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While discussing how long it is taking for the Obama administration to make a policy decision on Afghanistan and how long the legislative process on health care is taking, Matthews throws this little tidbit out there.

Matthews: And by the way, these kids down in Florida, not to be the old guy about it, they’ve never watched government function before. They don’t know that it is slow. I once said to people, if you want to understand government, watch the Florida recount for five weeks because that was government.

Uh... no Chris, that's what happens when astroturfing GOP paid protesters and the Supreme Court interfere in our election process. There are days I wonder if Tweety even hears half of what comes out of his mouth.

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From the Democratic Party Convention in Florida.

h/t TheManimalMan

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Meet the new face of the Republican Party as embodied by Marco Rubio (37), previously the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. Rubio announced a few days ago his candidacy for U.S. Senate in 2010.

Now, normally a relatively unknown and young politician has no chance against a popular and nationally known political figure, as Rubio will have to contend with Florida governor Charlie Crist. Crist will have an enormous financial edge and all the institutional support he could ever want (the NRSC has already endorsed Crist, who announced earlier today).

And yet it is Crist's supposed moderate views, and especially his support of Obama's stimulus program earlier this year which just might make him a target of ultra conservative republicans in Florida, of whom Rubio would also be a member. Crist's move was seen as pure apostasy, and he was called out on it by Limbaugh, Hannity and others. The fact that Marco Rubio is also young, good-looking and telegenic, well-spoken and fluently bilingual in both english and spanish won't hurt his cause either. Coupled with the fact that his being a hard-core wingnut is not seen simply as an added bonus, it's now a necessity of the republican party.

Of course, this may mean the GOP's Civil War is about to break out in Florida. Pass the popcorn.

This week's 50 State Strategy installment comes from Whole Wheat Bread, self-described afro-punk from Jacksonville, FL.

Every Monday, C&L's Late Nite Music Club will feature an up-and-coming act from every state, alphabetically by state, as part of LNMC's 50 State Strategy. Know a band or artist that you think is the best in their state? Email suggestions to latenitemusicclub [at] gmail.com.

It's no coincidence that Republicans are going all out to target first term Orlando Democrat Alan Grayson. Grayson's defeat of entrenched rubber stamp incumbent Ric Keller last year was one of Blue America's most important victories ever. Since entering the House in January Rep. Grayson has made a name for himself standing up for working families and flying right in the face of the powerful banksters who have financed the deregulatory mania Grayson aims to fix.

He's fearless and his tough, aggressive questioning of banksters at the House Financial Services Committee, frightens bribe-besotted Republicans and their crooked patrons. He didn't seen intimidated by Republican efforts to recruit a top tier candidate to run against him. Doesn't this sound exactly like Grayson?

"Any Republican in my district who wants to see what it's like to run for Congress and lose is welcome to do so. But whoever it is, the DCCC will leave welts on his back."

More about Grayson and about how much bluer this district has become at DownWithTyranny. And if you'd like to help us get Grayson's back -- here's the place.

March 06, 2009 CNN

Remember the progressive campaign slogan many bloggers used last year, "More and Better Democrats?" Somewhere along the line we stopped worrying too much about the "more"-- and allowed the DCCC to work on their own to elect Blue Dogs and reactionaries like Bobby Bright, Parker Griffith and Walt Minnick-- while we concentrated on the "better." Candidates we asked C&L readers to help out last year-- like Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Donna Edwards (D-MD), Eric Massa (D-NY), Jared Polis (D-CO), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jim Himes (D-CT), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Hilda Solis (D-CA)-- have gone to DC and worked hard on a progressive agenda that recognizes the aspirations of working families rather than the special interests that dominate most of the Inside-the-Beltway politics -- on both sides of the aisle.

Today we're proud to have a guest at C&L who has embodied in his political career, the whole idea of "better Democrats," Florida state Senator Dan Gelber. Saturday we took a look at Dan and the race to win the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez. Today, please join us in the comments section to meet Dan and ask him the kinds of questions that you would like answered by someone running high office. And, please, if you like what you hear, consider donating to his campaign at our ActBlue page.

February 10, 2009 ABC Nightline

Part 1

Part 2

February 10, 2009 MSNBC Keith Olbermann

From TampaBays10:

The head of the Hillsborough GOP, David Storck, distributed an email from a Republican Party volunteer saying the voters are a threat.

That's because, as the volunteer says in the email, he sees "car loads of black Obama supporters coming from the inner city to cast their votes for Obama."

It goes on to say, "This is their chance to get a black president and they seem to care little the he is at minimum a socialist and probably Marxist in his core beliefs." The Republican volunteer says that is because, "After all he is black- no experience or accomplishments but he is black." Read on...

If the McCain/Palin campaign has done anything, it has exposed the worst in our society. Couple that with the hate talk that infests the once-public airwaves from the likes of Rush Limbaugh and the xenophobic, racist rants of the right wing blogs and this is what you get.

Part 1.

Part 2.

Bill Clinton on the campaign trail with Barack Obama in Kissimmee, FL, Oct. 29, 2008 before a crowd of 35,000.

Hell yeah, that's the kind of ad all Democrats should be running.  Howie has more: 

Blue America-endorsed candidate running against garden variety rubber stamp Republican Ric Keller in an Orlando district that has been turning blue. Early balloting started this week for Florida's primary election and Alan has been the only candidate with a TV ad up-- and what a TV ad! If every Democratic candidate had an ad this powerful to run, we wouldn't be talking about 12-20 House seats; we'd be talking about 30-50. Of course, not every candidate has a story as compelling as Alan's. [..]

If you'd like to see Alan keep this running, please consider donating to his campaign at the Blue America ActBlue page. 

Matt Stoller has more at Open Left:   Alan Grayson on Iraq Reckoning: "We'll Put People in Prison"