The surrogate
It begins with a woman who yearns for a baby and another who is willing and able to give her one. You can imagine the motives of the prospective parents. But what about the woman willing to carry a baby, give birth and then walk away?
Friday Night Rewind It doesn't matter which team you cheer for. We've got video previews of every high school football program in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando County.
To use a neighborhood meeting about cancer-causing contaminants as a campaign opportunity is the political equivalent of ambulance chasing, but that didn't stop Max Linn.
Linn and Samm Simpson, two Democrats hoping to unseat longtime Republican U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young, are surely having a hard time getting seen and heard. That, of course, is no excuse for waving signs, handing out pamphlets, and delivering political sermons at somber meetings in St. Petersburg intended to help Azalea residents comprehend the plume of pollution that is spreading beneath their homes.
Simpson, at least, had the decency to wave off her sign wavers after being challenged by someone at one event. That didn't stop her campaign coordinator, though, from walking to the microphone to question what role Bill Young was playing. Linn, whose supporters blanketed the parking lot with leaflets, grabbed the microphone himself and plugged his candidacy before launching into a breathless prosecution that ended with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a fellow Democrat, cutting him off.
The behavior was so far out of bounds that the mannerly state Rep. Rick Kriseman, a fellow Democrat who has represented the neighborhood as a legislator and former City Council member, blew a fuse.
"Do you not understand," he wrote both candidates, "that for every second you or one of your supporters is at the microphone politicking, an actual resident of the area is being silenced? Have you no respect for these people?"
What's next? Crashing funerals?
[Last modified: Jul 25, 2008 01:58 PM]
Comments on this article
by Larry
Jul 25, 2008 1:58 PM
Democrats will do anything for a vote ot two.
by Indy
Jul 23, 2008 4:41 PM
Hackworth/ Kriseman= Republican Plants
by kat
Jul 22, 2008 2:46 PM
Hal:
Young has been anything but silent on this issue. before you make accusations, you might want to call him.
by Eric
Jul 21, 2008 9:08 PM
Well said, Frank......
by Hal
Jul 21, 2008 5:22 PM
The toxic plume filled with "cancer-causing contaminants" this SPT editorial refers to is directly impacting and affecting residents of CD-10, Rep CW Bill Young's constituents. Why then is his voice the one voice that's been so silent on this issue?
by Tim
Jul 21, 2008 2:57 PM
Message to Democrats. Bob Hackworth is your only chance at getting the Pinellas seat in Congress. He's a grown up.
by Jenny
Jul 20, 2008 11:01 PM
Had Simpson and Linn NOT acted so despicably, Representative Kriseman would have had no reason to speak out. It is telling that the residents themselves support Krisemsn's position.
by Jeanie
Jul 20, 2008 11:01 PM
You suggest the candidates might be having " A Hard time being seen or heard" By the way,what happened to the Bay News 9 (Sister Company) interviews?
Silly candidates, they should have just learned how to ride a bike.
by Sgt. O Leary
Jul 20, 2008 11:01 PM
Folks, even Samm Simpson admitted she screwed up. Kriseman didn't send any letter to the Times anyway. And Kriseman doesnt even know Hackworth.
by Frank
Jul 20, 2008 8:22 AM
No surprise. Scum always comes to the top of the cesspool that is the Democratic party.
by Jeanie
Jul 20, 2008 8:18 AM
This is sleezy politics. Kriseman supports Hackworth, This was a perfect oppurtunity for him to throw the other fellow Democrats under the bus. I' sure a simple phone call or email would have taken care of this. He choose to take it to the Times?
by Mike
Jul 20, 2008 8:05 AM
And the only people whose opinion matters here are the homeowners that Samm is trying to support. What say the Times lets them write the editorial?
by Mike
Jul 20, 2008 8:04 AM
The "mannerly state rep" Kriseman who chose to send his letter of condemnation to the Times instead of keeping it personal with Samm? What nonsense. Kriseman is the one who's politicking, here, and the Times is going along.
by James
Jul 20, 2008 8:04 AM
...Paid political advertisement by Rick Kriseman...
talk about sleezy politics!!!!
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