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Ros-Lehtinen's Almost-Fair Health Care Survey

Congresswoman Ileanna Ros-Lehtinen is asking constituents to fill out her Health Care Survey Form.

I have to admit, it's less biased than I would have expected. But then my expectations were very low.

Nevertheless, there are a few good questions on there like if you support the public option, so if you live in Florida's 18th district, might as well fill it out.

Full text of the survey — with some comments — after the jump.

Healthcare Survey

It is undeniable that our country’s current healthcare system is in desperate need of comprehensive reform. There are over 50 million Americans lacking health insurance and many more who are underinsured. In Florida alone, 21% of the population is uninsured, average premiums have increased about 88% since 2000, and the number of Floridians with employer coverage is declining. It is increasingly clear that we can no longer maintain the status quo. Americans deserve affordable high-quality health insurance, regardless of their socio-economic background, and I am deeply committed to the development of a feasible and inclusive system that will improve the livelihood of all our nation’s citizens. As you may know, Congress has already launched various initiatives to tackle the issue of health care. As your representative, I truly value your input on this significant matter. Please take the time to fill out this short survey and let me know your thoughts.

1. Do you currently have health insurance? Yes No

2. If you have health insurance, are you satisfied with your coverage? Yes No

3. Would you want to keep your current healthcare insurance, no matter what health care reforms are enacted? Yes No

4. Are you generally supportive of healthcare reform? Yes No

5. Do you support a government run health care option? Yes No

6. Are you in favor of employer mandated health insurance? Yes No

This is one that could be spun. It's not yes/no but compared to what…

7. Is your health insurance provided by your employer? Yes No

8. Are you concerned that your employer may opt for a government insurance program because it may be less expensive than the one currently offered? Yes No

I think this is a little loaded — it presumes that the government plan is worse, or else why be 'concerned'; if it's cheaper and better we all win.

9. Are you in favor of a tax exemption for firms with fewer than 25 employees? Yes No

10. Under the existing health care system, do individuals have the necessary information to make informed and appropriate health care decisions? Yes No

11. Do you support individuals keeping their health care coverage when changing jobs? Yes No

12. Should individuals who do not have health coverage be required to buy it? Yes No

Again, it depends what they are able to get. It may be good to expand risk pools, but it would be bad to make people pay for worthless insurance — and that can happen.

13. Do you believe that individuals should receive tax deductions for their health insurance premiums? Yes No

14. Should there be a government sponsored health insurance option for all Americans? Yes No

I was impressed that the question was put that neutrally.

15. Should health insurers have simpler, cheaper, and fairer contracts in order to allow them to compete with each other? Yes No

16. Do you think that government sponsored health insurance will be of lower quality than that of a private insurer? Yes No

I wish it had asked if we thought it would be of HIGHER quality, or HIGHER QUALITY FOR THE MONEY … again the presumption is government plans must be worse.

17. Do you think there would be increased competition created by the introduction of a public health insurance option? Yes No

18. Would a public health insurance option drive down costs and make health insurance more affordable? Yes No

19. Should the government subsidize business that cannot afford to provide health insurance to their workers? Yes No

20. Do you support encouraging doctors and hospitals to list their prices? Yes No

21. Would you be concerned with Washington making your medical decisions, instead of you or your doctors? Yes No

This may be the worst question on the list. It should say “instead of your insurance company.” Because that is who decides now, not the doctor.

22. Do you want doctors to be protected from expensive lawsuits so that they can reduce unnecessary tests and procedures? Yes No

This is a loaded question. An equally loaded question the other way would be “do you want doctors to be protected from the life-destroying expensive consequences of their mistakes”.

23. Are you concerned that access to specialists would be limited or based only on referrals under a government plan? Yes No

Again, this fails to say, 'compared to the limits of your private insurance, or lack of insurance.

24. Should resources go to expanding and improving the health care workforce through more physician training, scholarships and loans for those healthcare professionals entering areas that have shortages? Yes No

25. Do you think that a public health care option would limit diversity in treatment? Yes No

What's that mean?

26. Should insurance companies be prohibited from refusing coverage or renewing policies based on pre-existing conditions or health status? Yes No

27. Would you support insurance market reforms that prohibit rate increases based on health status, gender, or occupation and age? Yes No

Is that on the table?

28. Are you in favor of premium discounts for those who engage in health behaviors such as maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and managing chronic illnesses like diabetes? Yes No

29. Do you support a federal funded expansion of Medicaid and Medicare? Yes No

30. Medicare currently compensates doctors on how many tests and procedures they order: is evaluating treatment efficacy a better option? Yes No

31. Are you in favor of states capping health care spending by reducing Medicare payments in areas where spending is above the national average? Yes No

32. Are you in favor of a fee ($750/employee, $375/part time) for businesses that do not pay at least 60% of the cost of healthcare coverage? Yes No

33. Would you support higher taxes on alcoholic beverages and soda drinks to raise funds for health care reforms? Yes No

34. Would you support a refundable tax credit for the working poor in order for them to receive health insurance? Yes No

Health Care Wars -- the Ground Game

I like this ad from Americans United for Change, “SNAIL”: Tell Congress to Pass Health Insurance Reform Now!:

I get why the GOP wants to stall health care reform: if it gets voted now, Obama wins. I accept that they don't care enough about uninsured (or pseudo-ensured) Americans to vote the way I think they should.

What I don't get is why observers think delay will do the GOP much good. What legislators have waiting for them when they get home is a lot of people who have lost their jobs — and thus their health care, and even more people nervous that it could happen to them. They are going to be bombarded with localized pitches, like this one which details the effects of the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act on Florida's 18th Congressional District:

America’s Affordable Health Choices Act would provide significant benefits in the 18th Congressional District of Florida: up to 22,000 small businesses could receive tax credits to provide coverage to their employees; 11,000 seniors would avoid the donut hole in Medicare Part D; 1,100 families could escape bankruptcy each year due to unaffordable health care costs; health care providers would receive payment for $110 million in uncompensated care each year; and 118,000 uninsured individuals would gain access to high-quality, affordable health insurance.

Our Congresswoman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, is a particularly hard case with a relatively safe seat and she's unlikely to be moved by mere considerations of the benefits to local families. But that won't be as true elsewhere.

IRL is on Twitter

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has a Twitter account.

I still think that I have enough distractions in my life.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Still Doesn't Have Our Interests at Heart

Lots of people remarked on how Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and the other two local Florida Republicans who just survived tougher-than-usual re-election races switched their votes on S-CHIP and voted for it last week after being pilloried for a series of no votes back when it mattered.

I didn't join that chorus. I saw these as cheap votes for a bill that was now certain to pass; yes votes a year ago might have actually swung the tide on a bill that will particularly benefit South Florida due to the very large number of uninsured children in our community.

And only a few days later I feel vindicated: our own Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, supposedly one of those chastened Republicans, now more sensitized to our needs after a hard-fought (but ultimately not that close) election is right back to her old tricks: letting ideology trump reality.

One of our current realities is that the State of Florida is facing declining tax revenues, and is balancing its books on the backs of schoolchildren. And the schools of Miami-Dade are taking a fearsome hit in the budget the GOP-controlled legislature has just sent to the Governor.

One consequence of this disaster is a push to provide some funds at the national level. Again, that would be of disproportionate benefit to South Florida because we're in such dire straightsstraits. But — surprise — our own Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is against it.

U.S. House bill would pump millions into S. Fla. schools: Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Miami, called the economic stimulus plan “a reflection of the state of this nation's priorities.”

“To secure our future, we must invest in our students today by reversing cutbacks in education, preventing teacher layoffs, keeping class sizes small and building modern schools outfitted with 21st-century classrooms,” he said.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, was skeptical.

“Borrowing and spending are out of control in Congress,” she said. “Every week, we are confronted with a new massive bailout plan that is packaged as an emergency must-have bill. The true bill will be passed along to our children in massive deficits.”

I didn't hear any of that stuff when she voted — repeatedly — for tax cuts for rich people, did you? But now that the economy requires massive fiscal stimulus to stave off a Depression, now it's time to ration the children again.

Taddeo to SBA?

Washington Post columnist Al Kamen writes in The Cabinet: Who's Next?, that local candidate Annette Taddeo may be in line for a good job under Obama:

Monica C. Lozano — Los Angeles businesswoman, major political player and publisher of La Opinion, the largest Spanish-language paper in the country — had been seen as a possibility for the Small Business Administration, not quite a Cabinet job but kind of. That doesn't appear to be happening, either. There's talk that Annette Taddeo, a Colombian-born business executive who lost last month to Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), may be in the mix for the SBA.

