Major Newspaper Endorsements, Polls Inspire Florida Democrats

MIAMI -- Unless Democratic voters get over-confident and stay home on Nov. 4th, Florida will become a Blue State and provide 27 electoral votes to their nominee Sen. Barack Obama. But not before the GOP makes a last ditch effort to keep this pivotal state in the Red Zone.

All of the latest polls have the Illinois Senator leading by several percentage points in Florida. On Sunday, two of the state's most influential newspapers endorsed him. And an army of Democrats - including Obama himself, his wife Michelle, Sen. Hillary Clinton, former Ambassador Dennis Ross, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, other Democratic governors, and Latino celebrities are flooding the Peninsula with personal appearances in his behalf as early voting began this week with long lines across the state.

Republicans are making an appeal to keep the Sunshine State red, urging their long-term loyal base to make the difference. "But all the headlines, polls, long lines and endorsements seem to be heading our way," said popular Democratic Sen. Dave Aronberg of West Palm Beach, a swing district on the Florida peninsula.

A statewide poll conducted for two newspapers - the Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale) and Florida Times Union (Jacksonville) -- gave Obama a 49-45 edge over McCain. Other polls -- such as Gallup -- had Obama ahead by as much as eight points.

Despite the polls giving the Democratic nominee an edge in Florida, Sen. John McCain's schedulers sent him to Miami last Friday for a rally with Spanish speaking residents. He told the crowd Florida was a "must win" state for him to succeed. The crowd heard him repeat an anti-Castro message. At the same time, McCain's ally -- Sen. Joe Lieberman -- was making a pitch to elderly voters in South Florida condominiums, while Florida's GOP Gov. Charlie Crist and U.S. Sen Mel Martinez were campaigning for McCain in the center part of the state.

Meanwhile, Latino audiences were being entertained by Obama supporters at a separate weekend concert. Spanish singing star Noelia Zanon joined a lineup of performers for VoteFest08 -- sponsored by the Miami-Dade Democratic Party -- to promote early voting, which is now underway. It was a standing-room only concert which had Obama signs interspersed with placards for three Cuban-American Congressional candidates trying to unseat longtime Republican incumbents.

These scenarios -- coupled with the endorsements by two of the State's leading newspapers, the Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel, plus the news that Republican Colin Powell had given his nod of approval to Obama - put Florida once again back into the Presidential electoral vote limelight.

The Orlando newspaper -- an influential voice on the I-4 corridor running from the Space Coast westward to Tampa -- had endorsed McCain in the primary, but did a turn-around with glowing remarks in its endorsement of Obama. "Democrat Barack Obama has exceeded our expectations during this campaign. He has demonstrated sound judgment and grace under pressure. Because we are now more confident in his ability to steer America through the rough waters ahead, the Orlando Sentinel is endorsing Barack Obama for president."

The Miami Herald was equally complimentary in its endorsement of Obama, calling him a "clear choice." The editorial noted, "Sen. Obama represents the best chance for America to make a clean break with the culture wars and failed policies of the past and begin to restore the hope and promise of America as the world's greatest democracy."

Obama and his wife had campaign stops in the Tampa Bay area and vote-rich South Florida (Miami and Fort Lauderdale) while similar appearances were on tap early this week for Sen. Clinton. Clinton joined Obama onstage in Orlando, then headed to South Florida. New Mexico Gov. Richardson (to be joined by Democratic governors from Michigan, Colorado and Ohio) was also scheduled to make appearances before several Latin organizations in behalf of the Obama campaign and Ambassador Ross appeared before several large Jewish organizations, providing stimulation to vote across-the-board for Democratic nominees. Some 450 Obama staffers and "thousands" of volunteers were assisting in the early voting campaign.

The Obama campaign reportedly is pinning much of its hopes on a Florida electoral win with a record number of early voters. Early voting Monday had a record number of people lining up. At some voting precincts, lines were said to be so long, it took voters up to three hours to cast their ballots.

The GOP was quoted saying it was depending on a record number of absentee ballots to show the polls are wrong.

All of these activities came hot on the heels of last week's final televised Presidential Debate from Hofstra University, watched in Florida by hundreds of supporters at house parties organized from Key West to Pensacola. As one person said, it has been years since anyone recalls Democratic signs showing up at a Cuban-American rally or campaign party.

And, with a record number of absentee ballot requests statewide, a huge number of new voters (680,000--heavily Democratic), a barrage of mail and phone bank reminders, the Sunshine State is awhirl in national politics, with Democratic indicators showing up all over. The State Elections Division in Tallahassee is reporting a record 1.7 million absentee ballot requests -- about 12 percent of the entire voting population -- and a booming number of new Democrats registered in the state's 67 counties -- more than 358,000. Republicans believe the absentee ballots, usually used by older voters, indicates a plus for its party.

Democrats are saying the absentee votes may surprise the GOP this year.

