BYE-BYE TERRY:

Democrats' dream becoming nightmare (Buddy Nevins, November 2, 2002, Orlando Sun-Sentinel)

You just had to attend Bill McBride's rally for Hispanics in Broward County this week to see what is happening to his campaign.

There were maybe two dozen discouraged McBride supporters inside a Southwest Ranches restaurant -- and a flood of Bush supporters waving signs outside.

Even in this Democratic stronghold, McBride has trouble.

The panic among Democratic insiders is so thick you can cut it with a knife. They see victory slipping away ... not only in the governor's race, but everywhere.

Democrats are working overtime to make sure McBride's sinking campaign doesn't drag down the whole ticket.

McBride wouldn't have former President Bill Clinton campaigning with him unless he was concerned about his Democratic support. It's McBride's last attempt to energize his base of South Florida's condominium residents and blacks.

Meanwhile, Gov. Jeb Bush will be campaigning in Broward among Democrats on Sunday, indicating he doesn't have to worry about Republican votes.

Given the obviously even split among Florida voters this was never going to be much more than a 5-8% victory for Jeb, but it was also never going to be a loss. The Democrats really wasted their own time, energy, and money on this race just out of a quest for petty vengeance. Terry McAuliffe, who announced that this was his #1 prioirity, is likely to lose his job shortly after this debacle. Posted by Orrin Judd at November 2, 2002 1:05 PM