Fresh from a bruising, final governors race debate, Republican Rick Scott and Democrat Alex Sink hit the road Tuesday in a homestretch drive to push their voters to the polls while sharpening their attacks on each other.
Scott launched a bus tour expected to carry him through Election Day, leaving the University of South Florida site of Monday nights CNN debate for appearances along the Nature Coast before heading to The Villages for an evening rally.
Sink, the states chief financial officer, attended Tuesdays Cabinet meeting in Tallahassee, where she was forced to explain the firing of a campaign aide who had slipped her a cell phone carrying a two-sentence tactical advice message during Mondays debate, before heading out for a campaign appearance in Jacksonville.
Accused of cheating by Scott, Sink tried to portray the debate texting gaffe as a positive, saying she stood up to do what was right after realizing the rules violation. When I heard what had happened and got to the bottom of it, I took accountability, Sink said.
Scott, though, kept Sinks rule-breaking alive during a breakfast stop at a New Port Richey restaurant.
She knew the rules, Scott said. She didnt have to read the e-mail, she did. Thats what she does. She never takes responsibility for what she does. Its just like she wont tell us what taxes shes going to raise.
Scott alerted CNN officials to Sinks reading the message during a break in Monday nights debate on a Droid cell phone delivered by a makeup artist. The message was designed to bolster her defense against Scott, who had begun challenging Sink for being a board member of Sykes Enterprises, a Tampa call center sued by Floridas pension fund and thousands of other investors accusing it of inflating its financial health.
The message read: The attorney who (w)on the Sykes suit said alex sink did nothing wrong. Tell not to let him keep talking about her.
Sink swiftly fired aide Brian May, who the campaign confirmed had written the message and also signed the CNN rules agreement on behalf of Sink which barred such communication or notes during the debate.
Sink, who has tried through the campaign to portray Scott as incapable of playing by the rules in the way hes run his businesses, said she was the one who made sure her campaign was accountable for the mistake.
I said Find out where that text message came from, and actually it came from somebody on my campaign staff -- clearly against the rules -- and that persons had to leave my campaign, Sink said Tuesday.
Asked if he wouldve fired May, Scott said Tuesday, I wouldnt have read the e-mail.
It was not the beginning of the final week of a campaign that Sink wanted starting with all the questions from reporters about cheating in a debate. After Tuesdays Cabinet meeting, Sink, in a hurry to get to an event in Jacksonville, took only a few questions from reporters and they were all about Mondays debate.
Sink was headed to Northeast Florida for a roundtable with business leaders a group that often backs Republicans but one which the Democrat is hoping to peel away, at least in part. Sink is a banker, and while Scott is a longtime businessman who has focused on making it easier for businesses to expand here, Sink has tried to send corporate Florida the message that Scott was only successful in business because his companies took ethical and legal shortcuts. That message got through to a typically strongly pro-business editorial board.
Sink this week has touted her endorsement by the Florida Times-Union, the newspaper in Jacksonville, which noted in its endorsment that it usually isnt known for suggesting Democratic Party candidates for governor in November elections. The usually conservative editorial page in a generally conservative part of the state said that Scotts business background raises more concern than confidence, and that the business perspective Scott says he will bring to the governors office is tarnished.
Duval County and the Jacksonville area are widely expected to heavily vote for Scott, but there are pockets of votes that Sink may hope to pick up in Northeast Florida, including those in a sizeable African-American community. Turning out typically Democratic voters who may not be particularly motivated in what is seen as a surge year for Republicans, is likely one of Sinks top goals this week ahead of next Tuesdays election.
Sink also may be aiming at locking up votes in communities that are home to lots of prisons and other government jobs. Scott has made it clear he wants to cut the size of government, and the Department of Corrections in particular. Northeast Florida is dotted with state prisons.
In other fallout from Mondays debate, Scott said that the mistake that both he and Sink made both said the states hourly minimum wage was $7.50 when it is actually $7.25 didnt mean he was out of touch.
I know how hard it is for people who are unemployed, who dont make enough money, Scott said. Its very difficult. The biggest thing we can do right now is get people a job Weve got to get the state back to work.
Scott also defended his own record of accountability despite Sink repeatedly challenging him for refusing to release depositions he has given in lawsuits involving his business and having invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination 75 times in a lawsuit involving Columbia/HCA, the hospital chain he led and which paid a record $1.7 billion to settle Medicare and Medicaid fraud charges three years after he left.
Ive answered questions on everything Ive done, Scott said. I believe in accountability.
Asked if he had successfully fended off Sinks parries in debates and television ads that he cant be trusted to lead Florida government, Scott responded: Absolutely. People can trust me.
At Scotts appearances Tuesday, several supporters wore Fire Pelosi badges, and another wore a T-shirt quoting conservative TV commentator Glenn Beck, advising"We should reject big government."
We definitely believe that we can change things this year, said Megan Kennedy, a 28 year-old certified nursing assistant from Hudson, who wore the Beck shirt.
Another supporter also said next Tuesday would prove the mirror image of the 2008 presidential contest, which swept President Obama into office along with major Democratic congressional gains.
Turnout is the thing, said Teddy Chmielnicki, 75, a retiree from Port Richey. They had their change two years ago. Now were looking for some ourselves.
At appearances, Scott traveled Tuesday with running mate Jennifer Carroll, his wife, Ann, daughter, Jordan, and his mother, Esther. At a retirement community in Hernando County, Scott also tried to fire-up the crowd with anti-Obama shots, while saying the state regulation, taxes, and the size of state government are stunting Floridas economic recovery.
This race is a clear choice, Scott said. My opponents believe in Barack Obamas policies what do you all think?
He drew boos. More cascaded as he accused Sink of supporting the Obama administrations backing the federal health care overhaul and the federal stimulus plan.
We have got to make sure that she doesnt get elected, Scott said. Make yard signs. Get active. Thats whats great about this year in politics people care.
