Subject: U.S. Republican Party Politics

• Prez to "Hostile Press": Come Dine With Me!

  May 28, 2007

• Miami Immigration Judge a Would-Be Pol

  June 13, 2007

• If Romney Campaigns, the Terrorists Win

  February 7, 2008

• Herald Called Out For Sipping on GOP Kool Aid

  August 21, 2008

• Palm Beach Goes Crazy

  August 29, 2008

• Surprise! GOP Suspected of Sleazy Tactics in Florida

  September 19, 2008

• Who is: Masoud Shojaee?

  April 14, 2005

• How McCain Will Lose Florida, According to Time

  October 20, 2008

• News Roundup

  October 22, 2008

• Pelosi Power

  October 24, 2008

• Diaz-Balarts on Leaked GOP "Death List"

  October 24, 2008

• Beyond 2008: GOP Needs to Fix Its Florida Problem

  October 28, 2008

• Everyone Agrees: Crist Blew It For McCain

  October 29, 2008

• And What of The State Legislature?

  October 31, 2008

• GOP Governors To Get Their Nails Did

  November 10, 2008

• How to Rebuild the Republican Party: Trickle-Down Truck Nutz Theory, Lincolnstein, and The Second Coming

  November 12, 2008

• News Roundup

  November 12, 2008

• GOP Govs Stuck At a Fork in the Road

  Two main camps of thought are emerging at the Republican Governor's Conference as to what the Party's most pressing concern is. On one side you've got this "We've lost our way, and our credibility on fiscal conservative policy thanks to Bush and his $11.3 trillion dollars debt and his record $438 billion deficit." Then the other is "Well, we can't compete on the internet and we're loosing all the Hispanics and young people. We'll never be President of MySpace Latino!" Louisiana Governor Bobby

  November 13, 2008

• House GOP Goes Right Again, Leaving Miami's Moderates in the Cold

  All three of Miami's Republican representatives staved off Democratic challengers in the election, but the brand of Republicanism they represent is losing influence in their own party. While last week's Republican Governors Association conference didn't come to a clear conclusion on which ideological shifts the GOP should make, the Republicans in Congress selected staunch conservatives for new leadership roles. Conservative John Boehner will continue as minority leader, but his two deputy chi

  November 19, 2008

• Mel Martinez Decides One Term is Enough, 2010 Senate Race Wide Open

  It's been our fear that something huge politic-wise would happen while we were away looking at pretty, little art things, and what do you know it happens on the first day. Sonofa. Senator Mel Martinez has announced that he will not run for re-election in 2010. His Senate seat was generally seen as one of, if no the most, vulnerable ones up in two years, and his low approval ratings didn't paint a rosy picture for re-election anyway. His announcement ends a brief, but high profile political

  December 2, 2008

• Dirty Money

  February 27, 1991

• All Signs Point to a Jeb Bush Senate Run

  The holiday break brought us so many cheerful tidings: The Dolphins are heading the playoffs, gas prices are at a four year low, we get an iPhone, and the new Animal Collective leaked. So of course there has to be some sort of proverbial coal in the stocking: Jeb Bush seems poised to run for Senate in 2010, according to Politico. "Sources say Bush hasn't made up his mind about running for Martinez' seat, but that he's getting green lights from would-be contributors and blessings from Republ

  December 29, 2008

• Jeb Bush Should Just Run for RNC Chairman

  We imagine running the GOP looks exactly like this anyway: wearing a wizard's hat while leading a bunch of racially insensitive white people with children's brains. The Republican Party has become more or less a parody of itself. Chip Saltsman is running to chair that sinking ship, and as part of his campaign sent out a CD with a song on it called "Barack the Magic Negro" by some sub-Weird Al satirical songster who's featured on the Rush Limbaugh show. Politics is supposed to be serious busi

  December 30, 2008

• Crist-for-Senate Rumors Just Made 2010 a Lot More Confusing

  Up until yesterday, it seemed the full picture for the Senate election in 2010 would come into focus soon, when rumored candidates including Republicans Bill McCullom and Marco Rubio as well as Democrat Alex Sink made their intentions clear. Well, now with The Hill reporting that National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn is trying to woo Gov. Charlie Crist to make a run, both the Senate race and governor's race have become something a blur. And according to Sen. Bill Nelson,

  January 15, 2009

• Florida Probably Doesn't Want New Hampshire's Leftovers

  Considering most runners in the 2010 Senate race haven't held a position higher than congressman, it might behoove anyone with a stronger resumé to think about entering the fray, and what better job to have in your past when seeking a Senate seat than senator? Reportedly, former New Hampshire Sen. Bob Smith, who now lives in Sarasota, is at least thinking about throwing in his name. But the Buzz makes a good point in that "winning a statewide election in New Hampshire is akin to winning a count

