How will Hurricane Charley affect the Florida vote?

[eaprez]

The hurricane might be the best thing to happen to the Bush folks as far as helping them win Florida. It could also help them loose Florida. If the government does a good job in the eyes of the people left in the storms path -- then they will likely support Bush. If however funds, temporary housing, etc are slow in coming it could turn the population against Bush. The third scenario is that the people are so preoccupied with their own losses and trying to get their lives together that voting is the last thing on their mind and they don't vote at all. Wonder which side that helps?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. National Guard

being over in Iraq and not there to help hurricane victims means many will be thinking more about our foreign policy disaster, which can only hurt Bush.

[bluedog]

4. yup

thats what is going to hurt .....we are asking for volunteers.because we don't have the men to help with the aftermath.........I applaud the First Responders.....they are doing a terrific job........

[King of New Orleans]

2. No effect really

Unless FEMA botches things up. It is expected that the gov't handle these things and while Charley was a pretty good storm he wasn't a major destroyer (like Andrew) and he moved very fast. Very few people will base their vote on this.

The worst damage did occur in a fairly Republican area too.

[Jawja]

3. As I remember it,

FEMA botched Hurricane Andrew during Poppy's term. I remember some criticism of the slow response.

[Dems Will Win]

5. The head of FEMA is Bush's Bag Man and a political hack

Both Bushes are in big trouble. FEMA has been underfunded for years and is in really bad shape. The Civil Workers do not like the Bag Man and the surest way to get rid of the current head of FEMA is to screw up the Florida Reconstruction. Rememer the Iraq Reconstruction.

Also during Hurrican Floyd, they evacuated a HUGE part of the SE coast.

JEB JUST DEPENDED ON THE STORM FOLLOWING THE MAIN PATH.

THIS WAS A REAL MISTAKE AND THE NEXT TIME YOU CAN BET YOUR RAIN BOOTS THEY WILL SEE YESTERDAY AS A MISTAKE AND NEXT TIME EVACUATE THE WHOLE WEST COAST AND AT LEAST GET THE MOBILE HOME PEOPLE INTO THE SHELTERS!!

[bluedog]

6. Main Path?

they said its headed for Tampa Bay(my are).then they said all week it looks like it was following or coming in like Donna duid in the 60's.Donna came in at Fort Meyers and .went across through Daytona.......

[Hoping4Change]

7. CNN reported that that SW gulf coast is heavily repug so it

may not be a factor unless they mess up the reconstruction. Still the destroyed areas were mostly retirees so it'd be interesting to know how they view changes to *"s drug plan had turned them off *.

[Nashyra]

8. Where is Kerry's statement of concern or Edwards

They should at least be saying something? If this was my state and they had been around asking for votes then the least I would expect to hear is a kind and thoughtful statement. CNN just said that * was cutting away from the campaign trail to visit Florida, at least Kerry could show some interest and if he has and the media has not covered it than get out there and do it again, fuck cancel an appearance and see what he can do to help. Something showing that he cares about the state for other reasons than their votes. I am a hardworking Dem volunteer and this is not looking good to me.

[Hoping4Change]

11. I see what you are saying however isn't there a danger for

Kerry to be accused of using this tragedy for political points if he goes down to Florida?

[King of New Orleans]

12. Exactly

It's the President's job to go down there, whether there is an election or not. For a candidate to go, it looks too much like opportunism.

The best thing would be a simple statement of prayer and support and also an encouragement for people to help with relief efforts.

[King of New Orleans]

9. Actually, I've changed my mind a bit

The damage apparently will be worse than I expected. Apparently, the West Coast of Florida has much weaker building standards than the East Coast (Republicans don't like bureaucratic building codes) so there apparently is quite a bit of damage especially along the Port Charlotte area.

I still don't think it affect voting much though.

[blondeatlast]

10. If Cuban Americans are prohibited from sending funds to their own

families in Cuba, it's gonna hurt Bunnypants with a typically loyal base.

[osaMABUSh]

13. This guy was voting for Bush anyway

"With a his shotgun sitting on a chair beside him, Terry Frye rests in front of his home which was devastated by Hurricane Charley in Port Charlotte, Florida, on Saturday."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5653487/