"There is a fierce behind-the-scenes battle for influence over presumptive Democratic candidate Barack Obama's Hispanic and Latin American agenda,"

and some Democratic strategists say that its outcome could determine the result of the November elections.

Some Obama backers in South Florida, in particular, are especially miffed at what they see as excessive power by labor-union-tied, left-leaning Mexican-American leaders at Obama's Chicago headquarters over the campaign's nationwide Hispanic and Latin American policy strategies.

In a confidential July 4 memo sent to 25 prominent South Florida Hispanics, former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre -- well respected in nationwide Democratic circles [sic] -- called for creation of a ''South Florida Hispanic policy advisory group'' to counterbalance what he perceives as excessive micro-management of state campaigns by Obama's Chicago headquarters.

"Obama's Latin policies in play".

"Party unity is on the agenda for Florida Democrats this weekend in Hollywood. But before gathering to sing Kumbaya, they'll first have some ritual bloodletting and political score-settling to get out of the way."

The Obama campaign wants the changes to reward contributors and loyalists like County Commissioner Stacy Ritter, who endorsed him last summer and campaigned vigorously on his behalf even while almost every elected Democrat in Broward backed Clinton.

"Most of the 211 delegates were elected in caucuses around the state this spring and won't be affected. ".

But 26 Obama delegates and two alternates selected by the state Democratic Party might not get to go to Denver after all.

The move has sparked outrage among some, most loudly from [usual suspect] Jon Ausman, a member of the Democratic National Committee from Tallahassee.

"They are going to destroy 20 to 30 people's dreams," he said. "They are going to be authoritarian, not democratic."

"Obama campaign to change delegates".

Why the word "purge" appears in the title on the flip ...

Preliminary excursus (courtesy of Sir Walter Raleigh): "At the end of the [Meet the Press] interview, Director Hayden ... said that Saddam had a nuclear and WMD program that had been halted for many years, but before he died he admitted 'he maintained the illusion because he wanted the world...to believe he still had these weapons.'"

CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden's interview on MTP today caused me to recall the importance of the Iraq-Iran relationship to our properly understanding Saddam Hussein's evasive and bellicose posture prior to the "decision" to invade Iraq.  

This concomitantly underscores why the disengaged St. John Sidney McCain the Third is not up to the White House job.

Some asshole hosting Face-the-Nation just said "Many people believe John Kerry was a war hero".

Excuse me ... John Kerry is a genuine "war hero".  It ain't a matter of what people "believe".  That he was a "hero" is a fact (except in the putrid minds of the discredited Swiftboat idiots and their media lapdogs).

The media has shit on John Kerry at every turn - can't they at least give the man (you know, the fellow who volunteered (unlike the resident) to serve in combat and who actually killed people face-to-face in combat) credit for actually being a "war hero".  He plainly was.

I would have precisely the same reaction if some traditional media dope - or anyone else for that matter - said "Many people believe John McCain was a war hero".  But we'll never, ever hear those words about McCain, and we all know why.

Some of the facts about Kerry's heroism (as well as George McGovern's war heroism) below the fold.

The Sarasota Herald Tribune's Jeremy Wallace reports today that Florida Democrats are keeping hope alive by holding "caucuses" in each of the Congressional Districts on March 1 to see who will make the trip to the convention.  The caucuses are to "choose" delegates "based on the Jan. 29 primary election results".  The "delegates" go to the convention, but as things stand now, will of course not be seated.

McCain looks to be sewing up Florida: "Ending months of speculation about whether he would wade into Florida's Republican presidential primary, Gov. Charlie Crist tonight gave his endorsement to John McCain."  "Crist ends speculation, endorses McCain".

Moreover, "Crist's endorsement came a day after McCain was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez."  

"Support from Crist, a popular centrist, could be crucial with polls showing McCain locked in a tight race with Mitt Romney and Tuesday's winner-take-all contest for the state's 57 Republican convention delegates still too close to call."  "Gov. Crist endorses John McCain".

(Cross posted at Florida Politics.)

