writing in Bob Graham for President

For weeks now, I've been fuming about the Democratic National Committee's threat not to seat the delegates from Florida because Florida will have the effrontery, the unmitigated gall, to hold a primary in January. The Democratic candidates took a pledge not to campaign in Florida (thereby sparing us from many hours of inane commercials, thank you) but that hasn't stopped them from coming here to collect big bucks from people fool enough to contribute to their campaigns.

I've threatened to become a Republican, but I fear my parents would come back to haunt me.

I've threatened to become an Independent, but it would be easier just to stay home on primary election day. . .same effect.

Instead, I am going to write in Bob Graham's name for President and I encourage all Florida Democrats to do the same. Bob is undoubtedly among the most intelligent and most ethical of all elected officials in the past 40 years, and he's had experience as an executive, serving as Governor of Florida before being elected to the Senate.

A big write-in for Bob Graham would send several messages to the DNC and to all the Democratic candidates who consider Florida as little more than a cash cow to be milked. The least articulate message would be, you stink. A better message would be that the people of Florida, surveying the field of candidates, find them all lacking but we know Bob Graham, who set the standard, and we would be glad to send him to the White House. Yet another message would be that we find Bob Graham a better choice than Al Gore although Gore seems to be a media darling nowadays.

Writing in Bob Graham will also be better than pretending I'm a Republican or staying away from the polls on primary election day.

Some decisons make you feel better just for having made them, and this is one of them.