Democrat Bob Graham (search) told a Senate colleague Thursday that he would abandon his struggling presidential bid, a Democratic source said, but in a day filled with mixed signals, aides said he will continue to campaign.
"TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE" - Yesterday it was reported that Brett Doster, the realtor-lobbyist who is running Dubya's campaign in Florida who
two years ago helped organize a George Bush rally at the New York Yankees' Legends Field in Tampa.
The rally spurred a lawsuit from protesters who said they were improperly forced to leave the area. The Yankees identified Doster as the person who asked police to remove the protesters.
Jeez, Brett, either you did or dd not request (or more likely "direct") law enforcement to remove protesters; none of this "to the best of my knowledge" stuff.
SECRET DONORS -A loophole in Florida’s campaign finance laws allows lawmakers with ambitions in the Legislature to keep secret the donors funding their campaigns for House speaker or Senate president. "Shine light on leaders’ campaigns".
DISMANTLING PUBLIC EDUCATION -Some remarried fathers lavish attention and goodies on their new stepchildren and treat their biological children like the lovelorn stepchildren in fairy tales. Florida Education Commissioner Jim Horne is displaying that kind of behavior. In his case, public school students -- who are supposed to be the real objects of his affection -- are treated like stepchildren.
Mr. Horne was content with a state budget that did not adequately cover public schools' new expenses, including growth, insurance and the class-size amendment. In fact, he and Gov. Bush inflicted the fiscal pain on purpose, in hopes of encouraging voters to rescind the class-size measure. To complaints, they replied: Public school kids just will have to make do.
- A former housekeeper has claimed that she illegally sold thousands of prescription tablets in Palm Beach County to a famous broadcaster. "Limbaugh targeted in painkiller pill probe".
- A former housekeeper for Rush Limbaugh [who] claims she supplied the conservative commentator with thousands of doses of painkillers . . . , told their story to a Miami lawyer, and then to the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office after a promise of immunity from prosecution. Then they sold the tale to The National Enquirer, which splashed the allegations across their front page in Thursday's edition under the headline: "Rush Limbaugh Caught In Drug Ring." "Limbaugh linked to painkillers".
- One of the prescription drugs national radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is alleged to have abused has been linked to sudden hearing loss, an affliction that struck Limbaugh two years ago. "Prescription's overuse linked to sudden hearing loss".
- The New York Daily News said Thursday that it had independently confirmed the probe involving Limbaugh and reported that the radio personality had been turned in by his former housekeeper, who said she kept him supplied with pills for four years. "Limbaugh faces drug probe, Enquirer says".
Although Limbaugh is incapable of showing compassion for people with drug problems as demonstrated here, here, here, here, and here (all links to Eschaton), we wish Mr. Limbaugh the best on his road to recovery.
CUBAN GOPERS FALL INTO LINE - A leading Cuban-American legislator has joined President Bush's re-election campaign committee, but only after a closed-door debate over whether the Bush administration was committed to sharpening its Cuba policy.
Following intense negotiations with Bush campaign officials and his own peers in the state Legislature, Rep. Gaston Cantens agreed to attend Wednesday's news conference with Gov. Jeb Bush, Bush-Cheney 2004 manager Ken Mehlman and other GOP luminaries, the Miami Herald reported in Thursday's editions.
The move comes two months after Cuban-American legislators wrote a letter to the White House warning the president risks losing Cuban-American support over the president's decision to send 12 hijack suspects back to Cuba to face prison time. "Cuban-American legislator joins president's re-election campaign".
OH YEAH, THAT TREASON THING - As the investigation into who leaked the name of a CIA officer to the media expanded Thursday beyond the White House, Florida lawmakers split along party lines on who should control the probe.
Almost without exception, congressional Republicans said the Justice Department, under Attorney General John Ashcroft, should handle the inquiry into who revealed the identity of Valerie Plame, a CIA operations officer who has served overseas. Plame's husband, former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, has criticized the Bush administration, which he said manipulated intelligence information to support the Iraq war.