Sarasota beckons to first lady and GOP hopefuls

By , Herald-Tribune
/ Sunday, January 22, 2012

Republican presidential candidates will have to share the political stage in Sarasota with first lady Michelle Obama this week.

In between rallies for Republican presidential candidates Newt Gingrich on Tuesday and Rick Santorum on Saturday in Sarasota, Michelle Obama will drop in for a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee at a private residence on the bayfront.

Michelle Obama

Her stop will be part of a three-city trip through Florida on Thursday, which will also include an event in Tampa to promote healthy eating and another fundraiser in Palm Beach after the Sarasota event.

The White House has not released specific details about where Obama will be in Sarasota.

The timing of the visit, coupled with President Obama’s visit to Orlando last week, brought a laugh from Sarasota Republican Party Chairman Joe Gruters, who said the Obamas are clearly trying to steal some headlines away from the Republican candidates.

Newt Gingrich

Gruters said it is telling that Obama is using Sarasota to raise money, while GOP candidates are out meeting the people. More than 2,400 people have signed up to attend a rally with Gingrich at Dolphin Aviation near the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport on Tuesday at 1:45 p.m.

Then on Sunday, Santorum gets his shot to hold a rally at 2 p.m. at the same

Rick Santorum

location — Dolphin Aviation. Gruters said well over 1,000 people have already signed up for that event.

To attend either Republican party event, visit the Republican Party’s website at www.SarasotaGOP.com.

Fitzgerald gets notice

National party leaders have tapped Sarasota Democrat Keith Fitzgerald as one of their best bets to beat an incumbent in the 2012 election cycle.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Wednesday announced Fitzgerald is one of just 18 Democrats in the country that will be part of their “Red to Blue” program.

The designation means the DCCC will help provide campaign staff support and fundraising help for Fitzgerald. In addition, on national fundraising drives, Fitzgerald will be one of the featured candidates to Democratic donors.

“This is a big deal,” Fitzgerald said on Wednesday.

Fitzgerald is running against U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, in the 13th Congressional District.

Firing up the base

Manatee County GOP chairwoman Kathy King is already looking ahead to the November general election by bringing in top national voices — and a little controversy — to fire up the base of the party.

Tonight the Manatee County Republican Party hosts a speech by Scott Wheeler, the executive director for the National Republican Trust PAC.

That group was behind a controversial 25-minute infomercial that aired in 2010 that accused President Barack Obama of harboring hostility toward America. Several networks refused to air the ad.

In addition, the group paid for political ads in 2010 that many credit with helping a Republican win a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts long held by Democratic icon Ted Kennedy. That race started a tidal wave of Republican successes that helped the GOP regain control of the U.S. House in 2010.

Wheeler, a frequent guest on FOX News programs, speaks to the Manatee Republicans at 7 p.m. at the Polo Grill, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch.

For more information, call (941) 779-8532.

Area political events

Friday

• The University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee and the Sarasota Civic League will host a candidate college from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Selby Auditorium on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. The workshop is intended to give potential candidates for public office a look at what it takes to run a campaign in Sarasota and Manatee County. For more information, go to www.sarasotacivicleague.org.

Sunday
• Former Sarasota City Commissioner Kelly Kirschner speaks to the Sarasota County Democratic Party at 2:30 p.m. at the Meadows Country Club, Longmeadow Road, Sarasota. Cost is $25. For more information, call (941) 330-9400.

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Jeremy Wallace

Jeremy Wallace has covered politics for more than 15 years.He can be reached by email or call (941) 361-4966.""More Wallace"Make sure to "Like" HT Politics on Facebook for all your breaking political news.
Last modified: January 23, 2012
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VIEWING 16 COMMENTS
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Joe Bagadonutz
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 4:50 pm

I wish this first lady would take a clue from Mamie Eisehower and stay home, bake cookies and keep her yap shut. No body elected her to a GD thing.

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sean
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 7:23 pm

I am glad we have strong powerful women that makes people like Joe Bagadonutz angry…..and upset that our society has moved beyond him by 60 years.

