Notes For Sunday, October 27, 2002
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A software company run by Neil Bush, a younger brother of Gov. Jeb Bush, hopes to sell a program to Florida schools that students would use to prepare for the test that is key to the governor's education policy. . . . Neil Bush gained notoriety as director of the Silverado Savings & Loan in Colorado, whose failure cost taxpayers $1 billion and led to a grand jury investigation during the term of his father, President George H.W. Bush. Neil Bush was never charged." 3:44 PM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]
Palm Beach Post endorses McBride. Strong stuff:
"When candidate Jeb Bush campaigned in 1998, he said, 'lorida can do better.'Thanks to the work of his Democratic predecessor, he inherited a budget surplus of roughly $2 billion. Florida was poised to do better, even to do great things. Instead, Gov. Bush squandered the surplus on tax cuts that have returned nothing for the state. Having made lower taxes for a few corporations and the wealthiest 4.5 percent of Floridians his priority, the governor provided slogans and gimmicks that he hoped would fulfill his campaign pledge." 9:19 AM
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A Surprise: Sarasota Herald Tribune endorses McBride. 9:12 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]
The I-4 Corridor Thing: Although today's St Petersburg Times and Sentinel polls are not great news for McBride (he remains 6 to 8% behind), there is an interesting disparity in the polls about what is going on in the I-4 corridor. The St Petersburg poll has Bush ahead by 15 points in the "bay area" and by 18% in central Florida (with undecideds at 5 and 8% respectively). The Sentinel poll, however, has Bush ahead by only 5% in central Florida. Hence, although the polls reach roughly similar results statewide (a 6 to 8& Bush lead), it is significant that in the swing I-4 corridor the polls' numbers are so different: a substantial 15 to 18% Bush lead (St Pete Times) or a mere 5% Bush lead (Sentinel); the radical difference suggests a sample difference and otherwise shows the difficulty of spot polling in Florida with its diverse regions. In any event, one suspects the McBride camp would be pleased by the 5% central Florida number. 7:18 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]
Marquez: Bush has no right to complain about McBride's ads. 7:11 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]
Oct 22 - 25 Poll: Bush 49%, McBride 43%, 7% undecided; 4% margin of error. Conducted by Florida Voter. 7:09 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]
Oct 23 - 25 Poll: Bush 51%, McBride 43%, 6% undecided; 3.5% margin of error. Conducted by Schroth & Associates. 7:04 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]
Bush Endorsed By Republican Party Stalwarts: The Sun Sentinel joins The Tampa Tribune and the Miami Herald in endorsing Bush. Ne real surprise with these endorsements; these editorial boards are always in the Rebublican camp. However, disappointing to the McBride camp will be today's Orlando Sentinel endorsement of Bush; it was perhaps too much to hope that the Orlando paper would be any different than its Tampa, Broward and Miami bretheren. 6:48 AM [Go to current Florida Politics site (no popup ads)]