State of Florida Archives: on Principles & Values

Al Franken: Recount: What do we want? Patience! When do we want it? Now!

"Patience!" the troops responded.

"When do we want it?" the underdog trailing by 215 votes asked again.

"Now!" they replied.

"Patience now." That was a purposely oxymoronic notion, but it was an appropriate call-and-response for all that was in store over the next seven weeks of the recount.

Al Franken: Spent $20M on campaign; more for Great Minnesota Recount

On Nov. 15, eleven days after Election Day and four days before the Great Minnesota Recount was set to begin, more than 1,000 volunteers descended to receive training on how to monitor elections officials' actions, how to collect critical data, and how to challenge ballots.

Al Franken: OpEd: Franken should have beaten Coleman easily in blue MN

Al Franken: 2005: Formed progressive Midwest Values PAC

With his New York and Hollywood pals, his great sense of humor, his chutzpah and celebrity, raising funds was Franken's strength. Sculpting a major-league campaign that could lift the Democrats to a filibuster-proof majority was not.

Al Franken: Decided to take on Coleman when he berated Paul Wellstone

Such puffery--from a man who jumped parties to aid his ambition, who lost in 1998 to former wrestler Jesse Ventura in a gubernatorial election, and who was an accidental senator because of Wellstone's untimely death--rankled liberals. It flabbergasted Franken, who grew up as a middle class Jewish kid in the Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park in the 1950's and '60s and who had come to adore Wellstone.

Al Franken: Response to attack ad "Angry Al":why isn't Coleman outraged?

The words "Does Al Franken Have the Temperament to Be US Senator?" flashed on the TV screen. What followed were quick audio excerpts from confrontations or interviews or his book in which an agitated, argumentative, profane Franken is exposed. At the end of the 30-second spot, the words "Al Franken. Reckless. Ridiculous. Wrong." are displayed.

Five days later, Franken's campaign punched back with a calm, senatorial Franken responding. "Look, I'm not a politician and I guess I get outraged, and sometimes I've gone too far," he said, adding that with gas, grocery, and health care costs soaring and "special interests" succeeding, "My question is, Why isn't Norm Coleman outraged?"

Al Gore: Offer to Bush: Hand count, then meet to show unity

I propose a way to settle this matter with finality and justice.
• First, we should complete hand counts already begun in Palm Beach, Dade, & Broward Counties to determine the true intentions based on an objective evaluation of their ballots. Observers and participants from both parties should be present in every counting room as required under Florida law. If this happens, I will abide by the result, and I will take no legal action to challenge the result.
• I am also prepared, if Gov. Bush prefers, to include in this recount all the counties in the entire state of Florida. I would also be willing to abide by that result. We believe the count can be completed within seven days of the time it starts.
• Second, I propose that Gov. Bush and I meet personally, before the vote count is finished, not to negotiate, but to improve the tone of our dialogue in America.
• Shortly after the results are known, we should both come together for another meeting to reaffirm our national unity.

Al Gore: 2000: Urged to recount all FL; focused on just 4 counties

Andrew Gillum: Religious-political dialogue good

Andrew Gillum: Served a decade on City Commission and as Tallahassee mayor

The move also would open up the mayor's seat in 2018, which could prompt many mayoral hopefuls to run for the post.

Gillum said during his announcement call that he had a "clear and authentic voice" and an agenda that would appeal to voters. "It's important to get out there and tell our story," he said. "I am jazzed up. It might be naivete about what's around the bend."

Andrew Gillum: Keep God in the public sphere

A: Support

Annette Taddeo: Father was kidnapped by a Marxist terrorist group

Augustus Invictus: Libertarians are the party of peace & party of principle

Bob Smith: Only one in this race with real-world experience

Smith went on, "I'm intent on showing people that I am the only one in this race with real-world experience and Senate experience." In his two terms--from 1990 to 2002-- Smith gained a reputation as a bit of an odd duck. He briefly declared himself an independent in 1999, and he also briefly endorsed John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004 (Smith later retracted the Kerry endorsement.)

