Crowley Political Report

Miami Herald's Caputo gets Romney campaign all worked up

This story was first published by Columbia Journalism Review.

By Brian E. Crowley

Tucked somewhere into the recesses of the hidden place where only those with knowledge of the secret handshake can go, are the many files accumulated during the vetting process of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan.

The presidential campaign of Mitt Romney certainly pored over votes Ryan cast during 14 years in Congress as they were preparing to select Romney’s running mate. So one can only wonder if this little tidbit, picked up by The Miami Herald’s Marc Caputo, was noticed by the campaign’s inquisitors—Ryan voted at least twice in opposition to our country’s embargo with Cuba.

While nearly all of the nation’s media focused, as they should have, on Ryan’s views on overhauling the federal budget and Medicare, Caputo took the time to peek into an issue that is at the forefront of political interests of South Florida’s Cuban-Americans. When he did, it exploded.

Caputo acknowledges that he looked into Ryan’s positions on the Cuban embargo at the suggestion of sources. At 4:39 p.m. on Saturday, less than eight hours after Romney stood on the U.S.S. Wisconsin in Virginia to announce that Ryan was joining the Republican ticket, Caputo posted a 410-word entry on the Herald’s “Naked Politics” blog that opened with:

New Romney ad suggests Obama not a fan of Israel

In a new ad targeted to Jewish voters - a key group for President Obama in South Florida - Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney attempts to leave the impression that Obama is not a fan of Israel.

Romney points out that Obama has not visited Israel since becoming president - but that has been common practice among both Republican and Democratic presidents. And Romney again offers his strong support for the idea that Jerusalem should be the capital of Israel

The Obama administration has followed the practice of previous administrations by being more nuanced about the future of Jerusalem

Is the ad a cheap shot? Perhaps, but both campaigns have been guilty of cheap shots. Will it have an impact on Jewish voters? Obviously the Romney camp thinks it will.

 

A unique view of Mitt Romney's trip overseas and there's a cat

By far one of the best photographers in the news business, New York Times photographer Stephen Crowley has been chronicling the 2012 presidential campaign in his own unique style. 

You can understand why Crowley Political Report is so proud of his work.

Stephen traveled with Romney on the Republican presidential candidate's trip to Great Britain, Israel and Poland. You won't find pictures like these anywhere else - including the one with the cat.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/08/01/us/politics/01romney.html

Lynn University in Boca Raton hosting foreign policy debate between Romney and Obama

Folks at Lynn Univeristy of been working and planning for months to get everything ready for the Oct. 22 presidential debate. 

Here's the latest media release from the Commission on Presidential Debates:

Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr. and Michael D. McCurry, co‐chairmen of the non‐partisan, non‐profit Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), today announced formats for the presidential and vice presidential debates that feature extended discussion of major issues to be announced in advance.

The formats for the 90‐minute debates are as follows:

 First presidential debate (October 3, 2012, University of Denver, Denver, CO)

The debate will focus on domestic policy and be divided into six time segments of approximately 15 minutes each on topics to be selected by the moderator and announced several weeks before the debate.

The moderator will open each segment with a question, after which each candidate will have   to respond.  The moderator will use the balance of the time in the segment for a discussion of the topic.

Vice presidential debate (October 11, 2012, Centre College, Danville, KY)

The debate will cover both foreign and domestic topics and be divided into nine time segments of approximately 10 minutes each.    The moderator will ask an opening question, after which each candidate will have two minutes to respond.  The moderator will use the balance of the time in the segment for a discussion of the question.

Second presidential debate (October 16, 2012, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY)

The second presidential debate will take the form of a town meeting, in which citizens will ask questions of the candidates on foreign and domestic issues.  Candidates each will have two minutes to respond, and an additional minute for the moderator to facilitate a discussion.  The town meeting participants will be undecided voters selected by the Gallup Organization.

Third presidential debate (October 22, Lynn University, Boca Raton, FL)

The format for the debate will be identical to the first presidential debate and will focus on foreign policy. 

All debates will be moderated by a single individual and will take place from 9:00‐10:30 p.m. Eastern Time.  There will be no opening statements and two‐minute closing statements in all the debates.   In all the debates except town meeting, the CPD recommends that the candidates be seated at a table with the moderator.  Moderators will be selected and announced in August.

