Wasserman-Schultz says please help get the bloggers off my back.

[madfloridian]

Debbie Wasserman Schultz is head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's program called Red to Blue. It is her job to concentrate on and help get Democrats elected.

She and her colleague in the Florida congressional delegation refuse to campaign against Republican opponents in South Florida.

This time around, Wasserman Schultz and Meek say their relationships with the Republican incumbents, Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and his brother Mario, and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, leave them little choice but to sit out the three races.

''At the end of the day, we need a member who isn't going to pull any punches, who isn't going to be hesitant,'' Wasserman Schultz said.

The decision comes as Democrats believe they have their best shot in years to defeat at least one of the Cuban-American incumbents with a roster of Democrats that include former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez, opposing Lincoln Diaz-Balart; outgoing Miami-Dade Democratic party chair Joe Garcia, opposing Mario Diaz-Balart; and businesswoman Annette Taddeo, opposing Ros-Lehtinen.

But Wasserman Schultz and Meek say their ties to the three Republicans are personal as well as professional: Both served in the state Legislature with Mario Diaz-Balart and say they work in concert with all three on South Florida issues.

The Diaz-Balarts and Ros-Lehtinen are among Florida's most right wing Republicans. Yet Wasserman Schultz and Meeks are refusing to campaign against them.

In discussion with a Florida blogger Debbie makes a request.

"I have read some of the bloggers' comments," she told me, imploring me to "please help get them off my back," as she seemed to be frustrated by the coverage she's received lately in the blogosphere.

She also said more to the blogger who unfortunately was impressed for a while. I think near the end of the post he was changing his mind. Florida bloggers are seldom very critical of Florida Democrats. Florida bloggers are often too impressed by access to Florida Democratic leaders. They need to stand off and be more objective.

Now, in 2008, she has had to deal with the "difficult position" of being in charge of the DCCC effort but also being friends with the three Republicans in Miami -- "I'm especially close to Mario Diaz-Balart," she said, "since our days in the state legislature, but I count all three of them as friends." And so, while the congresswoman believes the Democratic candidates in those districts -- Annette Taddeo, Joe Garcia, and Raul Martinez (for whom she said she actually has worked in his race against Lincoln Diaz-Balart) -- are strong, she "just can't cross that line personally" to campaign actively against her friends. It would be too hard to criticize them (I said, "well, don't criticize them, just say positive things about the Democratic candidates," and she replied, "I am!") publicly, and although she has disagreed with them on innumerable issues -- she shared an anecdote about trying valiantly but unsuccessfully to persuade Ros-Lehtinen to vote in favor of overriding Drunky McStagger's* veto of SCHIP -- she prefers to focus her attention on other House races and let other members of her coalition take on the three Miamians.

Markos is right on this one. He says if she can't bear to stand up to Republicans and campaign against them..she should resign.

Frustrated? On so many fronts, the Republicans are standing in the way of progress, on Iraq, SCHIP, health care, fiscal responsibility, corruption, civil liberties, and so on. Those three south Florida Republicans are part of that problem. And she's going to be "frustrated" that people demand she do her job?

Read that email I received again. The emailer can't get health insurance because of his sick child, and can only afford his child's care because of SCHIP. Meanwhile, his congressman is doing what he can do to sabotage that program. And Wasserman Schultz protects him. That's what frustration looks like.

She took on her job at the DCCC knowing it's a partisan position that entails targeting the districts of fellow colleagues. If she can't do that job, that's fine. Most of us won't hold that against her.

But she then needs to resign her position. She has no business holding that title if she cannot faithfully discharge its duties.

There is so much coziness among Florida Republicans and Florida Democrats. It leads to much trouble, and it has been known to cause serious problems.

[babylonsister]

1. Seems to me she and Meeks are inviting even more attention for

not responding as Dems. Any suggestions?

[SteveM]

17. They'll get plenty attention for continued support of the assault weapons ban.

And they are upset when they pillow-talk with the GOP?

[tsuki]

36. Here are some more facts 'bout Little Miss Debbie:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-forum19was...

"This isn't the first time Wasserman Schultz has gone against Democratic Party initiatives. Back in August of last year, when House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel put forward an amendment to simplify the method of payment for U.S. agricultural sales to Cuba, it was expected to pass easily. After all, it would have facilitated sales and thus served the interests of the American farmer. It was estimated that sales, which were hovering at about $400 million a year, could increase to well over a billion, if the method of payment were simplified. Moreover, similar amendments had passed in recent years by voice vote, only to be sidetracked by the Republican congressional leadership. Now, with the Democrats in control, surely the amendment would sail through.