Brian Moore: Keep God out of the public sphere

A: I strongly oppose the merging of religion with government.ÿ As a practicing Catholic, and a former seminary student for five years in a Catholic Order (Franciscan) I strongly believe there should be a clear and definite separation of church and state.ÿ Plus, we should respect the rights of all citizens in our country to have freedom of religion, whether Christian, Mormon, Muslim, Jewish,ÿ

Charlie Crist: We need to stop the division and hate; bring state together

Charlie Crist: In Rubio's $600,000 slush fund only $4000 went to candidates

RUBIO: Those allegations have been proven false. Here are the facts. This is not taxpayer money. It was raised for the purposes of political advancement, for advancing a political agenda. And that's what the money was spent on. All this money's been accounted for.

Charlie Crist: Problem solving requires consensus, and sometimes concession

CRIST: I would work to make sure that I stand with people who will help the people of my state and my country. I am a pragmatic, common-sense conservative, always have been. I also understand that we're in a tough economy right now, and when you're in a tough economy, sometimes you have to do the kinds of things that make sense in order to be able to keep people employed. You can't just be off on some limb, rattling the cage and saying you're going to do great things and stand on principle above the people of your state that you're supposed to serve. You've got to do what's right. And this race comes down to doing what's right. That's what it's all about.

Charlie Crist: I would have left GOP anyway; they're too extreme

Rubio shot back that Crist "changes positions on the issues because he wants to win the election."

Crist tried to present himself as an independent throughout the debate, at one point calling the conversation between Meek and Rubio over tax cuts an example of partisan "bickering" that voters dislike. "You are seeing it right now, right here," Crist said. "That is why I'm running as an independent."

Meek suggested differently: "The governor is running as an independent, because he couldn't beat Marco Rubio."

Charlie Crist: We need open-mindedness in a Senator, not ideology

In a back-and-forth that defined their campaigns, Crist depicted Rubio as a conservative ideologue unable or unwilling to deviate from extreme views regardless of changing dynamics. "You know, facts change all the time," Crist said. "I think people want an open-minded senator rather than the opposite, a closed-minded senator."

Rubio "wouldn't accept tax cuts on 98% of the people in America because of his ideology," Crist said. "That's exactly the problem, that's what's not right with Washington today." While Crist advocated a compromise, Meek backed the Obama position.

Charlie Crist: I stand for fairness and trying to treat people right

What he stands for, he says, is "fairness and trying to treat people right." He thinks now that he never should have been a Republican, the sort of blithe declaration that makes Florida Republicans choke on their food. But it's true that Crist's actions annoyed plenty of Republicans even when he was one of them. As a state senator in the 1990s, education commissioner in the Jeb Bush gubernatorial administration, state attorney general, and governor beginning in 2007, Crist enjoyed bucking his party [on abortion, voting rights, education, and environmental issues]. Other than the party label, Crist says, "None of this is new. I haven't really changed."

Charlie Crist: This is a moment for inclusion rather than exclusion

Christine Gregoire: 2004 recount battle determined by absentee ballots

There was a presumption in the Franken camp that Coleman would engage in the same sort of absentee-ballot pursuit. But in years past, absentee voters, often older, tilted toward the Republicans.

The next day, the absentee-ballot universe was raised in a conference call of the still-forming Franken legal team. [One attorney] recalled how absentee ballots helped Christine Gregoire, Washington's governor, in her 2004 recount and election contest. The absentees flipped Gregoire's results and her reelection over Republican Dino Rossi. "Go for the absentees," he told his colleagues on the call. "Trust me, they screwed it up. People's signatures change. They get strokes." Stuff happens. Voters mess up. So do election officials.

Connie Mack IV: Son of Senator; husband of Congresswoman

Now many years later, his son serves in Congress and seeks the opportunity to take on incumbent Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson in November. Rep. Connie Mack IV has been endorsed by the head of the official third party organization, branded the "Tea Party." His wife is a fellow member of Congress, Mary Bono Mack, who came to Congress after the untimely death of her late husband, Sonny Bono. Sonny was a very kind and gentle person. It looks like this race in Florida, unless something fires it up, might be as mellow as was Sonny.

Connie Mack IV: GOP debates only help Democrats

So Mack has turned down invitations from The Orlando Sentinel and The Tampa Bay Times to participate in debates with GOP rivals George LeMieux, Mike McCalister and David Weldon. And Mack has effectively said no to an invitation from Leadership Florida to participate in a July 24 Republican primary debate in Tallahassee.

"We are prepared and willing to debate Sen. Nelson and feel that at this point any such Republican primary debate exercise would only serve to benefit Sen. Nelson, which no Republican wants to see," a Mack spokesman said.