Taddeo ran a very disciplined campaign. I was impressed by her office and her ability to show up on time. I'm sure she'd be a first-class choice.

Update: An out-of-towner writes to ask “is that the nicest thing you can say about Taddeo?” What this question fails to grasp is that by Miami standards, showing up on time is not just a @#$# miracle, but a sign of serious, praise-worthy organization that surmounts the major obstacles that nobody is ever ever on time for anything around here… Let there be no doubt: I think she'd be great.

In Which I Do the Inconceivable and Rise to the Defense of the Otherwise Indefensible Illeana Ros-Lehtinen

My Congressperson, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, hung up on President-elect Obama — twice and then issued an error-filled press release about it.

A Florida congresswoman — convinced she was being prank-called by a Barack Obama sound-alike — hung up on the actual president-elect Wednesday.

Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was told by an aide that Obama wanted to speak with her. According to a statement released by her office, the Republican congresswoman cut off the caller, telling him she thought “this is a joke from one of the South Florida radio stations known for these pranks.” She then hung up.

Much as it pains me, I think I'll have to defend IR-L from some of the inevitable jokes, at least if the call was during morning drive-time. I can just see the local 'zoo format' jocks pulling a stunt like this.

And, anyway, think about it — on any rational calculation doesn't President-elect Obama have about eight million better things to do than call Ileana Ros-Lehtinen? As she herself apparently admitted:

When an amused Obama called again, Ros-Lehtinen he was either “very gracious” to reach across the aisle by contacting her, or “had run out of folks to call, if you are truly calling me.”

Indeed.

But it does make you wonder how many people Obama has called in the last month who have had the same reaction. I bet it's not a small number.

(Note that I'm not defending Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's office's inability to spell the President-elect's name — and that of his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel — in the press release she put out about the incident. If only that were the only thing IR-L gets wrong….)

I do hope that Obama is not under any illusions that he owes anything to Miami's revanchist Cubans when it comes to normalizing relations with Cuba. It's now clear from the latest poll that a even a majority of Cuban-Americans in South Florida want to end the embargo.

New Taddeo Ad -- Still Mostly Positive

Here's Annette Taddeo's latest (final?) ad, focusing on health care. It's still positive.

Personally, I would have preferred something a little more negative. Taddeo has run a positive, decent, uplifting campaign. That might have won it if outside groups like the DCCC had come through with the necessary negative ads exposing Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's views on the war (for it!), uninsured poor children's healthcare (against it if it involves paying for it!), social security (let's privatize 50% of it!), and her links to the Scientologists (I gather she's their favorite Congressperson).

But for some reason the DCCC failed to come through.

Can you be too decent to be elected? Yes you can.

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CQ Politics on South Florida Congressional Races

In a recognition that the race is tightening, CQ Politics, a leading observer of congressional electoral politics, has just changed its rating for FL-18, the race in which Annette Taddeo is challenging long-time incumbent Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

CQ Politics is a conservative and lagging indicator of of the degree to which incumbents are threatened. Here are how its ratings have changed for the South Florida Congressional races:

Florida 18: One year ago: Safe Republican
Six months ago: Safe Republican
Today: Republican Favored

Florida 21:
One year ago: Safe Republican
Six months ago: Republican Favored
Today: Leans Republican

Florida 25:
One year ago: Safe Republican
Six months ago: Republican Favored
Today: Leans Republican

Personally I'd say the Democrats are out in front in FL-21, it's very close in FL-25 (but early voting is looking good! Go Joe!), and Annette Taddeo still has a little (but less and less) ground to make up in FL-25 FL-18.

But the bottom line is clear: no one is safe this year.

Full list of CQ Politics ratings changes in US Congressional races

Coverage of Taddeo's Surge

The blogs are noticing what Taddeo has achieved:

• Down With Tyranny, How Many Independent Candidates Will Thwart Republican Chances To Win Congressional Seats?
• Swing State Project, FL-18: Taddeo Within Striking Distance in New Poll
• MyDD, CA-46, FL-18: Progressive Challengers Rising

Interesting note: the DCCC hasn't done much if anything for Taddeo, even while being very active in neighboring districts. I suspect the hand of Debbie Wasserman Schultz, don't you?

Taddeo Gaining Fast

New polling released today shows Taddeo has lept from a 15+ point deficit in the previous poll a couple of weeks ago to only a seven point gap among voters who have made up their minds about the race in Florida's 18th district. Most importantly, Ros-Lehtinen remains under the magic 50% — the incumbent's recent ad blitz has netted her a statistically insignificant 2% gain over the last poll while Taddeo has surged. Add in the leanings of the uncommitted and this election is nearly tied.

Why? National events — plus Taddeo's name recognition has almost doubled in the last few weeks.

Here are the key stats: Taddeo at 41% and Ros-Lehtinen at 48%, and 11% undecided. Meanwhile, 78% of [somewhat] undecided voters lean toward Taddeo; only 22% to Ros-Lehtinen. That's almost a 4:1 split. Allocate that [remaining] 11% undecided according to the same 78-22 ratio, and the candidates are within 1% of each other — 50.42 to 49.58. If these numbers are right, they must be freaking out over at Ros-Lehtinen HQ.

As the pollster's memo notes,

Ros-Lehtinen’s favorables have declined while her unfavorables have increased. Moreover, because she is so well known in the district (94% are familiar with her) Ros-Lehtinen has very little room to grow her support, while Annette Taddeo is in a far better position to become better known to the electorate.

If the election were held today, these numbers suggest it could still be a squeaker win for Ros-Lehtinen. But there's still two weeks to go — and the more McCain looks like a loser, the more that Republican voters may stay home.

Like I've said from the start, this is going to be a turnout-driven congressional election. Here in south Florida we're enjoying a full-court press by the Obama get-out-the-vote team, plus some serious field work by the Taddeo forces.

And that's why blogging may be a spotty for a while: A few days ago I volunteered to be a precinct captain for the Taddeo campaign. Starting this past weekend my kids and I have been working our way through our precinct, going door to door identifying likely voters, and talking to independent voters and other identified persuadables about why they should vote for Taddeo. So far the response has been excellent. (PS, if you live or work near me — I now have Taddeo yard signs.)

Meanwhile, you can send Taddeo a few dollars, or buy a TV ad (prices start at $100 for two or more).

[Slightly improved from original version for clarity.]

Below, full text of the Taddeo Press Release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: ANASTASIA APA, 305-661-6499
OCTOBER 21, 2008 INFO_TADDEO@VOTETADDEO.COM

TADDEO v. ROS-LEHTINEN: 7 POINT RACE

MIAMI, FL – Polling released today in Florida’s 18th Congressional District, where Democrat Annette Taddeo faces 20-year incumbent Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, shows Taddeo within striking distance, and in a solid position to win in November.

The poll shows a 7 point race, with Taddeo at 41% and Ros-Lehtinen at 48%, and 11% undecided. The poll also shows that 78% of undecided voters lean toward Taddeo; only 22% to Ros-Lehtinen.

Since June, Taddeo has gained 24 points on Ros-Lehtinen, with the while the incumbent currently dangles dangerously below 50%, with a majority (56%) of the voters now planning on replacing or considering replacing her.

“We’re using resources wisely and are benefitting from the overwhelming demand of the voters for change,” said Taddeo Campaign Manager Anastasia Apa.

The district’s voter registration now shows a statistical tie between the parties, with only 1,700 more Republicans than Democrats. Just two years ago, Republicans held a commanding 23,200 registered voter lead.

In 2006, Ros-Lehtinen outspent Democrat Dave Patlak $1.5 million to $76,000, yet Patlak still received 38% of the vote. Taddeo has already raised more than $1,000,000 to date.

Taddeo’s campaign has the support of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Red-to-Blue program of the most highly targeted races in the country. She is also endorsed by EMILY’s List, the AFL-CIO, United Teachers of Dade, and others.

Annette Taddeo is a small business owner and a community leader. She is running for Congress because she believes South Florida needs a new beginning. As founder and CEO of LanguageSpeak, Taddeo has a 15 year track record as a successful businesswoman.

State GOP Starts the Sliming and Fear-Mongering

I haven't gotten mine yet, but someone was kind enough to send me a scan of a GOP mailer that is going to houses around here claiming that Democrats want to “surrender” to terrorism. This particular copy was sent right to the heart of FL-18, Annette Taddeo's district.

The content of this thing is pretty ugly. Here's a shot of the worst page. You can click on it for a larger .pdf version of that page.

This is accompanied by a smiling photo of Governor Charlie Crist, along with a message warning that terrorists want to kill us, and that we should vote for Republicans to “help keep America safe.” (You can download a .pdf of the entire mailer, if you want.)

