Beach Peanuts

George LeMieux Goes From Stand-In to Stood Up By The GOP

George LeMieux has dropped out of the Senate race against Connie Mack IV, somewhat "sore loser" style. He released what appears as a campaign video explaining his reasons, none seeming to have anything to do with himself, and throwing his "support" behind the man he called the "Charlie Sheen of Florida politics." LeMieux has painted Mack as a barroom brawler with money and marriage problems in his past.

While citing his time as a stand-in for Charlie Crist, LeMieux has a list of reasons for dropping out and places blame on everyone but himself in the video. He claims the party establishment pushed him out (hmm, that sounds familiar), blamed Mack for the family name recognition, and the fact that Mack just yesterday stated he refused to debate LeMieux (Mack said that would only help Sen. Bill Nelson), and said that there was so much money being poured into Mack's campaign that LeMieux's "message" couldn't be heard.

Poor, poor, pitiful George. All that was missing were tears and a box of tissues.

Of course there's little doubt the Republican Party showed LeMieux the door. (At least they let him stay in the party.) Just yesterday Mack (along with Daddy Mack) declared himself the winner before the primary after getting the endorsements of Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney. Then came the endorsement from what some refer to as the "Dick Armey," the FreedomWorks PAC portrayed as a grassroots Tea Party organization which is actually run by former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Show Me The Money) and is anything but. The only "roots" being those sown by Armey who convinces followers to vote against their own self-interests and part from their cash in the form of donations for the cause of "small government and "low taxes for the rich." Mack will now be groomed to appear as a Tea Party candidate, and Armey's fundraising emails are already flying through cyberspace.

In the video here (note the sad soundtrack), LeMieux leaves little doubt that dropping out wasn't "his" idea, but due to forces beyond his control. Of course he doesn't mention the big reason: He's just not very popular and never really took off. After all, he's being shoved aside for the only one left who may lose to Bill Nelson with a slightly lower margin than LeMieux himself.

Sadly for LeMieux, a family name that people recognize no matter what it does, or doesn't live up to, is probably still better than "George...Who?"

Mack Logic: If I Debate I'll Help Nelson, So No Debates, And I Win!

All Over, But For The Coronation!

If any of you GOP inclined voters in Florida think there's a Republican primary coming up for U.S. Senate candidates, Connie Mack IV has a message for you:

WRONG.

You see, the "Gas Prices Are Too Damn High??" candidate has declared himself the winner because he currently has a 33 point lead in the polls over the others who assume they're still running against him, and of course we all know that polls never change. Never! Well, except for when they do.

But no matter! That's not the only reason Mack has declared himself the winner. He has endorsements from Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney, so there! Guess we're to assume they're the ultimate deciders since Jeb all but made his brother the President in spite of the number of votes counted, and Mittens declared himself the frontrunner long before Republican voters came to the conclusion there was no one else left to support after a long primary season. Not for lack of trying either! They gave a shot to just about every last wing-nut they could find from Michele "We ARE In The Last Days And Besides, I'm Hearing Voices" Bachmann right down to pizza magnate Herman "9-9-9" Cain. Never mind that the name Bush still means the plague in most "thinking" voters minds, and no one likes Mitt Romney no matter what they say. He's similar to our governor, Rick Scott, in that sense. Both were elected as Governors, and yet they were so bad at their jobs no one will admit to actually voting for them.

Really. Ask around!

No, the race is clearly over as far as Connie's concerned. Since he's spent so much time batting at George Stand-In LeMieux like a pesky fly for months to no avail, he's decided to just pretend he's not there from now on, along with......those other guys running.

Another reason may just be Connie's Daddy. He's Connie Mack for Pete's sake! Besides, Daddy's in agreement. It's over, so there. Any questions? (Did Connie Mack IV mention his Daddy is Connie Mack?)

Those are the conventional wisdom choices, but I think there's another reason. He's basically a coward with nothing to offer, and he knows it. Here's your first clue, from Mack himself:

"We have a 33-point lead," Mack said last week, explaining his decision to skip three televised GOP primary debates.

[...."If my opponents want to debate me, that will only help Sen. Nelson," Mack said.

Wow. That's some admission. The ony thing that might have surprised me more would have been if he said he was a hapless loser. Sure others have made that assumption, but I do believe this is a first.

"I'm winning!"

"If I debate, I'll lose!" 

He's starting to sound like Mitt Romney: "I'll have it both ways, thank you."