Edward Janowski: Keep "God" on public buildings, as done historically

A: It's foolish to try and erase God from the public sphere, schools, and government buildings. From the earliest days of our countries history, God and Christianity has been involved, invoked, and displayed. Why try and erase history? The removal of God from public spaces is an erosion of the First Amendment by not granting the citizens the right to worship as they please. Those people that chose not to believe in God are still free to not do so.

Francis Rooney: I will do all I can to defend Christian values

Rooney: I am an active, life-long, committed Catholic. My faith has informed every aspect of my life. the culture of faith, life and optimism has been the hallmark of the American experience. I will do all I can to defend faith and Christian values in our country.

Q: Which political philosophy best describes you?

Rooney: Very Conservative

Q: Please defend your answer by referencing your publicly available track record.

Rooney: For nearly 40 years I have been building businesses and creating jobs, providing thousands of families a secure income and safe retirements. I support life and will ensure that groups like Planned Parenthood do not receive another dollar of federal funding. I opposes amnesty of any sort for those who have entered the country illegally. As a life-long hunter, I will never support any policy that will take away our constitutionally mandated right to bear arms.

Francis Rooney: Man's greed & corruption necessitate separation of powers

Rooney: Greed and corruption

Fred Thompson: Giuliani sides with Hillary on abortion, guns. & immigration

GIULIANI: I can't comment on Fred. I can tell you that George Will wrote that I ran the most conservative government in the US in the last 50 years. I brought down crime more than anyone in this country. I brought down taxes. I drove pornography out of Times Square. You can always find one exception or two to someone being absolutely conservative, but I think I had a heck of a lot of conservative results.

THOMPSON: Mayor Giuliani believes in federal funding for abortion. He believes in sanctuary cities. He's for gun control. He supported Mario Cuomo, a liberal Democrat, against a Republican who was running for governor; then opposed the governor's tax cuts when he was there. So I simply disagree with him those issues. And he sides with Hillary Clinton on each of those issues I just mentioned.

Fred Thompson: Consistent since reading "Conscience of a Conservative"

ROMNEY: We're going to have to bring together the same coalition that Ronald Reagan put together; conservatives fiscally, conservatives from a military standpoint and conservatives socially. Because we're not going to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House by acting like Hillary Clinton.

THOMPSON: I was conservative as soon as I put down Conscience of a Conservative when I was in the college. I came back to Tennessee & started the first Young Republicans Club. In 8 years in the US Senate, I fought for tax cuts, a balanced budget, and welfare reform, all of which we achieved, and I also fought for judges who would abide by the Constitution and the law and not make it up as they went along. All that time, I compiled a 100 percent pro-life voting record.

Fred Thompson: Free markets, free people, free enterprise

We believe in free markets. We believe in free people. We believe in free enterprise. And Americans who work hard and play by the rules have a decent chance of living the American Dream, just like I have and so many others have.

That's the things that we have to keep in mind. Let's don't get diverted onto some single individual, whoever their nominee is. They're going to lead us down the road to a comfortable mediocrity. And that's not the United States of America I grew up in.

George LeMieux: Kept his promise not run for re-election after appointment

George W. Bush: Declares victory; names transition team

All of us in this election fought for our views. Now we must live up to our principles. We must show our commitment to the common good, which is bigger than any person or any party. We cannot change yesterday, but we share a responsibility for tomorrow.

Time runs short, and we have a lot of work to do. So tonight I'm naming Dick Cheney to chair our transition effort. I've asked him to work with President Clinton's administration to open a transition office in Washington. And we look forward to a constructive working relationship throughout this transition.

The end of an election is the beginning of a new day. Together we can make this a positive day of hope and opportunity for all of us who are blessed to be Americans.

George W. Bush: Election principles: be fair, accurate, & conclusive

As we work to conclude this election, we should be guided by three principles: This process must be fair; this process must be accurate; and this process must be final.
• First, the election must be fair to voters throughout America, fair to voters in Florida and fair to voters in different counties in Florida. I honor and respect the value of every single vote. Those votes have been recounted. In some counties, they have been counted a third and even fourth time.
• And that brings us to the second principle: accuracy. Individuals making subjective decisions about voter intent, introduces human error and politics into the vote-counting process. Each time these voting cards are handled, the potential for errors multiplies.
• Third, this process must have a point of conclusion, a moment when America and the world know who is the next president. This is precisely why the laws of the State of Florida have deadlines for certification of the election vote. One of them came last night.