Got that? The State GOP, which paid for this thing, and the formerly post-partisan Governor, are saying that Democrats want to surrender to terrorists. Talk about low-class smear jobs…

Does anyone actually think that Democrats want to surrender to terrorism? Most Democrats want to make an orderly exit from Iraq. So, the polls tell us, does most of the country. (And, for what it's worth, during the second Presidential debate it was Obama who took the more bellicose approach towards chasing down bin Laden, not McCain.)

It used to be that we only saw stuff like this in the last week before election day. But the GOP wants absentee ballots, and early voting starts soon, so here we go.

Video: Taddeo Smacks Down Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on Social Security

Thanks to Eyeonileana (FL-18: Annette Taddeo instructs incumbent on Social Security) for the link to this video:

I wish everyone in the 18th Congressional District could see this: Democrats are sometimes accused, occasionally even with justice, of fear-mongering on Social Security. But with this incumbent it's all true: she really does support 50% privatization — and if she'd had her way, in the future people who depend on Social Security would be very very vulnerable.

Local Congressional Race Update

Lots going on on the local political scene.

FL-18

• Ileana Rushes Recycled Ad Into Rotation … which may be connected to …

• Miami Herald, Naked Politics, Ros-Lehtinen's haircut makes the cut

• Ileana Ros-Lehtinen defended her support for privatizing Social Security at a recent candidate's forum. (See Rivals spar at only meeting.) Imagine if your social security — or even only half of it as Ros-Lehtinen has proposed — were in today's stock market.

• Annette Taddeo points out that Ros-Lehtinen Took $939,044 in campaign contributions from financial, real estate, and other special interests.

• Ros Lehtinen won't debate Annette Taddeo — their only joint appearance was that candidates' forum — where they told her all the questions in advance.

• Good Taddeo spot:

• The latest poll shows Taddeo improving, but with a long way to go. The Telemundo 51 poll shows Taddeo behind 48-35, 13 points down, with 17 percent of the voters undecided. In June, a Bendixen poll had Ros-Lehtinen leading by 27 points. Taddeo is leading among independent voters 39% to 36%, with 25% still undecided.

• Usually, I'd say a gap like that was too much, five weeks before the election. But given the state of the economy, the fact that IR-L remains under the 50%+ that spells safe incumbent, I think there's still everything to play for. And that social security comment ought to bother people here. (Who in their right mind wants social security in this stock market?)

• And here's an old video — from March. Even then, Taddeo was pretty good. And she's better now.
  

FL - 25

• Joe Garcia creates a web site to celebrate GW Bush's stealth visit to the area. The website is called Bush-Balart

• Polls are looking better and better for Joe Garcia.

FL - 21

• Dems attack Diaz-Balart, look to tie him to indicted PR pol (it's Raul's Diaz-Balart, not Joe's). Cf. LINCON DIAZ BALART ACUSADO POR SENADOR EN PUERTO RICO DE RECIVIR MALETIN CON DINERO

• I hear Raul Martinez's polls look even better than Joe Garcia's…

Great New Ad from Taddeo

I've said for some time that Annette Taddeo needs to go negative to win — not easy for a woman running against an incumbent with personal popularity that mask horrible policies, but necessary to expose the incumbent for what she is.

I'm delighted to say, it's starting, and well. Here's Taddeo's second TV ad:

I like it!

There's also a Spanish version, Dos Gotas, that might be even better.

Illeana changed her vote to support the Wall Street Bailout. That won't be popular. But in an odd way it makes me happy because I was uncomfortable agreeing with something she'd done. Now things are normal again: she's a disaster for our district.

Taddeo, Garcia, Martinez Wow the Grey Panthers

Strong account of what must have been a great event by John Hood in the insurgent SunPost, Congressional Candidates Joe Garcia, Raul Martinez and Annette Taddeo Blast It for the Gray Panthers:

… Annette Taddeo, Raul Martinez and Joe Garcia, who are vying to represent what’s surely the majority of our peninsula’s tip: Taddeo and District 18, which stretches from Miami-Dade’s southern suburbs all the way to the Keys; Martinez and District 21, which includes his beloved Hialeah; and Garcia and District 25, which comprises much of Miami-Dade, as well as the entire Everglades.

If they were a band, this three-piece would sell out arenas, so it’s no surprise that on this day the turnout was just about standing room only. Each candidate is running on issues very near and dear to the Gray Panthers’ hearts, as well as their wallets — health care, prescription drug costs, housing — and each came out blasting the incumbents for a reckless disregard of the people and their needs.

Naturally, their opponents weren’t on hand to answer back, despite being repeatedly offered a chance to do so. According to Gray Panthers Miami-Dade Chapter board member and event organizer Jack Topel, today’s proceedings were “originally slated to be a debate, but there were scheduling conflicts, so we decided on forums. The Republicans — for whom we’ve set aside Oct. 18th — still haven’t replied.”

Too bad too, ’cause if they had, they would’ve met a gaggle of good folk consistently committed to cause. Then again, neither Ileana Ros-Lehtinen nor the Diaz-Balart brothers, Lincoln and Mario, has thus far accepted an invitation to debate anyone, unless you count Lincoln’s acceptance of an invitation from CBS, which was never even extended in the first place.

No matter, the Democrats showed and they showed strong. Joltin’ Joe Garcia, the natural who, given a podium, could command a crowd for days, opened the proceedings with a vow to take that which Mario had gerrymandered into being, and turn it into something representing a district, rather than a fiefdom. Taddeo, as determined as she is poised and informed, followed up by lambasting Ros-Lehtinen for, among other things, rubber-stamping Bush’s efforts to end the S-CHIP program. And then Martinez, who in person seems like the kinda man you’d want to take in a ball game with, concluded by warning everyone to be on the lookout for an element of fear to be injected into the coming election, adding a crack about the newfound respect hoisted upon former mayors since a certain someone was given the VP nod, even though he has represented condos with a larger population than the entire city of Wasilla.

FL-18 Notes

The Miami Herald reports that Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's campaign e-mail to Dade teachers draws ire. Imagine being so clueless as to think spamming people wouldn't bother them!

Meanwhile Daily Kos bring us some poll numbers that remind us of the strong position Ros-Lehtinen starts in (53-36, the usual margin in the past when running against weaker opponents) before the Taddeo campaign takes to the airwaves. Indeed, as South Florida seats go, this is one of the safer ones — but no one is safe this year.

I'm waiting for Taddeo to go negative; if and when that happens, I think this race will get much more fluid. After all, there's so much to be negative about.

Annette Taddeo is on TV With Her First Ad

Annette Taddeo is on TV with here first ad, YouTube - New Beginning

There's also a spanish version.

Red to Blue Adds Annette Taddeo to List

Maybe it was the grass roots organizing and public support demonstrated when Annette Taddeo won the recent Act Blue fundraising contest.

Maybe it was the drumbeat of criticism of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz for failing to step up to the plate.

Maybe it was the embarrassment of failing to support the only Latina challenger for a federal race in the entire country.

Maybe it was that South Florida Democrats kept reminding the DCCC just how bad Ileana Ros-Lehtinen really is.

Maybe it was when Ileana Ros-Lehtinen emerged as a leading cheerleader for Gov. Sarah Palin — a job many other leading Republican women declined.

But whatever it was, the dam has burst, and (at least according to DCCC head honcho Chris Van Hollen, as quoted in the Politico) the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has added Annette Taddeo (FL-18) to its elite list of Red to Blue candidates. As the DCCC puts it,

The Red to Blue program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country, and offers them financial, communications, and strategic support. These candidates earned a spot in the program by surpassing demanding fundraising goals and skillfully demonstrating to voters that they stand for change and will represent new priorities when elected to Congress.

This is a very important step for establishing the Taddeo campaign as one with real prospects of winning, and should provided welcome access to wallets in Florida and nationally.

Annette Taddeo Wins

No, not the election — not yet anyway.

But, Annette Taddeo won the contest at Act Blue by getting the most online donors. So thank you to all readers who sent something in.

Here's the letter from Taddeo announcing the victory,

We won the Blue America online contest with 557 votes, 161 more than any other candidate!

Thanks to you – we banked $15,813 and became the #1 candidate across all of ActBlue.

Thank you to all who voted by contributing $1 or more – and thank you to those who had friends and family vote.

Your small contributions and your relentless grassroots outreach made a big difference!

Thank you so much for your support,

Annette Taddeo

Now, if Debbie Wasserman-Schultz would just get with the program and open her checkbook before it's too late…

Give Taddeo $1 and Help Her Win $5000 (Updated)

They're having a contest at Act Blue: Blue America Candidates and Annette Taddeo is only (at this writing) TEN contributions short of taking the lead.

