Daily Clips for September 27, 2010

FEATURED STORIES As Crist fades in polls, early vote nips at his heels By Adam C. Smith St. Petersburg Times There's a good reason Charlie Crist has begun airing television ads questioning the integrity of Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meek in the Senate race: Crist is fading in the three-way race, and with early voting already under way he needs to halt the rising support for Rubio and Meek. To win, Meek must turn doubters into believers By Beth Reinhard Miami Herald Related: Poll: Rubio's lead over Crist grows; Meek gains ground Related: Rubio's views don't match many Hispanics' In a quietly arranged phone call Wednesday night, about 80 black elected officials backing Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek got their marching orders. A look at Alex Sink's and Rick Scott's budget plans for Florida By Brandon Larrabee Florida Times-Union In a year when anti-government sentiment seems to be almost as deep as a willingness to turn out incumbents, the state's gubernatorial candidates are trying to sell voters on their ability to rein in waste. Election Day already over for many Floridians as early voting surges By Michael C. Bender St. Petersburg Times Election Day already is over for thousands of Floridians. Someone give these guys memory pills By Carl Hiaasen Miami Herald The myth of Republican frugality is graphically exemplified by an ornate new state courthouse, about six miles from downtown Tallahassee. EDITORIAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK By Andy Marlette Pensacola News Journal Related editorial: A lovely bipartisanship FLORIDA POLITICS Analysis shows Florida could add two Congressional seats after 2010 Census By Louis Jacobson St. Petersburg Times A leading analytical firm is estimating that Florida is poised to gain two Congressional seats as a result of population growth following the 2010 Census. GOP audit clarifies little By Gary Fineout Sarasota Herald-Tribune The Republican Party of Florida earlier this month released a much anticipated audit that was supposed to finally reveal the depths of the financial scandal that has occurred under the watch of former chairman Jim Greer. How they voted: Bad in the Senate, worse in the House By Howard Troxler St. Petersburg Times The hits just keep on rolling. POLITICAL RACES Crist, Meek, Rubio using Social Security's future to lure voters By William March Tampa Tribune In classic fashion for the nation's biggest retiree state, Social Security is jumping to the front of the U.S. Senate race. Marco Rubio’s Social Security privatization lie, and the email that proves him wrong By Joy-Ann Reid The Reid Report On Face the Nation on Sunday, U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio continued his sprint to the middle, soft-peddling his support for raising the Social Security retirement age to 70 (he said he favored keeping Social Security just as it is, but “tweaking” the retirement formula in the coming years, whatever that means…) and — there’s no kind way to put this — simply lying about his stated support for privatizing the program for younger workers. Biden: White House "100 percent" for Meek By George Bennett Palm Beach Post Related: Meek woos unions, undecided voters Vice President Joe Biden acknowledged Americans are "frustrated and angry" with Democrats, but he predicted the party will retain control of Congress when voters compare it to the GOP. Biden praises Fla. Democratic candidates By Beth Reinhard Miami Herald Less than six weeks out from a high-stakes election, Vice President Joe Biden headlined a reception Friday that raised $500,000 for Florida Democrats jockeying to protect their majority in Washington and infiltrate GOP-controlled Tallahassee. Poll: Rubio opening gap in Senate race By Paul Flemming Florida Capital News Republican Marco Rubio is widening his lead in Florida's U.S. Senate race, up by 12 points in a poll released Saturday. Rubio: 'No' to credit card statements release By Abel Harding Florida Times-Union When Marco Rubio sat down with the Times-Union editorial board yesterday, we asked questions about his Republican Party of Florida credit card statements that have been the subject of much speculation. Independent Charlie Crist takes on old ally, Sen. George LeMieux, during editorial board interview By Aaron Sharockman St. Petersburg Times Related: Crist ad goes overboard trying to link Rubio to rowing earmark Gov. Charlie Crist lamented Washington's hyper-partisan shift Friday, singling out his one-time top adviser and campaign "maestro," George LeMieux, the man whom Crist appointed to the U.S. Senate just a year ago. Robert Wexler returns to South Florida politics to give a boost to Gov. Crist, an old friend By Anthony Man South Florida Sun-Sentinel Ex- Rep. Robert Wexler, who's stayed silent on politics since he left office early this year, is back in South Florida to give a boost to one of his oldest political