But to the surprise of many, and to Rangel's chagrin, it was defeated, with some 66 Democrats crossing party lines and voting against it. Wasserman Schultz got much of the credit for bringing the 66 over. "I was about as active as you could be," she acknowledged. And her friend Ileana Ros gave Wasserman Schultz full credit for the amendment's defeat, calling her "a tiger."

She certainly was not simply following the wishes of her constituents, only about 5 percent of whom are Cuban-Americans. But there was of course the money. Some 58 of the 66 Democrats who voted against the Rangel amendment had received one or more contributions from the Republican-oriented U.S.-Cuba Democracy PAC in the months prior to the vote, with contributions running from $1,000 to $11,000. Wasserman Schultz has reportedly received more than $22,000 from the PAC."

[dchill]

2. "coziness... known to cause serious problems. "

Like disqualified primary results.

[Donnachaidh]

3. then wasserman-schultz needs to go too

Sorry dear - worrying more about the cozy friendships you've made with republicans than what your constituents need? That's the sort of mindset your constituents DON'T need.

BYE BYE.

[DJ13]

4. Floridas Dems and Repubs are too incestuous

They seem to work in concert to screw over their constituents.

[Supersedeas]

54. cowardly lil' DINOs

[ORDagnabbit]

5. one big fricken inbred party. n/t

[Fridays Child]

6. Et tu, Debbie?

I am SO disappointed.

[LSparkle]

Does this "coziness" extend to state Dems and Repugs in FL?

It seems like, at the state level, they're not quite so friendly (e.g., Repugs
attaching the voting machine paper trail amendment to the presidential primary
date change) ... but that's just me watching from CA.

[madfloridian]

8. Unfortunately, yes, it does.

The Florida Democratic legislators find it easier to go along and get along than to stand up and fight.

[LSparkle]

15. Aha ... maybe I have less sympathy re the primary date change now

I was saying that Florida ought to count because, after all, it was those
"big bad Repugs" who changed the date for the primary ... If the state
Dems just didn't fight back hard enough, then maybe those results should
be put aside as well.

[madfloridian]

22. That was the story put out.

All they had to do was vote no instead of yes, and the delegates would have been counted. They knew it, too. They had been warned and pleaded with for months and months.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

7. how can we win FL if the DEMS are supporting GOP candidates?

we have to continue to blog on this.

[Supersedeas]

62. she just doesn't get it

[mod mom]

9. It's the Corporate Dems vs the Progressives. DLCer W-S would prefer the GOP

to Progressive Dems-imho

[Occulus]

10. Would you like some cheese with that whine?

"I have read some of the bloggers' comments," she told me, imploring me to "please help get them off my back," as she seemed to be frustrated by the coverage she's received lately in the blogosphere."

Translation:

[OregonBlue]

14. Right on, call her a wambulance!!! If she doesn't want to support Dems then get the hell out of the

way!!!

[tsuki]

37. Where is the waaaambulance? I have not seen it lately. nt

[Flubadubya]

40. Here ya go...

[tsuki]

53. Thanks! I needed that. nt

[ChairmanAgnostic]

31. the GOPers she supports are big beneficiaries of AIPAC

all having web pages, donations, trip to Israel, and support for fund raising by AIPAC.

I support peace in the mideast, a REAL PEACE, one fair to every jewish, palestinian and every neighbor. I cannot support AIPAC, though, nor any pol who puts their issues ahead of the Constition or the US.

[formercia]

11. The loyal opposition

You would think Florida was a Banana Republic.


Adios Amiga.

[Dr.Phool]

12. Quit raining on Little Debbie's parade.

She wants to be important. That's why she endorsed a republican in a congressional race in 2006. Maybe if she helped Democrats for a change, we'd be able to pass some legislation.

I'll gladly auction her and Bill Nelson to the Republican Party. She's running all around Florida now, not helping candidates, but helping DEC's raise a little money. Some close observers think that she's trying to position herself to run against Mel Martinez for the Senate in 2010.

And she doesn't want her repuke "friends" badmouthing her during the campaign. I'll give ya 10-1 odds, they do anyway.

