Rally scenes: Some still worried

Some like rally-goer Judy Willoughby, a campaign volunteer on loan to the AFL-CIO, say they're cautiously optimistic about election day. She works to win over North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida union workers, and she still finds some hardcore Democratic union voters who refuse to vote for Obama because he's African-American. "I hate to say it," she said. "But I've walked into buildings wearing my Obama shirt and have been told flat out by people in the Carolinas that 'I'm not voting for a black man.' "

Steve Schale, Obama's Florida campaign director, said he also is cautiously optimistic. The campaign chose Jacksonville as its last Florida stop, in part because it had already hit all the other Florida media markets last week, and also to cut into Sen. McCain's margins in North Florida.

Waiting for Obama

Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena seats up to 14,000, but the Buzz would be surprised to see the place completely fill up. Two hours before Sen. Barack Obama is scheduled to speak, there are at least a thousand in place.

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Rudy: 'We have to win Florida, and we will'

Rudy Giuliani to reporters moments ago:

"We're going to have people in Florida right to the very end because we know how important it is. And we know we have to win Florida, and we will. Everything we see is enormous enthusiasm all through the state of Florida. I think there's a real growing sense that as you get down to the end, John McCain is the right man for the country and the right man for the state."

Giuliani was joined on a conference call with Sen. Mel Martinez, who declared equal optimism for McCain in the closing moments of the race. "I know what it takes to close in this state is to close strong and I think we are closing strong."

Asked about robo calls blasting Obama, Martinez said he had heard some from Democrats suggesting that seniors could lose Social Security benefits. That's an old tactic, Martinez said, adding, "I guess we can call that Lawton Chiles style of campaigning." He quickly qualified his remark to say he was not speaking ill of the dead.

A true Florida battleground: Versailles

The hyper-tense presidential race in Florida could be distilled down to a single spot Saturday: Versailles restaurant in Miami.

A large group of John McCain set up shop in the morning, waving signs and shouting to motorists. That attracted a gaggle of Obama backers, who took the other side of the parking lot. Insults were exchanged. The police stepped in. Just in case. From the perspective of energy and message (even if some of it could use fact checking) McCain carried the day. More photos after the jump.

Crowd packing Sims Park for Palin

People started filling out Sims Park to see Sarah Palin soon after the gates opened at 6 a.m. in New Port Richey. As Palin begins a swing through central Florida, Republican fans said Palin and John McCain can turnaround polls that show them behind Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Undecided voters will turn to McCain for security issues, supporters said.

"She's just a breath of fresh air. She talks like an average American," said Doris Saunders, 50, of Dade City.

The first speaker, state Rep. John Legg, R-Port Richey, just began the program. About 8,400 tickets have been given out, campaign officials said. Palin is due to speak by 9 a.m.

"There's only one candidate who knows what the true meaning of sacrifice is," Legg said of McCain.

Send Sarah to China!

On a conference call to extol Sen. John McCain's plan to direct the government to spend $300-billion buying and refinancing shaky mortgages to help people stay in their homes, Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., and a fellow former Housing secretary, Jack Kemp, found themselves on the spot over this hot-button campaign issue:

Why won't Gov. Sarah Palin go to China?

As appealing as that may be to some of her Republican critics, the reporter meant it a good thing.

Buzz couldn't catch his affiliation, other than the word "world," but he clearly thought McCains' running mate was missing a golden opportunity by turning down an invitation to speak at a Beijing univeristy on Monday, the day before the election.

He argued that doing so would fill any gaps in her foreign affairs resume and guarantee victory for the McCain-Palin ticket. "She could get elected!" he shouted.

Op-art: Barock the Vote

Ryan Paul Simmons, a 27-year-old artist from Fort Lauderdale, puts final touches on "Barock the Vote" this afternoon as a crowd gathered for Al Gore's speech at Broward College in Pompano Beach.

No complaints here

Despite grumbling by some Republicans, John McCain's top two campaign gurus say they have no problems with Gov. Charlie Crist's decision to extend Florida's early voting hours, and they disagreed with suggestions that early voting is boosting Barack Obama.

"We think extending the hours is a good thing, to give more people the power to vote," said Christian Ferry, McCain's deputy campaign manager said in a conference call.

Of early voters so far, Democrats lead Republicans, 53 percent to 31 percent, with independents accounting for about 17 percent.

But Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, said he believes McCain is doing well among early voters, including independents and conservative Democrats. "Anything that continues that trend is good for us."

Crist told Buzz earlier today that he has gotten some crticism for the move from some of his GOP pals.

Crist's TV ad for McCain

Gov. Charlie Crist recorded this only a few days ago.

Al, Tipper in Fla for Obama

Man, this can't be easy: Al Gore hosts an early voting rally Friday in Palm Beach County, where voter confusion over the infamous "butterfly ballot" likely cost him the presidency in 2000.

He'll be joined by his wife, Tipper, at the 11 a.m. event at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm. An early voting rally is also being planned for them in Fort Lauderdale.

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