FL Dems are rippin each other......Penelas accused of hurting Gore.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2003308250341

SNIP...."LEESBURG -- In an audacious attack on a rival that he said was necessary if Florida's Democrats are to keep a Senate seat in 2004, U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch used a candidates' forum Sunday to blast Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas as a party traitor with felonious campaign finance practices.

Deutsch, speaking at a luncheon sponsored by the Lake County Democratic Executive Committee, said Penelas cost the Democrats the White House in 2000. He also repeated his demand that Penelas should waive his right to confidentiality in a Federal Elections Commission investigation into allegations of illegally coerced donations.

"Primaries are about weeding out candidates with problems," said Deutsch, a six-term congressman who represents southeast Broward and northeast Miami-Dade counties......"

I don't know Deutsch, but I know my feelings are about Penelas are NOT good. I had heard he supported Jeb, and there were rumors he had hurt Gore's chances in South Florida in 2000. He was here at the political rally Friday night, and he got the cold shoulder from our Dean meet-up chair who had known him in Miami.

Tell me about Deutsch.

I share your concerns about Pinelas. IIRC, he endorsed Gore but waited until very late to do so. He was also a divisive figure in the whole Elian Gonzalez saga.

Deutch strikes me as a centrist/moderate Dem. He may be our best hope if Graham decides not to run. Rep. Alcee Hastings (District 23 in Miramar, I believe) probaly is more of a liberal, but would have a difficult time winning statewide. He was impeached as a federal judge in the 1980's. Betty Castor, Florida's former Education Commissioner, is also running.

Sword hangs over Alex Penelas

``I was an early and strong supporter of Al Gore. I helped him and President Clinton raise millions of dollars and I helped him win Miami-Dade County by 30,000 votes.''

-- Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas

When Alex Penelas made those comments last month, they created an uproar. Anyone who actually followed the 2000 presidential election remembers Penelas abandoned Gore in the final months of the race, and worse, had turned his back on his supposed friend during the infamous Florida recount.

And yet in recent weeks, Penelas has been trying to rewrite that history. Campaigning to be the state's Democratic nominee next year for the United States Senate, Penelas has portrayed himself as a party stalwart who stood shoulder to shoulder with Gore.

Penelas' words angered his rivals.

U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch, who is also running for the Senate seat being vacated by Bob Graham, referred to Penelas as ``a pathological liar.''

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, another Senate contender, laughed at the notion Penelas helped Gore, describing Penelas instead as ``a negative inside the Democratic Party machinery.''

All this rancor made me wonder if Al Gore had heard about the mayor's boastful claims that he was a ''strong supporter'' of the former vice president and that he was instrumental in helping Gore gather votes in Miami-Dade County.

''I had heard that, yes,'' Gore told me when I reached him by phone on Saturday.

What did he think of the mayor's revisionist memory?

Gore paused for a moment.

''I don't have any comment on that,'' he said. ``I would just prefer not to comment on it.''

But then he quickly added: ``I don't rule out commenting on it at a later time, but I don't care to comment on it right now.''

And to make sure I heard him, he said it again: ``I don't rule out commenting on it at some point in the future.''

Well, that ought to give Penelas a few sleepless nights. Gore is holding the proverbial sword over Penelas' head, allowing the mayor to squirm, and letting him know that some day soon he might talk candidly about his old friend.
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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/columnists/jim_defede/6291255.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

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Democrats accuse Miami-Dade County mayor, Alex Penelas of betrayal for not recounting ballots
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http://www.burrelles.com/transcripts/nbc/toda0012.htm

I hope the word gets out loud and clear. I think he did get a less than warm reception here in Central Florida the other night.

Interesting situation.

He seems like a moderate Democrat, who came from a fairly liberal district (Elaine Bloom is considering running to replace him!).

I heard a rumor that Penelas campaigned for one of the Diaz-Balarts.

here.

Mr. Penelas has got some explaining to do.....