Herald, Times and the complexity of Florida's Hispanic vote

This story originally appeared in Columbia Journalism Review.

By Brian E. Crowley

FLORIDA — One of the most wearisome elements of media coverage of the 2012 election campaign is the often trite and lazy reporting about Hispanic/Latino voters. So it was refreshing to read a story on Sunday byMiami Herald political writer Marc Caputo that looked beyond the usual caricature of such voters.

Caputo’s lede immediately let readers know that they were in for something different here:

Rep. Ana Rivas Logan’s opponents call her loads of names on the campaign trail.

But one seemed to bother her more than others: “Nicaraguan.”

“They’re making calls to the little old Cubans, telling them, ‘Don’t vote for her. She’s a Nicaraguan. Your commitment is with the Cuban vote,’” a choked-up Logan said last week about her bare-knuckle race against fellow Republican Rep. Jose Felix “Pepe” Diaz.

Welcome to Miami.

This is a place where calling the daughter of Cuban parents a “Nicaraguan” is a slur even though she was born in Nicaragua and says so on her website. Diaz denies participating in or authorizing the attack.

The fact that it was 1) used against the Cuban-American lawmaker and 2) worked enough to deeply unsettle her is a sign of the hardball politics in Miami-Dade. And it stands as a clear sign that Florida’s Hispanic vote is anything but monolithic.

Just beyond the Spanish-English language barrier is a not-so-brave world of ethnic tensions, borderline racism and nationalistic pride that will subtly play out this election season…

 

Often the media—especially the national media—concentrates its reporting about Florida Hispanics on the Cuban community. There is no question that Cuban-American voters are a critical segment of the South Florida vote. But the growing generational divide within the community is too often overlooked by reporters. Second- and third-generation Cubans tend to be less rigid about some issues than first-generation Cubans who fled the Castro regime.

But the Herald’s Caputo went well beyond that obvious difference. He delved into areas that are rarely reported. For example, he wrote:

Obama arrives in Florida, he is no Jimmy Carter

President Obama arrives in Jacksonville this afternoon to start a two-day campaign swing through the Sunshine State. Florida has not been kind to Democratic presidential candidates. Since 1952, Florida has voted for the Democratic nominee just four times in 15 elections.

Florida may be a swing state but in fact it hasn't done much swinging. Even the four Democrat victories have reasonable explanations that would suggest Democrats won more because of historical flukes than a genuine swing to the Democratic Party.

Is Florida Veep jinxed?

Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, Charlie Crist, Bob Graham, Reubin Askew, Claude Kirk ... some of them dearly wanted to be Veep, one of them said hell no. But whatever the reason, Florida pols never seem to make the final cut when the presidential nominee is looking for a number two.

In 1968, the Republican National Convention was in Miami Beach. No one wanted to be Richard Nixon's running mate more than Florida Gov. Claude Kirk. It was not to be. Instead, Nixon picked Spiro Agnew. The former Maryland governor had a bad habit of accepting bribes leading to his indictment and resignation as vice president.

Perhaps Agnew's most famous quote was his description of liberals and the media: "nattering nabobs of negativism."

By 1972, Democratic Gov. Reubin Askew was on presidential nominee Walter Mondale's short list. Mondale reportedly asked Askew to join the ticket and Askew declined. In 1984, Askew ran for president. He finished last in the New Hampshire primary and dropped out.

Both Bill Clinton (1992) and Al Gore (2000) seriously considered Democrat Bob Graham to be their running mate. He came closest to making the cut with Gore. The former governor and U.S. Senator decided to run for president himself in 2004. He made little progress.

Former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist hoped that Sen. John McCain would tap him for the Veep slot in 2008. Crist was always a long shot. Rather than pick a running mate from the Sunshine State, McCain reached up to the permafrost and picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

A lot of Florida Republicans hoped that former Gov. Jeb Bush would run for president in 2008. While they could understand why he might pass up the opportunity to follow his brother that year, the hope didn't die this year. Bush has firmly and repeatedly said he not interested in being at the top or the bottom of the ticket.

