The final night of the RNC in Tampa is here (I know, I can hear you cheering!) and several of Florida's own Republicans will join the parade of horribles inflicting their talking points speeches on us.
First up on the list, and just ahead of the "Reagan legacy video" is Connie Mack IV, the Charlie Sheen of politics as some of the local refer to him. Mack was one of the last ones added to the list, and to hear him tell it, he is very excited to be speaking:
"I am proud to be able to represent Florida and be a part of officially nominating Mitt Romney as the next president of the United States,” Mack said.
“We will come together as a party and a country at the convention to demand a change of leadership in Washington, D.C. Our voices have been ignored long enough. For nearly four years, Washington's lockstep liberals have forced the government takeover of health care and saddled us with job-killing regulations, more taxes, more spending and more debt. That ends this year. The American people are demanding change, and change is on its way."
If history repeats itself, like Mack does, the paragraph above will pretty much be his speech. He's not that deep and only knows a handful of talking points. "Lockstep liberals" is one of his new favorite phrases and he uses it, well, liberally, usually to describe his opponent, Democrat Bill Nelson, but it's easily interchangeable for President Obama too.
Connie is channeling Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction I guess ("I'm not going to be ignored Barack!") when he says he feels Republicans have "Been ignored long enough" but that "ends this year."
I beg to differ with Mack. It's pretty hard to ignore the GOP when they've stood together to block every piece of legislation put forth by Democrats, and the polls certainly show that voters haven't been ignoring them either. In other words, Mack and fellow Republicans are about as popular as a root canal. For Mack in the Florida polls, make that a root canal without anesthesia.
One reason Mack is so unpopular in Florida is that he spends a lot of time ignoring Washington and his job. He's not big on voting.
Another fun fact: He once referred to Paul Ryan's budget as "a joke." A good call which he later denied doing. The joke reference will likely be overlooked though. Ryan and the GOP probably don't care what he calls it. All they care about is an "R" seat in the Senate. That's why they, and the Super PACs are pouring money into his race.
For those who aren't from Florida, some of Mack's greatest hits:
He hasn't been popular with his own party, who felt he was too cocky, (Get out! What gave them that idea....?) didn't try hard enough at fund raising, and the Tea Party felt he ignored them. (He did.)
He has ties to Hooters, and he fought in an ugly primary race with George LeMieux, and he was endorsed by wing nut witch hunter and defunder of Planned Parenthood, the recently defeated Cliff Stearns.
Also from the wing nut endorsement files, he snagged one from Rand Paul.
His campaign is largely funded by sugar daddy Sheldon Adelson.
He led a charge against high gas prices in April by popping up at local gas stations. Unfortunately for Mack, he failed to notice that gas prices actually fell that week.
He's refused to debate his opponents, attacks reporters for reporting facts about his record, and and insults local newspapers, even the ones who endorse him.
Finally, and most recently, he criticized Rep. Todd Akin for his "forcible rape" bill even though he cosponsored it.
So get ready for Connie Mack IV and his fake outrage.
Oh, and "LOCKSTEP LIBERAL!"
Also, too.