The contest is for the number of donors, not the amounts, so even a $1 contribution helps — though of course several dollars would be nice too.

How about $1? Right now?

UPDATE (8/3, 2:30pm): She's ahead, but only by a hair — please help keep her there.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Loves Palin (Someone Should Tell Debbie Wasserman-Schultz)

Here's what incumbent GOP Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18) said about McCain's impulsive choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin,

“I thought 'wow, what a great ticket'. I think it was needed for our Republican Party to reach out to women, to those independent voters and I think the governor of Alaska is an independent thinker just like John McCain has been.”

Apparently, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (DINO-FL), who is chairing the DCCC’s Red-to-Blue program but somehow has neglected to throw a single dollar of her money to Annette Taddeo, doesn't share her good friend Illeana's analysis of the virtues of the Palin choice. She said,

Sarah Palin is no Hillary Clinton….Women in this country don't want a candidate on the ballot just because of the parts that she has….It's not just electing a woman for the sake of getting a women over there.” Instead, she said, women want equal pay for equal work, protection of reproductive rights, access to affordable health care for their children etc.

Which sounds right to me. But it just raises the question — again! — as to why Debbie Wasserman-Schultz refuses to support Annette Taddeo, a great local candidate running against Ileana who is just a hard-core Republican candidate, one who routinely opposes all those things that Debbie Wasserman Schultz says she is for.

Send Annette that check Debbie! And tell your friends they should too.

Wasserman-Schultz Watch

Daily Kos: FL-18: DWS Undermines Taddeo to Florida Delegates

Again.

I agree with “DavidNYC” at Kos: “Call Debbie Wasserman Schultz's campaign office at (202) 741-7154 and ask her to do as Rep. Meek has done: make a sizable donation to the Taddeo campaign and solicit her network for more contributions.”

At least DWS has come around on the other races in this area. It shows pressure works. Let's apply some more.

Dems Surging in South Florida

Surge down here usually means “storm surge” not Iraq. But from now on it should also mean 'rapid growth in number of registered Democrats.'

Read all about it at Daily Kos: Miami-Dade's Democratic resurgence. I knew things were good, but I didn't think it was as good as this. Great news for Taddeo and Garcia!

So it's time to give generously to Annette Taddeo and Joe Garcia.

The Medicare Fraud/Ros-Lehtinen Connection

Nice piece at Eye on Ileana: US Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen rejects Medicare fraud remedy.

Tell your friends about Annette Taddeo.

At Last! EMILY'S LIST Endorses Taddeo

Well, it's about time! EMILY'S LIST has gotten off the the fence and endorsed Annette Taddeo for Congress in FL-18.

Yes, I can see why in the abstract it might be hard for a feminist group to come out against a senior woman in the House. But in this case, given just how bad Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's record is on women's issues, it should have been easy.

Here's the key part of the EMILY'S LIST's announcement:

Annette Taddeo, Florida’s 18th Congressional District A small business owner and a community leader, Annette Taddeo is running for Congress because she believes South Florida needs a new beginning. As founder and CEO of LanguageSpeak, Taddeo has a 15 year track record as a successful businesswoman and was named Businesswoman of the Year by the South Florida Business Journal and one of the top 50 Latina entrepreneurs in the country by Hispanic Magazine. Taddeo is also a strong advocate for women as the chair of the Women’s Enterprise National Council’s Leadership Forum and a National Founding Partner and member of the executive board of WIPP —Women Impacting Public Policy. Taddeo’s priorities reflect the values of the 18th district. She has already raised more than every recent Democratic challenger in this seat combined and the district is seeing historic increases in Democratic voter registration. Annette Taddeo’s leadership, experience, and dedication to her community will make her a valuable voice for the working families she will represent in Congress.

This is a very big deal for the Taddeo campaign — and it means that Debbie Wasserman Schultz is now virtually isolated in her failure to get on the Taddeo bandwagon. Wasserman Schultz Must Support Taddeo. Come on Debbie — time is running out. We're waiting.

Wasserman Schultz Must Support Taddeo

Daily Kos: Debbie Wasserman Schultz Still Sandbagging Taddeo.

Which reminds me: I got a robophone poll a couple of days ago which asked who I supported in the Presidential election. Then it asked what I think of Sen. Mel Martinez (I think he's doing a terrible job).

Then the poll asked who'd I'd support in an election between Bob Graham and Martinez. I actually think Graham would be a bit old by then to be my candidate of choice, but I said I'd support him. I suppose they include him as he's sort of the gold standard for calibrating support for Democrats in Florida state politics.

Then it got interesting: the robopollster asked who I'd support in a matchup between Martinez and Wasserman Schultz. Panic. I couldn't of course support Martinez. After the way she's dealt with Taddeo, and south Florida in general, I had no desire to support Wasserman Schultz in a poll. But should I say Martinez as a form of protest? Could I say Martinez?

No, I couldn't. So I copped out and said I was undecided.

At that point the robopoll voice switched (and got much softer), as if I'd triggered something, and I got asked some demographic questions, and it was over.

Attention Debbie Wasserman Schultz: what you are doing is not costless behavior. We are taking notes, and we have long memories. And megaphones. And friends.

Local Political News Catchup

While I was away, Annette Taddeo endorsed the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq. (Joe Garcia had endorsed it previously.) It's not a perfect plan, but nothing to do with Iraq is perfect, and this is the basis for as good a solution as we're likely to get.

Also while I was away, Joe Garcia's campaign started a blog they're calling A Cup of Joe. There's an Atom RSS feed. Looks good.

Blue America Endorses Taddeo

Annette Taddeo joins an elite group of insurgent Democratic candidates endorsed by Blue America: Crooks and Liars: Blue America Welcomes Annette Taddeo.

PS. Live chat with Annette Taddeo today from 2-4pm (East Coast time) at Firedoglake

Obama to Ramp Up Staff in Flordia

Sam Stein, in the Huffington Post, Obama 'Months Ahead' Of Gore/Kerry In Organizing Florida:

The new locations will include Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Sarasota, and the ever-important (think, 2000) Miami-Dade. Next week the campaign will be adding centers in Ft. Myers, Tallahassee, Orlando, Miami-Dade (2nd), Homestead, Naples, Hollywood and Tampa (where they already have an office) to the list. The Illinois Democrat is currently operating out of Tampa, Gainesville and Ft. Lauderdale.

The offices, according to Bubriski, will be staffed, and do not include the varous volunteer offices that Obama will have at his disposal. None of the locations are existing Democratic party headquarters

The implications of this extend well beyond the Presidential campaign. Obama will stress turnout. Turnout will help the whole ticket — especially the Congressional candidates.

Taddeo Vows to Beat Ros-Lehtinen

This is the video I was talking about in my earlier post — the Taddeo campaign found a way to convert it. I think it shows that Taddeo is hitting her stride as a speaker.

The Whisper Campaign Against Taddeo

In The Democratic Campaign Against Progressive Democrat Annette Taddeo fearless Matt Stoller puts in writing some stuff that I was hearing at Netroots Nation from some others — but only on condition I not write it down.

So let's look closer at a subtle campaign against Ros-Lehtinen's progressive Democratic opponent, Annette Taddeo. This campaign is designed to get two memes out there, that Taddeo can't win and that Ros-Lehtinen is 'moderate'. The first meme is designed to lock out institutional support from Taddeo, the second to help Ros-Lehtinen portray herself as moderate to voters. The notable thing about this campaign against a progressive Democrat is that it's coming from Democrats in the local establishment and parts of the DC establishment. The rumors of Ros-Lehtinen's strength are allowing groups like EMILY's List to not come in to the race, citing viability questions. To his credit Chris Van Hollen at the DCCC has reserved airtime in FL-18, so there is recognition she can pull this off. And I will have stats soon on EMILY's List support of candidates of color to show why the group should come in for Taddeo.

Ros-Lehtinen is anything but a moderate. She's not even as moderate on GLBT issues as she's often portrayed — even I was surprised to learn that Ros-Lehtinen voted for DOMA, for example. As for the constituent services angle, I think Ros-Lehtinen's competence here benefits enormously from the contrast to the utter incompetence of the neighboring Diaz-Balart brothers, who are reputed to be well below average in this department.

I am not part of the inner circle of anything, so I have no inside knowledge as to what's going on in the campaigns or in the various advocacy groups. But here's one thing I do know: I think that people may be underestimating Taddeo because she's new to all this. As I noted in an earlier post (Annette Taddeo Offical Campaign Launch), her first draft of her basic speech wasn't punchy enough. But when I saw her in action again last week (NN08: Annette Taddeo Is a 'Future Leader'), I thought she was really starting to get it.