Which leaves us with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. Some Republicans are simply giddy over the notion that Rubio is the best fit for GOP nominee Mitt Romney. They are convinced that having a Cuban-American on the ticket from a swing state would be all Romney needs to defeat President Obama in November.

Rubio has one big hurdle to overcome - the Florida jinx. 

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Obama to make two day, five city trip to Florida next week

President Obama brings his campaign to Florida next week, spending Thursday and Friday in the Sunshine State, Crowley Political Report has learned.

Obama will travel to Jacksonville and West Palm Beach on Thursday and spend the night in Manalapan. On Friday, Obama will travel to Fort Myers and Orlando. He will return to Washington that night.

The president's two-day trip is a clear indication that the Obama campaign is concerned about winning here. The Sunshine State is key to Obama's chances for a second term and the state is no sure thing for the Democrats.

It will be interesting to see whether U.S. Senator Bill Nelson joins the president on all or part of his trip. Nelson found out this week that winning a second term may not be as easy as many thought against likely GOP nominee U.S. Rep. Connie Mack. 

Nelson huge money advantage was wiped out when the Karl Rove group Crossroads announced it would be spending $6.4 million on the helping Mack. Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson is pouring in another $1 million for Mack.

It is also a sign that Republicans believe they have a shot at defeating both Nelson and Obama here. 

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Romney's stashing cash overseas

The Democratic National Committee has a new video featuring foriegn accents from around the world: Switzerland, Bermunda, Cayman Islands and Luxembourg. The message - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has money stashed in banks around the world and he's keeping it all a secret.

Frankly, the video seems a bit silly. The point is legitimate. Romney should release his income tax statements for the past decade. Not doing so, simply builds on the suspicion that Romney has something to hide. But is this DNC video going to have the desired impact? Doubtful.

 

Romney's new ad calls Obama a liar

Oh my this is getting uglier and uglier. And we haven't seen the worst of it from either presidential campaign. Floridians are about to get hit with a harsh, new ad from Republican Mitt Romney that calsl Democrat Barack Obama a liar.

The ad opens with: "When a president doesn't tell the truth, how can we trust him to lead?"

In another segment, the grim male voice says: "Candidate Obama lied about Hillary Clinton" and then shifts to a Clinton sound bite they have used in other ads: "Shame on you Barack Obama."

The ad concludes with this: "Obama's dish0nest campaign: Another reason America has lost confidence in Barack Obama."

Tough stuff. And possibly effective.

 

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Donald Trump proves Sarasota Republicans are either brilliant or idiots

First a hat-tip to the Tampa Bay Times for popping this tidbit - the Sarasota Republican Party has named Donald Trump "Statesman of the Year."

The part-time Palm Beach resident and full-time blow-hard, is renowned for waking up each morning with a new idea for how to get his name in front of the media. With his birther "investigation" apparently still underway, Trump has proven time and time again that having a great deal of money does not protect one from being an idiot.

So what are the fine folks in Sarasota thinking? 

Best guess....they knew Trump would get them tons of publicity. And he will. Unfortunately, even their fellow Florida Republicans are going to be clucking about this decision.

Statesman of the Year?

On behalf of the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce - it's only a joke. Right?

 

Is Obama's sizzle starting to fizzle?

There has been lots of gnashing of teeth over the idea that Mitt Romney just doesn't "get it"  - whatever "it" is. It is true that the Republican presidential candidate is less than inspiring. But the sizzle that was once Barack Obama is beginning to feel bit more like fizzle.

Today we learned that unemployment is still 8.2 percent. Job growth is weak. The overall economy is still shuddering. In parts of Florida, unemployment remains in double digits. Many of those who are working are making less money. Some have multiple jobs to help makes ends meet. 

Is it any wonder why so many Florida voters are in a foul mood?

The Obama campaign still seems to be struggling with a message about to improve the economy. At this point the greatest strength of the Obama campaign is the weakness of the Romney campaign.

Is anyone feeling inspired by either candidate? 

Florida voters are just weary. And the independents that both campaigns are counting on, could decide to just stay home.

There is one bright spot in the economy - top campaign consultants are making a fortune even if their work, so far, has been less than impressive.