Jeb Bush: Priorities: public education & public safety

Jeb Bush: Bush family name is a detriment that limits career choices

Some saw it as a two-step procedure:

1. leverage the Bush family name and a small personal investment into really big money, always provided by others, and
2. if any deal goes sour, exit early with personal fortune intact, or rely on a bailout from one of Dad's fairy godfathers."

Jeff Greene: Ran as Republican for Congress in California in 1982

Asked about his reputation as a playboy, Greene said it is not an issue, noting that he had married late in his life and now is the father of a 10-month-old baby.

John McCain: I didn't manage for profit, I led for patriotism

A: I think it's pretty obvious that that statement was a paraphrase of Howard Dean's statement about the Democrat party. The fact is, I'm running on my record as a reliable conservative of 24 years. And the indicators of that, obviously, is that I've fought wasteful spending, I have had a strong and a long relationship on national security, I've been involved in every national crisis that this nation has faced since Beirut, I understand the issues, I understand and appreciate the enormity of the challenge we face from radical Islamic extremism. I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time. For 20-some years, including leading the largest squadron in the US Navy, I led. I didn't manage for profit, I led for patriotism.

John McCain: Romney is conning people about conservatism of his record

ROMNEY: When I ran against Ted Kennedy in 1994, that was a big uphill climb. But let me tell you, I was fighting for issues like making sure that we would have the death penalty in our state, fighting to keep our taxes down. I was fighting against the Liberal Lion in perhaps the toughest state in America. And I'm pretty proud of what I was able to accomplish in that race, but nothing compares to the pride I have with the work that I was able to do as a governor.

McCAIN: Gov. Romney, you've been spending the last year trying to fool people about your record. I don't want you to start fooling them about mine. I stand on my record as a conservative, and I don't think you can fool the American people. They may not agree with me on a couple of issues, but they'll know I'm telling the truth, and my steadfast positions on these issues for more than 20 years.

John McCain: FactCheck: Won NH & SC via independents, but lost GOP vote

McCain can point to an exit poll done separately by Fox News, which shows him beating Romney among Republicans in New Hampshire, 35% to 33%. The same poll, though, shows Romney received more of the self-identified "conservative" vote, 38% to McCain's 31%.

But if McCain wants to use Fox's exit polls as his standard, the one taken after the South Carolina primary disproves his point: Huckabee edged him among Republican voters, 32% to 31%, and it was only through the votes of independents, who swung for him 42% to 25%, that McCain prevailed.

Joseph Lieberman: If every vote counts, then count every vote

In thousands of hours of work by hundreds of citizens of Florida, Republicans and Democrats and independents alike are being ignored. What is at issue here is nothing less than every American's simple, sacred right to vote. How can we teach our children that every vote counts if we are not willing to make a good-faith effort to count every vote?

Marco Rubio: God does not love America more than Belgium

Rubio's political resume essentially began right after he graduated from the University of Miami Law School. He served as a city commissioner in West Miami before winning his first term in the Florida House of Representatives in 2000. He was sworn in as speaker in 2006, the youngest person and the first Hispanic to hold that position. The centerpiece of his speech is a sweeping homage to conservative principle. "We are not debating stimulus bills or tax codes," he said. "We are debating the essence of what government should be and what role it should play."

Marco Rubio: Without America, the world would be a worse place

Marco Rubio: $600,000 fund was not taxpayer money, & is fully accounted

RUBIO: Those allegations have been proven false. Here are the facts. This is not taxpayer money. It was raised for the purposes of political advancement, for advancing a political agenda. And that's what the money was spent on. Now, there were some occasions where we had some personal expenses which I identified and I made payments on out of my own pocket at the time those expenses were made. All this money's been accounted for.

Marco Rubio: Fundraised via "Floridians for Conservative Leadership"

Marco Rubio: Repaid Florida GOP for overspending on party credit card

A St. Petersburg Times investigation later found that Rubio had also double-billed the state and the GOP credit card for eight flights. After the report, he admitted the error and repaid the party $3,000.

Marco Rubio: Home purchases funded by very GOP-friendly bank boards

Then, in 2007, Rubio finally found a cash buyer for his first house, who paid $380,000 up front--a $105K windfall over Rubio's 2003 purchase price. The buyer was the mother of the lobbyist who spent months lobbying Rubio for his critical support of an insuranc law. Rubio voted for the bill a few months afterwards.

