A Republican Offers Alex Sink Good Advice

Former Pinellas County GOP chair Paul Bedinghaus nicely told Alex Sink that she should consider very carefully if she wants to run for governor again. Bedinghaus made the statement on Florida This Week.

"Alex Sink is a terrific lady and a very capable CFO," the former treasurer of the state GOP said. "But when I'm voting for somebody, I don't want to vote for somebody that's a reluctant candidate. I want someone that has the passion in their gut to serve this state. So I think she really has to think that through. The image that she's projecting is that she's a reluctant candidate, and I don't think that's a winning formula.

Sink often fumbled through interviews during the 2010 campaign. Sink is just not a good candidate and will get killed in the primary against Charlie Crist. Progressives won't be happy about the Democratic establishment backing Crist. However, Sink is a proven loser against Rick Scott.

Alex Sink Plays Hamlet

Alex Sink seems determined to become the Mario Cuomo of Florida politics. Cuomo kept people on the edge of their seats about whether he would run for president in 1992. Curio never made a decision and Bill Clinton became president. Sink told the Tampa Tribune she is undecided on if she will make a decision.

"The message is that I'd say, given what I've been through in the last several months, now is not the time to make a life-changing decision one way or the other," Sink said.

"Where my head is, it's not time for me to close the door to the possibility. Different people have interpreted what I've said in different ways, but right now it's time for me to be focusing on taking care my kids and myself and dealing with the terrible loss of Bill."

Sink claims the AP misquoted her. What part of Sink saying she would not likely run does she not understand.

"Without a husband, without the person that I relied on the most to shore me up and give me good advice. That's changed. That's changed everything," Sink said. "Right this minute, if you're asking me, it's off the table. I'm not prepared to say, 'No I'm not,' but I'm much further away from a run today than I was three months ago."

Sink spent her last campaign bashing President Barack Obama. That will payoff the Obama and the DNC backing Charlie Crist. Obama is not going to back a previous loser who blamed him for her loss. If Sink does run she won't get past the primary. Crist will crush her.

Alex Sink May Not Run Again

I am sorry about the death of Alex Sink's husband Bill McBride. However, I hope Alex Sink does not run for governor again. Sink hinted to AP that she is not likely to run.

"Without a husband, without the person that I relied on the most to shore me up and give me good advice. That's changed. That's changed everything," Sink said. "Right this minute, if you're asking me, it's off the table. I'm not prepared to say, 'No I'm not,' but I'm much further away from a run today than I was three months ago."

Truth be told, Charlie Crist will have a huge fundraising advantage over Sink. Democrats may not be happy about Crist switching parties but the desire to beat Rick Scott will outweigh their grievances. Sink lost once to Scott. There is no reason to believe she will inspire the base or voters a second time.

Quote of the Day

"I don't go anywhere without strangers walking up to me on the street and asking me, and sometimes begging me and sometimes crying about their desire to see me run again."

Alex Sink, defeated gubernatorial candidate.

People are "crying" in the streets because they fear Alex Sink won't run for governor again. Sink actually expects us to believe that. Is Sink forgetting that MSNBC named her the worst candidate of the 2010 election cycle? This woman is delusional.

Stop Alex Sink: Veterans Day Pandering

Why is Alex Sink making comments on Facebook about Veterans Day. Especially after the holiday. From Sink's Facebook page.

Over the weekend Bill and I attended events at which our veterans were honored, and we were so inspired by the public's support of our men and women currently in uniform, as well as the many Americans who have served our country and returned to civilian life. At the Florida Next Foundation we want to emphasize the importance of employers in our state understanding the valuable experiences our re turning veterans bring to the workplace...leadership, technical skills, communications, problem solving in crisis situations, hard work, and dedication to a mission. It might take a little extra effort to translate a veteran's "resume" to a civilian job opening, but I'm sure it's worth it! Would love to hear any experiences you have had with our American heroes!

Sink's bogus think tank is nothing more than a way to keep her in the spotlight. This woman is is determined to run for Governor again. Yet unlike Charlie Crist, she did nothing to help President Obama win Florida. Sink's 2010 campaign strategy was publicly dissing the President and blowing off the NAACP. Sink did everything she possibly could to offend blacks.

I call bullshit on Sink's claim on Florida First helping get veterans employment. I want Florida First to release the number of veterans they helped get jobs and the companies that hired them. I want to vet this. I find it offensive that Sink would use veterans to further her gubernatorial ambitions. News flash to Alex Sink: your party will not nominate you again.

Update: I meant "employment" and not "elected" in the original version of the post.

How Alex Sink is As Bad As GOP Presidential Candidates

Mark O'Brien sums up Alex Sink's political prospects for 2014.