  January 30, 2009

• Oh, Look, We Already Have Front Runners for 2014

  They don't share political idealogies, but they do share a hair stylist. It's a sign of just how much dominance Charlie Crist has in Florida politics that both races he could conceivably run in 2010 - Governor or, less likely, Senator - are having a hard time attracting big name candidate, but the next open race in Florida - for Governor all the way in 2014, barring Bill Nelson's retirement - already have front runners on both sides. After Democratic CFO Alex Sink decided not to seek the senate

  January 30, 2009

• Crist's Admirable Stim Support Makes 2012 Prez Run Unlikely

  The economic stimulus is likely to be one of the defining actions of President Obama's first term. If it's perceived to be successful by November 2012, we're more than likely looking at four more years. But if, even as Obama himself admitted last week in Fort Myers, it's not, we might just have ourselves a new resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. So perhaps that's one of the reasons so many would-be 2012 Republican candidates are coming out hard against the stim. People such as Newt Gingrich and G

  February 19, 2009

• Charlie Crist's Mug Suspiciously Missing On RGA's New Website

  Completely embarrassed by the state of the national party it seems that the Republican Governors Association are engineering a takeover of the Bland Ol' Party. They have a nice new website asking for your money called The GOP Comeback with lots of pretty glamour shots of your favorite Republican Guv All-Stars. There's Palin in all her glory, Haley Barbour and his wonderful eyebrows, and newly minted national folk hero Bobby Jindal.Wait. There seems to be one or two GOP guvs of some of the n

  February 25, 2009

• Hugh Had to Be There

  March 9, 1994

• Scarborough Vs Limbaugh: Fight! Fight! Fight!

  Rush Limbaugh, as you know, has been busy running the Republican party from his West Palm Beach radio studio. Too bad he can't seem to even get the support of another prominent, conservative talking head from the Sunshine state.If anyone didn't believe Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough's denial that he was planning on running for Florida's open senate seat, than his recent attacks on both the Republican's official leader, party chairman Michael Steele, and spiritual Godfather, Limbaugh, should co

  March 4, 2009

• Greer Calls for "Unwavering Loyalty and Support" To Michael Steele

  You know what Howard Dean did in his first few months as chair of the DNC? He raised $86.3 million and started working on his 50-state strategy. You know what Michael Steele has done so far as RNC chair? Turned himself into a political sideshow with his dumb feuds with Rush Limbaugh, promised "off the hook" hip hop ad campaigns, and a seemingly never ending stream of interviews in which he has little to say. The totally biased socialist mainstream media is of course having a field day with it, a

  March 13, 2009

• It's My Party and I'll Squash You If I Want To

  August 24, 1994

• Conservatives May Want Rubio To Challenge Crist in Senate Primary

  You would think the Republican party would start trying to find ways to be a more inclusive group. Instead, operating under the assumption that when the democrats make one major screw up, voters will have only one choice to turn to: a newly, ideologically pure Republican party. Now, The Tampa Tribune is reporting that conservative Republicans may try to run a strong primary challenger against Charlie Crist if he decides to run. The two possible anti-Crists: Allen Bense, and our own Marco Rubio.

  March 27, 2009

• State Republicans Let Newspapers Live Because the Government Is Evil

  This is Ronda Storms. The mainstream media and the federal government have comfortable slots on the top ten list of things Republican hate. It seems, for now at least, the Republicans in Tallahassee hate the government a little more. Republican state Sen. Ronda Storms was supporting a bill that would no longer require local governments to take out public notices in newspapers, and instead print them online on their own website, according to The Fine Print. Despite the fact that, judging from th

  March 31, 2009

• Michael Steele Will Grace Miami with His Presence

  Awkward Republican National Committee Chairmen Michael Steele is coming to Miami Monday! Hooray! If you're the kind of person who likes to protest the GOP, Steele is probably the best thing that could have happened to that party. It hasn't been announced exactly where Steele will be, but Riptide has some suggestions for a different kind of protest sign. That's right, put away your "No Blood for Oil" posters and show some love for Michael Steele. Here are a few to get you started: "Thank you for

  April 3, 2009

• Nixon Rewound

  August 19, 2004

• The Money Trail

  October 31, 2002

• Waiting for Otto

  November 8, 2001

• Have Bullhorn, Will Travel

  December 7, 2000

• Jeb Repackaged

  October 29, 1998

• Antunez for President!