You may recall Republican Florida state representative Bob Allen, the Florida co-chairman of U.S. Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign, who was arrested outside a men's restroom at a city park "after offering to perform a sex act on a plainclothes police officer".  He's the same fellow who "sponsored legislation that toughened penalties for lewd or lascivious conduct and created a new provision that allows some sexual predators to receive life prison sentences for their offenses. Allen had dubbed the bill the 'Sexual Predator Elimination Act.'  Before his 2006 re-election, Allen had received a 92 percent rating from the Christian Coalition of Florida."  "State Rep. Bob Allen insists he's innocent, will not quit".

Allen's criminal trial started this week and yesterday he introduced a novel defense - he was too fat to get into the bathroom stall with his intended paramour.  

Freddy Thompson is really grubbing For the wingnut vote: "On the day South Florida mourned a slain police officer, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson stopped in Miami and stuck firmly to his guns over what he says is the unnecessary call for limiting the right to bear arms."  "Thompson: No gun limits".

Freddie shares a bit more of his wingnut wisdom here: "Thompson: Reconsider automatic citizenship for everyone born here".

His knuckle dragging may be paying off, at least among the knuckle draggers - he looks to have locked down one of largely rural Pasco County's political powerhouses:  "Thompson got a strong endorsement from gun control opponent and local GOP chairman Bill Bunting during a campaign stop Friday."  "Thompson Visits Pasco".

[Cross Posted at FLA Politics]

Yes, it is Labor Day again, when Florida's traditional media editorial boards take the opportunity to either ignore or bash unions.  Their corporate owners (yes, that is a double entendre) are no doubt pleased.

[Cross posted at FLA Politics]

"Rep. Katherine Harris' communications director for her Senate campaign is resigning, the latest in staff turnover that has plagued the Republican's effort to unseat Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson."  "Harris loses staffer, deflects rumors".

That may not be the end of it ...

[cross posted at FLA Politics]

Jebbie is unloading on Harris, pulling out all the stops to find someone, anyone to run against her.  And, the current candidate of choice - the outgoing speaker of the Florida House - is said to be leaning toward jumping into the race.

"Jeb!"'s signature privatization program is being prosecuted by, of all people, Jebbie wannabe, and leading GOP candidate for Governor, AG Charlie Crist (who of course had to be dragged kicking and screaming into doing something, anything).

Today we read that, finally, "Florida airboaters approved to help".  Since Monday,  

500 airboat pilots from the state have volunteered to help, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency had refused to authorize the volunteers to enter New Orleans.

These folks were ready to go Monday, but were "stalled by FEMA", even though they had "spent thousands of their own dollars stocking their boats and swamp buggies with food, water, medical supplies and fuel.".

The White House suggests that Rove can't be asked about his conduct in the Plame affair because there is a pending criminal investigation.  That's bunk.

Mason-Dixon Polling Research poll results:" Bill Nelson would easily defeat Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris if the 2006 Senate election were today, according to a new poll that underscores the queasiness some Republicans feel about a Harris candidacy."  "Nelson would defeat Harris, poll indicates".  

Is it possible, a McCain and Bush GOP ticket in 2008?

That would be John and Jeb, the most logical Republican ticket if the party remains in the polling doldrums. If President Bush and his political maestro, Karl Rove, decide that the only way to create a political legacy is to nod toward the Arizona senator with whom they have battled and feuded, they will go for the guy who can win.

E.J. Dionne reports on the possibility of such an arrangement today.

Ion Sancho, Leon County's stellar Supervisor of Elections has angered both Diebold and Glenda Hood; he's obviously doing something right:

An attorney for the company that makes Leon County's [optical scan] voting equipment [Diebold Election Systems Inc.] told state and county officials Thursday it was "very foolish and irresponsible" for Elections Supervisor Ion Sancho to let an outside group [Black Box Voting in Renton, Wash] try poking holes in vote-tabulation security systems.

Here's why they are upset - Sancho invited Black Box to game the Diebold security system, and they succeeded:

[Bev Harris, founder of Black Box Voting] said Black Box evaded security systems and changed votes without setting off any alarms in its tests.

"It took us less than a minute to replace the Diebold system with something we wrote and to hijack the whole system," she said.

Black Box Voting had tried unsuccessfully to penetrate the computer system from outside the polling place, but were able to beat the system from an otherwise secure room - where only one of the SOE has the computer codes.  More on what they did here.

Remember how touchscreen systems were going to save democracy?