The unspoken truth here is that in a debate with Sen. Bill Nelson, Mack will likely lose there too. Why prolong the agony, I say?

Sadly, Republicans aren't buying Mack's self-proclaimed coronation, and they're getting vocal about it.

But some grass roots Republicans say it's too soon for Mack to declare himself the winner — especially if he won't make the customary rounds at debates and straw polls.

"It's an incredibly bad message to send to the voters in a primary," said Nancy McGowan, president of the Conservative Republican Forum of Jacksonville. "It just says, 'What you think doesn't matter.' "

Another astute observation from the right, but then being a conservative Republican Ms. McGowan should know by now that "what you think doesn't matter" is pretty much the Republican platform these days. They don't care what you think, or want, regardless of party affiliation. You're on your own.

So just get over it. 

Game over. Connie and his Daddy say so!

(Photo: Connie Mack IV, U.S. House)

Endorsements: Time To Embrace The Crazy

Yesterday, one of the last of a disappearing breed, commonly known as a M-o-d-e-r-a-t-e R-e-p-u-b-l-i-c-a-n was sent packing from his long held seat in the U. S. Senate, Richard Lugar of Indiana. He was beat by a Tea Bagger candidate who seems to be in a hurry to cash a taxpayer funded paycheck for doing absolutely nothing if he's elected.

The candidate, Richard Mourdock (T-eaBagistan) said this about his views on how to get things undone in Washington:

"I certainly think that bipartisanship ought to consist of Democrats coming to the Republican point of view."

Talk about that dreaded Tea Bagger four letter word: Welfare. (They aren't good with numbers.) Sign up Mourdock for the government version! Say no, get paid. Ka-Ching! 

So who has now rushed in to embrace the newest potential obstructionist? Why that would be none other than Marco Rubio, in his haste to run back to the Tea Baggie side of the aisle to grab any voters he lost when he crossed over to the other side of Wall Street, in the event that his Veep dreams all come true and Romney snaps him up. (Good luck with that.) Plus, who knows better about getting elected to the U.S. Senate, and then doing absolutely nothing once you get there than Marco Rubio, am I right?

In a news release after Mourdock’s victory, Rubio said he was “proud to announce Reclaim America PAC’s endorsement of Richard Mourdock, and to offer my personal support as well,” and called Mourdock part of “a new wave of limited-government leaders that will come to Washington to stand up to the status quo in both parties.”

Sure Marco. Keep up the act that there are really "two" branches in the Republican Party, wink, wink. Tea's and R's, when we all know there's only one, and it accepts big corporate cash in return for squeezing every penny out of that "limited government" that it can. Only the true believers are still in the dark.

Also, in the Florida endorsement race, we have the contest between two of perhaps the most infantile Republican candidates the state has ever witnessed, Connie Bono Mack IV and former Senator Stand-In George LeMieux. 

Well, I guess that Rand Paul hasn't gotten enough attention lately, what with Daddy running around the country like the crazy Uncle who thinks he's running for President every four years or so. I guess Rand is still trying to convince others he's relevant, because he  has come forward to endorse Mack.

Tough break there, George. Again. Always a Stand-In, never a Senator.

What this really means is more entertainment to come from the Mack-LeMieux slug-fest while we watch Mr. Hollywood pretend that he's really just a down home Tea Bagger at heart. Or a libertarian, or whatever. He's got his work cut out for him there, as I don't recall seeing many true Tea Baggies walking a red carpet and hanging out with celebrities on a regular basis, unless you count Ted Nugent as a celebrity, and quite frankly, who does? Well, besides Mitt Romney.

Yes, I think we may need some popcorn for this next round.

Your move George.

Disappointed Republicans Look In The Mirror, See A "Cocky" Connie Mack

"We're The Republican Party, And We Approved This Candidate"

Republicans to Connie Mack IV: Kiss off?

According to the Washington Post, Republicans lay blame for Connie Mack's failing Senate campaign on....Connie Mack.

They say he's too cocky, has a sense of entitlement, and that he harbors a certain "kiss the ring" mentality. (No! Get outta' here!)

To those Republicans, I would like to pose a question:

Excuse me, but did you just meet Connie Mack?

After all, His Highness has been in Congress since 2005 and much like his peers, elected office is the family business model. But even if we accept the "can't see the forest for the trees" explanation, just look at him:

"Cocky? Who, Moi?"