Did the home sale buy his vote? Rubio says no. "My understanding was that [the buyer] had some life insurance proceeds that she was using to buy it, and she was willing to close on it quickly."

Marco Rubio: As Speaker, passed 57 of "100 Innovative Ideas"

His ambition, though, again proved greater than his ability to find consensus. Both his tax plan and spending cap made it out of committee, but as the House was forced to make the deepest budget cuts in state history, the Senate refused to even take up the plans.

In the end, Rubio's two terms as speaker [ending in 2008] had yielded no flashy tax overhaul, but the House did pass 57 of his "100 Innovative Ideas."

Marco Rubio: Attended 15-20 Tea Party events; but not formally vetted

RUBIO: Sure. The Tea Party movement has been mischaracterized in the press as some sort of an organization. Tea Parties are where people go and what people do. It's not what they are and it is not an organization. If you go to a tea party, what you're going to find there are people that largely have never been involved in American politics.

Q: So why don't you go? We get this from [many] Tea Party groups.

RUBIO: I have gone to 15, 20 of these around the state. I've met with multiple groups. If there's a formal vetting process, I've not been made aware of it. But I can tell you that I'm proud of my association with the Tea Party folks and the fact that we have attended multiple events

Marco Rubio: Are Floridians better off than they were four years ago? No!

CRIST: Actually, Reagan was a Democrat before he was a Republican. So if you want to talk about Reagan, let's talk about him.

RUBIO: Ronald Reagan had a great question he asked during his campaign: Are you better off today than you were four years ago? And for Floridians, there's a powerful answer to that. We have the highest unemployment record in our history We have record foreclosures. And we have a governor that supported Barack Obama's stimulus package. That doesn't sound like a Reagan record to me, and I think it makes the answer to that question very easy. Floridians are not better off than they were four years ago since you became governor. And now your promise is to take those ideas to Washington. I'm running for Senate because if I get there, I will stand up to this. We can't trust you, Governor, to stand up to Barack Obama.

Mary Landrieu: 1996-97: ten-month investigation over voting irregularities

Jenkins claimed widespread irregularities in the election. For ten months, the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate investigated Landrieu's alleged involvement in alleged shenanigans. Landrieu kept her Senate seat.

Matt Gaetz: America is unique because we know our rights come from God

Gaetz: America is unique in the world because we acknowledge that our rights come from God, not government. Our Founders created the greatest system of government the world has ever seen. They recognized men are flawed--greed, self-interest, and desire for control--showed the Founders the need for a Constitution that created a system of limited government to protect the rights of all citizens and restrict the powers of the federal government.

Matt Gaetz: Bible is instructions from God; we are to follow faithfully

Gaetz: My father is a Lutheran, my mother is Methodist. While I've attended church with both throughout my life, I was saved in a Baptist Church during my teenage years. I am a member of First Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach. The Bible, the Gospel--these are our instructions from God. We are to follow faithfully.

Q: Considering all issues (social, economic, national security, etc.), which political philosophy best describes you?

Gaetz: Very Conservative

Q: Please defend your answer to the previous question by referencing your publicly available track record.

Gaetz: The Tampa Bay Times, one of Florida's most liberal newspapers, once said I have "sponsored (and passed) some of the most conservative legislation in a conservative-dominated Legislature." I consider that a badge of honor.

Mel Martinez: Call to public service strong, but call to family stronger

The Senate is the only federal office carrying a six-year term, so a decision about whether to run for re-election is one that my family and I have carefully considered over the past year.

The inescapable truth, for me, is that the call to public service is strong, but the call to home, family and lifelong friends is even stronger. So today, with deep love for this country and with sincere gratitude to the people who placed their trust in me, I announce that I will not run for reelection to the US Senate.

So with two years left in my term, I make this announcement today in order to give the many qualified individuals who might choose to try to succeed me an opportunity to organize and gather support. I look forward to serving out these next two years.

Mike Huckabee: Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office

A: I believe there is a place for a death penalty. Some crimes are so heinous, that the only response that we, as a civilized nation, have for a most uncivil action is not only to try to deter that person from ever committing that crime again, but also as a warning to others that some crimes are beyond any capacity for us to fix.

Q: But what would Jesus do?

A: Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office. That's what Jesus would do.