And she's still getting better with practice. I have a video I took of a pitch-perfect little talk she gave to some supporters at a reception late in the Netroots Nation convention that I think shows off Taddeo's developing skills. Unfortunately, I took the video with a camera that writes straight to DVD, and I haven't figured out how to trim and convert the video to an internet-friendly format without ruining the sound synchronization.

Anyone able to download and tinker with a 736 MB zip of the DVD files, or the 157 MB MP4 version (you basically need to cut all of it out but the last 10 minutes, without unsynching the sound; or you need a way to re-synch it), please contact me privately. [Update: it's done, thanks. See next post.]

Meanwhile, here's a repeat link to Howie Klein Explains Why Taddeo Will Win, and a handy link to contribute to the Taddeo campaign.

National Dems to Buy $1.4 Million of Local Congressional Ads

According to a Washington Post blog, The Fix, House Democratic Campaign Arm Broadens TV Buy, the DCC is buying $1.4 million in local ads to boost the chances of Joe Garcia, Raul Martinez, and Annette Taddeo.

This is what comes of overturning the GOP's traditional edge in fundraising. And AFAIK these are genuinely uncoordinated expenditures (as the law requires) because (at least in my presence) le tout of Democratic political South Florida has been on tenterhooks wondering if, when, if, the DCCC would make a local move.

NN08: Annette Taddeo Is a 'Future Leader'

Annette Taddeo was just on a panel at Netroots Nation, being showcased as one of four 'Future Leaders'.

Watching her and her staff work the conference, I've been impressed by the organization and discipline (and advance preparation) of her campaign.

Really, the only thing that worries me about Ms. Taddeo is that left to herself, she comes across as really nice. She's great at showing how deeply she cares about the terrible things that the GOP has been doing to us. And she presents as very smart too. Given her personal history as a successful businessperson, and the well-oiled campaign organization she's building, there's undoubtedly a lot of steel magnolia in there, and I think to win against an entrenched incumbent we may need to see a bit more of it, more consistently. (The problem with Rep. Ros-Lehtinen is more than “a lack of leadership”.)

Interestingly, the sharpness comes up more in the Q&A then when she does her set-pieces. Then she not only presents as well-informed, but can toss off the sharp soundbite.

My favorite was when she was asked if she's helped by having Obama on the ticket. Ms. Taddeo responded that “I'm a non-Cuban Hispanic Jewish American” and suggested that having her on the ticket she helped Obama with turnout in key groups too — in a region where he has to win big if he wants to carry the state of Florida. “I can be really helpful to Obama, and wish that some of the donors would see that and be helpful to me.”

Another great zinger was when Ms. Taddeo noted that her opponent voted for DOMA (the so-called 'Defense of Marriage Act') which prevents the federal government from recognizing a state's gay marriage, or from allowing gay couples to enjoy married couple's benefits such as in social security. Voters in Florida think their representative supports gay rights, Taddeo said, but in fact she doesn't.

And it got better — Taddeo noted that her opponent spoke eloquently against torture when it was done to Cubans but accepts it now. And then better - Taddeo did a great riff on how Ros-Lehtinen loves to try to look like a Democrat and — now that she has a real opponent — has even been forced to vote with Democrats a couple times.

I came away thinking, “You know, she's getting good at this.”

PS. The other three candidates on the panel were genuinely impressive too, but I especially liked Jim Himes from CT-04, who I hadn't seen before.

Howie Klein Explains Why Taddeo Will Win

DownWithTyranny!: Another Exceptional Candidate Debbie Wasserman Schultz Is Trying To Undermine In Florida— Meet Annette Taddeo sets out the case for Democrat Annette Taddeo's upcoming victory in the Congressional district where I live:

FL-18 is the most Democratic leaning (PVI- R +4) of the three districts and Annette's campaign is both well-organized and well-funded. Last year two state assembly seats in the district flipped from Republican top Democratic, a far better predictor than Wasserman Schultz' propaganda barrage on behalf of Ileana Ros Lehtinen. And FL-18 gave over 56% of it's vote to Senator Bill Nelson in 2006. Bush won there in 2004 with 54%— as opposed to 57% in Lincoln Diaz-Balart's 21st CD (PVI- R+6) and to 56% in Mario Diaz-Balart's 25th CD (PVI- R+4). While the Diaz-Balarts pretty much acknowledge they are right-wing extremists and just count on tired anti-Castro rhetoric to get them elected over and over, Ros-Lehtinen though voting almost exactly the way the Diaz-Balarts vote (for the war, for illegal wiretaps, against children's health care, for tax breaks for the rich, etc), tries to paint it over with a thin veneer of being a “moderate.” She isn't. Since October 10, 2002 she has participated in 63 votes regarding the war in Iraq. She voted the straight Bush-Cheney line 62 times and voted “against” them when the House decided to transform a grant into a loan. But when it comes to supporting our troops with health care or sufficient armor and pay increases, she voted against the troops each and every time— 22 votes against the troops, zero votes for the troops. The fake moderate voted the exact same way on aid to veterans: 23 times against the vets, zero times for the vets. Does this sound “moderate?” Ileana Ros-Lehtinen opposes a woman's right to choice, even in the case of rape and/or incest. She isn't a moderate and she isn't an independent. She's no less extreme than the Diaz-Balarts— and that is extreme.

Recent polling by Lake Research, the most respected Beltway polling firm, shows a very different story from the one Wasserman Schultz has been surreptitiously pushing out to the media. Although Annette is just starting to get known to most of the district, the poll shows she is already “positioned for a strong general election contest against [the] incumbent… After hearing a mix of positive and negative on both women, Taddeo pulls into a narrow lead over Ros-Lehtinen: 44% for Taddeo to 42% for Ros-Lehtinen.”

Personally, I think Taddeo can do it — but she'll need to go more negative against Ros-Lehtinen than has so far been her taste. Goodness knows there's so much to be negative about…

As for what Klein has to say about Wasserman-Schultz's continued failure to support our candidate, I'm very sorry to read that she hasn't learned her lesson from last time (see Wasserman Schultz Deserves Her Bad Publicity). So here's my message to Rep. Wasserman-Schultz: Let's get Taddeo on the “Red to Blue” list ASAP.

And don't think we won't remember this when you run for state office.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Is Scared

Is there any other way to interpret this other than that Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is suddenly worried about her re-election prospects?

Ros-Lehtinen: I'm no Bush 'rubber stamp': Out of the blue, Ros-Lehtinen's office Tuesday shot out two press releases: list of domestic initiatives where Ros-Lehtinen has broken with the current administration and “list of foreign policy initiatives where Ros-Lehtinen has broken with the current administration.”

Her office said it was interested in debunking any perception that the generally reliably Republican is a rubber stamp for President Bush.

This is pretty funny: Where on earth could anyone have gotten that idea? Perhaps it's all the statements of support she's made for Bush over the years.

Something, someone, has her worried.

Is it Bush's tanking popularity?

Or is the Annette Taddeo campaign getting some traction?

As far as I'm aware, other than on issues relating to gays and lesbians (who form an important voting block in Florida's 18th Congressional District), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has been a pretty reliable Bush vote on everything that matters: the Iraq war, FISA, health care, you name it.

A spokeswoman for Annette Taddeo, Ros-Lehtinen's Democratic challenger, said Ros-Lehtinen had voted “85 percent of the time for her boss, George Bush. ''Her decision to release the 15 percent of the bills where she did not vote with George Bush is a clear indication of the fact she understands she is disconnected with the needs of the people of the district,'' said spokeswoman Anastasia Apa.

Indeed, if you think about it, if all you have to boast about is that about one time out of seven you don't vote with Bush, that's not a whole lot to boast about, is it?

Let's hope for more great press releases like those.

The Classic Empty Chair

Under the headline Debating chickens, Eye on Ileana brings us this great photo of Annette Taddeo debating an empty chair:

Looks like someone is hiding from the voters….

DCCC Sponsors Great Ad Aimed at Local GOP Congresspeople

S. Florida Republicans' Doublespeak on Supporting Our Troops

Local GOP Candidates Back Out of Debates

Catching up on the local news, now that I'm back in Miami — complete with the standard ride-an-airplane-catch-a-cold. It seems that the local GOP congressional incumbents are trying to avoid debating their challengers: Miami-Dade Dems: Debate? Republicans run and hide.

Joe Garcia, challenging Mario Diaz-Balart for District 25, said in a statement Wednesday that his opponent had backed out of a commitment to debate.

“This is an act of political cowardice. If Mario Diaz-Balart had time to vote to underfund our schools, three times against children’s healthcare and against medical benefits for veterans, then he better make time to explain himself to the people of South Florida,” the statement said.