This is not the official portrait of someone who lacks self confidence. Nor did the GOP when they were busy sharing high-fives as he jumped in the race. He was their dream candidate, but then he went about running a campaign set on coronation mode, waiting for someone to roll out a red carpet to his new Senate office just like he's become accustomed to in Hollywood. Now he's barely competitive with the George LeMieux snooze-fest. The Party of "Morning In America" is just waking up to their latest nightmare.

Among their complaints:

Fundraising: Despite his connections and widespread support, Mack isn’t raising the sort of money most people expected he would. And, some Republicans say he hasn’t even really tried.

Tea party: Mack, some say, has ignored the grassroots. When he does pay attention to them, it’s not much better. At an Orlando tea party forum Mack called the budget proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R) a “joke.”

Media: Mack’s campaign has picked unnecessary fights with the press, including one blast against the Tampa Bay Times over a snarky headline on a blog post.

Pot meet the kettle of criticism.

For starters, no one really "works" at fundraising in the GOP these days. Corporate American pretty much bankrolls the candidate most likely to sign the legislation they write with help from organizations like ALEC. They thought Mack would expect something different?

He "ignores the Tea Party?" Say it ain't so! Who among the Republican Party hasn't ignored the Tea Party once the gullible Tea Party followers put them into office? Looking at you, Marco Rubio....perhaps the name Rick Scott rings a bell?

On the "Paul Ryan budget is a joke" front, well, he's got 'em there. It is a joke, and not the funny kind.

Blame the media? Whoa, now there's an excuse we've never heard before! OK sure, he got lucky when The Tampa Bay Times rolled over because the man from Hooters cried foul, but not everyone is a pushover. Besides, if the Republicans don't like snark they should quit acting like idiots. The American public isn't as stupid as they think. They should get used to getting called out on it. Pardon the campaign ad "snark" here Rep. Mack, but dare I say "monkey see, monkey do?"

To Republicans who are critical of IV, I have to say, Connie Mack seems like just what the party ordered to me. He's running on three of your own favorite empty buzzwords issues, freedom, security, and prosperity, topped off with the favored radical dream budget plan of doom, Cut, Cap, and Balance. That's the plan that, to quote Ezra Klein, "is an effort to take the lessons of the past 10 years and then pass a constitutional amendment preventing us from learning them."

Seriously. What else do you have to offer?

(Photo: Connie Mack, U.S. House)

Connie Mack IV's Tantrum And Campaign Run Out Of Gas

Connie....Who?

It's hard to believe that Republicans could find more of a yawner candidate to run for the U.S. Senate against Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson than George LeMieux, but they managed to find one anyway.

U. S. Rep. Connie Mack IV is even putting the most hopeful Republicans to sleep. They're getting desperate and some want another candidate altogether.

When he first entered the race, it generated so much excitement that another candidate just dropped out of the race. That left less than dazzling former Sen. "Stand-In" George LeMieux, the Charlie Crist hopeful placeholder in 2010. Crist lost to Marco Rubio, leaving LeMieux with nothing better to do than actually running, this time against Nelson.

However, if you're in Florida, lately it's been hard to remember there's actually a Republican in the race, much less two of them, and that's good news for Bill Nelson.

Mack's most recent effort to try to hurt not only Nelson, but President Obama on oil policy and gas prices fell flat, much like gas prices did.

Last week, Mack appeared at a gas station in St. Petersburg, Florida to stomp his feet in public feigned outrage because gas prices were so high, and he even penned a "letter" to the President in protest.

What Mack didn't mention in that letter was that he made sure he searched and located the gas station with the highest price at the pump in the area at which to publicly conduct said tantrum. While he wrote that gas was soaring over $4 a gallon, gas prices actually dropped below $4 that weekend, and the station selling for $4.19 mentioned in the letter was the only one that high. A quick search on any gas price website debunked Mack's letter before he had time to send it out as a press release.

Way to go, Sherlock!

Yes, there's a reason why not only the news media in the screen shot above have a hard time recognizing Connie Mack IV. 

It takes more than just a name to run on.

Screen shot: MSNBC

FL Senate Race: If You Live In A Glass House, You Shouldn't Throw Boulders

Two-And-A-Half Charlies

As the current race for the U.S. Senate gets underway in Florida, the only adult in the room is the current office holder: Democrat Bill Nelson.

Former GOP Sen. Stand-In George LeMieux, who was a place holder for Charlie Crist when Crist hoped to be the winner against Marco Rubio in 2010, is now running against Republican Connie Mack for Nelson's seat.

