Recently, at a Broward Democratic Progressive Caucus event, newly minted Florida Democratic Party President Sally Boynton Brown declared that poor people didn't care about issues and voted based on emotions. According to the Miami New Times, she also declared that the best Democrats should hope for in Florida is a purple state.
I have news for you Mrs. Boynton Brown. You couldn't be further from the truth.
Having a job is an issue.
Putting food on the table is an issue.
Sending one's child to a decent school is an issue.
Access to healthcare is an issue.
Equal rights is an issue.
Voting rights is an issue.
Criminal Justice reform is an issue.
Guess what Sally? Can I call you Sally? Those are things DEMOCRATS care about, whether they have a million dollars in the bank, or no dollars in the bank.
Honey, you aren't in Idaho anymore. This is Florida.
If you aren't ready for prime time, let us know. Especially if you plan to participate in trying to better the party and increase voter turnout.
You aren't winning friends and influencing people with the thought that the best we can hope for is a purple state.
If that's your attitude, take it back to Idaho. I'm sure it's the bomb.com there.
Here, it's just the bomb that needs to be blown up!
When it was first announced that Boynton Brown was taking over for Scott Arceneaux, I expressed reservations because of the differences between Idaho and Florida.
Those differences are becoming clear with the hot mess of a presentation Boynton Brown delivered. She made mistake after mistake during the entire thing. She's lucky the only thing people did was walk out on her.
The fact that Boynton Brown is proud that she didn't support Bernie Sanders OR Hillary Clinton in the 2016 primary is concerning.
While I supported Bernie Sanders in the primary, and was a very vocal critic of Hillary Clinton, I DID vote for Hillary in the general.
I think Stephen Bittel may want to groom Sally a bit more before he lets her loose again.
One thing I can honestly say is, this NEVER would have happened with Scott Arceneaux.
I'm very curious to know who else the FDP interviewed for the position of president.
This was an amateur mistake, and not something that someone supposedly of Boynton Brown's caliber should have made.
Maybe speaking gigs aren't her thing. I know they weren't THAT night.
Leslie Wimes, a Sunshine State News columnist, is founder and president of Women on the Move and the Democratic African American Women Caucus, www.daawc.com. Follow Leslie on Twitter: @womenonthemove1.
