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Obama Campaign 'Making The Best' Of State 'Campaigning'

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 19, 2007

The smackdown between the Democratic National Committee and Florida - over the Sunshine State's presidential primary Jan. 29 - only grows more contentious.

Talk of voter disenfranchisement and the threat of a Democratic convention sans 210 Florida delegates has resulted in a lawsuit.

Pressured by the first-among-equals early states - Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina - the candidates have pledged not to campaign past September in states - Michigan and Florida to date - that have defied the DNC-approved date of Feb. 5.

So what does a distracting controversy and a little intra-party fratricide mean to those helping run a presidential candidate's campaign in Florida?

'It's frustrating, but we'll make the best of it,' said Tampa's Frank Sanchez, a member of Sen. Barack Obama's national financial committee and a key Florida fundraiser and volunteer organizer.

'The uncertainty doesn't help when you have a message to get out, and this becomes the dominant issue and political story,' Sanchez said. 'And as a Floridian, it's just very disappointing to see this.'

But Sanchez, who also advises Obama on Latin America, points out that fundraising isn't affected.

'There's no violation if we do fundraisers,' he said, 'so it won't affect our ability to raise money.'

That's because there's a Mack truck-size loophole that will allow candidates to appear at Florida fundraisers but not make generic campaign stops. As long as there's a charge - even $10 or $15 - it's not 'campaigning.' Political ATMs, yes; whistle-stop speeches, no. That's the well-hedged pledge.

Any chance a bunch of loopholier-than-thou lawyers are behind this one?

Meanwhile, the Obama bandwagon has scheduled a high-end ($1,000 minimum) fundraising doubleheader in the Tampa Bay area Sept. 30. The first gathering will be in Hyde Park at the home of Tom and Linda Scarritt; the nightcap at the Pinellas home of Tim and Donna Marie Main.

On into the fall, there will be more than an absence of 'campaign' stops in Florida. Don't look for the candidates, including Obama, to make many, if any, fundraising appearances either.

'Practically speaking,' Sanchez said, 'his schedule will be very limited outside those first four states.'

Bullish Upset

A show of hands. Anyone else hang in there all the way for that colossal, overtime, Saturday night-morphs-into-Sunday morning, USF win at Auburn? Thought so.

Let's put that pulsating, nationally televised 26-23 victory for the ages into context.

•Auburn has been playing football since the game looked like rugby; USF has been at it for a decade. Auburn was the only team to defeat national champion Florida last year.

•USF is ranked ahead of Florida State, Miami, Alabama, Michigan and Notre Dame.

•The Bulls picked up a ton of national publicity - and also returned from Auburn with a $650,000 check. As a result of the upset win, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News and the New York Times have joined ESPN in picking up on the upstart Bulls.

•It ramps up local interest for the next two Bulls' games - both at home. This Saturday, at noon, North Carolina comes calling, and the Bulls' biggest challenge will not be UNC - but not letting down against an inferior, Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. Imagine. The following Friday night top-five West Virginia visits, which should only be the biggest college game in the history of Tampa. Both games are on national television.

According to USF Sports Information Director Chris Freet, the Bulls anticipate a sellout - 65,000 - for WVU.

'There's definitely an on-campus buzz,' Freet said. 'And the Auburn win coming when it did means a lot of our freshmen are caught up early as Bulls' fans. I think that will also be reflected in apparel sales. It's all good.'

History Center Inclusion

This month marks the groundbreaking for the $52 million Tampa Bay History Center on Garrison Channel.

The 60,000-square-foot museum, which is scheduled to open in December 2008, will be interactive and hands-on. The building will be certifiably 'green.' It will debut with 30,000 artifacts, some predating Jamestown.

A suggestion: One prominent exhibit should be dedicated to how the project was accomplished. From the $19.5 million in community investment public money to the center's hustle, community education, professionalism and business plan - one that already has resulted in nearly $23 million raised.

Not only did the Hillsborough County Commission find the downtown project worthwhile and approve that $19.5 million construction contract, but it did so with praise and without posturing.

Now that's historic.

Joe O'Neill is a South Tampa writer and can be contacted at www.OpinionsToGoOnLine.com.

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