Blame Thurman or credit her?

It's the curse/blessing of being in charge: You can take credit for the good, whether or not you had anything to do with it, but you also take blame for the bad, whether or not you had anything to do with it. That's where Karen Thurman sits today, five weeks away from the state party vote on whether to give her a four-year term.

She took the helm of the state party in 2005 as Democrats were reeling from huge losses in 2002 and 2004, and inherited a financial mess that included tax liens for unpaid payroll taxes. Since then, the Florida Democrats have dramatically improved their voter file, more DECs have been organized, they won a presidential election, picked up three congressional seats and a Cabinet seat, re-elected a U.S. senator, and gained 10 state House seats. But they also had a presidential primary debacle and a weak showing in 2008 -- Obama notwithstanding -- and some prominent party leaders are questioning whether she has what it takes to lead the party into the future.

DNC member Jon Ausman's latest missive gives a pretty balanced overview of Florida Democratic performance in recent years and the tough road ahead as the party faces all-important reapportionment:

"In 2008 we spent nearly $9,000,000 on efforts to elect State Senators and State Representatives. We picked up zero (0) State Senate seats and made a net gain of (1) in the State House," Ausman wrote. "This letter is not a critique of the past efforts, it is a call for action for the future. It is a call for us to come together and develop a meaningful plan, significant target list and to prepare for 2010. If we fail to capture either the State Senate or State House (and/or fail to win the 2010 Gubernatorial election) then re-districting before the 2012 election will put Florida Democrats at a serious disadvantage until 2020."

*

Comments

Typical Ausman memo, lots of words, no solutions, no ideas.

Further, he should at least get his data right. HD 10 and HD 49 are both Democratic seats.

During the time that Ausman was a real player in the party, it did nothing but lose seats and influence.

No doubt, the FDP needs real change, it just doesn't need Ausman change.

Ausman's problem with the FDP is that Karen has done the one thing that other chairs were scared to do- she pushed him aside.

His use of selective credit is pathetic. Either she gets credit for all the good or all the bad, or none of either. In sum, carrying Florida when no one said it was possible, picking up 3 seats in four years in the Congress, winning an open cabinet seat, and gaining nine seats in the state house is a pretty strong record.

Karen Thurman's record:
10 State House Seats netted
3 New congressional seats
a Cabinet seat
Obama wins Florida

What else do you want from the woman?

Before Karen Thurman Took Over:

Democrats had another dismal election in 2004, losing a U.S. Senate race, failing to carry Florida for presidential candidate John Kerry and losing three state House seats.

- AP Published March 17, 2005

State Democratic Party faces IRS lien
The party faces a lien of about $200,000 for unpaid federal withholding from paychecks. Stunned party leaders order an audit.

St. Pete Times - June 22, 2005

After Karen Thurman Took Office:

Tuesday was a strong night for long-suffering Democrats accustomed to painful Sunshine State trouncings. Not only did they pick up two congressional seats and seven state House seats - the biggest gain in three decades, but they added a strong Tallahassee voice with soon-to-be Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink.

- St. Pete Times, November 9, 2006

All I've seen from this guy Ausman is one attempt after another to undermine the FDP - first the primary fight, then this?

Geez, FDP has been picking up seats every year, including some pretty tough congressional and legislative seats.

Sink is in the cabinet, and obama won. This guy needs to go. Thurman, from what I've seen, is doing her job and doing it well.

Recall: Maddox's Record
----
Kerry - Lost Florida

Cabinet - Lost all seats

Senate - Mel Martinez Won

Congressional Races - No Competitive Races in Florida

State House - Lost 3 seats

Money - Left the party with $300,000 debt and investigation by the IRS
----
Compare: Thurman's Record
--
Obama - Won Florida

Senate - Nelson won re-election by 20%

Cabinet - Won Alex Sink

Congressional Races - Gained 3 seats

State House - Gained 10 seats

if someone can promise to concentrate on flipping house seats, i will urge my state committeemen to vote for them.

come on guys -- we have to at least TRY and take some house seats!

Sorry, at a time when people are totally disgusted with politics and the Republicans, Karen could have taken out some key state seats. She did nothing. This was a time that Democrats could with very little rescources won it all, or close to it. The success that they did have atre not because they ran such brillaint campaigns, it was sheer voter disapproval of the current political regime. I am not sure who would be better, but I know that there were many other seats that could have been won, where the polls showed there was a GREAT chance of winning, and these were key seats that would have been a resounding win for the D's, but nothing was done and it was clear Thurman,and Lawson caved to pressure. Come to think of it, I am so sick of all the c r a p involved with politics, they all stink, they are all alike, maybe I just should not care anymore.

I think people should credit her. She has really turned the state party around. I have seen the other people who are running...not too great. I think she has worked hard and has done as much as possible being that Chairs dont have as much pull as some would think.

Oh and Ausman needs to go. He does nothing to help the party and it's not s stretch to say that he has actually hurt them.

[DICK]

Karen has earned the opportunity of a four year term. Alex Sink should be ashamed of herself today not endorsing Thurman, who the hell does she thinked helped her win the cabinet seat, her failure of husband McBride didn't help her, neither did the banking industry. Give Thurman four more yeras......find soemone to run against Sink and send home with McBride......

the FDP needs New Leadership, the party has done well because of outside circumstances.

Sink won because she was the better candidate to fill the business role of CFO and she can win in North Florida because she is from North Carolina.

