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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: calgal who wrote (481335)10/25/2003 11:29:26 AM
From: calgal  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 769670
 
National Party Warns Fla. Democrats to Skip Straw Poll
Friday, October 24, 2003

MIAMI — They say politics makes for strange bedfellows, but all nine Democratic presidential candidates are jumping out of bed with the Democratic Party (search) in Florida.

In a showdown between the national and state parties, all nine presidential candidates have joined the Democratic National Committee (search)'s threat to boycott Florida's upcoming Democratic convention.

State party leaders want to hold a straw poll (search) that the DNC is calling a waste of political resources.

"We're running against the president who will have $250 million in his primary account, and we need to be very careful about how we spend our Democratic primary money," said Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the DNC.

The DNC has sent a warning to Florida Democrats, telling them to "not organize or conduct a straw poll at your state party convention" and adding "should a decision be made to hold a straw poll, it would make it impossible for us to attend."

DNC rules prohibit straw polls, but Florida's top Democrats are standing firm, talking up the fact that their state makes up one-tenth of the electoral votes needed to win the presidency. They add that snubbing Florida Democrats still smarting from the 2000 recount would be a "big mistake."

"Every minute of time spent in Florida by the candidates is going to pay dividends in the general election. They're going to need the support here anyway when it comes [to] November, so we might as well get started now," said state party Chairman Scott Maddox.

Democratic fund-raising front-runner Howard Dean told Fox News that whatever the decision is, he will move with the majority.

"I'm not a fan of straw polls, but if everyone is going to participate in one, we're not going to be left on the sidelines," Dean said.

Whether nominee hopefuls do or don't show, state party leaders say the candidates' supporters have begun lining up votes in case the straw poll does take place. Meanwhile, the state party's central committee is expected to finalize plans on the poll next month.

Fox News' Orlando Salinas contributed to this report.

URL:http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,101078,00.html



To: calgal who wrote (481335)10/25/2003 11:43:39 AM
From: calgal  Read Replies (2) | Respond to of 769670
 
Lieberman: I'd Tap McCain as Defense Secretary
Friday, October 24, 2003

WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Lieberman (search) said Friday that if elected president, he would tap Republican Sen. John McCain (search) as Defense secretary.

Doing little to dispel the criticism that he's a closet Republican, Lieberman told Don Imus's (search) syndicated radio program that he would want the Arizona senator, a colleague and a friend, for the Pentagon post.

"If I were president — I'm going to get him into trouble now — but, I'd ask John McCain to be my secretary of defense," Lieberman said. "I have total trust in him. He's strong, he's independent and he's a hero."

After initially insisting it was a joke, Lieberman's spokesman Jano Cabrera conceded his boss was somewhat serious.

But, he added, "Sen. Lieberman recognizes that he's not exactly in a position to be making any Cabinet-level appointments, but if he were elected president, he would be honored to have his friend John McCain serve as secretary of Defense or elsewhere in his administration."

McCain heard the exchange on his car radio and laughed.

"Sen. McCain appreciates his good friend's tongue-in-cheek offer, but he plans to continue to serve the people of Arizona in the U.S. Senate, working with President Bush in the White House," said spokesman Marshall Wittmann.