Florida Democratic Party News Clips – August 20

ROMNEY AND RYAN FLOUNDERING IN FLORIDA ON MEDICARE 

Behind the Mitt Romney paradox [Tampa Bay Times] “The question for voters: Who is the authentic Willard Mitt Romney? Out of apparent fear over perceptions of his religion and wealth, Romney, 65, has buried some of his most positive attributes, offering a one-dimensional character whose attempts at humanizing himself seem limited to tweets of eating at Subway or doing the laundry, or telling workers in Tampa that, like them, he is unemployed…His flip-flops would become legend.”

Obama tees off on Ryan’s tax and Medicare proposals [Orlando Sentinel]
Medicare battle lines being drawn in Florida [Tampa Tribune] 
Nation still waiting for Romney’s tax returns [Tampa Bay Times] 
Specifically, it pays Romney to keep things vague [Miami Herald]
Romney campaign makes failed attack on Obama’s economic policies [Palm Beach Post guest column] 
Ryan and his hero would hurt education [Tampa Bay Times] 
Paul Ryan’s stimulus problems, on video [MiamI Herald] 

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT — SOUTHERLAND’S EMBARRASING AND INTOXICATED TRIP TO ISRAEL, DEMINGS LAUNCHES 1ST TV AD

Exclusive: FBI probed GOP trip with drinking, nudity in Israel [Politico] “The FBI probed a late-night swim in the Sea of Galilee that involved drinking, numerous GOP freshmen lawmakers, top leadership staff — and one nude member of Congress, according to more than a dozen sources, including eyewitnesses…These GOP sources confirmed the following freshmen lawmakers also went swimming that night: Rep. Steve Southerland (R-Fla.)”

Read FDP’s statement here. 

Keith Fitzgerald blasts Vern Buchanan for supporting Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan [Bradenton Herald] “The choice of Paul Ryan as the Republican vice-presidential nominee and the embrace of his budget plan would “break the moral contract” to take care of seniors and the disabled with Medicare, if the GOP wins during the November elections, Democratic congressional candidate Keith Fitzgerald said Friday.”

Val Demings launches first TV ad in Florida’s 10th District [Orlando Sentinel] “Former Orlando police chief Val Demings launched the first television ad in the race for Florida’s 10th Congressional District today.” WATCH “LET’S GET IT DONE” HERE. 

Val Demings sets town hall session in Dundee [Orlando Sentinel] “Next week will see Webster’s Democratic opponent, former Orlando police chief Val Demings, launch a foray into GOP-dominated Polk. She’s scheduled a town meeting for Monday in the town of Dundee, which is near Lakeland and Winter Haven. “

Report says Mack rejects debating Nelson at Tampa event [Naples Daily News] “A Tampa Bay Times blog reports that Southwest Florida Congressman Connie Mack has declined to participate in the newspaper’s and CNN’s sponsored debate planned for the U.S. Senate candidates — Republican Mack and incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat.”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Federal court rejects Florida early voting changes, says they’d cut black participation [News Service of Florida] “A federal district court panel has ruled that Florida’s reduction in early voting days won’t be allowed for the general election in five counties as it stands now because it could result in a dramatic reduction in voting by blacks.” 

Some voting roadblocks — not all — knocked down [Tampa Bay Times editorial] “The campaign by Gov. Rick Scott and the Republican-controlled Legislature to make it more difficult to register to vote and cast ballots is causing chaos less than 80 days before the general election. “

Scrutinize charter schools; it’s the public’s money [Palm Beach Post editorial] “This is a boom period of charter schools, but without strict rules that are strictly adhered to, the inevitable bust is going to be more damaging.”

Florida education officials flunk test on school grades [Bradenton Herald] “With the first day of a new school year a day away, the bitter taste of this past year’s disastrous experiences with standardized test grades remains fresh. Florida’s broken system of accountability in public education came into even sharper focus with recent revelations of miscalculations in school grades in 40 of the state’s 67 school districts.”

Taking polluted streams for granted [Florida Times Union editorial] “If the St. Johns River is the heart of Northeast Florida, then its arteries are clogged.”