Only a candidate of Sink's ineptitude and dreariness could have gotten Republican Rick Scott elected in 2010. Sink was so uninspiring that voters preferred a guy whose sole claim to fame was that he used to run a healthcare empire shot full of legal issues.

If Florida Democrats can't find a candidate more appealing than Alex Sink Part Deux, they will look as lame as the Republican candidates for president.

Sink getting compared to a Republican field that included Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, and comedy master Herman Cain is not a compliment. Check out "Stop Alex Sink", if you don't want Sink running for governor in 2014.

Stop Alex Sink

Danger, Will Robinson. Failed gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink tells the Tampa Bay Times that she is considering running against Gov. Rick Scott in 2014.

"Of course, I've thought about it," Sink said. "Many, many people are encouraging me. Even strangers who I've never met before would like to see me back."

Who are these people telling Alex Sink to run? Are these the same people whom serve as imaginary cab drivers for Thomas Friedman.

Sink made this remark at the Hillsborough County Democratic meeting.

"Just think about Rick Scott. Elections do matter. And voting matters, and who gets into office matters," Sink said. "If I were your governor, we wouldn't be doing things this way up in Tallahassee."

In case you forgot, Sink lost to Scott, in the general election. Scott had excessive baggage. Scott was forced to step down as the CEO of Columbia/HCA. Scott's former health care company had to pay the federal government a $1.7 billion fine. During his deposition, Scott was evasive about the simplest of questions. An example:

Cusack: Have inpatient visits declined?

Scott: For what time period?

Cusack: The last two years.

Scott: It depends on the quarter.

Cusack: But taken as a total, have you seen a decline?

Scott: For what time period?

Cusack: Over the last two years.

Scott: I'm not sure I understand the question.

Alex Sink lost to a candidate as damaged as Scott. Sink was so bad that MSNBC named her the worst candidate of 2010. High praise Sink, considering 2010 produced Christine O'Donnell and Joe Wilson and a host of other bizarre tea party candidate. Chuck Todd citing Sink lost in Florida to an opponent whose company committed Medicare fraud.

Florida state Rep. Rick Kriseman (D) believes Sink would be a weak candidate.

"She didn't do anything to energize the Democratic base," Kriseman says. "They stayed home. You can't take the base for granted."

State Sen. John Thrasher (R) is salivating at the prospect of at another Sink run.

Said Thrasher: "That would be the best opponent we could ever have."

Progressives need to put pressure on Sink and her political adviser Steve Schale. Sink should never run for State office again. Tweet Sink and Schale and tell them you will not support Alex Sink in 2014.

Update: Steve Schale sent me a message on Twitter stating he is not Sink's political adviser. I had some questions for Schale but couldn't message him back because he unfollowed me. Schale may not be currently employed by Sink. Schale was talking up Sink's potential candidacy last year.

“If Alex runs, Alex is the frontrunner,” said Steve Schale, a Democratic strategist who advised Sink on her run for the Governor’s Mansion last year.

Occupy Alex Sink

We are seeing Occupy Wall Street movements spread to cities across America. I wonder how these progressive activists that are mad about the bailouts and tax loopholes feel about former (and likely future) gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink being the keynote speaker for an event co-sponsored by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce.

Sink, former Florida chief financial officer, will speak to attendees about the work of a new non-profit and non-partisan think tank, dedicated to reinvigorating and re-envisioning Florida's small business and quality of life.

This luncheon is in cooreration with the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, Leadership Florida Calusa Chapter, Leadershipship Sarasota County, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce and the Sarasota League of Women Voters.

The luncheon will be held at the the Polo Grill & Bar in Sarasota County on October 27th. It will cost you $35.00 to get in and hear the charismatic speaking skills of Sink. The Sink event is part of a series of workshops being run by Suntrust Bank. Tickets can be bought at the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce web site.

Sink's banking history and current connections does not strike me as someone who cares about the bottom 99 percent in Florida. Progressives should ask themselves if Sink is someone they want being the Democratic nominee for governor in 2014. Democrats feel that Rick Scott is beatable. You know who Rick Scott can beat? Alex Sink.

The Gods of Mount MSNBC

Failed gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink appeared on Political Connections and stuck to the talking points she used in a recent St. Petersburg Times interview. Sink continues not to take responsibly for running a horrible campaign.

"I keep going back to two things: One is a guy who put up $75 million of his own money and outspent us probably two- or three-to-one. And the second very important thing, as you've reported on, is just the environment of the nation — a very anti-incumbent, anti-Washington, anti-the president (mood)," Sink said in the interview airing today at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The buck stops at the next train station. Alex Sink is a former bank. So Sink knows how to move dollars. Unfortunately, taking responsibility is a skill set, along with communicating her stance on health care and not boring voters, that she is lacking.

