Why do people in Florida love Bob Graham and nationally he's a joke?

[ringmastery]

It seems strange to me.

Here's a guy who won 5 statewide races in the 4th largest state and one of the most diverse states in the union (2 as governor, 3 as senator) in landslides of 60% or more, yet nationally here on DU he gets little traction or respect.

Is it just that Florida likes boring politicans?

[Darwin2002]

1. He just hasn't had much national exposure, I think. He was a great

governor and a fine senator, although a little on the conservative side, his heart is usually in the right place

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. Graham's A Great Floridian And Public Servant....

They took his little idiosyncracy (diary) and blew it out of proportion...

But his biggest problem nationally is he's unknown...

The Kerry folks should do alot of polling... If it looks like Graham can r-e-a-l-l-y deliver Florida I say make him the running mate...

[Adelante]

13. He kicked Bush butt around the block

on the Iraq war and on 9.11 -- but it was like nobody could hear him. It was very strange.

[charlie]

14. Yes, he did

with the sort of pointed, detailed haranguing you'd expect from one of our firebrands, not gentlemanly Bob Graham. My estimation of him went skyhigh just for that.

[JI7]

2. i didn't know he was considered a joke

and id on't know anyone on here who considers him a joke either .

[ringmastery]

4. Gore didn't pick him as vice prez

in 2000 because of his "diaries." He thought he would be a national joke.

This is most ironic, since if Graham was on the ticket with Gore, he surely would be in the white house today.

[argonne]

7. Sad but true.

Gore picked Lieberman instead!

[JI7]

11. that is true, but

i wouldn't say it's same as being called a national joke. al gore also didn't pick john kerry because of his relationship with different women, it doesn't mean kerry is a joke, especially considering he will be the nominee this time around. in fact it seems joe lieberman is seen more as a joke now.

i wanted gore to pick john kerry in 2000 and thought he would until news broke that it was lieberman. when i heard i was kind of disappointed, not because he didn't pick kerry, but because he picked lieberman. the one good thing to me was lieberman was jewish so there was a "broke the barrier" kind of thing to it. and i like joe lieberman personally also.

[BeachBuckeye]

5. Maybe the people of Florida

consider honor and integrity above all the frivilous things that many voters use to rate their candidates.

[ringmastery]

6. ah I wish that were true

but unfortunately jebby winning two times shoots that theory to hell.

[saltpoint]

8. Heck. I'm not from Florida & I like Graham ok.

Seems like a decent soul to me.

[Adelante]

9. I am filled with admiration for Bob Graham

I'd never let anybody get away with calling him a joke, national or otherwise. I have never found him boring. He speaks in paragraphs instead of soundbites, which I, for one, find refreshing. He is a great man, a courageous public servant, who would have made a great president.

[question everything]

10. Let's nor forget, before he was a senator he was a governor

and a popular one. Thus it would add one more balance to the ticket.

[Paradise]

12. isn't it stranger, yet, that i still get amazed

when i find out someone is 'thinking' exactly what i've been 'thinking', all the while 'thinking'
"am i the only one 'thinking' this?". and, after all that 'thinking', i don't 'think' i know the answer.
what do you all 'think' 'cause ringmastery and i, would like to know.
:toast:

[MoonRiver]

15. I'm a Kansan and I have tremendous respect for Graham.

I want my favorite, Clark, on the ticket, but Graham would be an excellent choice also. He doesn't have much pizazz but the guy seems to be totally honest and above board. He calls it like it is, and people feel they can trust him. In that way he reminds me of Truman. But Truman didn't have to worry about being photogenic on t.v. So I don't know.

[robbedvoter]

16. Isn't Florida a joke too? they re-elected Jebbie too...:-(

Graham is a nice enough guy , but has a diary in which he notes the color of his boxer shorts (Frontline) and said he would help kerry anything short of selling his grandchildren.
More importantly, he voted against IWR because it was not going far enough (Syria was not covered). Now it is , by a separate bill approved in Senate.