Of course, it's SOP in the incumbent playbook to avoid debating an opponent as much as possible for fear that they have more to gain. Normally the candidates do one or two set-pieces just before the election and that's it.

But I don't think that the regular playbook is going to apply to this abnormal year, especially in macho S. Florida — at least for the male candidates. How it will play in the 18th, where two women are in the race, I'm less clear.

Vote to Get Wesley Clark to South Florida

Gen. Wesley Clark is running a nice stunt in which he'll go and spend a day doing community service in a district where a progressive democrat is running. The stunt part is that where he goes will be chosen on the basis of an online vote (aka email address harvesting operation).

But if you're willing to give up your email address to what will undoubtedly be a polititcal ad blasting operation, why not go over to Serve with the General - Pick a District and vote for FL-18 [Annette Taddeo] or FL-25 [Joe Garcia].

Taddeo Meets Local Bloggers

Annette Taddeo had a meeting with some local bloggers — it happened to be on a day while I was out of town.

You can read about it South Florida Daily Blog and Incertus.

Update: more links, lifted from SFDB: Bark Bark Woof Woof and Miami-Dade Dems.

Report From the Annette Taddeo Campaign Office Opening Party

The Taddeo for Congress (Florida's 18th District) campaign had a party yesterday evening to celebrate the opening of its new headquarters and I went along to see … partly because they invited local bloggers, partly from nostalgia — back in the day I worked on three different Congressional campaigns, topping out as the press secretary for one in Northern Virginia.

It was a good event, and marks a hopeful start for what must be, despite everything going for it, an uphill campaign. The Taddeo for Congress office is located at 11509 S. Dixie Highway, in the Suniland Shopping Center. It's not visible from the street as it is tucked behind a giant Starbucks. (Back in the day, you sited your campaign HQ near donuts so you could feed the volunteers. Now I guess they buy their own lattes.) The offices occupy a space bifurcated by the pleasant pedestrian alley that runs down the side of the Starbucks. They've set up one side for volunteers, and the other side is for the staff offices. (The volunteer side used to be occupied by my favorite local computer repair shop, Get Your PC Back, which has moved inconveniently further south.)

So far there are six paid staff members on the Taddeo campaign: Anastasia Apa, the campaign manager, who I gather grew up in the area and has done political work in Florida and elsewhere; Ross Cohen, the Deputy Campaign Manger, a recent veteran of Afghanistan but still very young-looking, two finance people who seemed on the ball, a PA for the candidate, and Mario, the first campaign intern. They've also got some energized volunteers, including one formidable young lady who Taddeo in her speech recognized as being almost full time and who indeed had an admirably proprietorial air towards the HQ.

I saw a lot of good things: the crowd was enthused, the Herald and one TV station showed up, the candidate did well (more on this below), the offices seem usable, and the location is as good as anything for this unbelievably spread out gerrymander of a district that runs from the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys, up through Homestead, a bit of Kendall, some Pinecrest, grabs my neighborhood near the University of Miami, keeps running north to hit some of the more traditional Cuban blocks to north of the Tamiami Trail, and then zooms east to include some of Miami Beach.

I also saw some signs of an office that is still teething: they have stickers but not buttons or yard signs (I want a yard sign!) and they don't have a press person, so the TV camera filmed the candidate against a blank background instead of one with a flag and/or a big campaign sign. (And all you find under the “issues” tab on their web page is “coming soon” — couldn't we have at least a set of bullet points? I'll even offer to write them.)

The race has to be the most uphill of the three South Florida Congressional races in which serious Democratic challengers are taking on Republican incumbents. Joe Garcia — who turned up to lend his support — has the most national glitz, and maybe the best chance of the three given the limited popularity of his opponent in FL-25. Raul Martinez (FL-21) has his machine. What does the Annette Taddeo campaign have? It's got the American Dream, the idea that there comes a time when regular folks stand up and run for Congress because the nation is running in the wrong direction. And it has a photogenic candidate with a great personal story.

Taddeo's speech was pretty good, and perhaps more affecting for seeming a little unscripted. It started strange to my campaign-practiced ear — rather than launching right in, Taddeo sounded almost tentative at first, saying that the decision to run had not been easy. She had wondered about whether “to go against someone who has, in some cases, done a good job”. (What's this, praising the arch-villain?) But, Taddeo said, “I saw some things that were just not going in the right direction.” As a businesswoman, she became concerned about the economy; and then there was the war — and here's where Taddeo energized the crowd. Ros-Lehtinen, she said sadly, supported the war every step of the way. Then, her voice emotional rather than angry, Taddeo said “we need to get out of Iraq and get our soldiers out of Iraq.” The crowd clapped loudly.

Any Democrat running against a die-hard Bush supporter like Ros-Lehtinen can expect to be pilloried by the right wing for urging a pullout. But Taddeo has a pretty good comeback: her late father, she said, fought in WW2 and Korea. “I recall how angry and upset” he was about the war and about the use of WMDs as an excuse for the invasion. “I'm sure he would be proud of me now” for stepping up to oppose this war. “I know he is watching me.”

Anyone who tries to wrap themselves in the flag against this woman will have to contend with her father's approval beaming down from Heaven. It could work.

Sounding angry for the first time, Taddeo said that the thing that ultimately convinced her it was her turn to try to give something back to the country was “when my opponent voted against children.” (Note to the campaign: this is a good line. Use it often. Find a half dozen other sound bites like it.) This third issue is — or should be — a major one for this district which, while it has a few rich neighborhoods also has more poor ones. Ros-Lehtinen voted again and again against SCHIP. How can we spend $250 million a day for the war and not provide health care for poor children, Taddeo asked. How can a rich country like ours put parents to the choice of paying the rent or buying medicine, or paying for their child's hospital bill.

Here again, Taddeo had a good personal story: she was born with a cleft palate. Her parents cared for her; and she can feel what it must be like for a parent to not be able to help a child. (It didn't hurt that a very pretty little girl of two or three, who I took to be Taddeo's daughter, had been upstaging the candidate earlier as she chatted with attendees.)

Then we got the pitch. And while this candidate may be a beginner, she's got that part down very well. The current gimmick is to ask 209 people to give $20.09 — to show that people who can't afford more still care about the campaign for the country's future. And, of course, those who could Contribute $2009 or even to max out were encouraged to do that too.

Joe Garcia said something about how he envied the nice offices, and Taddeo shot back, “That's what happens when you put a businesswoman in charge!” It was nice to see a hint of steel. Dave Patlak, who ran in 2006, was there (sporting an Obama pin), and he led the crowd in chants of “Taddeo Today, Taddeo Tomorrow” which got a laugh at first, then had everyone joining in.

The Taddeo campaign officially kicked off on February 26th, and in less than five weeks it took in more than $325,000 — although looking at the numbers, I have to think that a serious chunk of that came from the candidate herself rather than donations. For comparison, Raul Martinez , who got an earlier start, raised $615,000; Joe Garcia raised about a third of a million from donations.)

Unfortunately, at the close of the most recent reporting period, Ros-Lehtinen reported $1.72 million cash on hand after raising $880,000 since the last election. That's a cash mountain. Make her spend it all, Annette!

The 18th is reputed to be a safe seat for the GOP; it was certainly drawn that way. But is it really so safe any more? Our district has changed in the last decade. The Cuban vote is not monolithic, generationally or attitudinally. My Cuban neighbors hate the war. Ros-Lehtinen has an opponent who is articulate, passionate without being hostile, Hispanic, female, and raised six figures in four weeks. Uphill, yes, but a real contest to look forward to.

Open Season on Wasserman Schultz

Blogs from all across the land are piling on to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz today.

As a result, she's staged a very small retreat, nicely summarized by Flablog, as

Wasserman Schultz clarifies: She's only going to passively-aggressively oppose Democrats running for Congress.

The fact is, she earned this abuse fair and square. But given that DWS is one of the more reasonable congresspersons in the state, and would probably be a better Senator than Bill Nelson — he voted for torture, she wouldn't — I can't say I that the current feeding frenzy fills me with joy. But she earned it.

It's important for state Democrats to stop taking the party for granted.

Wasserman Schultz Deserves Her Bad Publicity

According to Blast Off!: My date with Debbie, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz isn't happy that some local blogs have been beating up on her for her stab in the back of our three strong local Democratic Congressional candidates.

Well, I'm sorry, but I'm with Daily Kos: Why we fight, or, why Debbie Wasserman Schultz is a problem: if she has a leadership role in the DCCC, not to mention Senatorial ambitions, this just won't do.

Update: More about this from Daily Kos. I think the nickname “Debbie Dubya” may be a little harsh, but I understand why people are upset about this.