When Sink runs unopposed after she gets FDP chairman Rod Smith to clear the field, bloggers/activists Kenneth Quinnell, Joy-Ann Reid, Benjamin Kirby and Ray Seaman will swear allegiance to Sink by blood sacrifice. They will pray to or curse the mighty Gods presiding at Daily Kos and FireDogLake. The Gods will tell these bloggers that their leader Sink has been given the speaking gifts of a mute, the charisma of a stone and a fire that has been smoldered. The mighty Greek named Crist is directly descended from the Gods of Mount Populist. This is the hero that they will choose.

These bloggers will protest and write nasty posts directed at the Gods. The Gods will be too busy counting the blogad money that their subjects have bestowed on them. The Gods will gather at Mount MSNBC and tell their messenger Chuck Todd to give Sink another award for worst political candidate. Reid will pound her fists on her blackberry and tweet "#emoprogs."

Sink will tell the Florida blogging and Tallahassee establishments that only she can beat Rick Scott. Sink will venture to Hades to tell Florida Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Wilson that she has had his position. She has felt the stinging pain of those that have made too much money. Sink will make sure that companies don't have to pay the harsh 5.5 percent corporate tax. Together with Tallahassee and the business community, Sink will mount the kind of campaign that made Buddy McKay, and her husband Bill McBride so successful. The bloggers will be so hypothesized by Sink that they won't notice that she has not issued a major policy position.

When Rick Scott is re-elected these same bloggers will write mean posts about Sink and say they never believed her. That must mean these bloggers never believed in Sink when they wrote those posts about her being a champion for Floridians. The day after the general election the A list blogging Gods will gather at Mount MSNBC and share hearty laughs about how Florida Democrats foolishly backed Sink for a second election.

Stop the Alex Sink Madness

Alex Sink appeared at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club. Sink was once again asked if she will run for governor in 2014. Once again Sink flirted with the possibility of a future candidacy.

"I've just learned at my stage in life to never say never, and never project what might happen three or four years into the future. So, that's my answer."

That is not an answer. What is evident about Sink's statement is she learned nothing. Sink accepts no blame for her lost to Rick Scott.

"He did spend $75 million of his own money. And when you get into a political campaign where the opponent is outspending the competition by two to, or three to one, it makes it very difficult because money plays an important part in American politics today. Particularly in a state as large as Florida. And secondly, let's look at what was happening in the entire rest of the country. There was certainly a huge, enormous Republican sweep."

Sink does not understand why she lost. Scott outspent Bill McCollum in the Republican primary. Sink had time to repair. Sink's response to Scott's big money was to not accept public campaign financing. Sink has only herself to blame for giving Scott such a huge financial advantage.

As Benjamin Kirby detailed, Sink refused to take policy positions during the Democratic primary.

However, I do find it a little ironic that you wanted to learn more about one of the best policy think tanks in America since it was never evident to me that you cared all that much about policy. I know from more than one first-hand account that your own campaign approached potential surrogates to speak on your behalf as late as last spring, and when these surrogates inquired as to your positions on issues that might've been brached, they were told you "didn't have any positions yet, we are in fundraising mode."

Sink's two major positions during the general election was extending the Bush tax cuts and opposing religious freedom by being against the Park 51 Project. These are the same positions Rick Scott took. President Harry Truman said, "Given the choice between a Republican and sonmeone who acts like a Republican --- People will vote for the real Republican all the time." The same result will happen in 2014.

Alex Sink Is Back

Like the villain in a horror movie, Alex Sink keeps coming back. Never mind that no one is asking Sink to step back onto the political stage. Sink has launched Florida Next Foundation. The nonprofit organization bills itself as a "game-changer" for small businesses in the state.

Side note: excuse me. I am laughing after typing that last sentence.

Back on topic: from the press release.

By using an innovative platform of interactive social networking, in-person policy forums around the state, online surveys, and opinion polling, Florida Next will give Floridians a voice on the key issues facing all of us today – the Economy, Education, Energy, Environment, Entrepreneurship, and Empowerment.

Translation: Sink's daughter told her about Twitter and Facebook.

Sink announced that that she wanted to make a think tank like the The Brookings Institution. An actual think tank writes policy papers and does research. Florida Next has a board of directors that includes Sink's husband Bill McBride and former Blue Dog Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas. These people make the Obama administration look like FireDogLake bloggers.

I fail to see what influence a board with three defeated politicians will have on Florida policy. The netroots is going to avoid Florida Next. The few Democrats are more likely to heed the words of lobbyists are think tanks like the Center of American Progress.

