WHAT SCARES CLINTON AND OBAMA MORE THAN ANYTHING? FLORIDA

||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

ADAM C SMITH, ST PETERSBURG TIMES - Something sinister and mysterious is
terrorizing the Democratic presidential candidates. I'm afraid I can't
yet explain its dark power, but I'm working on it.

The candidates are so terrified of drawing the wrath of Democrats in
Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, they won't dare kiss a
baby, give a speech or talk to a voter anywhere in Florida, except in
closed-door, fundraising receptions. So I went to the heart of darkness
- New Hampshire - hunting for answers in a place where, legend has it,
candidates and citizens talk easily to one another. But Sen. Hillary
Rodham Clinton's campaign made it clear the terror is worse than I
imagined. I wanted to ask Clinton a couple of questions: about the
national catastrophe insurance fund, offshore drilling, maybe Florida's
primary. I might as well have asked to show the former first lady my
anthrax spores. "She's only doing local press," Mo Elleithee, a Clinton
adviser, explained by phone. "And I'm local press from Florida," I said.
"But now I'm in New Hampshire, so I'm legal to talk to."

"But you're still from Florida," Elleithee sighed. "A tiger can't change
its stripes.". . .

Barack Obama and Clinton, however, have the money to compete in
America's biggest battleground state. Yet they're scared even to talk to
Florida reporters.

"I'm not allowed to talk to the press!" Illinois Sen. Obama shouted back
at me recently after I tried shouting from 100 feet away as he left a
$1,000-per-person fundraiser in St. Petersburg.

"Isn't it up to you?!"

Obama: "Nope!"

"Aren't you the guy trying to lead the country?!"

Obama: "I signed a pledge!". . .

In an apple orchard barn, a university gym, a historic theater and at a
solar power company, I couldn't find a single New Hampshire Democrat
willing to admit they would destroy a candidate for violating the
Democratic National Committee's calendar.

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/10/16/State/Campaign_in_Fla_They_.shtml

||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||