Special Election Results Suggest Local Races Are Very Competitive

Democrats won big in a special election in Illinois on Saturday, winning the congressional seat formerly held by GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert. This suggests a large national swing to Democrats at the congressional level. Especially around here. The Fix agrees,

Putting The Hastert Seat Loss in Context - The Fix: Those statistics got us to thinking about just how wide the Democratic target list could grow if the special election in Illinois was taken as a test case for the fall.

Looking for a way to compare apples to apples when it comes to congressional districts, we turned to our old friends at the Cook Political Report and their Partisan Voting Index (PVI). The PVI was developed by the folks at Cook in the summer of 1997 as a way of looking at measuring every district in the country against the nation as a whole. Each district was given a score — R+6, D+19 — that indicated how it performed on the presidential level when compared to the country. A score of R+6 means that the district performed six points more Republican than the country as a whole; conversely, a score of D+19 means the seat performed 19 points more Democratic than the nation. (A further explanation of PVI is behind the Cook Report's subscription wall so get one today!)

Illinois' 14th district has a PVI score of R+5. …

…

Florida boasts nine districts currently held by GOPers with PVI ratings between R 1 and R 5. Those nine districts are a mix of the once competitive (Florida's 8th and 12th), the occasionally competitive (Florida's 13th and 24th) and the never competitive (Florida's 5th, 7th, 15th, 18th and 25th.) Democrats have spent considerable time recruiting in Florida and are expected to put a number of these seats — including the 24th and 25th — in play this November.

But there's a fly in the ointment: Important local Democrats are too invested in being clubby with the GOP power structure — or with local sugar interests? — to give their all. Even local stars Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Kendrick Meeks are taking a pass on fighting for their party — and for Florida.

Not surprisingly, local activists and party workers are very unhappy.

I'm particularly disappointed in Wasserman Schultz on this one.

Annette Taddeo Offical Campaign Launch

I neglected to note that Annette Taddeo officially launched her campaign yesterday. I would have loved to go, but it happened during a class. Here's the press release.

Annette Taddeo officially announced her candidacy for Congress in Florida's 18th Congressional District today at Congressman Dante Fascell Park in South Miami. Taddeo was joined by supporters, elected officials, family and friends.

Taddeo kicked off her campaign for change. "I am here today, asking for your support in our quest for a new direction - not just in Washington, but here at home as well, because South Florida needs leaders who can be independent, inclusive leaders who will be bold and bi-partisan, both courageous and compassionate", said Taddeo.

Taddeo spoke specifically about issues she plans to focus on during her run for Congress. She said she would work to balance the nation's budget, protect the environment and slow global warming, improve access to affordable and available healthcare, and bring our troops home safely from Iraq. "My campaign for change will be about focusing on the issues that matter, and on sharing solutions about how we can create a better community and country", stated Taddeo at the announcement.

Taddeo says she is running because she wants to make a difference for the people of the district, and believes the time is right with the electorate ready for new leadership.

"We have heard the people's desire for change, for leaders who will work everyday in Washington to improve life here at home, for a change in the way the powers that be do business in Washington, and for leaders who will work to create a government that works for all of us", said Taddeo.

The results last night from New York state suggest that no Republican is safe anywhere this year.

Update: Similar result -- Democratic upset -- in the special election for Florida House District 32.

Herald Article on Annette Taddeo Online

In South Florida Democrats Field Strong Congressional Candidates I noted that the Herald's print article on Annette Taddeo didn't seem to be on the web site.

It's up now — perhaps because I wrote in asking what happened to it? — as Ros-Lehtinen latest to face a challenger.

South Florida Democrats Field Strong Congressional Candidates

The Miami Herald's Metro section today has a big article on Annette Taddeo's plan to challenge Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for the Florida's 18th congressional district. (Official Annette Taddeo for Congress web site.) Goodness knows that the incumbent has been a terrible representative for us: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen relentlessly for the war and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen routinely puts ideology above South Florida's economic interests.

[Other relevant past posts: Who Will Run Against Ros-Lehtinen? (All Politics Is Local) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Admits She Lied, But Doesn’t Apologize.]

There is something strange, even unique, about the Herald's article, however: it is not available on line. I have never before encountered a Metro section piece that I wanted to link to that wasn't available online for at least a week. No idea if it's human error, some new policy, or something special.

Meanwhile, some of the details are at Eye on Ileana: Annette Taddeo's bid for District 18 is now open.

Needless to say, I'm delighted that IR-L has drawn a serious challenger, although anyone would have to admit that it will be an uphill struggle.

Meanwhile, good things are happening in neighboring districts: local political operative and popular long-time Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez is challenging Lincoln Diaz-Balart in the 21st.

Even better, local Democratic star Joe Garcia announced he's running in District 25 against Mario Diaz-Balart. (Official Joe Garcia for Congress web site.) Here's a piece of the TV coverage:

We're in for interesting times, a taste of which can be found in TheHill.com's Sensing Cuba shift, Democrats target trio of House Republicans in Florida.

GOP in Danger Even Here

According to a diary at Daily Kos, there's a move afoot to draft Joe Garcia, one the best local Democrats, to run against Mario Diaz-Balart in the 25th district. What's more, there's talk of drafting someone to run against Ileana Ros-Lehtinen here in the 18th!

It would be the year to try it. And she's seriously out of touch with this district, gerrymandered as it is.

Previous posts:

Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of the Eighteenth District of Florida Votes Against Health Care for Poor Children

Who Will Run Against Ros-Lehtinen? (All Politics Is Local)

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Admits She Lied, But Doesn't Apologize

Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of the Eighteenth District of Florida Votes Against Health Care for Poor Children

How sad it is to be represented by a Republican with such a safe seat that she can vote against her community's interests.

Final Vote Results for Roll Call 906: Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of the 18th District of Florida voted against the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act which would have expanded the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). In other words, she voted against insuring another four million kids who lack health insurance because their parents simply don't make enough money to pay for it.

Florida has an estimated 658,000 uninsured children. This bill would have provided health insurance for about 240,000 of them (down from the larger number in the original Democratic version of the bill). But even that one-third increase was too much for Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who toed the GOP party line that effective government programs must not be allowed to grow, for fear that people might start to believe that government can actually help them.

What a terrible, terrible vote. It's not the childrens' fault that their parents are poor. And the amount of money at stake is remarkably low in the grand scheme of things — compared to tax cuts for the richest Americans for example.

Will no one rid of this representative who votes against our interests?

[Update: cf. Who Will Run Against Ros-Lehtinen? (All Politics Is Local).]

Two Related Political Items

Two items with a connection.

First, my Congressional Representative, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, endorsed McCain for President.

Second, McCain today embarrassed himself (or, if you prefer, further sullied the remaining shreds of his good name) at the confirmation hearing of Gen George Casey to be Army Chief of Staff. McCain's, by buying into the BushCo line that although The Decider™ made all the decisions, it was the evil vizier, Gen. Casey, who is responsible for the debacle in Iraq.

McCain isn't going to be President. I don't even think he'll be the nominee, although I'm less sure of that. I am sure that they'll be nothing of him left by the time he gets the nomination, and that he'll have depleted his greatest asset—the press's infatuation.

Welcome, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, to the sinking ship.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Admits She Lied, But Doesn't Apologize

About as un-graciously as humanly possible, my Congressional representative has admitted that she's a liar, and that she slandered filmakers last week when she accused them of doctoring tape to put words in her mouth.

Last week, Ros-Lehtinen was still denying that the tapes showing her calling for Castro's assassination were accurate, and was accusing the filmmakers of doctoring the tape. Then they released the raw tapes, and we found out who was telling the truth. And it's not Ros-Lehtinen.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen admitted on Friday, through a spokesman, that she did call for the death of ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro during an interview with a British documentary-maker whom she had earlier accused of altering the video.

''Yes, it's in the documentary, she said that,'' said Alex Cruz, the congresswoman's spokesman.

Ros-Lethinen did not want to respond further, Cruz said, because "she's focused her energies on issues that are more important for the community.

''Neither she nor I have seen the raw footage, without editing, but if that's in the documentary, she said it,'' Cruz said.

Having wrongly and cravenly accused the documentary makers of the most serious professional misconduct, Ros-Lehtinen is waiting to see how the wind blows before deciding if she has to apologize:

''Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has made a very serious accusation against the documentary's crew,'' [director Dollan] Cannell said. "Her accusation is totally false and I would like her to retract what she said and to apologize.''

Cruz did not respond directly to whether Ros-Lehtinen plans to apologize to the director.

Ros-Lehtinen Caught on Tape

Think Progress, Congresswoman Caught In Lie Over Castro Assassination Claim details how my Congressperson has, it seems, been caught in a bare-faced lie.

