It seems that the Amendment 2 campaign for so-called medical marijuana is self-imploding.
First, last week at a University of Miami Medical School forum hosted by the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida I was on a panel with Ben Pollara, the campaign manager for United for Care.
When I cited that the amendment was only polling at 48 percent according to a recent University of Florida Bob Graham Center poll, Ben admitted that it wouldnt get to 60 percent, but that it would garner 57 percent or 58 percent.
Finally, the truth.
And Ben cant deny it because it was videotaped.
Then John Morgan, the trial lawyer pushing the amendment, backed out of a longtime commitment to speak to business leaders in Tallahassee on Tuesday.
Why?
Well, he told me in an email that he was being taped by the Today Show on Tuesday, so he couldnt do both and would have to cancel at the last minute.
Sounds reasonable.
But the Today Show taped him on Wednesday -- not Tuesday.
So, why did John cancel?
Because he knows that the polls arent painting a pretty picture for the amendment's passage and why spend the money to fly his private jet to Tally for a losing cause?
Now, today, Benny is telling Sunshine State News that Amendment 2 workers are not being pulled off of the campaign to help Charlie Crists campaign.
And this wasnt alleged by me or anyone on our side, it was alleged by one of their supporters.
And it probably is true.
Because this was never about compassion to begin with.
It was about John helping his employee -- Charlie -- win back the governors mansion.
They surmised that young Dem voters high on pot would throng to the polls and lift Charlie to victory.
To prove my point, all I have to do is turn to United for Cares press releases that said their Pot Bus Tour was going not to ALFs, hospice centers and senior citizen centers, where many folks with debilitating conditions may be, they went to college campuses.
To get the young vote!
Now Ben trots out his own poll from Anzalone List Grove Research -- has anyone ever heard of them? that says that the amendment will pass with 62 percent!
This poll is such an outlier that it begs the question of, can it really be believed.
No independent poll has found it that high since July.
In fact, most polls have it in the low 50 percentile and one earlier this week had it at only 48 percent.
Even Peter Schorsch in Sunburn this morning couldnt give it his salt shaker test because he couldnt get the documents about the construction of the poll, the crosstabs, etc.
It seems apparent that United for Care is really disunited and confused.
Their leader -- John Morgan -- has thrown in the towel and Ben their campaign manager is admitting defeat, and now theyre issuing suspect polls that are the opposite of every other pollster.
It sounds like theyve been partaking of some the stuff theyve been advocating for.
Amendment 2 is a terrible idea.
No other state has put medical marijuana in its Constitution.
And if we put it there and we ever need to fix it, we cant without another amendment effort that will have to wait at least another two years.
Thats why other states have adopted medical marijuana by statute so that lawmakers can fix the problems when they arise.
Like Colorado, which is having to adopt rules to keep welfare recipients from using their EBT cards at marijuana dispensaries.
Like Colorado which has had a death and other serious incidents with people eating marijuana-spiced edibles.
And now we have Halloweed ... I mean, Halloween ... upon us.
Look, our side isnt worried about good caregivers, or good patients who need medical marijuana.
Were worried about the deceitful, distrustful and greedy people out there who will abuse this amendment to proliferate essentially legalized weed.
Of course the proponents say that wont happen.
Yeah, and I guess no underage children ever get cigarettes or alcohol.
Or no doctors ever try to scam Medicaid or no doctors will be lax with med pot like they were with the pill mill saga.
Sure, and if you believe that rap, then I suppose you believe in the Tooth Fairy as well.
Vote No on 2.
Barney Bishop III, one of the most familiar faces within the state business community, is CEO of Barney Bishop Consulting LLC in Tallahassee.
