The Last Democrat Standing

Presidential candidate Bob Graham’s September 4^th fundraiser in Miami Beach deserves a large and enthusiastic turnout. The event may be more to honor Graham’s many years of dedicated public service than his chance of winning the party’s nomination. That’s the political reality of this show. 

A.C. Weinstein
Columnist

Even if you don’t want to admit to watching them, reality television programming is ruling the ratings over the broad and narrow airwaves of America. From Survivor, Restaurant, Osbournes, Cupid, Paradise Hotel, Scare Tactics, Big Brother, California Recall, Temptation Island to all the variations of Love For Money and Last Comic Standing, watching regular people play with themselves has moved its way into the American living room and way of life.

If you’re older than forty you might just remember when the only reality television program was Candid Camera, whose legendary creator, Alan Funt, would often sit inside a street mailbox in a busy intersection and yell out to passing pedestrians.

That repeating gag on Candid Camera was to wait for some poor shnook to pass by who would actually believe the talking mailbox was a metal object come to life and then the kicker was to watch the disappointment when Funt would pop his nose out of the mail slot. Well, you get the picture. 

Since this is a political column and, with the popularity of today’s reality television programming, this writer figured there had to be a way to bring them together. Although it may read like a set up to review a typical Miami-Dade County Commission meeting, it’s not.

This column is all about the ten democratic candidates who are fighting it out for their party’s nomination to challenge George W. Bush in 2004. For political junkies, this is the best of reality television. Who will be the Last Democrat Standing?

As much as we respect and admire the homeboy’s run for the West Wing, let’s be real. Florida Senator Bob Graham is still in the lower tier of candidates seeking the Democratic Party nomination. For the good of Florida, Graham should take a well-deserved bow from the effort and return to his long-held U.S. Senate seat.

Graham may not be the flashiest candidate among the ten, but to his credit, he could be the most creative. The Graham for President sign has traveled across the skies on a hot air balloon and across the asphalt covered finish line of a NASCAR race. Amazingly, the Graham name-stenciled car did win a major race that was televised to millions of NASCAR fans. 

And on September 4^th, Graham will be holding a fundraiser in Miami Beach to refuel and energize the campaign. The Graham campaign asked Mayor David Dermer to introduce him at the event, but September 4^th is the same day the commission has scheduled its public hearing and final vote to adopt the millage rate and budget. So Dermer asked Representative Dan Gelber to perform that honor.

And that seems only fitting because Gelber is fast becoming one of the top democrats in Florida. The campaign pit stop in friendly Miami Beach should give Graham a much-needed financial and emotional lift. Will it be enough? It might be if the top three or four candidates in the race drop out.

As much as Graham is admired and respected, his positive polling numbers in Florida have fallen dramatically since his entry into the national campaign. Staying in the race is also decreasing Graham’s chances to be the eventual nominee’s selection for vice-president.

Although Graham denies aiming for the second name on the ticket, many of the political pundits believe that’s been his goal all along. Vice President Graham does have sort of a nice twang to it.

For that to reach any level of reality, Graham should put his campaign up on the blocks, return to his senate seat and refocus his energies toward rebuilding the Democratic Party in Florida, a key swing state in the 2004 election. If the end game is to put a democrat in the White House, Graham can do more for the cause by campaigning for his party’s nominee in Florida. 

Graham deserves a large turnout at his fundraiser in Miami Beach. Not only for his many years of dedicated public service, but also for running a creative campaign with relatively limited resources. Graham has given it his all, but short of a miracle, it just won’t be enough.