Graham Drops from race.

[CoffeePlease1947]

Ouch. FAUX News just reported. He only raised 1 million in the election.

To bad. I liked him.

Mike

[JohnKleeb]

1. Well good luck Senator Graham

Hopefully he will work along with Floridians to get the state in our hands.

[jenk]

2. this may not be the last we hear of Graham

I say he's got a 20% chance of being the VP


but his campaign was very flat, and he is the oldest candidate!

good to narrow the field a little!

[politicaholic]

3. so did Pelosa...

I wonder who she'll endorse now.

unrelated--

it's 4:20 on the west coast...just thought I'd mention it

[goobergunch]

4. Syntax Error

"Pelosa" does not exist.

[jenk]

10. Maybe he means Mosely Braun?

.

[politicaholic]

11. Nancy Pelosa liked him too...

I wonder who she'll endorse now.

sheesh...picky

[goobergunch]

13. Pelosi has endorsed Gephardt (n/t)

[kainah]

5. Graham would make a good VP choice

He has more credibility challenging the 9/11 issue than anyone else and could well be a decisive factor in swinging the FL vote to the Dems.

I also think it says something good about the state of the party that Graham is the first to drop out, rather than Kucinich, Sharpton, or Moseley-Braun.

[goobergunch]

6. Will he run for re-election in Florida?

PLEASE say yes!

[Frodo]

14. Is that a good idea?

Didn't he tell the state party to go ahead and get a couple candidates ready to run? Are we far enough in that their fledgling "machines" in the state will be dissapointed in "being mislead"?

An internal split in the party in 2002 helped give Jeb the governorship despite lingering upset over the 2000 race. Can we afford to have another one?

[goobergunch]

15. Graham would clear the Dem field

and would be a safe bet for re-election IMHO.

[GBD4]

16. Let's not over react, please

He told potential candidates to start raising money in case he doesn't run for reelection, and they have done just that. All Dem candidates and even some Repubs have said they will drop out if and when Bob re-enters. There is NO internal split. Hastings, Deutsch, and Boyd have safe US House seats they will keep, Castor is out of politics and will simply stay out of politics, and Penelas is toast anyway so that takes care of that.

[Mairead]

21. Do you really think it was a genuine 'split'?

If I wanted a surefire way to disable a party, I'd do what that woman who created the infamous 'butterfly' ballot did: 'become' a Dem.

And then, whenever my GOP-helpful policies or attitudes were challenged, I'd wrap myself in indignation and the flag and shriek that the Dems are a big-tent party and that I am in the new Dem mainstream.

I think that would be very effective, don't you?

[Frodo]

23. Maybe not.

I didn't follow that aspect of it very closely. I just remember it being Reno's race to lose during the primary and a few loyalists being perturbed when she didn't get in the final race.

As for your example? There were plenty of things I had a problem with in FL2000. The "Butterfly ballot" wasn't one of them. No offense, but that "conspiracy theory" never foated with me. I see zero chance that the thing was intentionally designed to throw our Gore votes. And if it was, there were dozens to hundreds of "real" democrats who should have caught it when it was vetted.

[w4rma]

19. No kidding! He had better not leave the Senate! He's one of my most

favorite Senators!!! :bounce: Pleeeeease say he's staying in the Senate!

[Wetzelbill]

7. I really like and respect Senator Graham

Best of luck to him in the future. We need good people like Senator Bob around.

[incapsulated]

8. Good luck to him

I was suprised he didn't do better. You never can tell. He's a good guy.

So the culling begins...

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. I only respect him more

for being able to realistically assess his chances and not just help divide the field.

Graham's been outspoken in his criticism of Bush and I don't expect that to change.

[Rowdyboy]

12. He was my first choice

I was expecting it, however. He started too damn late...

[Bucky]

24. Mine too

I reckon I'll go buy a Clark bar. Goodbye applecheeks, hello blue eyes.

[Nicholas_J]

17. Well there is always this:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KerryGraham2004/


Graham is a HIGHLY desired VP possibilty among Kerry supporters.

[Alex146]

18. Why doesn't his web site say anything?

?

[TheReligiousLeft]

20. He was my number three

A brave fight old friend. A brave fight.

[ringmastery]

22. He's ummm not dropping out YET

Graham tells colleague he's out, but campaign says he remains in race

NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer Thursday, October 2, 2003

(10-02) 19:16 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --

Democrat Bob Graham told a Senate colleague Thursday that he would abandon his struggling presidential bid, a Democratic source said, but in a day filled with mixed signals, aides said he will continue to campaign.

The Florida senator's future in the crowded Democratic field remained in doubt as the campaign made several staff changes and held a series of high-level meetings.

Initially, the Graham campaign announced a news conference for Friday at 2 p.m., suggesting that he would quit the race. But late Thursday, the campaign and state Democratic Party said there would be no news conference. "Senator Graham has decided to soldier on," said Florida Democratic Party Chairman Scott Maddox.

A Democratic source, speaking on a condition of anonymity, said the three-term senator had informed one of his colleagues that he was getting out of the race.

Graham spokesman Mo Elleithee disputed the account and said Graham had not talked to anyone in the Senate getting out.

"He's staying in the race," Elleithee said.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/10/02/national2057EDT0866.DTL

[Mairead]

25. Sounds like some 'colleague' tried to stab him in the back

[indigo32]

26. I think you may be right

eom

[diamondsoul]

30. It does, and I think that's pushed me

to start donating to him. There's only one Dennis J. Kucinich, but Senator Graham has been a good steady Dem voice for a long time, and he deserves to stick around long enough to be heard.

[genius]

27. Good. He was bringing out some good stuff at the debates

I think he has a great deal to add to the discussion even though I'm not planning to vote for him.

[Nicholas_J]

28. No, he hasnt

I just got off the phone with someone in my local Democratic Party organization who is part of his campaign staff here, to get the story.

[FightinNewDem]

29. Grim mood in ManchVegas

James Pindell and Sam Youngman from PoliticsNH.com have been monitoring the situation at Graham's Manchester office all day. From all indications, Graham is either going to drop out of the race or dramatically scale back his efforts. It appears increasingly unlikely that he will compete in New Hampshire in any serious manner.