Obama Support Growing ?

     Up until now, the Maytag Repairman has been getting more action in Fort Lauderdale than the leading Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama.
 
     There has been lots of examples of how weak his support has been. In the Presidential Primary in January in Broward, Hillary Clinton whooped Obama 57% to 32%. And in the grassroots efforts, things have not been much better. Take the Obama House Parties, (events at supporters houses to spur support for Obama). To say they have been lightly attended is probably an understatement. “Let’s just say we had lots of leftover meatballs”, said Cindy Smith, wife of mine and an Obama supporter who helped host an Obama Party last month.

      But now that it’s beginning to look like Obama may be the inevitable nominee for the Democrats, things are beginning to shift. The County is still a strong Clinton County, and Fort Lauderdale one of the Clintonest parts of it, but many of the Party leaders are either announcing their support for Obama, or are now declaring that they are prepared to get behind him should he be the nominee.     
                          
                   
               Commissioner Ritter speaking at her brunch for Obama

     The Broward Obama support is being loosely led by the dynamic duo of County Commissioner Stacy Ritter and her Tallahassee lobbyist husband, Russ Klenet. Ritter and Klenet were bit by the Obama bug last year, and have traveled to many States to work for the Obama for President primary battles. Most recently, they sponsored a well attended Sunday morning brunch at their swanky home in Parkland.

     The brunch drew about 50 from around the County, and included many Broward notables, including fellow County Commissioner Kristin Jacobs, and leaders from Margate, Lauderdale Lakes, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, and other Broward Cities. Also supporting Obama are Coral Springs’ Mayor Scott Brook and Commissioner Roy Gold, Lauderhills’ Commissioners Bates, Holness, and Benson, Lauderdale Lakes’ Levoyd Williams, Oakland Parks’ Murphy, State Reps. Thurston, Jenne, Waldman, and Gibbons, and infamous local attorneys Mitchell Berger and George Platt.


      The Broward County Commission is said to boast at least four Obama supporters; Ritter, Jacobs, Keechl, Lieberman and possibly more. The Fort Lauderdale City Commission has only one Commissioner supporting Obama, Commissioner Carlton Moore. Mayor Naugle has been a supporter of Huckabee, Rodstrom has been a big supporter of Clinton, Hutchinson hasn’t decided yet and Teel didn’t reply to an inquiry.

    

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