This is truly a typical left wing tactic. Similar to the Bush papers that Dan Rather came up with shortly before the 2004 election. How we ever let those people back in charge is beyond me. Maybe this time we have learned our lesson and when given the chance after Nov. we will not spend money like drunken democrat sailors and instead do what is right and good for the country.

. . . not ALL sleazy jackasses are democrats, although I still would have to assert there is no democrat politician which would not serve a better purpose than as a boat anchor.

Then the statement is correct.

If someone is not a J—-, then they are not a democrat.

This will still leave open the very real possibility for Republican sleaze. As you rightly point out, the people must always keep a close watch over their representatives and hold them accountable when necessary.

By McCollum’s biggest cheerleader for leaving a comment here stating I was voting for Rick Scott and why. Wonder if we will hear from him today. This just turns my stomach.

At the very least pretty bleapin’ sleazy.
I’m picking up a Mike Nifong vibe here.

That Organizations like Newsmax and people who, I thought, were genuine Conservatives and supported Tea Parties and the people who attend them and the candidates they support, like Dick Morris still think McCollum is “the guy”! He has never put out a mailer or a TV commercial statin what HE will do as Governor. He has only attacked or sent his minions to attack Rick Scott. His latest ad whines about all of Rick Scott’s ads attacking him! WHAT AN IDIOT! Scott has spent the last 6 months defending himself against the lies, innuendo, and convaluted ads put out by McCollum! Scott has put out mailers and ads laying out his plan for the state and I like what I hear and read! When McCollum and Alex Sink (leading Dem candidate) spoke to the Florida Association of REALTORS(r) Convention last Summer, I could not tell a single difference between the two of them other than the obvious (the male/female thing), and the sound of their voices. Their speeches were essentially identical! Now if this guy is supposed to be the REAL CONSERVATIVE in this race, then we can say the same about Alex Sink! Which is why I and my lovely wife will be voting for Rick Scott! Thak you Erick for standing up for the truth!

1. That the AP or media outlets would not run a story tells me nothing.

2. That an attorney “might” have committed malpractice tells me nothing.

3. That the AG asked the FDLE to look into allegations strikes me as appropriate.

4. I trust Larry Cretul.

5. I trust Bill McCollum.

6. The history of Rick Scott tells me not to trust him. I’m willing to listen to his campaign; however, I’d not heard anything yet that impresses me. I have heard from push polls that attack McCollum and support Scott, but that is not helpful.

7. I’ve received many Scott flyers and seen many ads. They are fluff and have few specifics.

8. I believe a vote for Scott is a vote for a Democrat as Governor.

9. A press release from Rick Scott convinces me of nothing. That is his side. I’d prefer the people I know and trust.

10. So what if the “tip” came from a disgruntled doctor. Do you think complaints come from people who are happy and pleased? Again, that tell me nothing important.

11. Who cares if a lawyer in private practice has other clients who have legal problems: all clients have legal problems. The guilt by association argument is not helpful.

12. Abuse of power is a strong allegation. I’ve seen nothing to support it yet.

we have here. I don’t trust Rick Scott and i was planning on voting for McCollum but at the rate this is going i may not cast a vote in this race.

If all this is true, it is bad, no question about it.

But what of Scott’s chances in the general election? Rightly or wrongly, and I think it’s somewhere in the gray area between those two points, he has been damaged by the allegations against him to the point that he may very well be unelectable.

So, we’re left with a dismal choice to make. Do we go with the old, tired, vicious political retread of Bill McCollum, or do we go with the stained and tarnished Rick Scott? The ultimate goal must be to keep a liberal Dem out of the governor’s mansion. Which one, McCollum or Scott, can beat Sink in November? I have my doubts that Scott can pull it off, but I’m in no way a McCollum booster.

Early voting is on here in Florida, and I have to make up my mind soon. This decision will be no fun at all.

And whichever R wins, I’ll be voting against Sink in November, not for the R. I hate that. I want someone to vote for.

Good guy clean and no one talks of him… Money in elections has got to stop… check out Mike McCalister a real person with Integrity for Governor. Why no word in the Media on Mike McCalister for Governor he has been on the ticket from day one…. Money is the problem with getting good people elected…

was head and shoulders above either of these guys. It’s a darn shame she dropped out.

Whether or not you like the tactics, we can’t have a crook like Rick Scott gaining the GOP nod. The Dems would automatically win.

His hospital network, Columbia/HCA, was fined a record $1.7-billion for bilking Medicare and Meicaid. He escaped with a golden parachute of $320-million and avoided prosection by claiming that his listing as CEO was a ‘clerical error’ and he didn’t really know what was going on anyway.

