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Politics

Dynastic Ambitions Battle in Florida Politics

August 9, 2010 - 6:00pm

We should all be thankful that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe did not have sons who lived to maturity.

Based on the political careers of John Quincy Adams, Charles Francis Adams, Robert Tyler, John Van Buren, Andrew Jackson Donelson, Richard Taylor, Robert Todd Lincoln, Jefferson Davis (son-in-law of Zachary Taylor), John Scott Harrison and Benjamin Harrison, the early republic could have ended up mired in political wars of dynastic ambitions.

Florida politics has always had some of this, as a quick glance at the Mallorys and the Calls of the 19th century prove. But the dynastic ambitions are back with a vengeance this year.

Front-running Democratic gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink is the wife of Bill McBride. Kendrick Meek is the son of Carrie Meek. Bud Chiles is the son of Lawton Chiles. Kathy Castor is the daughter of Betty Castor. Ander Crenshaw is the son-in-law of Claude Kirk. Will Weatherford is the son-in-law of Allan Bense. Marco and Lincoln Diaz-Balart are brothers. So are Alex and Miguel Diaz de la Portilla.And on and on it goes.

At least Anthony Shriver, son of Sarge and brother-in-law to Arnold Schwarzenegger with way too many Kennedy connections, took a pass at running in 2010.

Well, Bill McCollum is counting on Republican political dynasties to help his gubernatorial campaign. Already backed by Steve Forbes, son of Malcom, and Jeb Bush, brother of George, son of George and grandson of Prescott, now Michael Reagan, son of Ronald, is backing the attorney general.

Bill McCollum has walked the walk. He first came to Washington when my dad entered the White House in 1980, said Michael Reagan on Tuesday, a day after Jeb Bush toured the state with McCollum. Together, they slashed taxes, cut spending and made America's economy strong again. They rebuilt our armed forces which led directly to the fall of the Soviet Union.

In his years in Congress, Bill never became part of the Washington problem, added Reagan. He always remembered the taxpayers of Florida and fought for their interests. He was a Tea Party member before the term was coined.

Reagan also touched on immigration -- one of the sore points in a bitter primary battle between McCollum and Rick Scott. Bill McCollum also will be tough on illegal immigration, said Reagan. He strongly supports the implementation of the Arizona law in Florida.

McCollum wasted no time in replying with pomp and ebullience: It gives me great pleasure to have Michaels support, and I appreciate all that he is doing to further the conservative ideals President Reagan stood for as our president. I was proud to fight for the conservative cause during the Reagan Revolution and I look forward to governing as a conservative, as Floridas next governor.

Reagan made a point of slapping around Scott's character.

"Rick Scott was CEO of Columbia/HCA hospitals at a time it engaged in the biggest Medicare fraud in all of American history, said Reagan. He stepped down from his position as his company was hit with a $1.7 billion fine for bilking taxpayers. I am also disturbed the hospital chain he founded and ran provided and profited from abortion services.

"My dad always told me that character counts, added Reagan. " ... Rick Scott is spending over $40 million to buy this election, but money can't buy character."

These are odd comments from Reagan. Before cashing in on his fathers name to launch his own radio show, Michael Reagan was very critical of his father. Indeed, he even used to repeat a story about his high school graduation where his father did not even recognize him. His father was not exactly an opponent of abortion, either -- despite wishful thinking from conservatives and Republicans these days. With the appointments of Sandra Day OConnor and William Kennedy, Ronald Reagan actually strengthened the majority on the bench who favored keeping Roe vs. Wade as the law of the land, though Antonin Scalia, another Reagan appointee, is an opponent of that decision.

No word yet if Amy Carter plans to stump for Sink or if we can expect to see Chuck Robb and his wife Lynda Bird Johnson stump for Meek. Richard Nixon's family continues to be active in New York and Dan Quayle's kid is running for office out in Arizona.

Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com, or at (850) 727-0859.

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