Mike Huckabee: I believe the Bible is the word of revelation

A: Sure. I believe the Bible is exactly what it is. It's the word of revelation to us from God himself. I don't fully comprehend and understand [it all], because the Bible is a revelation of an infinite god, and no finite person is ever going to fully understand it. If they do, their god is too small.

Mike Huckabee: Ought to be able to respect people who don't have any faith

Mike Huckabee: People should deal with the use of faith in my campaign

A: I would say that would be his problem, not mine. My faith does not give me a queasy feeling; it gives me a solid core from which I'm able to live every day. I don't wake up every day and have to look at a poll to decide what I believe. My faith grounds me. It gives me some sense of direction and purpose. I don't try to impose it on other people, and I certainly would never use the auspices of government to try to push my faith. But for me to run from it? Impossible. It's who I am. If it gives some people a queasy feeling, then they'll have to deal with it. The fact is, this country has always been a country where people were able to respect people who had faith.

Mitt Romney: Acting like Hillary won't keep Hillary out of White House

ROMNEY: This is a critical time for our nation and for our party. We're going to have to bring together the same coalition that Ronald Reagan put together; conservatives fiscally, conservatives from a military standpoint and conservatives socially. Because we're not going to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House by acting like Hillary Clinton. Now, I'm proud of my record. Not just of the words, but of the record of the governor of Massachusetts.

THOMPSON: I was conservative as soon as I put down Conscience of a Conservative when I was in the college. In 8 years in the US Senate, I fought for tax cuts, a balanced budget, and welfare reform, all of which we achieved. All that time, I compiled a 100 percent pro-life voting record.

Mitt Romney: Proud of his accomplishments in fighting the Liberal Lion

ROMNEY: When I ran against Ted Kennedy in 1994, that was a big uphill climb. But let me tell you, I was fighting for issues like making sure that we would have the death penalty in our state, fighting to keep our taxes down. I was fighting against the Liberal Lion in perhaps the toughest state in America. And I'm pretty proud of what I was able to accomplish in that race, but nothing compares to the pride I have with the work that I was able to do as a governor.

McCAIN: Gov. Romney, you've been spending the last year trying to fool people about your record. I don't want you to start fooling them about mine. I stand on my record as a conservative, and I don't think you can fool the American people. They may not agree with me on a couple of issues, but they'll know I'm telling the truth, and my steadfast positions on these issues for more than 20 years.

Mitt Romney: Bible is the word of God; I don't disagree with Bible

A: I believe the Bible is the word of God, absolutely. I might interpret the word differently than you interpret the word, but I read the Bible and I believe the Bible is the word of God. I don't disagree with the Bible. I try to live by it.

Mitt Romney: Don't think religion figuring into this race

I don't think you're going to see religion figuring into this race after people have had a chance to get to know all the candidates.

Neal Dunn: Describes himself as a very conservative Catholic

Dunn: I am Catholic. John 14:6.

Q: Considering all issues (social, economic, national security, etc.), which political philosophy best describes you?

Dunn: Very Conservative.

Q: Please defend your answer by referencing your publicly available track record.

Dunn: I have donated to very conservative candidates for more than 20 years, including Allen West, Steve Southerland, Adam Putnam, Will Weatherford, Jeb Bush and many more.

Nikki Fried: We can build a state that gives power back to you

Nikki Fried: We've got to learn again how to respect one another

Norm Coleman: If I were 725 votes down, I'd say 'We need to heal'

Coleman: "To be honest, I'd step back. My friend John Thune, now Senator, was down in 2002 by 500 votes, and he said, "We need to heal,' and he stepped back. I can only speak for me. I would step back. I just think the need for the healing process is so important. Mr. Franken will decide what Mr. Franken will do. But do I think under the circumstances it is important to come together? I do."

Coleman seemed earnest, but his comment was one he would regret. "Act as if you've won," he was told, taking a page from the Bush 2000 script. But he went one step further, giving advice to Franken, to the last man on earth who would take it from him.

Norm Coleman: 2002: Hand-picked by Vice President Dick Cheney

Norm Coleman: I'm a 99% improvement over Paul Wellstone

Such puffery rankled liberals & flabbergasted Franken. It got the creative writer in Franken to fantasize aloud in a sarcastic Op-Ed piece in the Minneapolis Star Tribune piece about a phone conversation he said he had shared with Coleman. In it, Coleman called Franken to chat, somewhat apologetically, about the "99%" comment and to explain the remaining 1% in which Wellstone bettered him. As the imagined conversation unfolds, Coleman acknowledges many attributes at which Wellstone bettered him. "I'm going with 68," Coleman tells Franken in this faux phone call. "I'm a 68% improvement over Wellstone. That's still a big improvement."

