliment sandwich with a whole lot of critical meat stuck between that white bread.
The email, part of a series of fundraising messages entitled "The Rant," also notes that Forbes.com posted an article asking if Crist was indeed America's Worst Governor. It also claims: Crist put politics first by picking George LeMieux, his former chief-of-staff, to replace Mel Martinez in the Senate; rehashing the fact he takes a lot of days off; has taken a hard right turn as of late, supposedly, to appeal to the Republican base; and that he'll end up losing, maybe, anyway to Marco Rubio.
Then it politely asks for money, before again complimenting Crist's rad tan.
Not mentioned: probably Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek. On one hand it's good for Meek that he's not directly tied to out-and-out Crist bashing. On the other, it's sort of troubling that the DSCC thinks it has a better chance of raising funds by ripping on Crist's record than by touting Meek's.
​Excuse us as we once again divert attention to hot liberal mess Alan Grayson, Orlando-area Democratic congressman. The man who's mouth cannot stop flapping is in hot water again, after calling Linda Robertson, and advisor to Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernake, a "K Street whore" on a radio show a month ago.
Robertson, who had previously worked as an advisor to the Clinton administration, upset Grayson by, in his view, blocking congressional attempts to increase oversight and bending to lobbyists.
"Here I am the only member of Congress who actually worked as an economist, and this lobbyist, this K Street whore, is trying to teach me about economics," he said.
Enter Jim Greer, who also loves to make outrageous statements. The Chariman of the Republican Party of Florida, a group that believes women shouldn't have the right to make decisions about the use of their own reproductive organs and opposed the Lilly Ledbetter Fairpay Act, labeled Grayson's remarks "sexist."
Riptide would just like to point out that the left are equal-opportunity users of the word whore. Just ask Tom DeLay (reality TV whore), any one of Fox News' mostly male bloviators (ratings whores), or that guy who got paid to have methed-up sex with Ted Haggard (plain old whore.)
​When you're a political underdog with just a few days before an election to drum up enough support and overcome odds to win, you might resort to some outlandish tactics. Some go on Saturday Night Live and make fun of themselves. Others pull out shameless attacks on their opponents. Miami Beach mayoral candidate Raphael Herman decided his best campaign tactic was to get into a heated situation with the Secret Service involving a fax machine the night President Obama happened to be in town.
According to police, Herman told officers that he was roughed up Monday by a city firefighter while leaving a fire station near 17th Street and Meridian Avenue. According to a police statement, Herman then placed a phone call to the Secret Service, saying "he knew where the president was staying and wanted the president to see him with blood on his face."
​Miami Beach clubs might pay celebs ridiculous appearance fees every once in awhile, but few can get $1 million just for showing up. Count the president of the United States in the club, but of course that money isn't going into his pocket. Instead, the funds raised from the Democratic dinner headlined by Barack Obama at the Fontainebleau tonight will go to help Democratic congressional candidates. Congresswoman and DNC vice chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz says the event will raise more than $1 million. Tickets for the event started at $500 and topped out at $100,000.
Today at 5:35, Air Force One will fly into MIA, where Senate candidate Rep. Kendrick Meek will greet the prez. Meek's camp is touting a possible face-to-face meeting with the president.
After that, he'll head off to the Fontainebleau to deliver a keynote address at a reception and dinner. Tonight's dinner will mark the 26th fundraiser Obama has attended in his first year in office, significantly more than the six President Bush held during the same time.
Today marked the official beginning of election season, with early voting kick-starting around Miami-Dade for the November 3 general elections, and here at Riptide we're feeling that democratic itch.
via Pinkieeegirl's Flickr
Tubbs has spoken.
​But, frankly, we're already looking forward to next August's statewide races. Why, you ask? Because the Miami Vice lobby just weighed in, and we live our lives by the eternal code of white linen and gigantic reflector shades.
None other than Det. Rico Tubbs -- also known in real life as Miami resident Philip Michael Thomas -- threw his political clout behind one of the candidates for the Kendall-area seat today.
Thomas is backing Whilly Bermudez, who owns a marketing firm and serves on the executive board of the Miami-Dade GOP. Bermudez tells Riptide he knows Thomas through some business associates.
"He's perfect because he's not some guy doing car wash commercials or anything like that," Bermudez explains. "He's a solid citizen and a respected guy."
​With a fragile local economy, tumbling real estate prices, a heated debate over a baseball stadium, and bonkers budget issues, the race to replace term-limited Manny Diaz as Miami's mayor should have been a blockbuster.
Or maybe, as community activist Alejandro Barrera pointed out to the Miami Herald, it's because it's a "very traditional, Miami-style" campaign. But in a city as rapidly changing as Miami, traditional politics might not cut it anymore. Perhaps the situation calls for something different.
​Generally, David Cross is a pretty funny fellow, but sometimes he seems so damn smug. I guess if I starred in Arrested Development and Mr. Show, I would be pretty self-satisfied, even if I had done some Hollywood bullshit like Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and the Amanda Bynes vehicle She's the Man. But it's those big studio paychecks that keep you in cocaine money and get you invited to fancy events.
So now Cross is going around bragging he did a bump out in the open at last spring's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner -- the often-surreal get-together of random celebrities, high-powered Washington insiders, and the press -- just 40 feet from the president.
Comedian David Cross brought his stand-up routine to Washington's Warner Theatre Wednesday night and made a shocking confession (assuming he wasn't joking...) at the end of his routine: That he snorted cocaine while seated just yards away from President Barack Obama at this year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner.
"So I got to go because my girlfriend is a fancy Hollywood actress and she got an invitation to go this last time, so we went," the "Arrested Development" star told the crowd. He went on to say that he has an ongoing competition with a friend in which the two try to constantly out-do each other in "dares and outrageousness."
We'd feel bad for Shalala, but she's been in Miami nearly ten years, and we highly doubt this is the first time she's been in close proximity to someone doing coke. Surely, she's walked through her school's dormitories or frat houses once or twice.
The big news in the latest Quinnipiac poll is that conservative wonder boy Marco Rubio has cut Charlie Crist's lead in the Republican primary in half. But the poll also has the first theoretical head-to-head matchup of Democrat Kendrick Meek against Rubio in the general election, and Meek wins. I'm sure Rubio supporters are savoring their polling gains, but perhaps not as much as Democrats.
In August, 55 percent of registered Republicans favored Crist, while only 26 percent lined up behind Rubio. Today, the numbers are Crist with 50 percent and Rubio with 35 percent -- effectively cutting Crist's lead from 29 points to just 15, but even a 15-point lead is still quite healthy.
Meanwhile, Crist continues to crush Meek in general election polling, 51 to 31 percent. Meek beats Rubio by a less dramatic but still significant 36 to 33 percent.
Crist is able to garner the support of 28 percent of Democrats against Meek, but Rubio gets the support of only 5 percent of (probably very confused) Democrats. Crist also polls at 58 percent among Independents against Meek, while Rubio appeals to only 31 percent of Independents in the general.
Of course, these numbers might be meaningless right now because the majority of voters still don't know much about either Meek or Rubio. Sixty-four percent hadn't heard enough to have an opinion about Rubio, and 71 percent hadn't yet heard enough about Meek.
Post a Comment
.jpg){kind=tracking}
The most heated races on Miami Beach will head to runoffs later this month, but Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Commissioner Jerry Libbin win easy re-election.
After a few months of 
Charlie Crist is such an upbeat fellow that I'm sure he'll appreciate the fact that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee just sent out an email touting the Gov's silver fox-ish good looks citing his "Good Hair and Nice Tan." He might be a little sad that it comes as part of a 
The big news in 