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Mike
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 6:02 am

I really don’t care for the first lady, and none of my freinds do either. This woman and her husband will be looking for a new home in 2012. Im sure us tax payer will pay for it also, they seem to like to use our money for themseleves….bunch of muochers if you ask me.

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ted
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 7:19 am

And we care why? She is here to get free food and ask for another handout, what they are famous for living off other peoples hard work.

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Em
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 7:41 am

Well said Joe B. I just wish Michelle would stay home or pay her own way. GOYA FOODS gets free advertising and Michelle gets a free ride as a bag lady for Barack and we the tax payers get to pick up a huge wasteful bill for fuel on an Air Force One plane.

How much did GOYA FOODS pay the Obamas for Michelle’s appearance to say ‘yummy – these Goya foods are so good and non fattening!’ Right. And she would know.

And as long as she campaigns and makes political appearances, Michelle deserves the criticism she gets.

Stay home Michelle – we have a better use for our tax dollars than to pay for your excuses to appear at fundraisers for your husband’s campaign.

I wonder what the trip will cost us?

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Fredo
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 9:04 am

You guys are right. Michelle is a horrible human being that should stay locked up behind closed doors like all women should. The nerve of her trying to tell real Americans to eat healthy. It is so important we all vote and get this pair out of the WHITE house this year!

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kvn
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 9:23 am

I would gladly donate money for her one way ticket to Kenya where she could see her gay husbands birthplace.

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Justme
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 2:37 pm

Joe, KVN, Fredo, EM, Mike, and Ted;
You are all idiots and racist Bast… If ht had been a Bush or any other white woman, you would be glad to see here come here. And stop believing everything other people tell you and do a little research.
No one will ever know how stupid you are unless you open your mouth and you all just did.

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Em
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 2:49 pm

JustMe – the race card is all worn out – your accusation has no meaning – jst shows your ignorance and limited vocabulary.

Michelle Obama should stay home instead of squandering my tax dollars and using my money to collect campaign funds for her husband who is going to lose anyway.

Michelle is being a bag lady – real low class Chicago politics that she was brought up on.

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Justme
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 3:10 pm

I only play the cards dealt. All you racist cry “Don’t play the race card” when you constantly deal it and think intellegent people won’t recognize it. Wrong again. We know, and will call you out on it every chance we get. As I said, when the Bush woment criss crossed the country and the world, no one said a word.

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Em
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 4:20 pm

That is a crock – I think you are the racist, JustMe.
I really don’t care if you accuse me of racism – it has no meaning coming from you.

You are the bigot.

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Em
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 4:24 pm

You are the bigot, JustMe. You can call me racist all you want but it has no meaning. No one is intimidated by your accusation.

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Justme
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 10:19 am

Please don’t feel intimidated, just recognize what you are. I would never attempt to intimidate anyone. If you are feeling anything, it is probably the light shinning on you. Most racist either don’t recognize themselves or won’t admit it. If you feel that I am a bigot, then that is your opinion, but my statement does not change, when the Bush women or any other First Lady traveled all over the country and the world, no one said a word. Also, why would any decent American disrespect our First Lady the way that you all do. No other President nor First Lady have ever been so disrespected. What does that say about this country? They can not stand to see a Black man in the White House.

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Ditto
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 2:20 pm

Ditto to all that JUSTME stated. Racism has aired its ugly head in the Blogs once more. You speak those things in your Heart and Racism is embedded deeply and will appear when awaken.

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Justathought
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 7:31 am

The only way to answer these shrewd bigots is to get rid of that crook they put in the congressional seat and beat them at the polls.When have you ever been able to reason with idiots.Michelle is absolutely adorable.She’s beautiful and gracious.Laura Bush was an attractive woman too.Anybody who attacks the first lady the way these nut jobs do has to be absolutely anal.

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SRQIggy
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 12:33 pm

@ JustMe: Yep, keep throwing out the “criticism = racism” card whenever you can’t refute facts. It’s how most of you tabloid liberals operate. MLK is turning over in his grave as he watches you type.