Obama won Florida because he put a crap load of money and staff into the state and actually used it effectively.

Nelson won in a landslide because he was running against Katherine Harris, enough said.

How many State House seats did the Democrats pick up this year?? Zero. While the Obama people were out doing their job, the FDP did not take advantage of the higher turnout and excitement to propel some new Democrats into the lower chamber.

We need someone to come in and shake things up, because once this Democratic wave is over the FDP will have no one to blame but themselves.

12:11 The 2008 Dem wave just reached alaska. Tsunami returning in 2010. FDP there is no excuse for not educating the voters re the sheer stupidity of voting Republican.

[Draft Alex Sink for Governor]

Alex Sink -- who doesn't have to answer to her husband just because she's a woman -- didn't say she's endorsing someone else. Just that she owes it to people who called her to talk to them. Get the facts right.

12:11 PM: Turnout was higher in 2004 for Kerry than Obama.

We should bring back Scott Maddox. Give the three tallahassee stooges (him, Ausman and Katz) another chance to end the democratic party as we know it.

Jon, nobody believes you anymore. You've gone to the same tired old well far too many times. The next memo you write should focus on YOUR accomplishments instead of parasitic attacks.

Jon, nobody believes you anymore. You've gone to the same tired old well far too many times. The next memo you write should focus on YOUR accomplishments instead of parasitic attacks.

When was the last time Jon Ausman raised money for the party?

When was the last time he constructively helped the campaign, such as make calls, recruit candidates or door knock?

When was the last time he answered a reporter's call with the answer "actually, ___ did a nice job there," rather than promoting himself?

[Jon M. Ausman, Member, Democratic National Committee]

Greetings,

The analysis I provided called for planning for the future and in no way criticized anyone. In fact, the entire memorandum does not mention anyone’s name but instead refers to the successes and challenges facing the Florida Democratic Party.

While I appreciate the anonymous critics in this blog who decline to state their name let me address some of their questions about my positive accomplishments in 2008.

1. I wrote an appeal to, and successfully argued before, the Democratic National Committee Rules and Bylaws Committee which resulted in the award of half the delegates which were lost when the State of Florida moved Florida’s primary before it was allowed.
2. I help guide a Democratic challenger to a successful win against an incumbent Republican county commissioner.
3. I helped elect two Democratic judicial candidates win office against Republican opponents.
4. My precinct, 3507 in Leon County, increased its Democratic performance over its performance in 2004. I should mention the 2004 Democratic performance was better than 2000.
5. I help edit television commercials for Democratic candidates (candidates who won, by the way).
6. I consulted with successful Democratic candidates running for County Constitutional Office and to positions on the School Board.
7. I recruited numerous volunteers to become active in the Democratic Party.
8. I purchased many Obama yardsigns and gave them out to persons for free within my community.
9. I pushed the Governor hard to extend the voting hours. In fact, within hours of my call for a Grand Jury investigation into two counties early voting practices the Governor, after initially saying just after the press conference that he was taking no action, switched his position.
10. I held numerous fundraisers in my house for Democratic candidates (most of which won).

Now, I suppose it is only fair that the anonymous bloggers on this site reveal their names and share with me their success stories for this year.

Lastly, the person who noted that on one table that I should have shown State House Seats 10 and 49 as Democratic seats was correct. I appreciate this observation. Once changed to blue, it only makes the argument I made regarding voter registration and party representation stronger. Thank you.

With respect, I am,

Jon M. Ausman, Member
Democratic National Committee
Florida

Jon,

You believe registration in a district is a leading indicator for how that district will vote? That is what your document says.

Ausman was one of the people that turned the delegate and elector selection process into a disaster. Can you imagine these folks trying to pick which districts to target?

FDP just needs to put Gelber in charge of the entire legislative effort and tell Ausman to focus on the job over at DOT that the taxpayers pay him to do.

[Jan Davis]

The only person the Ds have won with is Thurman so they will probably get rid of her so they can go back to whinning about being in the minority.

Jon does his political analysis like DOT does traffic studies. More cars –no problem - just widen the road. DOT rarely makes decisions or does analysis within any reasonable context of planning, community or environmental factors.

Registration numbers are a poor indicator of anything in Florida. In Florida, (and the South) many registered Democrats willingly and consistently vote Republican.

Despite a full court press – unsurpassed financial resources and an off-the-scale ground game, Obama only won Florida with exactly 51% of the vote.

Jon compares apples and oranges. How about this? From 2005 to 2008, Florida gained no Democratic Senate seats and gained eight House seats. During that same time, Georgia gained no Senate seats and lost six House seats; and Alabama lost four Senate seats and lost one House seat.

In my analysis, Karen Thurman not only pulled the Democratic Party out of financial ruin, but in comparing Florida to our neighboring states, she’s a shrewd political chair as well. Florida looks terrific when compared to our two closest neighbors. Karen’s record is excellent!

[Reality Check]

Jon Ausman did what Ken Thurman COULDN'T -- He got FL Primary results to be recognized, FL delegates to be seated at the Convention, and FL Democratic voters to regain the self-respect that Karen Thurman had squandered.

Easy, you say? No big accomplishment, you say? Then how come Karen Thurman was so manifestly unable to do it?

Inquiring minds would love to know.

Thurman created the disaster. Ausman only tried to come up with a solution.

Thurman won NOTHING on her watch.

She is a drunken loser.