Kenneth Quinnell's Silence

The last thing Kenneth Quinnell blogged about Kendrick Meek was campaigning with basketball star Dwyane Wade. Quinnell has left comments at this blog and The Reid Report on posts about Democratic insiders attempting to get Meek to quit. There have been different versions of the story from the Meek, Clinton and Crist camps. The White House may or may not have been involved.

It is no secret the Quinnell once worked for the Meek campaign. Even after Quinnell left the campaign he was still using the Florida Progressive Coalition blog to do push back for Meek. Part of that push back was against this blog. Pushing Rope is read by members of the Florida media, political activists, and Democratic Party insiders. I was the first Florida blogger to declare the Meek campaign officially dead in May. Quinnell constantly "fact-checked" me and said I was wrong about Meek not having the support of Democratic voters and the establishment. Meek is currently polling around 40 percent with Democratic voters and the White House was willing to let Meek drop out. This is hardly the makings of a candidate whose campaign is on fire.

I bashed Meek, Quinnell and Abe Dyk because they make it easier for Republicans to win. Barack Obama won Florida in 2008 and Democrats had a huge registered voter advantage. Yet Democrats did not gain one seat in the Florida legislature. Peter Schorsch pointed that we are looking at the possibility of Republicans winning the entire cabinet and having super-majorities in the Florida House and Senate. How can I play cheerleader when people are talking about the ethically-challenged Jim Norman as a possible future Senate President?

I think Quinnell means well, but he is too inside the Florida Democratic Party to point out its problems. People bash Jane Hamsher and Kos for being too critical of Democrats. I understand that the party will never be perfect and not every piece of legislation will be to our liking. I don't think progressive blogs should become the left-wing version of Fox News and say the Democratic Party is perfect. Quinnell may not see his blogging on Meek that way. Quinnell is too close to the Meek campaign to be objective.

Early polling shows Republicans coming out in greater force to vote. The Florida Democratic Party is going to have to realize their model for running campaigns is broken. Republicans run superior campaigns in Florida. When Florida Democrats can beat the Republican campaign model is when I will start cheering.