Wu hu HUUUUUUUUUUU! U GO, Senator Nelson et al.!!! !

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2...le_suit_ag.html

THAT'S what I'm talking about! :good: :clap: :dance:

(edited to change link)

Florida Democrats, Action Alert


Story Updated.
Daily Kos
I have just one word for those still supporting Gore
by thrasybulus [Subscribe]
Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 08:33:25 AM PDT

FLORIDA.

In Florida, the unique circumstances of primary election chaos have given us Gore supporters an opening to express our support. As stated in the Florida Delegate Selection Plan, the Florida Democratic Party, in the form of state party Chair Karen Thurman, has the authority to place a person on the Florida primary ballot whether that person is an announced candidate or not.

* thrasybulus's diary :: ::
*

That candidate list is presented to the Florida Secretary of State on October 31, 2007. The list is then made official by the vote of the Presidential Selection Committee composed of the Democratic and Republican Party Chairs and the leaders of each party in the state house and senate chambers. These six are joined by the non-voting Secretary of State.

The list is official on November 7 and anyone on the list that does not want to run can file an affidavit by November 13 to have their name removed.

So here is a plan for your consideration. Every Florida Gore supporter contacts party chair Karen Thurman and asks that she add Gore to the Florida primary ballot. Under normal circumstances requesting the inclusion of an unannounced candidate would not be considered, but thanks to the irresistable need for Florida Republicans to manipulate the political process, these are not normal times. The announced presidential candidates have pledged not to campaign in Florida because of fear of voter retaliation in NH, IA, NV and SC.

The Democratic National Committee has stripped Florida of all their delegates to the Democratic Convention making the primary a perfunctory beauty contest. Since the Florida primary is reduced to a non-binding popularity contest, why shouldn't Florida Gore supporters get to express their support at the ballot box in this circumstance?

I personally accept Gore at his word and do not think he plans on running. I also think he is experienced enough to know that conditions change, so he has left the door ever so slightly open.

It is this door that we might push open if Chair Karen Thurman puts Gore on the Florida ballot. The real importance of getting getting Gore on the ballot is not that people in Floridan get to vote for Gore, but that pollsters will add Gore to their polling data. And if they start polling for him in Florida, it will almost certainly cascade into them polling his support in the other states too. Then it will be in black and white, for all the world to see, just how much actual support Al Gore has in this country.

Then I believe he will enter.

I encourage all the Gore draft organizations to buy media ads in Florida informing voters of this option. I encourage Gore supporters everywhere to call friends and relatives in Florida and let them know. I encourage Gore supporters to cross-post this information at any blog they frequent. Get out the word. It doesn't cost us anything to contact Karen Thurman and the price for inaction is no Gore candidacy.

I know those who have been the most certain that there is no possibility of a Gore candidacy will help in this effort since this strategy will lead to the vindication of your position as Gore will surely withdraw his name and end the draft movement, so Gore supporters can then move on to supporting your candidate. You are sure, aren't you?

Wouldn't it be sweet irony if Republican chicanery in Florida caused the beginning of a Gore 2008 campaign? And many , many thanks to all the people throughout the country working towards a Gore presidency.

James

Florida Delegate Selection Plan check out Section II.A.Ballot Access

Contact info:
Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman
214 South Bronough Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Phone 850-222-3411
FAX 850-222-0916

Tags: Al Gore, Florida Primary (all tags) :: Previous Tag Versions

View Comments | 33 comments

Interesting, Wayne! It sure couldn't hurt for as many FL Dems as possible to ask Karen Thurman and even to provide a link to that blog in their letters, as the author's reasoning may appeal to her, too!

Another thing: your post just made me think of something. Something to be thankful for in this mess, a silver lining, if you will. In a way, I'm glad Gore hasn't declared yet. Don't get me wrong, I want him to declare with every fiber of my being, but maybe it is fate that he hasn't done so yet. Why?

Because had he declared already, the DNC would have leaned on him as it has all the other candidates to sign their asanine pledge to boycott campaigning in Florida. And I'm here to tell you as (in this order) a Gore supporter, a Gore supporter who lived through the 2000 election, a Democrat, and a Floridian (a native Marylander, but I've been in FL since 1993, so technically I am a "Floridian" now), had Gore chosen to sign that pledge, it would have broken my heart and crushed my spirit, and I believe it would have done the same to the other four million Democrats of Florida. This way, if he gets into the race late, hopefully this whole ASANINE thing will be settled and the DNC won't be strong-arming him. But even if they do, I choose to believe that he would NEVER sign that pledge, and frankly I can't fathom why the other candidates have. I know they can't afford to alienate the voters of Iowa and New Hampshire, but all they had to say was a diplomatic "Well, I'm going to let the DNC, Florida and Michigan work this out themselves, and I am going to visit the voters in all the states because I care about and want to hear from all the citizens in this great country.", or words to that effect. No, I believe there was some MAJOR strong-arming going on from the DNC. I believe they somehow virtually forced the candidates to sign that dang thing, because why would they WANT to, why would they volunteer to alienate two huge swing states chock full of Democratic voters? It makes NO sense to me. And I just know Gore wouldn't have signed it. No. NO way. No. ...But I'm glad I haven't had to find out! Again, I hope by the time he declares his candidacy, this whole stupid "Dean Scream 2007" is worked out and Florida and Michigan have our/their delegates back.

...Then again, the man needs to get into the race ASAP. Sign the asanine pledge, don't sign the asanine pledge, I don't CARE, just get in the race, Al!

Oooh, and from the link below, this is interesting:

"Miami attorney Kendall Coffey, who represented Democratic nominee Al Gore during the 2000 litigation, is handling the case for free."

U go, Kendall Coffey! How ironic that here he is, fighting the good fight again to protect our democracy and the voting rights of the people of Florida, only this time...what? Could it be? OMG, it is: it is the DNC trying to take away our votes!

I also need to note that I agree wholeheartedly with the following statement by a party to the lawsuit, Rep. Alcee Hastings:

"One thing about Democrats, we're a lot like families that have disputes. But when the deal goes down, we're together."

Amen to that. Hopefully, no matter what:

1.) Democrats will turn out to the primary, despite their hurt, disgust, alienation and outrage at the DNC, and vote DEMOCRATIC; and

2.) Ditto for the general election, in a BIG way!

I personally am totally infuriated with Dean and the DNC, but when the chips are down, I am and will always be a "yellow dog" Democrat. I will vote Democratic, the stakes are WAY too high for my state, country, world and planet not to. I may want to unleash a can of whup-a** on Dean and the DNC, but in the end, I will be the first circling the wagons. I just am deeply concerned, however, that many other Florida Democrats are articulating plans to stay home from the primary, vote Republican (CRINGE!) and even to switch parties. This is the tragedy of Dean's asanine decision. I hope everyone in Florida and Michigan will realize, in the end, we need to turn out and vote our hearts, no matter what is going on beforehand with the various and sundry cans of whup-a** being unleashed by all sides. In the end, we're Democrats. That doesn't change. No way.

Meanwhile, I do want to, and feel it is very appropriate and necessary to, go a few rounds with Dean, Brazile, and the DNC. We need to do that FOR our party.

Link to article from which I plucked the quoted items in this post: http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/.../710050360/1006