This week, news emerged that Warren G. Harding had, in fact, fathered a child with Nan Britton, a far younger woman with whom he had an affair during his rise to power and during his presidency.
After 10 Glorious Years, Sunshine State News and I Are Passing the Baton
You probably can't imagine how much fun I've had at Sunshine State News over the last 10 years. I don't think anybody could.
November 1, 2019 - 6:00am
Politics
Columns
Both presidential nomination contests having been scrambled by recent events -- the FBI taking control of Hillary Clinton's private email server and a raucous, roiling GOP debate -- the third edition of the Racing Form is herewith rushed into print.
Anybody else remember what the EMILY's List people told Nan Rich when she asked for their support running for governor of Florida against Charlie Crist?
Outsiders are starting to find the 2016 presidential election to be fertile ground, which is bad news for Jeb Bush. This week, the former Florida governor weighed into foreign affairs, blaming the Obama administration -- and Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton -- for the current mess in the Middle East as Islamic State (IS) terrorism further destabilizes the region.
WASHINGTON -- In every town large enough to have two traffic lights there is a bar at the back of which sits the local Donald Trump, nursing his fifth beer and innumerable delusions. Because the actual Donald Trump is wealthy, he can turn himself into an unprecedentedly and incorrigibly vulgar presidential candidate. It is his right to use his riches as he pleases. His squalid performance and its coarsening of civic life are costs of freedom that an open society must be prepared to pay.
It is perhaps time to stop wondering what The Donald's got that the others ain't got.
Welcome to The Dean's List -- an Ed Dean-style look at who Florida's political achievers were (and weren't) in the last seven days.
The so-called "debates," among too many Republicans to have a debate, are yet another painful sign of how much words and ideas have degenerated in our times.
No one expects these televised sound bites and "gotcha" questions to be anything like the historic Lincoln-Douglas debates on the momentous national issue of slavery.
Megyn Kelly, the only female moderator in Thursday night's Fox presidential debate, is still getting hammered for leveling tough -- even "mean" and "disgusting" -- questions at candidate Donald Trump. Personally, I don't get it. But that's what is happening. CNN reports there has been so much invective directed at the host of Fox News' "The Kelly File" on the Internet that it's created security concerns for the network. Twitter is alight with calls for America to switch her off and Fox to fire her. This is ridiculous.
Not to diminish the importance of the first Republican debate, but it felt like the first in a political survivor series.
Trending Now
By Kevin Derby
Despite a patient in Miami being diagnosed as negative after being tested for Ebola, Gov. Rick Scott, R-Fla., issued an update on Monday afternoon about Floridas efforts against the virus.
We are glad to hear that the test for the Miami patient was indeed negative for Ebola and we are hopeful that further CDC and Department of Health analysis will back up this preliminary negative result later this week, Scott said. While we have no confirmed cases of Ebola in Florida, we are continuing to take every step possible to best protect our citizens and our tourists.
By Kevin Derby
The Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) released a new TV spot on Monday defending Gov. Rick Scott from the attacks of former Gov. Charlie Crist, insisting the Democratic candidate only can offer attacks.
By Kevin Derby
Former Gov. Jeb Bush endorsed Bob Cortes, the Republican candidate running against state Rep. Karen Castor Dentel, D-Maitland, on Monday.
Bob Cortes knows that for Floridas future success, we must have world-class schools, said Bush. Bob has shown a commitment to improving the quality of education for all Florida children through strong accountability and more parental choice, elements that are key to improving student learning.
By Kevin Derby
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a possible Republican presidential hopeful in 2016, wrote Panama President Juan Carlos Varela on Monday, asking him to cancel an invitation to the Summit of the Americas which Panama hosts in 2015.
By Kevin Derby
The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) announced it was backing Republicans in congressional races across the Sunshine State. In some of the most competitive elections in Florida, AIF endorsed U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., over Democrat Gwen Graham, Miami-Dade School Board member Carlos Curbelo over U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., and former state Rep. Carl Domino over U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla.
By
CNN announced Monday it will be airing a midterm debate between former Gov. Charlie Crist and Gov. Rick Scott taking place on Oct. 21 in Jacksonville.
The hour-long debate will be broadcast at 7 p.m. ET on CNN as well as WJXT in Jacksonville.
According to the network, chief Washington correspondent and anchor of "The Lead" Jake Tapperwill moderate the debate. WJXT anchor Kent Justice will join as co-moderator.
By Kevin Derby
On Friday, former Gov. Gary Johnson, R-N.M., the Libertarian presidential candidate in 2012, endorsed Bill Wohlsifer, the Libertarian candidate challenging Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi in November. Johnson, who took 1 percent of the popular vote in 2012, has left the door open to running again for president in 2016.
Bill is a fierce proponent for fiscal responsibility, civil liberties and rational public policy, Johnson said.
Johnson also praised Wohlsifer, an attorney based in Tallahassee, for his record on fighting for medical marijuana.
By
New Rasmussen Reports poll data suggests most Americans would be in favor of a temporary flight ban from Ebola-infected countries in Africa, where the death toll from the deadly virus has risen to over 3,000.
More than half of those surveyed (58 percent) say they'd be in favor of a temporary flight ban of all flights coming from countries where there are confirmed Ebola infections, while 24 percent say they don't think there should be such a ban. Seventeen percent are undecided.
By Kevin Derby
U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., is facing a serious challenge from Democrat Gwen Graham in November but his campaign released an internal poll on Monday showing the Republican with the lead.
By Kevin Derby
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi released a new TV ad on Monday, the second one of her campaign. The new spot focuses on Bondis efforts to crack down on human trafficking.
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