Back in 2009, LeMieux was Charlie Crist's BFF when he became his stand-in, but then dropped old Charlie like a bad habit when Wall Street came calling and the powers that be in the GOP excommunicated Crist in favor of then Tea Party "darling" Rubio. Crist was abandoned because he had the gall to hug President Obama in public, and in front of photographers no less. Hugging a Democrat is one thing, but a black Democrat? Well, let's just say, lines were crossed!

Fast forward in the race to 2012 and we have a genuine LeMieux on Mack sandbox slug-fest going on, and it's only February.

First, LeMieux threw a character punch at Mack, citing his record as a bit of a barroom brawler with a past of money and marriage problems. LeMieux used this to brand Mack as "the Charlie Sheen of Florida politics." LeMieux went further, saying that Mack wouldn't be able to get a job as a police officer or a teacher, and shouldn't be able to hold the job of a senator either. LeMieux also provided a statement and time line of "evidence" to back up his claim.

Not wasting any time, Mack fired back at LeMieux by playing a "Charlie" card of his own, the now tiresome one from the "friend of Crist who hugs black democratic Presidents offering stimulus money" deck. A mad typist from the Mack campaign fired off a hasty "Dear George" letter.

An excerpt:

When we first met many years ago, you were a brash and ambitious political operative. You prided yourself in being a take-no-prisoners, bare-knuckled political junkie. All are traits that served you quite well as you made a name for yourself as the mastermind of Charlie Crist’s political machine

But let’s be honest with each other – you know as well as the rest of us that as your power grew, so too did your thirst for more. It’s written all over you......]

[....You probably thought that hugging Barack Obama was a good photo op for Charlie too.

Nevertheless, even with your deep convictions on policy, at some point you realized you could cash in on your long and incredibly close professional and personal relationship with Charlie Crist.

You became one of the wealthiest lobbyists, err “consultants,” in Florida. And even though you were (and if one believes the newspapers, still are) caught up in the lingering scandals with the RPOF and Jim Greer, Charlie appointed you to the U.S. Senate without you ever having previously had a single moment in elective office.

More cattiness ensues, which you can read in full should you choose here.

Sadly for the angry letter writers in the Mack campaign, they overlooked one teeny, tiny little detail in Mack's past themselves.

It seems Mack endorsed Charlie Crist in his Senate race against Marco Rubio.

Ouch.

Oh, and also, duh?

Perhaps when one lives in a glass house, he shouldn't throw boulders. Doing a little research on your own candidate probably wouldn't hurt either.

And so it seems that Connie Mack and George LeMieux both stick to Charlie Crist like a Republican sticks to a tax cut.

Super glue anyone?

Sorry boys, you can't break it, but you bought it anyway.

Connie Mack, Contraception, And Hooters

Mack Doesn't Give A Hoot About A Women's Right To Make Their Own Choices

Rep. Connie Mack (R-FL) who was a former "special events" coordinator for Hooters and is now running for U.S. Senate against former Sen. "Stand-In" George LeMieux, who is best known for throwing Charlie Crist under the bus to make friends on Wall Street after he was appointed as a place holder by Crist when Crist ran against Marco Rubio for the U. S. Senate, (whew!) is now getting campaign contributions from guess who?

Hooters!

This isn't all that surprising of course. Lots of former employers and associates of politicians give them campaign contributions. For instance, the vulture capitalists at Bain are helping to finance Mitt Romney's failing Presidential campaign.

Given that they employ so many, I have to wonder how the women that work for Hooters will feel about Mack now that he's saying President Obama's new contraception rule in the Affordable Care Act is taking away their "freedoms" by allowing them affordable access to contraception? After all, one of the bills filed in the Senate by Marco Rubio would allow an employer like, say Hooters, to bar them from getting contraceptive coverage for any "religious" reason that employer chooses. I'm guessing they may take issue with that.

Mack recently sat down at CPAC alongside the often crazed and ranting right-winger Andrew Breitbart for an interview with CNN's Soledad O'Brien and she asked him about the contraception issue.

From Mediaite:

Rep. Connie Mack (R – Fla.) was a guest on Starting Point Friday morning — live from CPAC — and took the occasion to rip into President Obama for his health care mandate, saying that the President doesn’t respect the Constitution and that personal freedoms and liberties don’t matter to him.