The charges against Solantic seem to have some substance since the company purloined the name of a doctor in order to validate its registry.

Scott has received the endorsement of no papers here nor any nationally known conservative. He’s spent $40-million (mostly his own) in trying to purchase the nomination so far. We’re not buying it or him.

Rick Scott is trying to buy the job.
Bill McCollum is more of the same.

I am sad that I have to vote for either.

Erik, your insight on this race is very limited. You might want to step back from this steaming pile.

I liked Bill McCollum and even worked on his 1st campaign when I was a youngster. Have talked with him many times around town – nice guy. He has always been a reliable conservative and given his record when in office, he’d do a nice, even job as governor. Problem is, somewhere along the line he’s become a career politician who will do or say anything to gain or keep office. Not bad in office….but his ads & the advocate crap from Newsmax make me sick.

Then you have Rick Scott. His company did some bad stuff but he’s only really been implicated by folks with either an axe to grind or by a grandstanding HCA prosecutor. WS Journal did several stories back when this was going on and pretty much concluded the guy was straight. Still there’s at least some doubt. Mom has met and worked for the guy….says he’s a good one. He starts throwing attack ads at McCollum saying he wasn’t conservative and other silliness. Frankly, his ads kinda’ started the nastiness.

With due respect to the McAlister, the two above are the only ones with enough recognition to win statewide. Sure wish they’d kept things above board because I’m very afraid the nastiness and coverage of it in our lefty media here is giving the race to the democRAT, Alex Sink. Which greatly sucks!

All that said, I hate to reward McCollum for his sins…. but I’m probably going to hold my nose and vote that way. He has the better chance versus Sink. I kind of hope I’m wrong.

I wanted to stay even keel between McCollum and Scott and let it be only about merit. McCollum chose it to be about attacks only. Now, with a drummed up law suit, during the week of the primary vote, as his poll numbers are dropping, it further confirms the is desperate.

Given the amount of self inflicted trauma that the national and Florida GOP injected into themselves, it is very difficult to clearly delineate candidates in Florida, IMO. As I have said before, the GOP in Florida have become skewed, to say the least. Many of the GOP members currently in Florida office, that were initially spear-headed and synchronized by Crist, are WAY too progressive. , and you have to dig deep to find out the truth about that.

Many in office in Florida, both GOP and Dem, are linked with that progressivism …and I’ve seen no major break from that GOP trend in McCollum. I wasn’t positive that McCollum is the wrong choice but I certainly am now that he is drumming up this law suit in desparation. I voted for Scott and I stand by it. I believe Scott will prove me right.

I will take my chances with Scott and new blood in the Florida GOP to steer it in a different direction than it has been going. Among those I voted for are Scott, Rubio, Bondi, Burgin and Young and I fully extensively support West and Sager. I believe that Team will start turning Florida the way it needs to go….back to the Constitution, conservatism, smaller government, and support for business.

I almost changed my voter registration so that I could vote for Rick Scott, because, the Florida AG office did a shakedown on my company in Texas. Furthermore, McCollum in his campaign throws mud on money transfer companies and prepaid phone card providers. Both of these are legitimate businesses that PAY lots of TAXES to the Feds. And in the money moving business, we also have the ‘help’ of the government bureaucrats insuring security.

Rick Scott has a few blemishes. McCollum has a respectable veneer covering over a career politician who is part of the ever growing sphere of government.

McCollum might be the better candidate, but it is a shame that the man who lead the charge to impeach ‘slick willy’ is now so un-exciting.

I agree with all your calls but this one.

McCollum has a long and proven track record of defending Floridians from being abused by government and higher taxes — take it from this 2nd generation Floridian.

Scott is busy buying his way to the governorship, after making all that money fleecing retirees and others in Florida! Just because he wasn’t convicted desn’t mean he wasn’t guilty — there’s nothing worse than a clever criminal!

Even IF all you say here is true, I’m sure it is an aberration of his campaign staff and not at all true to the McCollum who has served Florida for years.

Nope, I’m not a staffer, nor have I donated a dime to either candidate. I just, like you, want the best, most honest CONSERVATIVE candidate in there who can beat the Dem candidates!

And I still think that’s McCollum!

I agree with all your calls but this one.

McCollum has a long and proven track record of defending Floridians from being abused by government and higher taxes — take it from this 2nd generation Floridian.

Scott is busy buying his way to the governorship, after making all that money fleecing retirees and others in Florida! Just because he wasn’t convicted desn’t mean he wasn’t guilty — there’s nothing worse than a clever criminal!

