Winner: Steve Schale – The new man in charge of Obama’s Florida efforts.
Winner: Barack Obama – With Schale in charge, Florida is in play.
Winner: The Florida Netroots – A great event was capped off by a great Soiree!
Loser: Charlie Crist – He tried out for the big wigs in the Republican Party in hopes of making it as McCain’s V.P. and failed.
Loser: John McCain – With Schale in charge, Florida is in play.
Loser: Tim Mahoney – Refusing to endorse Obama, pandering to the party faithful and getting his name said wrong in front of a huge crowd is not a very good week.
What Mahoney said at JJ certainly sounded like an endorsement, even if it’s not an official one.
And while the name flub was embarrassing, it’s not Mahoney who should be embarrassed. If anything, it made people pay more attention (and write notes about it).
It’s hires like this that has made the Obama campaign as successful as it’s been. Steve Schale is an absolute perfect fit for the job: he’s a smart strategist, understands Florida politics better than anyone I’ve ever known, and knows how to beat Republicans. As Colbert would say: “He get’s it.”
Michael, that’s only if you think the flub was an accident. And if Mahoney goes elsewhere and continues to avoid endorsing Obama, then he was simply pandering at JJ.