"I am hopeful that everyone votes. This is no time for missing to cast a ballot because of overconfidence," says Toby Feuer, a political activist who joined some 70 other Weston Democratic Club members to watch the mid-week debate at the Carolina Ale House in Weston, an upper middle class suburb of Fort Lauderdale. Actually, there were several hundred people at the pub, which had more than a dozen high-definition TVs blasting. Not all were tuned to the debate. A nationally televised soccer game had more than its share of viewers at the 9 p.m. time slot.

"It's all over, anyway," said one soccer enthusiast. "So, why watch (Sen. John) McCain get kayoed again? I'll just watch the soccer."

"I think it might be close," says teacher Theresa Palmisano, "but there is no doubt, the
Obama campaign is going to win in Florida...... and nationally."

Comments

[saasha]

I live in FLA vote on monday for Obama first time for me since coming here from Haiti.

[Law35]

Congratulations!!! It's time for an intelligent President to turn this country around. Yes We Can!!

[VirginiaMom]

I'd read earlier that Obama's sister is fluent in Spanish, and was going to campaign for him in Spanish-speaking areas. But now I hear that she is caring for the grandmother, bless her heart.

[Punkynsnow]

All the volunteers that I've met here in Pinellas county are not letting up. I don't believe there will be any complacency.

The volunteers in my area are meeting for breakfast tomorrow morning and then are walking over to the courthouse to cast our early votes. We will all be working hard with the Get Out The Vote effort right up to election day, phoning and ringing doorbells to make sure people vote.

Obama's ahead in the polls and the Rays are in the World Series... who would've thunk it? These are exciting times!!

[justoverit333]

I'm from Pinellas County too. I sent my
absentee ballot in early!! OBAMA/BIDEN 08

[Icantbelieveher]

They won't steal another election through Florida!!! I listened to an attorney on the radio yesterday. He said they have all kinds of attorneys down there protecting everyone's right to vote and have their ballot counted!!!

[Punkynsnow]

Yes, I am an Obama volunteer and we were told that there would be lawyers as poll watchers at all the precincts. Hopefully this will prevent widespread problems from occurring.

[Icantbelieveher]

Your mouth to God's ear!!

Don't get overconfident -- VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!

I sent my vote for Obama this week!

[marinade]

At the Miami rally yesterday, hispanics seemed noticeably under represented. I hope that isn't a bad sign.

[hadenough23]

Hey guys,

Don't you worry about Florida. We've got it locked down for Obama.
Solid blue baby!

[childofdalight]

my wife and i live in florida

we sent in our ballots 2wks ago
OBAMA

[Icantbelieveher]

My sister lives in Florida and, sad to say, is uninformed and doesn't want to hear facts! You canceled out her vote!!!

G'Obama!!

[Pegi]

OH FLORIDA - i am so happy!!!! WE NEED YOU GUYS IN THE BLUE COLUMN!!!!! VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!!! and welcome to BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOBAMA!!!!

[NotaDrone]

I live in Florida, I voted today. Go Obama!

[sheikwil4]

I was born and raised in Florida and now live in NY state, please don't embarrass me again Florida by messing up the election, vote Obama, we have had enough idiots in the White House that just barley graduated from School, George W a C student and McCain graduated 5th from the bottom of his Naval Class, Sarah Palin taking 6 years to get a B.S. degree come on folks vote for the man that is a Harvard Graudate, the first AA to be the President of the Harvard Law Review, graduated at the top of his class, has proven that he can be calm when things go wrong and use a level head, has proved that he understands the economy and about keeping American safe.Vote Obama 08.

[lephead]

Yeah! Let's hope Obama wins Florida!

[Oregon Ivy]

Don't get over confident. Everyone MUST VOTE!

Hope Triumphs Hate 2008!

[Pegi]

I know dear, but we can still get a little excited and motivated at the same time!!!

[WAstateliberal]

I don't buy this theory/fear that people will actually stay home on election day, or toss a mail-in ballot into the trash, because they: 1) support Obama; and 2) think he doesn't need their vote. Does this make sense?

The only possible scenario where this makes sense is if you work on election day, you only have your lunch hour in which to vote, and the line will take ten hours to get through. Even then, you can go after work and vote. If you get in line before the polls close, don't think for a second that a Superior Court or federal judge will not grant an emergency motion by the Dems to keep the polls open until those in line have a chance to vote.

I just don't buy this complacency nonsense. It presupposes people who are inclined to vote but don't because the polls somehow convinced them their vote is not needed. Anyone who is eligible to vote but doesn't do so wasn't going to vote anyway. They are lazy slugs who aren't supporting either of the two major party candidates anyway. But they aren't going to stay home simply because a poll made them over-confident.

[whit4brains]

Oh what a beautiful article! I am so excited that Florida is looking BLUE this time. We need to redeem ourselves after that chad fiasco in 2000. It will be so great to live in a BLUE state! Yay!