Even IF all you say here is true, I’m sure it is an aberration of his campaign staff and not at all true to the McCollum who has served Florida for years.

Nope, I’m not a staffer, nor have I donated a dime to either candidate. I just, like you, want the best, most honest CONSERVATIVE candidate in there who can beat the Dem candidates!

And I still think that’s McCollum!

I saw this comment another website and thought it was perfect.

I find it unbelievable that such a massive fraud could be committed by a company and the companies CEO not know anything about it…how could Scott as CEO not know his company was keeping two sets of expense books in order to defraud taxpayers? This man orchestrated a sprawling criminal enterprise that stole billions of dollars from American taxpayers.
Now Tricky Rick Scott is running for Governor…a Public office…touting his business credentials…yet he says his business practices are not the public’s business!!!
ANYONE who votes for this man is mentally deficient!!!

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/11/1770445/mystery-deposition-puts-gop-front.html?pageNum=1&&mi_pluck_action=page_nav#Comments_Container#ixzz0wJeEl0vB

He is a millionaire crook who got paid $300 to leave his company and then paid off these doctors to cover up more crimes that Scott committed.

McCollum is a respected Conservative who can be trusted based on his voting record.

Why believe Erik Erickson? This man has an inflated ego just because he was right about Jim Greer and Charlie Crist. So What? I was SCW in RPOF and stood up to Greer—face to face! I helped get rid of corruption in RPOF but now is time to join forces for the good of our state and our country. Erik is another opportunist basking in the limelight of new founded fame. Shame on him!
My husband and I already voted for AG Bill McCollum because of his upstanding conservative record and the important fact that Rick Scott is indeed a crook who was just wealthy enough to have good attorneys to get him out of jail. About Solantic lawsuits, that is nothing new. The lawsuits and complaints against Solantic have been around for some time only that Scott was able to delay them.
It is time he faces up to responsbility and someone holds him accountable. Not only Erik seems to prefer a proven scumbag for Governor, but a carpetbagger who just uses Florida, and his ego seems to be more important than winning the Governorship. If Rick Scott is the Republican nominee, Alex Sink will easily win in November. Erik: that means redistricting in 2011 will favor Democrats for many years to come. Is this what you want for Florida?

do I get 3 hours of graduate credit? I frikken’ *hate* these primary threads. This is why. It degenerates into a turd-chucking fight amongst the Howler Monkeys. Only Pat Robertson does more to help elect Sothern Democrats! Yeesh!

I am not convinced Scott would beat Alex Cink. I prefer to be idealistic about politician, but am more cynical. THis is a race precisely because Rick Scott spent millions of dollars in negative campaigning. McCollum can be faulted for taking the election for granted, but as dull as he is, he is still a solid conservative voice and would govern as one as well.

Bill McCollum for Florida Governor

Many conservatives in Florida like myself have watched the FL governor’s primary and have decided after weighing their candidacies, that A.G. McCollum is going to get our vote. Why?

He’s the one who’s demonstratesthe most the backbone, moral courage, record & intelligence to lead Florida.

He has a list of lifelong accomplishments which more than qualify him, and based on McCollum’s record, I trust him for governor.

While we know Scott successfully built a huge hospital chain we also know that chain committed the largest Medicaid fraud in U.S. history while he was CEO and a historic fine to match at 1.7 billion.

The 2 candidates have some similar strengths, but diverge from there:

They are both pro-life, they are both lawyers, they both served in the military, and both have been married only once. to their lifelong sweethearts. All good.

But McCollum is a homegrown Florida Gator (Scott is from Texas).
McCollum has lifelong achievements in Florida. He graduated from the Univ. of FL undergrad and Law School and was President of Florida Blue Key. He joined the U.S.Navy, became a NAVY JAG lawyer and was also an anti-terrorism expert while serving in Congress. McCollum also led the Clinton impeachment hearings in D.C..

As Florida’s Attorney General, McCollum has led the charge cracking down on Internet child predators, Medicaid fraud and proliferating gangs in Florida.

McCollum has received COVETED ENDORSEMENTS from intelligent conservatives which do serve as political signposts: from Newt Gingrich to, the only twice elected Republican FL governor, Jeb Bush, the Republican frontrunner for ’12, former governor, Mitt Romney & others.

With historic unemployment in Florida and record home foreclosures Florida conservatives must carefully select the nominee and be sure he will beat Democratic nominee Alex Sink, who could wreck our judical benches.

RICK SCOTT HIRED CRIST’S 2006 GUBENATORIAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER TO BE HIS STRATEGIST FOR ‘!0 ……WHAT?!