If Florida Next doesn't produce research or policy papers then it is nothing more than an attempt by failed politicians to remain relevant.

Join the "Stop Alex Sink" page on Facebook.

Update: Sink responds to criticism that the faux think tank is to help set up another gubernatorial campaign.

"That’s a long way away," former state chief financial officer Sink, 63, said when asked about running for governor again Tuesday. "People may criticize and say I have some other agenda, but the opposite would be that I go hide under the covers and do nothing. I don’t think that’s good for our state."

Sink then dodges answering if she plans on running again.

And the next governor’s race? Life, she said, is unpredictable.

"If you had told me 10 years ago that in the next 10 years my husband would run for governor, that I would be the CFO of the state of Florida, that I would be running for governor I would look at you and say you are friggin’ out of your mind."

I simple yes or no answer would suffice. Sink can't do that because she does plan on running. God help us all.

Stop Alex Sink, Please Stop Alex Sink

St. Petersburg Times columnist Adam C. Smith named Alex Sink "Loser of the Week." The Florida Insider poll asked political operatives who would be the strongest Democratic candidate. Charlie Crist, Rod Smith and Pam Iorio polled higher than Sink. Losing to Rick Scott, a guy that paid the largest Medicare fine in history and is currently polling at freezing temperatures, has a way of to make Democrats not want Sink to run again.

Sink appeared at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner to keep herself in the spotlight. Smith asked Sink if she was planning to run for governor in 2014. Sink said is was too early to say. It is not too early to say if Sink has no plans on running. For some unknown reason Sink has it in her mind that she can unite Florida Democrats and beat Rick Scott. Sink was able to do either things in 2010. How is four years going to make a difference?

Alex Sink's Treatment of the Media

Aaron Deslatte, Tallahassee bureau chief for the Orlando Sentinel, tweeted to former Alex Sink staffer Kyra Jennings that he was once restrained by another member of Sink's staff.

@KyraJennings I got physically restrained by an Alex Sink staffer, too, though. And an Orlando TV crew tried to interview me about it. Shameless.

If this is true then it just shows how clueless Sink is. Holding reporters against their will is horrible handling of the media. Sink makes Rick Scott look like Mr. Congeniality

Please join me in making sure that Sink never runs for statewide office again.

The Alex Sink Family Christmas Card

Can we say over-the-top photo. Alex Sink sent out this family Christmas card the month after she lost to Rick Scott. No one sends this out unless she has future political ambitions. Do you see a Christmas tree in this photo? I don't think of holiday cheer when I see this. I think the Sink family is reenacting George C. Scott's famous scene in Patton.

In a recent interview. Sink was asked if she would run for governor in 2014. "Never say never," Sink answered. Please help me stop Alex Sink.

The Horror: Alex Sink Not Ruling Out 2014 Run

Fail gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink was asked by Marc Beauboeuf if she plans on running again in 2014. Sink isn't ruling it out. I will add that the interview took place this month.

As the conversation winds down, we ask Sink about 2014. Is another run for the state’s top office on offer? “Never say never,” she answers, but for now she’s focused on her foundation and promoting the policies she would have pursued as governor. “I want to show the people of Florida that I’m the kind of leader I said I would be.”

God, please no.

Progressives, Sink must be stops before she allows another Republican an easy victory. Join the Facebook group and Twitter feed to Stop Alex Sink.

Why You Should Stop Alex Sink

Alex Sink stood against religious tolerance by coming out against the Park 51 project and furthering the rightwing smear that it was on Ground Zero.

"Like all Floridians, I'm grateful for our constitutional right to freedom of religion... When it comes to what to build close to the hallowed site of Ground Zero, I think it ought to be up to the people of New York City to decide. It is my personal opinion that the wishes of the 9/11 families and friends must be respected. They are opposed to this project and I share their view."

Sink is equating a religion with terrorist extremists. Should Catholic churches be moved in New York City because of the crusades and the Irish Republican Army? The answer is no. Sink and her opponent Rick Scott should not be ignorant to the fact that the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act protects such sites. It isn't too much to ask two people running for governor to know the law before they speak.

Sink support a permanent extention of the Bush tax cuts for the rich. This is what Sink told Chuck Todd of MSNBC.

"I think the Bush tax cuts ought to be extended," Sink said. "They impact small business tremendously, and you know that Florida is a state of small business, so those tax cuts need to be extended."

Tas made a great point about Democrats advocating a small business tax cut. Sink is pitching the Bush tax cut extention of the top bracket because she thought it would be politically popular. This shows that Sink is clueless.

You can help "Stop Alex Sink on Facebook and Twitter. For the love of humanity, please do not let Sink run for statewide office in Florida again.