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Moses battles back with candor; White stands by his candidate; and Murphy's law catches up with Murphy.

 
Published Oct. 21, 1994|Updated Oct. 7, 2005

A shell-shocked Paddy Moses stopped by Wednesday to explain statements she made during a custody battle some 16 years ago. Her ex-husband had gone to the Tampa Tribune with the story that Moses used derogatory references to black people during a deposition.

Moses' version of the story _ backed up by the transcript _ puts the use of the N-word in context: She was repeating a phrase she heard from her children. Moses acknowledges she used the term "colored town" to describe the area where the ex-husband was living.

It is ironic that one of Moses' critics, David Caton of the American Family Association, recently blasted her as a woman "who basically believes that nobody should be discriminated against for any reason whatsoever."

Moses' candor was admirable. It wasn't easy for her to share the painful details of a divorce and custody fight with reporters. It wasn't easy to watch either, especially knowing that these types of stories are an increasing part of the political landscape.

How the stories will affect Moses' race is hard to project. She seems to be keeping the support of her African-American supporters, especially the man she narrowly defeated in the Democratic primary, Gerald White.

Mr. White meet Mr. Hart: Speaking of Gerald White, he was standing up for Moses at Thursday's groundbreaking for the New York Yankees spring training complex. In a nose-to-nose meeting, White told Moses' opponent, Republican Chris Hart, that he wasn't changing his mind.

"Moses will lead us to the promised land," White quipped. He told Hart he liked a candidate with a Biblical name.

"You mean like Christian Hart?" Hart responded.

But White wasn't deterred.

"We're trying to reduce heart attacks in this county, and if you're elected people are going to start having Hart attacks," White said.

Just then, Tampa's professional peacemaker, Dick Greco, stepped in and assured the pair that after the election, we should all just join hands and . . . well, you know, get along. Compromise. Love one another.

The tribulations of Murphy: Cavanaugh Murphy, an educated and articulate gentleman who makes his living these days through the generosity of motorists passing the corner of Busch and Nebraska, has sought the help of a higher power to handle a traffic citation.

That higher power is one Richard Ake, clerk of the circuit court.

In a three-page letter, Murphy, 69, describes the beautiful day in September when he was tooling peacefully along in his very vintage Cadillac:

"Naively heading to Winn-Dixie, with a little elegant panhandling at Busch and Nebraska thrown in, I was apprehended by two TPD officers, both extremely courteous in carrying out their heinous duties." Murphy got a ticket for driving with a suspended license.

Murphy goes on to describe his current troubles _ a broken leg from a run-in with a car, the theft of his wheelchair and walker, the misdirection of his social security checks resulting in "fiscal chaos," his loss of $500 in a bad book deal, and his eviction from an apartment near University Mall. Murphy cites his clean driving record _ "since 1943" _ then, asks for Ake's help.

Finally, to give the clerk an idea of how poorly his life is going these days, Murphy suggested Ake read through the Book of Job, Chapters 1-42.

Things aren't likely to get better for Murphy any time soon. Ake said he can't recall seeing the letter.

Call Wilborn with a tip at 226-3346.