Here's the latest television ad from Crossroads GPS:

Mitt Romney borrows Hillary Clinton

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney apparently is quite fond of Hillary Clinton. In fact, Romney thinks so highly of our nation's Secretary of State that he is starring her in his newest campaign ad.

Now, Crowley Political Report suspects that Clinton is not going to be too thrilled with this particular honor.  And you can't help but wonder whether it is wise of Romney to encourage the Clinton clan to respond.

How effective is the ad? We'll let you decide.

 

New Priorities USA ad accuses Romney of drowning companies in debt

The Barack Obama supporting Super-PAC, Priorities USA, has a new ad for the viewing pleasure of Florida voters and the folks in other swing states. 

The ad continues the theme that Mitt Romney made millions while he was at Bain Capital by pushing businesses the company acquired into deep debt. 

 

Health care decision shocks and surprises

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi was "shocked and surprised" about the Supreme Court's health decision. She was not alone. In fact, it is probably fair to say that nearly everyone was shocked and surprised to find out that Chief Justice John Roberts was the deciding vote.

What other Floridians are saying:

Gov. Rick Scott: “Today’s decision by the Supreme Court of the United States is simply disappointing. The tax question was repeatedly refuted by members of Congress who helped pass this health care takeover.  The Justices have declared that the central provision of ObamaCare is a judicially mandated tax. A new tax pure and simple." 

Sen. Marco Rubio: “What’s important to remember is that what the Court rules on is whether something is constitutional or not, not whether it’s a good idea. And while the Court has said that the law is constitutional, it remains a bad idea for our economy, and I hope that in the fall we will have a majority here that will not just repeal this law, but replace it with real solutions that will insure more people and cost a lot less money.”

Sen. Bill Nelson: “A lot of us feel the health-care law wasn’t perfect. But it was needed. Our system was broken and we had to do something.  Insurance companies were refusing to cover people or dropping those who got sick. So, we passed legislation to prevent insurers from running roughshod over people. And today, the Supreme Court upheld most of these reforms. Now, I think it’s time we finish the job of fixing our economy and creating more jobs. “

Adam Hasner:  "The fact that the Supreme Court had to get involved at all proves Washington's dysfunction, and the inability of both parties to work together to forge common-sense solutions for the American people."

U.S. Rep. Allen West: "The United States Supreme Court has ruled to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by extending the power of the United States Congress to tax Americans' behavior.  This is a sad day for Americans, as they will be taxed to pay for benefits they may not need or want as part of the insurance they are forced to buy. With this decision, Congress has been granted infinite taxation power, and there are no longer any limits on what the federal government can tax its citizens to do.  

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings: "I have always advocated for access to universal health care with a public option.  With the Affordable Care Act, we have taken a huge step towards putting patients and their doctors, rather than big insurance companies, in charge of an individual’s health care decisions.  While I am pleased that this important legislation was upheld by the Supreme Court, there is still work to be done.  I hope that my Republican colleagues will now do their part and end their partisan attacks by putting the interests of Americans’ health care needs first.”

Kirk Wagar: "Today was a good start getting insurance companies out of the Healthcare decision market. Good for patients, good for doctors, good for hospitals."

Cristina Saralegui in both English and Spanish endorses Obama

For those of you who do not watch Spanish-language television, you may wonder what all the fuss is about surrounding Cristina Saralegui's endorsement of President Barack Obama. Most of the media is describing her as the Latin version of Oprah Winfrey.

Below, Crowley Political Report offers you both the English and Spanish versions of her ad. Plus, we have the news release from the campaign:

Today Obama for America is proud to announce the endorsement of Emmy award-winning talk show host and community leader Cristina Saralegui.

Cristina Saralegui, a seasoned journalist who is recognized as one of the most respected and influential role models in the Hispanic Community, and Obama for America Campaign Manager Jim Messina released the following statements regarding her endorsement of President Barack Obama.  This is the first time that Saralegui has endorsed a president or actively participated in a presidential campaign.  For 21 years, Cristina and "The Cristina Show" entertained, uplifted, and educated the Hispanic community in the U.S. and throughout the world.

