DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE STATE BLAST SCOTT AND GOP FOR FAILED EDUCATION POLICIES 

Florida Dems Speak Out on GOP’s Failed Education Policies [FDP] “As Governor Rick Scott travels around the state to hold secret, closed door meetings on education in an attempt to lift his sagging poll numbers, Florida Democrats are speaking out: blasting Scott and the GOP’s failed policies which have cut millions from the public schools that Florida’s middle class families rely on while continuing to give handouts to corporate special interests. 

Education Lawsuit will go Forward [Capitol News Service] “The suit claims billions of dollars in spending cut by state lawmakers and below average pay for Florida teachers are making it impossible for schools to provide students with a high quality education. 

New report undermines Gov. Scott’s rosy jobs message [Miami Herald] “The Florida’s Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research came out with another report Wednesday that refutes Gov. Rick Scott’s claims that Florida’s unemployment rate is dropping rapidly because the state is creating jobs.”

EXPLAINER IN CHIEF  Clinton stumps for Obama in Orlando [Tampa Bay Times] “The former president seized on Republican attacks that Obama slashed the popular Medicare Advantage program.”

Clinton in Orlando: ‘Cooperation over conflict’ wins [WESH]
Clinton Raises Money, Crist Makes Appearance At South Florida Fundraiser [FLDemocracy2012]
Bill Clinton in Orlando: Choose Obama over ‘You’re on your own’ [Orlando Sentinel]

Obama camp to go up with massive Florida buy [NBC First Read] “The Obama campaign is going up with a huge TV ad buy in Florida, including in the expensive Miami market, according to a senior campaign official.”

Romney’s quick attack ill-advised [Tampa Bay Times editorial] “The circumstances surrounding an overnight mob attack in Libya that resulted in the death of the American ambassador and three of his staff members were still being investigated Wednesday. The Obama administration suspected the deadly violence in Libya may have been planned in advance, compared with the more spontaneous outburst outside an American Embassy in Cairo. Yet even before the details were clear, Mitt Romney exploited the volatile situation for political gain with inaccurate and inappropriate criticism of the Obama administration.”

GOP’s criticism unwarranted [Sun Sentinel Editorial] “Pointing fingers, playing the blame game, second-guessing without all the facts, and trying to score political points during a time like this is indeed ham-handed, even by the standards of a political campaign that seems to get nastier by the day.”

FL SEN: THE NELSON “SURGE” New poll shows surge away from Mack, toward Nelson  [Orlando Sentinel] “A new Survey USA poll shows President Barack Obama with a 48-44 percent lead over Mitt Romney in Florida, little changed from the group’s last survey six weeks ago. The survey of 700 voters — 650 of them registered to vote and 596 considered “likely” voters — shows a big surge toward incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in his race against Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV.”

ON THE CONGRESSIONAL FRONT: CLINTON STUMPS FOR FRANKEL & MURPHY, SCANDALS WEIGHING DOWN GOP CANDIDATES

Clinton stumps for Frankel, Murphy in West Palm Beach, as Crist, too, lends support [Palm Beach Post] “Former President Bill Clinton took a break from his explainer-in-chief role for President Obama on Wednesday to spend about an hour in West Palm Beach raising money for Democratic congressional candidates Lois Frankel and Patrick Murphy.”

Manatee Habitat land ignites congressional campaign war of words [Bradenton Herald] “‘Congressman Buchanan and those like him in Washington are what is wrong with the system. He … is now involved in scandal for ‘misleading’ Habitat for Humanity in a questionable real estate deal,’ said Adam Scott, Keith Fitzgerald’s campaign manager. ‘Corruption like this is fueling wasteful deficit spending. Congressman Buchanan still has not explained himself to voters and that is the standard he will be held to in November.'”

This Republican gladly will vote for Murphy over West in November [TC Palm LTE] “My grandmother never earned more than minimum wage and was a Republican. My parents struggled but move well into the middle class and they were Republicans as I have been. However, I can no longer support the GOP platform and the Ryan plan, nor can I support Allen West.”

Scandals are making uphill battles even steeper for some lawmakers [The Hill] “Jeffrey Garcia, campaign manager for Democratic candidate in Florida’s 25th district Joe Garcia, said the federal investigations into Rivera have been blanketing the front pages of local papers in recent weeks.”

OTHER NEWS WE THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Scott admin denies forcing disabled children into nursing homes [Miami Herald] “Florida healthcare administrators will visit hundreds of medically fragile children living in geriatric nursing homes, and speak with their parents, to determine whether families are being forced to abandon their youngsters in institutions, as federal civil rights lawyers are claiming. 

Digital Domain film company failure leaves state on hook for $20M [Tampa Bay Times] “The company, Digital Domain Media Group Inc., closed its Florida operations last week and on Tuesday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, laying off 300-or-so Florida employees and likely leaving taxpayers without a return on a $20 million state investment. Local governments stand to lose around an additional $110 million.”

A Vote for Life [Sarasota Patch guest column] “One of the most inspiring moments for me at the Democratic National Convention — a moment that set the tone for the entire event — happened the very first morning. Rod Smith, Chair of the Florida Democratic Party stood up in front of the Florida delegation and told us that his 25-year-old son, Dillon, was recently diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that usually strikes children. He has undergone his first round of chemotherapy, and the family is optimistic.”