It Ain't Easy Being Mel

For Immediate Release: March 27, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Can't fault him for trying. Florida's Republican U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez yesterday sent the State Capitol crowd into a scramble as word spread of a "major" announcement.

But, alas, despite the grandness, the political crescendo portended a non-story. The junior senator didn't unveil a new plan to handle the state's housing calamity as many Floridians might have hoped. Nor did he confirm the widespread rumors that he plans to forgo a re-election bid.

No, try as he might, Mel Martinez didn't make real news - endorsing the Republican candidate, State Sen. Bill Posey (R-Rockledge), for the open Congressional District 15 seat. That's right: a Republican endorsed a Republican who has already been endorsed by the state Republican chairman and a lot of other Republicans.

The lack of interest in the announcement was even more obvious than when the media largely ignored Martinez's endorsement of John McCain in January. "As soon as the first words of praise were out of Martinez' mouth, reporters started dropping off the conference call in droves," the Orlando Sentinel reported.

"The conference call's electronic operator was programmed to dutifully report the name of each person leaving the conference call and Martinez's later words were drowned out by the electronic rush for the exits." [Orlando Sentinel Central Florida Political Pulse blog, 3/26/08] Similarly, Empty Chair Charlie Crist's endorsement of McCain the day after Martinez's overwhelmed what little interest there had been in the senator's support.

"Mel Martinez shouldn't expect his political machinations to carry much weight when he's barely doing the job he was elected to do," Florida Democratic Party spokesman Alejandro Miyar said.