Host Soledad O’Brien played a series of clips of conservatives talking out against the birth control mandate before turning to Mack.

“I think this is a huge issue,” Mack said, “that continues to show that this administration doesn’t believe that the Constitution and personal freedoms and liberties matter.”

Mack added that the birth control mandate “shows an arrogance,” and used President Obama’s background as as a lawyer to imply that he could cleverly work around the Constitution.

“Whatever the words of the Constitution are don’t matter to him,” Mack said. “He will interpret it in a different way, and think that is what has created this frustration.”

Do you suppose women who work as waitresses at Hooters and largely rely on tips to supplement their income would mind the added expense of out of pocket health care costs should their employer suddenly find some reason to bar them from coverage if a proposed bill like Rubio's should pass? Should Mack win his Senate seat, would he go even further to strip the Affordable Care Act himself?

I'm guessing those women may not share Mack's view that President Obama is "arrogant" for protecting their right to choice and to have access affordable health care.

(Photo: Connie Mack, U.S. House)

Endorse This: Hari Huckabeed, Hasner Santorumed?

Today the first endorsement of the upcoming Florida U.S. Senate election came rolling in. Not much fanfare, just rolling. Yawn.

No big surprises.

Florida Sen. President Mike-Dirty-Hari-Haridopolos apparently is hoping to round up the Right Wing Nut Religibots with an endorsement from, who else, famed squirrel fryer and Right Wing Nut Religibot Mike-Huckster-Huckabee. Part of the Haridopolos statement is below:

“We need a new generation of proven fiscal and social conservative leaders in the US Senate and that is why I am proud to endorse and support my good friend, Mike Haridopolos for the US Senate in Florida,” said Huckabee. “Mike will fight for our conservative values in Washington, just as he has done in leading the tremendous work of the Florida Senate.”

Shorter Huckabee: "Look at all the anti-abortion bills that got passed under his watch! Not to mention outlawing bestiality. As a matter of fact, funny story, under his watch, they accidentally made sex illegal in Florida. Can't get much more conservative values than that!" 

More: 

“I am honored to have such a tremendous conservative leader like Gov. Huckabee stand with me and other Floridians to tell Washington that enough is enough,” said Haridopolos. “We’ve had enough of the broken promises, record borrowing, and deficits coming from the failed policies of Bill Nelson and Barack Obama,” Haridopolos concluded.

That's right, he's going to go to Washington and say "enough is enough!" just like all who have gone there before him, (Rubio, Rivera) only to say "you know what, I just can't get enough!"

Next we have Adam-Who?-Hasner. He hasn't scored the endorsement yet, but he'll soon be hanging with Rick-Google-Me-I-Dare-You-Santorum at a Lincoln Day dinner on May 24. One can assume there will be mutal endorsements should Santorum jump into the Presidential race, just as Haridopolos returned the favor to Huckabee. Hasner may want to be careful there however, lest he be labled as a "Santorum." That's some branding best to be avoided I would say. (Google it.)

That leaves one Republican currently in the Senate race without an endorsement yet. Former Sen. Stand-In George LeMieux. But hey, it's still early, there's plenty of crazy to pick from, and someone is just bound to notice him sooner or later.

To be continued....

 

Marco Rubio: "Hands Off My Momma's Medicare!" But Not Yours

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-eciter-Of-Talking-Points-FL) met with President Obama today to discuss entitlement programs and the national debt.

Not much new to see here though.

As he has in the past, Rubio stressed the need to reform Medicare and Social Security, just not until after his mother gets her benefits.

As for those who are under 55? Well, please accept this useless handy voucher courtesy of the Paul Ryan Ayn Rand Plan.

From the St. Petersburg Times:

Rubio invoked Florida's heavy population of retirees and told the president his own mother depends on Medicare and Social Security, an aide confirmed. He stressed the Republican position that something needs to be done now to preserve the programs for future generations.

For Republicans, that includes a controversial House proposal that would convert Medicare into a voucher program but only for people currently under age 55. Rubio has generally embraced that proposal, which Democrats and Obama have decried and hope to use in the upcoming elections.

If indeed Rubio still favors the Ryan voucher plan and wants to end Medicare, he joins the current Republican candidates trying to oust Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in the next election, Transcript Author and current Florida Sen. President Mike Haridopolos, Former Stand-In Sen. George LeMieux and Adam-Who?-Hasner, all of which favor ending Medicare.

Just not for current seniors. They need those senior votes too much.