Florida

Florida's congressional delegation released this statement:

"We are committed to working with the DNC, the Florida State Democratic party, our Democratic leaders in Florida, and our two candidates to reach an expedited solution that ensures our 210 delegates are seated.

"Our House delegation is opposed to a mail-in campaign or any redo of any kind."

The DNC has said their delegates could be seated, if only they submit a new delegate selection plan. That would be a redo, so you can forget Florida counting.

But only if they count the way she wants them to:

I would not accept a caucus. I think that would be a great disservice to the 2 million people who turned out and voted. I think that they want their votes counted. And you know a lot of people would be disenfranchised because of the timing and whatever the particular rules were. This is really going to be a serious challenge for the Democratic Party because the voters in Michigan and Florida are the ones being hurt, and certainly with respect to Florida the Democrats were dragged into doing what they did by a Republican governor and a Republican Legislature. They didn't have any choice whatsoever. And I don't think that there should be any do-over or any kind of a second run in Florida. I think Florida should be seated.

On other words, she wants the delegates based upon the vote that already happened. Thankfully Howard Dean is the chairman and not a Clinton.

I hate to say it, but, she is sounding more like Bush everyday. The rules are good and should be followed, if only they benefit you.

The leader of a Florida agency to help people "rehab" people after getting DUIs has been suspended. Why? Because she just got a DUI herself.

This is becoming more of a mess by the day:

It never did made sense to write off the Democratic primary votes in Florida and Michigan - and it makes even less sense now that Super Tuesday has brought forth a muddle in the delegate race.

Even the party official who stripped Florida and Michigan of convention delegates now seems open to revisiting their status.

When Howard Dean was asked on Tuesday in a CNN interview if he would support ultimately seating nominating delegates from the two states that he had punished for leapfrogging the primary calendar, the Democratic National Committee chairman said, "You want everybody on board." And he went on to announce that the delegate dispute "will be revisited by a credentials committee not controlled by me."

In other words, a bruising convention-eve credentials fight is brewing - which means that Florida and Michigan, the states once derided as meaningless, could actually put Hillary Rodham Clinton over the top in the final delgate count.

It never did make sense to strip the states of their delegates - a very poor decision in my opinion. The problem is that the decision was made none the less. Candidates changed their tactics regarding the party decision and that effected the outcome. For example - John Edwards and Barack Obama had their names removed from the Michigan ballot.

I said the other day that the only way they could make the delegates count was to hold a primary in those states again. Give each candidate 30 days to campaign in the two states and go from there. If the party decides to just let those delegates in, as they stand, then there is going to be tons of problems for the DNC. As much as I hate to say it, I think race will also be brought into the argument against them, and I can't really deny that argument. The DNC needs to choose very carefully in this decision.

9:12 -
MSNBC is reporting that Giuliani may drop out tomorrow and endorse McCain. That should be interesting.

9:20 -
MSNBC and CNN call it for McCain. Giuliani giving his "damn I lost" speech now.

9:25 -
FOX calls it for McCain

9:28 -
AP calls it for McCain

10:00 -
Now being reported that Giuliani will go to California tomorrow and drop out at the Reagan Library. This according to a senior Giuliani campaign official.

The rumor throughout the pundit world is that Rudy could be dropping out tomorrow if he doesn't do well in Florida today. It will be interesting to see what happens. I'll have the election tracker up a little later.

Also

There are reports that a large number of Democrats are even heading to the polls, despite Florida being stripped of delegates. It will be interesting to see those results also.

The shorter version. Charlie Crist was originally vowing support to Rudy in the fall and then made the surprise announcement last night that he was endorsing McCain. This news has rattled the cages in the Rudy camp.:

The news is a definitive blow to Giuliani, and a sign of his fading prospects in the Sunshine State. Giuliani has gone out of his way on numerous occasions to praise Crist, and each time suggested he would be a viable vice presidential candidate.

It would probably be an appropriate time to mention an old proverb of "putting all your eggs in one basket", but I doubt that would have any effect on Rudy. We already knew he didn't listen to sound recommendations of other.

Romney has now tied McCain for the lead in the latest Zogby poll. Meanwhile Giuliani slips to 4th place. I bet he is glad he decided to bet it all on Florida.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist is going to announce his endorsement of John McCain. Considering Crist's popularity in Florida this will be a big boost for McCain going into the primary this week.

Things aren't looking good for Huckaboner:

Battling to stay competitive after his weekend loss in South Carolina, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is taking new steps to save money, including no longer scheduling planes and buses for journalists trying to cover his presidential campaign.

Huckabee said he will continue to campaign in Florida on a shoestring budget, but added that he may pull out of the state before its Jan. 29 Republican primary if his prospects look dim.

South Carolina was Huckabee's last real chance to become the front runner. Now that that's over, he doesn't have any real chance to take the lead. His only hope is to keep enough money to make it to the convention.

And things are getting worse for Rudy. Via Rasmussen

Rudy in 3rd. Wow. Remember Florida is a winner take all for Republicans. That means if Rudy comes in second he still has 0 delegates.

A big hat tip to Josh for finding this article. Remember that Florida state legislature that got busted last week for soliciting a blow job from a male in a bathroom? Yeah - the family of party values. But it also turns out this gem of the GOP is now using his excuse for the act as being scared of the black man he solicited it from (who was an undercover cop):

State Rep. Bob Allen told police he was just playing along when a undercover officer suggested in a public restroom that the legislator give him oral sex and $20 because he was intimidated, according to a taped statement and other documents released Thursday.

Allen has already denied any wrongdoing, but the recordings and documents offered new details about what he and police say happened on July 11 inside the men's room at Veterans Memorial Park.

"I certainly wasn't there to have sex with anybody and certainly wasn't there to exchange money for it," said Allen, R-Merritt Island, who was arrested on charges of soliciting prostitution.

"This was a pretty stocky black guy, and there was nothing but other black guys around in the park," Allen, who is white, told police in a taped statement after his arrest. Allen said he feared he "was about to be a statistic" and would have said anything just to get away.

Yeah that is a great defense. So this Republican is not just a racist, closet homosexual - he is also down right stupid. Let's hear it again for GOP "family values"!