She says a video tape was doctored to make it look like she was calling for Castro's assassination when in fact she wasn't. The filmmakers have released the raw video which supports their story not hers and asked her to retract the slur on their integrity. We're still waiting on that one.

Anyone who's followed Ros-Lehtinen's career will know that the anti-Castro remarks seem in character (and are probably shared by a substantial fraction of her electors).

I wish I thought this flap will affect her re-election chances in '08, but I doubt it.

My Congressional Representative is Such a Source of Pride

This is what my Congressional representative is like:

In a new documentary, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) — who was “recently tapped to become the top Republican on the House International Relations Committee” — talks casually on video “about how proud she is to represent Cuban ‘freedom fighters’ living in exile in Miami and on the island.” She then says, “I welcome the opportunity of having anyone assassinate Fidel Castro and any leader who is oppressing the people.”

See it on You Tube.

Dave Patlak for Congress

I live in Florida's 18th District. Our current representative is dire: one of Bush's strongest supporters in Congress -- and the district is carefully drawn to be one of the safest GOP seats in the nation. As the local media consider the race a done deal for the incumbent, they haven't covered it much...which makes theirs a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Our local part of the 50-state strategy is Dave Patlak, a 25-year veteran of the Coast Guard, a candidate who knows the district.

If you live near me, vote for Dave. Wherever you live, consider making an online donation. If you live in the area, you can volunteer for the campaign:

Democrat Dave Patlak for Congress Campaign HQ
735 Second Street #6
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Phone: (305) 531-1513

And check out Dave's blog.

Ros-Lehtinen Drops Another Political Slur

The Representative elected from the district I live in said yesterday that some (unspecified, in the way of many slurs) Democrats are traitors and secretly hope that our soldiers are killed in battle. Yes, although not her exact words, that is the exact meaning of what she said.

Bid for Prewar Iraq Files Raises Political Heat - New York Times: Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Republican of Florida, declared that some Democrats "do not want us to win in Iraq" for fear that it would give the administration a political victory.

Will no one serious come forward to rid us of this embarrassing incumbent? It would be an uphill race, but she is much more vulnerable and unpopular around here than she seems.

Previous relevant post: Who Will Run Against Ros-Lehtinen? (All Politics Is Local).

FL-18 Still Awaits Its Knight in Shining Armor

Lamentably Florida's 18th congressional district remains one of several state congressional races in which no Democrat has yet announced plans to run. See the list of congressional races compiled by the DCCC.

Florida's 18th Congressional District

I suppose that Florida's 18th Congressional District, which I inhabit, is not the strangest shaped one in the US, but it surely has to be up there. Its odd shape is not especially visible from the map provided on Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's web page, but it can be fully appreciated thanks to the Google map of Florida's 18th Congressional District provided by GovTrack.

Who Will Run Against Ros-Lehtinen? (All Politics Is Local)

There's a Late Byzantine feel to America these days: corrupt leaders stealing what they can, infrastructure crumbling, people dying in the (flooded) street, distant losing wars far away, governmental torture, waste, fraud, internecine disputes among the leadership.

When the levee broke, and any illusion one might have of even minimal competence in this administration washed away with it. I lead a privileged life, not least because I have tenure in a law school, which gives me both the time and the obligation to think about how we can organize our society so we live better. But it doesn't take that luxury to understand just how badly the United States has been abused by the people currently in power. How, I keep wondering, can I most effectively stand up for decency, for a government that makes lives better, that protects the weak, children, the elderly, that stands for something better than torture and cutting taxes on multi-millionaires today so that we can incur more debts that inevitably will become taxes borne by my children tomorrow?

I live far from the centers of power. How then to respond to this mess in Washington from out here in the hinterland? I think it's primarily a function of temperament. Some people will dream or plot revolution; some will join cults. Many will say it's hopeless and cultivate their gardens. Others will turn to drink. And some others will do something a little more productive. Me, I'm a pretty moderate and bourgeois guy at heart. The system hasn't been bad to me, and while I see warts in it, I also see virtue. I especially like American ideals of freedom and justice, of a government of laws, of protection of liberty (and yes, thus of property), of a mutual commitment to live and let live so that each can engage in his or her own pursuit of happiness. It's our leadership's colossal failure to live up to those ideals, to be even half of what we could be, to instead be such a lead weight on the nation, that gets me so steamed. I'm not your cultist or revolutionary. I don't have a green thumb. And I can't really hold my liquor all that well. That leaves electronic pamphleteering and organizing.

I'm aware that one of the biggest reasons we're in such a pickle is that we have serious problems with our electoral system. It's not just that money talks much louder than it should; nor is it simply that most of the major electronic media outlets are owned by radical right-wingers. Several are transparently managed in a politically biased manner which relies on a combination of lies, distraction. and suppression of inconvenient people and facts. Combine all that with the terrible voting system and, perhaps worst of all, serious systematic gerrymandering and you get the Congress we have: a body in which the large majority of members are elected for life, or nearly so, at least so long as they truckle properly to the sources of re-election cash.

But if you persist in caring, and you won't drown your sorrows in a bottle, nor host clandestine meetings, politics is the only game in town.

The great Saul Alinsky instructed us that if you want to change something you start where you are. Where I am is Florida's 18th Congressional District--the district once represented by the late great Claude Pepper. And indeed, the situation is especially dire here in Florida. (And I don't just mean the voting machine problem.) Although we are the classic 50/50 state when it comes to the voting public, we are anything but a 50/50 state in either our congressional delegation or in the state house. No, the district lines are artfully done, and ensure a substantial Republican majority in the statehouse and in Congress (only the US Senate delegation is 50/50 -- can't gerrymander that!). Plus, the Democratic Party in Florida is not as aggressive as it could be: it frequently doesn't even field a candidate against entrenched incumbents in safe seats.

Under Florida law, if no one files to run against incumbents, they are declared the winner when the filing period closes. That of course means they are free to raise money and campaign for other candidates, and also can save a fortune in election expenses. Not fielding even a sacrificial lamb weakens the rest of the Democratic ticket. Our local incumbent ran unopposed in 1998, and in fact hasn't had a really serious opponent since 1992.

So I began researching what it takes to run for Congress, just because it would be nice to know, in case I ever ran into a likely candidate.

The short answer as to what is needed -- besides, perhaps, taking leave of your senses -- is that it takes either about $9,000 to pay the filing fees, or about 5,000 signatures on petitions from voters in this district (1% of 250,000 registered voters = 2,500 times the double you need to make sure enough of the signatures are valid).¹ What that gets you here in Florida's 18th congressional district, is the chance to run in a district that starts in Key West, a long drive south, and runs in a little strip right through my neighborhood in Coral Gables, continuing on to points north of me. Republicans outnumber Democrats among registered voters by about 2:1. Cuban-Americans, traditionally a seriously Republican constituency, predominate politically. Even though we have more than 100,000 social security recipients, even though our Congressperson couldn't bring herself to criticize Bush's plans to gut Social Security, this district is not likely to make anyone's top-ten list of likely Democratic pickups. Indeed, if it's not on the top-ten list of safe Republican seats, it must surely be close to it.

To ice the cake, incumbent Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, has about $1.3 million in campaign cash on hand according to the most recent report that I could find online. She is also reputed to be the Representative most favored by the Church of Scientology, an endorsement that presumably ensures a national fund-raising base and a cadre of very highly motivated campaign operatives.

In the last election, one Samuel Martin Sheldon (this one?) ran as the Democratic candidate. He raised $11,883, spent $11,882. (I wonder what happened to that last dollar?) He got 35% of the vote. Ileana raised $876,886 and spent $859,083, leaving her $1.5 million on hand at the time (wonder what she's done with that $200,000 since then?).

I read that the Democratic establishment wants to make it a race in every congressional district. I think that's a good idea, a great idea, a necessary idea. I volunteer to help the right candidate. I wonder, though, who if anyone is planning to run? Are the local and national Democratic political establishments working to find a credible candidate to take on the job of sacrificial lamb? What sort of resources the DCCC. and the DNC are offering to bring to the table if we had a good candidate? Howard Dean, are you listening?

Not that we're going to win -- but maybe we could make her spend it all this time.

---

1. There is an alternate, less expensive, procedure by which you file to be a write-in candidate. Florida has a really bizarre rule that votes for write-in candidates will be ignored unless the candidate has filed by the same deadline as a regular candidate. Write-in candidates who file don't get on the ballot, but they get votes for them recorded. The major consequence of having a write-in candidate file to run is that it prevents an otherwise unopposed candidate from being declared the winner without the formality of an election. But since the otherwise unopposed candidate is still the only name on the ballot, the election remains little more than a formality.