From ABC News, 5/12/06:
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=1953831&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312
Bush Brothers No Longer Back Harris
Figure in 2000 Florida Recount Wants to Be Senator
Analysis By JAKE TAPPER
Little in U.S. politics is quite as uncomfortable as the cold
shoulder.
That's what the Bush brothers -- the president and Florida governor --
are giving their onetime champion Rep. Katherine Harris, R-Fla.
Harris really wants to run for Senate this year.
She's pledged to spend $10 million of her own inheritance on the race.
Few think she can win, though, so for months behind the scenes the
Bushes have been trying unsuccessfully to chase Harris out of the race
and recruit someone stronger.
Now, their rejection is quite public.
"I just don't believe she can win," Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said this
week.
Harris was elected in 2002 to her first term in Congress, representing
the 13th District of Florida.
One reason for her unpopularity -- the Florida recount.
Almost six years ago, Harris put her popularity on the line to help
the Bush brothers as Florida's secretary of state.
After all, despite being the top election official in the state, she
also had co-chaired the Bush for President Florida operation in 2000.
She certified the vote for Bush on the timeline the Bush campaign
wanted.
In fact, she wanted to ignore a judge's order to delay her
certification of the election at least a day, but was talked out of
ignoring that order by her lawyers.
Behind the scenes, Harris did her own machinations.
She sent underling Kerey Carpenter to cozy up to a vote-counting
judge, Charles Burton of Palm Beach County, and encourage him to seek
advice from Harris' office, without telling him that once the county
canvassing board did so Harris' opinion would be binding.
She retained ChoicePoint to remove felons from the voting rolls,
ignoring complaints for years that the firm had continuously removed
legitimate voters, ones who often had ethnic names.
For her decisions, the Gore for President campaign spread malicious
rumors about her personal life, and she was continuously mocked for
her makeup and appearance.
Some liberal commentators likened her to the evil Cruella de Vil from
Disney's "101 Dalmatians."
With all of this water-carrying, you might think the Bush brothers
today would be more appreciative.
What's a Senate nomination between friends?
After all, other Republican recount figures have been rewarded --
former Palm Beach County butterfly ballot-watcher John Bolton is U.N.
ambassador and Bush lawyer Ted Olson became solicitor general.
Some of the energetic protesters outside the Miami-Dade County
canvassing board landed plum administration jobs, including new White
House deputy chief of staff Joel Kaplan.
And on and on.
But one belle was left out of the ball.
Bush backers say Harris is so polarizing she'll hurt the Florida GOP,
but other Republicans acknowledge in soft whispers that, were it not
for Harris, Bush may not be in such a kingmaker -- or queenmaker --
position.
A cruel -- or Cruella -- irony.
____________________________________________________________
Poor Cruella. Georgie and Jebby where's your gratitude? Shame on you.
Maybe Cruella will now have a few li'l tidbits to divulge about stuff.
Harry