It’s important to disclose that SCOTT HIRED THE political consultant, the same person, responsible putting our DO NOTHING nationally renown liberal RINO governor., now NPA governor, CHARLIE CRIST in the governor’s OFFICE.

She’s the same strategist who allowed Crist to cut off the ONLY viable pro-life Republican candidate in FL in 2008, Mitt Romney, for the Rep. nomination.

She did this while she was managing Florida’s team for the KING of RINO’s, John McCain’s ’08 team and was responsible for handing FL to John McCain in cahoots w/ now N.P.A. governor, Charlie Crist and Sen. Mel Martinez.

Why would a conservative hire someone who did that? Someone
who has those record RINOS in their Political portfolio?

Scott had the capability of hiring anyone.

That was a conscientious political decision. It can’t be dismissed as a hospital in another state whose accountant you didn’t know.

When Scott entered the race it was interesting and he called the A.G.’s team and demanded 5 statewide televised debates, McCollum agreed and now Scott will not hold one. Why?

Scott professes to know the answers to turn Florida around, but does have the fortitude to come forward and present them before the voters of Florida statewide under scrutiny.

Any candidate running for the state’s highest office must beheld accessible and accountable to voters. Allowing them to compare their choices without a “script” and under pressure in a debate. It shows how they think on their feet.

NOTE **Laura INGRAHAM has invited Rick Scott to come on her show and chided him for refusing to come, or return her calls so she could ask him some questions in a live interview.

No one on the Scott campaign will return her calls. Ingraham is not establishment but a diehard conservative.

Does Scott’s team demonstrate what a conservative candidate does?
Ignore one of the most renown and articulate conservatives radio talk show hosts in the country?

SCOTT refuses to go on her talk show, why? Any good candidate would beg the national offer and free publicity.

Ingraham has the unique capability of launching Scott to conservatives nationally and in FL if he’s qualified to lead. If anyone can properly vet a candidate, Laura has the intelligence to do so on the air, and Scott’s team knows that.

No one knows enough about who this man is.

As Crist abandoned the Republican Party and the state Florida leaving it on economic life support, and the E.O.G. on autopilot for 4 years, Floridians must not allow the Governor’s Mansion at 700 North Adam’s Street to be sold to the highest bidder.

This Republican is voting for Bill McCollum.

Watch what Laura Ingraham says here aobut Rick Scott, I agree!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njy-7_mihAI

for every dirty trick in the Democratic playbook, and even a few new ones they’ll dream up, after Labor Day, when the country gets out of the summer vacation/summer fun mindset and more and more voters start to seriously pay attention to the races. Its going to get REAL ugly. They’re desperate. They see the avalanche coming down the mountain and they’ll go to extraordinary ends to mitigate the damage. Start preparing now.

I’ve heard her talk tough on conservative issues as much as I’ve heard her back off. She doesn’t want to make waves with big name people and has no desire to be a lone wolf. Allegiances are important to her.This week I heard her say she’d be happy if Gingrich were president, for example. That is the essence of a GOP establishment statement (and quite unfortunate), and not out of character in my experience listening to Ms. Ingraham.

He used to be respectable.

In contrast–

Just before McCollum appeared on Greta’s show tonight, Marco Rubio answered this question from her: “If you’re elected…[and] you’re one of the minority… can you give in on some of your principles and can you negotiate?” with a perfect answer: “I think you always negotiate on ideas, never on your principles…. We’ll work with anybody who wants to keep America exceptional, but we’ll fight anyone who tries to redefine America and make it just like anybody else.”

Greta did not ask Bill about the phony lawsuit.

I don’t know either guy. It’s too bad that McCollum may have turned the primary into a contest about who is least sleazy.

That Scott can beat Sink. Although, I admit she can “speak a turn to the right” when she has to. Still, EVERY poll produced since Scott burst onto the scene has him beating Sink. McCollum makes it a toss up with her at best. Mainly because when they speak at the same event you can’t tell a nickel’s worth of difference between he and Ms. Sink. It is actually pretty scary to listen to. You come away thinking like a lot of ill-informed “independents” that think there is no longer any difference between the Dems and the Republicans. When you listen to a Republicrat like McCollum. I would tend to agree. If he were as conservative as he says, he would not have been defeated when he tried to unseat Bill Nelson last time. He did not give anyone any reason to vote FOR him, only those of us with a reason to vote AGAINST Nelson went along. Had to hold my nose on that, that’s for sure. I believe Scott can beat Sink. I know it will be very muddy, but, Rasmussen, Gallup, et al believe it, too.