[Sinfonian]

16. Yes, they undoubtedly will

And she doesn't want her repuke "friends" badmouthing her during the campaign. I'll give ya 10-1 odds, they do anyway.

Another point I always make: if the tables were turned, there is no way any of the Three Hyphenated Stooges of Miami would fail to campaign hard against DWS. They know how to play the game, and they do it all the time.

[burythehatchet]

19. hyphenated stooges

[Dr.Phool]

25. And Mel Martinez is another hyphenated stooge!

Dems are always so scared that repukes are going to call them names, or say they're weak. They're going to any damned way, so you might as well fight.

What I'd give to have a few Kuciniches down here.

[madfloridian]

27. Love the term...so many Republicans with hypenated names.

Yes, they would rip Debbie and Kendrick Meeks apart in a second, and not even have second thoughts.

[Spiffarino]

52. Scorched earth is how the GOP plays the game.

Wasserman-Schultz will get the full force of the GOP's hate factory. She has a (D) after her name. That's all it takes.

And welcome to DU!

[madfloridian]

24. Didn't she endorse Ginny Brown Waite as well?

I think I remember that.

[Dr.Phool]

26. Yes she did. In fact I got off the phone with John Russell, a few minutes ago.

He was at the anti-war protest outside Ginny's Brooksville office.

Ginny had her usual brown shirts out in force, trying to provoke a confrontation. John said it should be on Bay9 News this evening and ABC's local affiliate.

When Dizzy Debbie endorsed Ginny, John read her office the riot act. They wouldn't let him talk to her.

[madfloridian]

29. Is that why they ran him away from convention?

and sent that pro-wrestler to kick him out?

[Dr.Phool]

48. One of the reasons.

John has been giving Karen Thurman a big headache. She screwed him in the '06 election. Big time. I was there, I know the shit she pulled.

Then John posted that interview with her on YouTube, asking how much money she gave her son for his losing statehouse race. She said, We didn't give him anything". Then John pulled out the campaign finance reports.

Before the convention, Pasco County DEC, wouldn't let him attend the annual "Unity Dinner". That was also mainly Karens doing.

[tsuki]

38. I don't think she wants the competition a popular candidate like

Raul Martinez would give.

[Sinfonian]

13. As the blogger in question ...

I just want to clarify, since you referred to me:

She also said more to the blogger who unfortunately was impressed for a while. I think near the end of the post he was changing his mind.

Well, I was impressed with her candor and sincerity, and I respect her decision not to campaign actively against her friends. However, that doesn't mean I agree with it -- I do not -- and as I said in the post you quoted, if she can't do the job, she needs to step aside and let someone else do it.

Thanks for the link, though.

[madfloridian]

20. You have a great blog. I am probably over critical of Florida bloggers....

because so few let the truth out about the Florida primary.

Thanks for the response. I have gotten so angry over losing friends over the primary, that I am perhaps not very objective.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/...

a big smile and peace.

[Sinfonian]

45. No worries

Oh, I wasn't mad. I'm glad you're bringing this to light. I just wanted to clarify where I was coming from. I do like DWS personally and appreciated the fact that she stayed to chat with me for 10 minutes when she clearly had to be somewhere else. (Plus I've got kind of a crush on her ... )

Thanks for the compliment. Hope you'll keep reading and spread the word.

[rucognizant]

58. TOO BAD DEBBIE!

I had pegged her as a possible Presidential candidate for the future, 2 years ago when I saw her & Meeks talk in that 1 hour speech section in the House. They wee newly elected (?), and polishing their rhetorical skills to an empty house at the end of the day.
Not any more! SHe is too beholden to the Cuba cabal & the AIPAC!
WHen she runs for Presidential Nomination in 2020, I WILL REMEMBER THIS POST!
We as a country need to upgrade our memory skills! It's why I am not supporting CLinton for D nominee! I watched her voting record, Senate behavior.

[crispini]

18. Ah! In Texas we call them the Craddick Ds

The Democrats that support Craddick for speaker of the house. They're very Republican-ish. Fortunately, we are working on getting rid of them and we hope to take back the state house!

[madfloridian]

21. I remember seeing a video from the TX house about Craddick...

Good luck on getting rid of them. From what I hear from relatives in TX they may be making more progress than we are.

Florida Dems are just too comfy.