friends, Gov. Charlie Crist. Sink, Scott weigh in on immigration issues By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News Democrat Alex Sink said Friday she would veto any immigration bill that hurts Florida farming while Republican Rick Scott said businesses should be protected from penalties for unwittingly hiring workers who are in the country illegally. Report hits issue Sink, Scott agree on: merit pay By Catherine Whittenburg Tampa Tribune Republican Rick Scott and Democrat Alex Sink don't agree on a lot. Ads aim to erode opinions of Sink By Jeremy Wallace Sarasota Herald-Tribune It was only a matter of time before Rick Scott had to go negative in his campaign for governor. Children's Movement Airs Ad Urging Scott to Debate By Margie Menzel WFSU Public Radio Tallahassee A child advocacy group is touring Florida, drawing thousands and calling for Republican gubernatorial nominee Rick Scott to debate Democrat Alex Sink on children's issues. Alex Sink says grit and pride were legacy of famous ancestors, Siamese twins Chang and Eng By Adam C. Smith St. Petersburg Times If Alex Sink makes history and becomes Florida's first female governor she still won't be the most celebrated member of her family. Democrat ex-banker Sink says she's an outsider, too By Dara Kam Palm Beach Post Dudley Bates can't remember the last time he voted for a Democrat. The lifelong Republican said he's never voted for one for governor. Wanted: $140 billion watchdog By Kris Hundley and Sydney P. Freedberg St. Petersburg Times Candidates for the three top statewide offices will have an important side job. Candidates for CFO provide a contrast By Jim Ash Florida Capital News The top two candidates for chief financial officer offer voters a stark contrast — Jeff Atwater, the Republican Senate president and banker from North Palm Beach, and Loranne Ausley, a Democratic former House member and a pedigreed lawyer from Tallahassee. Poll shows tight Florida Cabinet race, weak support for class-size amendment By Marc Caputo St. Petersburg Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau The Republican candidates in the three races for Florida Cabinet are gaining traction with independent voters and slightly leading their Democratic rivals, according to a new poll that suggests 2010 is shaping up to be a good year for conservatives. Uneasy political environment encourages challengers in race for Congress By Bill Cotterell Florida Capital News The first time he ran for Congress, U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd had his mother reply to some harsh attacks with a homespun TV ad saying she'd like to wash his opponent's mouth out with soap. Analysis: Grayson vs. Webster: House race epitomizes left vs. right By Mark Schlueb Orlando Sentinel Related: Grayson TV ad compares Webster to Taliban If the stakes weren't so high — control of Congress — you could think of it as a political experiment. Democrats embracing ties to top By Amy Sherman and Patricia Mazzei Miami Herald At a time when President Barack Obama's poll numbers have waned and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is the GOP's favorite target, some Democrats have distanced themselves from the administration and Democratic leaders in Washington. Tea party favorite Allen West gunning for Ron Klein's seat By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Allen West ended a military career and launched a political one in the most unusual of ways. Hastings accuses GOP opponent of distorting voting record By Gregory Lewis South Florida Sun-Sentinel U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings is accusing his GOP election rival with distorting the nine-term Democrat's voting record. BALLOT INITIATIVES A weekend interview about class size with Leon High principal Rocky Hanna By Jeff Solocheck St. Petersburg Times When Amendment 8 to relax Florida school class size rules first emerged, Leon High School principal Rocky Hanna stood alongside sponsors Rep. Will Weatherford and Sen. Don Gaetz to applaud the effort to give schools more flexibility in controlling student numbers in classrooms. A few months later, he's become a leading voice in the campaign against Amendment 8. Voters don't support scaling back class-size law By Denise-Marie Balona Orlando Sentinel An attempt to scale back Florida's class-size law is going nowhere, according to a new poll. 'Fair Districts': Would redistricting really give Democrats boost they are looking for? By Aaron Deslatte Orlando Sentinel As Republicans nationwide ride a Tea Party wave into the fall elections, Florida's political maps drawn by the ruling GOP are showing their age. 'Hometown Democracy' amendment passage is iffy, poll shows By Jim Stratton Orlando Sentinel A constitutional amendment that would give residents more control over development is favored by a majority of voters - but not yet enough to win passage on Nov. 2, according to a new Mason-Dixon poll. It will finally give taxpayers the last word By Tom Connick Miami Herald Opposing viewpoint: It will only empower deep pocket-developers Amendment 4 will give us, the citizens of Florida, final say on land-use changes that affect our quality of life here in South Florida. ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY Obama administration directs criticism to BP claims czar Kenneth Feinberg By Alex Leary St. Petersburg Times Already under fire from officials in Florida, the administrator of the BP oil disaster fund is now facing criticism from the Obama administration, which has called the pace of filling claims "unacceptable." BP works on own estimate for amount of oil spilled By Harry R. Weber The Associated Press BP PLC is working behind the scenes to formulate its own estimate for how much crude spewed from its well in the Gulf of Mexico, as it prepares for a potential legal fight with the U.S. government over fines. Gulf of Mexico oil spill victims to be paid more, faster The Associated Press Ocala Star-Banner Victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill should start getting bigger payments faster, the administrator of the fund set up to help them said Saturday. LGBT Florida, 9 other states: Constitution doesn't require marriage to include same-sex couples The Associated Press Orlando Sentinel Florida and nine other states have filed a gay marriage opposition brief to a federal appeals court in California. Florida gay adoption ruling another step on long road to equality By Michael Mayo South Florida Sun-Sentinel Related editorial: Is Florida ready to join 21st century? How illogical was Florida's ban on gay adoptions, which a state appeals court correctly struck down last week? Boca couple celebrates end of Florida's gay adoption ban By Susan Spencer-Wendel Palm Beach Post It is a scene from many Florida households, this one unfolding inside an immaculate home in suburban Boca Raton. Adoption ban was senseless, indefensible By Fred Grimm Miami Herald Not often does an opinion from the solemn reaches of the Third District Court of Appeal read so darkly funny, as if Joseph Heller had come back from the grave as a judicial ghost writer. We are almost rid of cruel gay-adoption ban By Mike Thomas Orlando Sentinel Judge Frank Shepherd has impeccable conservative credentials: a Reagan appointee to the Environmental Protection Agency, a member of the libertarian Pacific Legal Foundation and the Federalist Society, a director of the James Madison Institute, a champion of tort reform, judicial restraint and individual rights. Protesters of gay adoption ignore parenting crisis By Ernest Hooper St. Petersburg Times The people still vowing to fight for a ban on gay adoptions appear to have lost touch with the fact that this state, and the nation, is facing a parenting crisis. Adoption matters Editorial Sarasota Herald-Tribune Last week, a state court again struck down a law that categorically bans gay Floridians from adopting children. JOBS, BUDGET, AND ECONOMY Where Florida's stimulus money has gone By Douglas Hanks Miami Herald A professor at Florida International University won $60,000 to research a rise in litigious Peruvians during the 18th century. Florida Supreme Court asked to halt foreclosures amid probe By Diane C. Lade South Florida Sun-Sentinel A Florida congressman has asked the state Supreme Court to stop all foreclosures being handled by three major law firms under investigation by the Florida Attorney General over questions about slipshod paperwork practices involving thousands of cases. Tens of thousands of Floridians remain on food stamps News Service of Florida Miami Herald The number of Floridians on food stamps has dipped slightly over the past year, but Department of Children and Families workers are still seeing a load of about 57,000 cases per month. Full accounting needed at State Board of Administration Editorial St. Petersburg Times It's possible the Florida State Board of Administration wasn't fully informed by Wall Street brokers three years ago when it cavalierly bought exotic mortgage-related securities just weeks before the credit markets crashed. HEALTH AND SENIORS AP Poll: Many think health overhaul should do more The Associated Press Gainesville Sun President Barack Obama's health care overhaul has divided the nation, and Republicans believe their call for repeal will help them win elections in November. JUSTICE AND THE COURTS Defense contractor confirms indicted Florida businessman sold counterfeit computer chips By Robert Napper Florida Independent Federal authorities say Pinellas businessman Shannon Wren for years dealt in counterfeit computer chips, risking the lives of military personnel and potentially endangering national security. Ruling on young, violent lifers puts Florida justice on the spot By David Ovalle Miami Herald Kyan Bucknor was 15 in 1999 when he shot two patrons and unleashed a volley of bullets into Broward Sheriff's Office deputy Al Hibbert outside a Lauderdale Lakes nightclub.