  August 31, 1994

• Justice Souter, the Surprise Liberal, to Retire

  David Souter was appointed to the Supreme Court by President George Bush Sr in 1990. NOW and the NAACP protested this choice. Making these interest groups that are oft at odds with the Republican party come together was just about the only good thing Souter did for Conservatives. Then a funny thing happened in 1992. He started voting with the liberal wing of the court, and has been more or less been a consistent lefty ever since. Tonight, as if it hasn't been already firmly established, his

  May 1, 2009

• Republicans Aren't Here to Make Friends

  The Republican Party is doing such a good job painting itself as a party slowly collapsing in on itself that Democrats really don't have to do anything but highlight that fact once in a while. The Republicans are clearly not here to make friends like so many reality show contestants before them, as evidenced by their ever-shrinking share of the electorate.  "Hey, should we produce a smart little ad highlighting the faults of conservative ideology?" "Um, why don't we just take that Olympia

  May 6, 2009

• With Crist's Announcement Imminent, the Dominos Begin to Fall

  With the end of the legislative session in Tallahassee last week, and Charlie Crist widely expected to announce his Senate intention tomorrow the dominoes should quickly fall as down ticket politicos all over the state start positioning themselves for 2010. So far, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, who has been mentioned as a possible democratic candidate for Governor or Senate, has decided to serve out her term. St. Pete's Republican Mayor, Rick Baker, won't be running for anything either. When Alex Sink,

  May 11, 2009

• Charlie Crist Makes It Official: He's Running for Senate

  Charlie Crist has always been a winner. Big, big news! Charlie Crist has joined Twitter! Well, he also announced his intention to run for Florida's open Senate seat in 2010, but everyone has known that for months. But as of 9:12 this morning, it's official. Crist made the announcement through a press release and a Twitter update, a relatively low-key beginning to what is sure to be a superstar campaign. It should come as no surprise that his socialite, heiress wife, Carole Rome, is credited with

  May 12, 2009

• Buckley: Joe Scarborough Has the Best Face in the GOP

  Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman and current MSNBC host, laughed away talks he might run for Florida Senate: "I don't really think it would be good to run in 2010 with a party that is actively associating itself with the Taliban." Christopher Buckley, son of conservative icon William F., left the magazine his father founded, National Review, and endorsed Barack Obama. They're not exactly the most popular people in their party, but they sure seem to like each other. At the time

  June 8, 2009

• Bold Names Line Up Behind Rubio, a.k.a. "The GOP's Barack Obama"

  Warning to anyone who wants to believe MSNBC reporter Carlos Watson's recent profile of Marco Rubio, in which the former House Speaker is praised as the "GOP's Barack Obama": It's a trap!  Watson, a Miami native, proclaims, "He's young. He's attractive. He easily connects with crowds. Remind you of anyone we know? Ten-to-one, this guy will soon be labeled the GOP's Barack Obama." Naked Politics has the transcripts of the feature. Back in hi

  June 19, 2009

• Hey, Here's Another Poll: McCollum Still Leading

  Ron Sachs Communication commissioned Mason-Dixon to do another one of those polls y'all love. Nothing all that exciting, so let's deal it out down and dirty: Gov: Bill McCollum is still leading Alex Sink 41%-35%. At this point, the advantage might be owed to the fact that McCollum, thanks to his three previous statewide campaigns, has 87% name recognition compared to Sink's 61%. 24% remain undecided. McCollum also makes quick work of his possible primary rival, state Sen. Paula Dockery. In a

  June 30, 2009

• Daily Kos Has Wet Dream About Charlie Crist Coming Out as a Democrat

  Markos 'Kos' Moulitsas of The Daily Kos has a dream that one day Charlie Crist will do some soul searching, look deep inside himself, and finally come out ...as a Democrat. And it will all be Marco Rubio's fault. See, Marco Rubio is calling upon the dark forces of the right wing --the wingnut blogs, the garbage spewing talk radio hosts, the ideological PACs and interest groups-- to create a tsunami that will ruin Crist's good name amongst Republicans, thus causing him to lose the

  July 1, 2009

• Remember When GOP Governors Were the Future of Their Party?

  The atmosphere at the Intercontinental Hotel in Downtown Miami last November during the Republican Governor's Conference was hopeful. The GOP governors where the only national wing of the party to actually gain membership in the 2008 election, and the line was it was they who would bring their party back on track, emerge as the leadership that Republicans so badly needed, and it was quite possible that one of their members would challenge Barack Obama for the presid

  July 3, 2009