[Lost-in-FL]

23. Debbie... you are either with us or with the Terrorists-R n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

28. Wasserman-schultz... Wasserman-schultz...

That name came up recently in an unrelated issue... But I can't remember what it was...

[Horse with no Name]

30. I adore her

I think she needs to rethink this issue, but she has stood up for us so many times that I refuse to throw her out with the bathwater.

[madfloridian]

32. I don't think she should be head of a Red to Blue committee

if she refuses to criticize Republicans.

[mitchtv]

33. Can anyone tell me if the deal is reciprocal?

[madfloridian]

34. If you trust the Diaz Balarts and Ros Lehtinen....

I imagine they would never fail to fight for their own, and to fight against us. They would rip Debbie apart and then smile, I imagine.

[tsuki]

35. I wonder if those three Republicans would work for her if she had

a Republican challenger?

[LSK]

39. these 2 used to be so impressive during 30something house sessions

I am really really disappointed in them. Do they realize that their friendships are costing people healthcare, sending soldiers to wars, creating more poverty and injustice in the world?

Their "friends" will get a nice fat pension and will not go to the poorhouse.

[madfloridian]

41. Joe Garcia, FL-25, added to Blue Majority.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/19/142458/493/...

"South Florida, long a Republican stronghold on the strength of its fiercely Republican Cuban American exile community, has also become the last GOP beachhead into the Latino community. It's three representatives in the region -- Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL-21), and Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) are the only Latino federal office holders in the entire Republican Party.

Of course, they've had the benefit of a fiercely partisan Republican community. While most Latino communities traditionally (pre-scapegoating of immigrants) swung a fair amount between parties, the Florida Cuban community never forgave Democrats for the Bay of Pigs and have given the GOP about 75 percent of their vote for decades.

Yet demographic (in-migration by Haitian and non-Cuban Latinos) and cultural changes (younger Cuban-Americans are more likely to be Democrats) have transformed the region, and those previously unbeatable Republicans face their first real test of survival in memory. The place just isn't as Republican anymore.'

[Judi Lynn]

42. Democrats need candidates who are willing to be independent of the right-wing Cuban bloc in Florida.

Lincoln Diaz-Balart gleefully threatened Colorado Democratic Congressman David Skaggs that he would destroy everything Skaggs held near and dear in his goals for Colorado projects, and he set out to do it, once he realized Skaggs couldn't be budged away from his intention to get funding to the black hole pork projects, propaganda broadcasts of Radio and TV Marti to Cuba from stations programmed, operated, and manned by Cuban Americans, to the tune of currently at least $30,000,000 per year.

Once he had killed Skaggs projects, he and the Cuban American National Foundation took out ads in Colorado newspapers and informed Coloradans that Skaggs had lost the projects for them.

Dealing from principle --- ex-Representative Skaggs

However, in 1993, former Representative David Skaggs (D-CO), in an attempt to trim unnecessary budgetary spending targeted for the Martis, was able to convince his House brethren to block funding for the two operations --- a measure which did not meet the same success in the Senate, where it was inevitably defeated. Skaggs paid a high price for his bold move, and came under withering fire from anti-Havana hardliners. Marti’s congressional supporters, led by none other than treasury plunderer Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart responded with a stark warning that revenge would be exacted on those who might threaten the continuation of the Marti operation, making an example of Skaggs by attempting to slash federal funding for projects in his home district. However, Skaggs refused to give up the fight, and he continued his campaign against the project, in particular its television component, until he retired in 1998. Skaggs admitted, "You know that if you kick the Cuba issue, you're going to have a bad day.” As a result of his personal experience, the Miami New Times reported in a November 12, 1998 article that Skaggs bitterly expressed outrage at the “corruption of United States policy that is inherent in our Cuba policy,” explaining, “by corruption I mean the untoward influence of a relatively small segment of the population in Florida and the money that small segment of the population brings to bear, and how it distorts the policy choices this government makes.”
(snip)

http://cubajournal.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_archive.html

http://diaz-balart.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=DataP...

click for image of Ileana Ros-Lehtinen standing by Lincoln Diaz-Balart standing by Mario Diaz-Balart.



Debbie Wasserman Schultz



Debbie's friend, the she-wolf (in Cuba) Ileana Ros-Lehtinen



Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart standing behind Mel Martinez and their friend, Jeb

[madfloridian]

43. Great great post....thanks.

Tells so much more about the hyphenated politicians in Florida.