Norm Coleman: Attack ad: evaded questions about $75K donation through wife

The video almost made it seem as if Coleman were on a perp walk. Coleman was surrounded by security and aides. A dogged Star Tribune muckraker yelled out "Senator, I'd like to ask you questions about the allegations about your wife receiving $75,000." Coleman kept moving.

Instantly, the video hit YouTube. The DSCC excerpted a 30-second spot entitled, "Why is Norm Coleman Running From Reporters?" It ended with the reporter pleading, "Please answer the question, Senator!"

Patrick Murphy: OpEd: Angry black women should oppose party-choice Murphy

I, on the other hand, am an angry black woman. I'm angry that the Florida Democratic Party leaders see black people as nothing more than votes during election cycles. I'm angry that the party that is supposed to be about equality, isn't equal at all when it comes to our community. I'm angry that I'm supposed to vote for the Patrick Murphys of the party, when those same people will never vote for someone who looks like me.

In this day of police violence toward our community, you will never hear Patrick Murphy stand up for you. He will never speak out. Why? Because he'd rather ignore the African-American community than upset some racist white Democrats. Wake up, black people!

Patrick Murphy: Former Republican; FL's most conservative House Democrat

Today, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee officially endorsed Murphy, despite the fact other candidates, including liberal-backed Alan Grayson, are said to still be mulling candidacies.

The DSCC is existing senate Democrats' main campaign and fundraising organization, with the goal of getting other Dems elected to the senate. The DSCC usually endorses incumbents straightaway but picks and chooses which open primaries it gets involved in.

However, the members of the Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida oppose Murphy and remain frustrated with the establishment's refusal to consider other candidates--including Grayson.

Paul Wellstone: Died 12 days before likely re-election

Rick Scott: As newlyweds, opened a donut shop with wife and their moms

This young man joined the US Navy after high school. Newly married, he left his young bride in their tiny apartment almost 2,000 miles from their home while he went off to sea. They didn't have much money, so they used the camping equipment they got for wedding gifts as furniture.

This young couple was thrifty. They eventually saved enough money to open a small business. They worked at this business themselves, along with both of their moms. After a while, the business started making money and they added another location.

That young couple is still young at heart, even though they have now been married over 40 years. That small business was a donut shop--and that is the story of how Ann and I opened our first business.

Rick Scott: FanGate: Refused to debate if opponent allowed to use a fan

It took less than 40 minutes before the Crist campaign fired off a fundraising email saying Scott embarrassed the state: "If you're as amazed as I am by what you just saw, chip in a few bucks right now to make sure this guy doesn't get to stay our governor."

The debate host sternly asked Crist why he insisted on bringing a fan on stage when he knew it would be a contentious issue. "Why not?" Crist responded. "Is there anything wrong with being comfortable?"

Ron DeSantis: Florida sun a beacon of light for those yearning for freedom

Ron DeSantis: Compels schools to have moment of silence for prayer

Ron Paul: The Republicans don't act like Republicans anymore

Rudy Giuliani: Bible is greatest book ever written, but it's allegorical

A: The reality is, I believe it, but I don't believe it's necessarily literally true in every single respect. I think there are parts of the Bible that are interpretive. I think there are parts of the Bible that are allegorical. So, yes, I believe it. I think it's the great book ever written. I read it frequently.

Val Demings: Would be first Black woman elected as FL Governor or Senator

Demings is also mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate in Florida in 2022 as well, although Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried seems well positioned to take on Governor Ron Desantis, a Trump acolyte, in 2022.

Florida has never elected a Black woman as Governor or U.S. Senator. Jennifer Carroll, a Black, Clay county conservative Republican, served as Lt. Governor before she was forced to step down after she was caught up in a scandal over local gaming.

Val Demings: Seeing VP Harris sworn in demonstrated American promise

Val Demings: Being unified nation doesn't mean giving up beliefs

When we think about unity and unifying our nation, I see that as coming together, respecting each other's spaces and places, beliefs, values, working together in a respectful and cordial way. But it does not mean giving up your principles, your values, your beliefs, and what you stand for. The United States of America, we should be a unified nation. What we bring are different talents and backgrounds and experiences to the table, and working as one nation, building consensus.