Cristina Saralegui:
“I came to this country when I was 12 years old because my parents wanted to give me the opportunity to succeed.  Since then I have sat back and watched many elections come and go, but it wasn’t until this election, and because of what I see in President Obama and know he’s accomplished, that I decided to get involved.  President Obama is a principled man who has worked hard to put healthcare and a good education in the reach of millions of Americans and believes that everyone who works hard and plays by the rules, should have a fair shot at the American dream. He understands the Hispanic community and has supported it unconditionally and that is why I was moved to endorse and campaign for our President’s reelection.

“This is a critical time for our country and for the Hispanic community.  Hispanics could very well decide the next election and I will do everything I can from now until November to ensure that President Obama is re-elected; there’s simply too much at stake.  President Obama, I was very fortunate to live the American dream and I know that only you will make it possible for millions more to do the same.  You’ve had our back, and now, with utmost respect and admiration, I have yours.”

Jim Messina:
"'Cristina is one of the most trusted names in the Hispanic community and we're honored to have Cristina be a spokesperson for the campaign, speaking directly to Hispanic voters about the President’s accomplishments."

Marco Rubio out as Veep pick

 

Florida Republican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio is not being considered for vice president by Mitt Romney's campaign, according to ABC News.

The big question here is: if this is true, does it help or hurt sales of Rubio's book: An American Son.

ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl reports:

 ". . .knowledgeable Republican sources tell me that Rubio is not being vetted by Mitt Romney’s vice presidential search team. He has not been asked to complete any questionnaires or been asked to turn over any financial documents typically required of potential vice presidential candidates.

Although it is possible that Rubio may yet be asked to go through the vetting process, it has been nearly two months since Romney named his long-time aide Beth Myers to run his vice presidential search. The fact that Rubio has not been asked to turn over any documents by now is a strong indication that he is not on Romney’s short list of potential running mates."

The rest of Karl's report is here.

As Karl notes, it is still possible that Rubio could be get the nod. But Crowley Political Report suspects that Rubio may have worked a bit too hard to be picked. Rubio was starting to get more media attention than Romney. The last thing a campaign wants is for the guy in the supporting role to overshadow the star (ask John McCain).

It will be interesting to see how Rubio supporters react to the news. Will they howl enough for the Romney camp to reconsider?

Marco Rubio, skip the book watch the video

There are three ways to learn more about Marco Rubio's new book An American Son: Pony-up $26.95 for the hardcover version ($12.99 for the Kindle version), read political writer Marc Caputo's great highlights story in the Miami Herald, or watch the video below.

 

 

New Obama ad says Romney is number one

Here in Wellesley, Massachusetts TV viewers are missing the campaign ad war that has been going on in Florida and other key states. They might be interested in this ad because it focuses on Massachusetts.  Here's the latest from the Obama campaign:

 

The political media is starting to look silly

When it comes to Jeb Bush, "no" is not enough.

By Brian E. Crowley for Columbia Journalism Reveiw

Sitting across from Jeb Bush last week on the set of CBS This Morning, Charlie Rose asked: “You are basically saying what about this conversation about running as the running mate of Mitt Romney?”

Conversation? What conversation? There is no conversation other than the ones being held by Rose and other members of the media who simply refuse to accept the former Florida governor’s answer. For months, Bush has repeatedly said he is not interested in running for vice president. This comes after years of telling anyone who asked that he would not run for president in 2012. Patiently and politely Bush answered Rose.

I’m not going to do it and I’m not going to be asked and it’s not going happen. That doesn’t mean I don’t have a voice. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to enthusiastically support Mitt Romney. I intend to do that. I’m doing it. But I’m not going to be a candidate with him.”

“Under no circumstances?”

“Under no circumstances.”

“So if he comes and asks, you say, ‘Sorry, go somewhere else?’”

“Yes.”

You would think this was breaking news. Stories began ricocheting across the internet as if no one had ever heard Bush say it before. Some headlines:

Veep Beat: Jeb Bush Rules Out VP, but Not Future W.H. Run - ABC News The Note

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush rules out VP bid —Reuters

 Jeb Bush: ‘Under no circumstances’ would I take VP gig —The Capitol Column

Jeb Bush says ‘under no circumstances’ would he take VP job —CNN Political Ticker

Jeb Bush says no to being Romney’s vice president —Los Angeles Times Politics Now

Where are the editors? Where is anyone in any newsroom asking, “Is this news?”