[MzNov]

44. KOS has been all over this. And I hope he stays on her butt.

Too bad Debbie. If you would do your JOB, you might not have criticism. Big bad bloggers, boo hoo hoo.

[Demeter]

46. Dear MadFloridian, when you've had enough of Florida

you are more than welcome to share a home with us. Ann Arbor is an oasis of blue, and we have a good chance of driving out the DLC operatives.

[madfloridian]

55. I have already had enough.

I look around me in awe that I never picked up on these attitudes before....guess I was not looking.

[Demeter]

56. Things Only Went Beyond Unbelieveable in 2000

and the W chaos was designed to keep everyone reeling and unable to stop it cold.

[SoCalDem]

47. hahaha.. in the good old days, they could have escaped scrutiny..but no more

or should I say "no mas"..

[LTR]

49. Why is this woman involved in campaign efforts?

She sounds way too milquetoast and meek to be in this kind of position.

And there is no shame in running campaigns against friends. That's what democracy's all about. Lincoln and Douglas were friends, and the two were engaged in some of the most memorable debates in history. JFK and Barry Goldwater were also friends, and had plotted out a campaign against each other for 1964 that would have been all about issues, and not about dishing dirt. Of course, that didn't happen.

There's no shame in having Republican friends. I'm sure just about everyone in politics has friends in the opposing party. But she owes it to her friends, as well as the DNC, to do her job.

[Echo In Light]

60. She likely is "doing her job" by not taking a stand

[Sancho]

50. All I know...if you have an extra $10...here's the Floridian that deserves it!

http://www.christinejenningsforcongress.com /

We need to change Florida!

[seafan]

51. Those mean old bloggers demand accountability, Ms. Wasserman Schultz.

With a tip to FL Progressive blog for this quote from an encounter with Ms. Wasserman Schultz yesterday:

"I have read some of the bloggers' comments," she told me, imploring me to "please help get them off my back," as she seemed to be frustrated by the coverage she's received lately in the blogosphere.

She harms our both our nation and our Party as she rebuffs any talk of impeachment hearings on Cheney as she sits on the House Judiciary Committee; she continues to hide the truth that the initial legislation to move Florida's primary earlier came from a Democrat; she will not assist colleagues who are trying to unseat three of the most extreme right wingers in our government from Miami, because of her close personal and professional ties with the right wingers; she insists on seating Florida's ghost delegates for her candidate, with no thought whatsoever of how her actions contribute to severe Party damage.



Did anyone else hear Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz on WINZ (Miami) this morning?, November 8, 2007


Wasserman Schultz: "The people, when they put us into office last November, they did NOT ask us to impeach the VP.", November 8, 2007


Wasserman Schultz retorts: Asking if a FL Dem first introduced early primary bill is "inappropriate", March 9, 2008


Revote "horrible precedent"; Wasserman Schultz starts petition to seat delegates for Clinton, March 14, 2008


Needed: Challenger for Debbie Wasserman Schultz for November, 2008, March 15, 2008

[crimsonblue]

57. The woman needs to get the hell out..

she's nothing but a coward, crony, and enabler. " I don't want to... cuz it's reaaaaally hard and they're my friends...." Well, guess what, sugar? You don't mix business and pleasure. Do you damn job, or go the hell away.

[KharmaTrain]

59. The Jewish Connection...

I'm not sure about the Balart Bros, but Ros-Leitenen is Jewish, as is Wasserman-Schultz...both with large Jewish constituencies that they both fear to upset. Ros-Leitenen is a big "friend of Israel"...and I suspect this has something to do with the "friendship" involved here. Being Jewish, I point this out as I believe this is the undercurrent of what's happening here. I wouldn't be surprised if all get donations from the same donors and don't want to upset a nice "arrangement".

This is no excuse...if Wasserman-Schultz can't go against her "friends", then she needs to get out of the red to blue program leadership. Overall, I like how she's operated...and it disappoints me she is so tone deaf to the frustration of those who are really on her side. Methinks the netroots will have to deliver a stronger message here...and I suspect Ms. Wassterman-Schultz will remain tone deaf.

[madfloridian]

61. You make some good points.

It is deeper than just friendship. Mutual benefit is powerful...whether it is good for the state is another thing.