We've spoken often about how Rep. Patrick Murphy has locked up the support of the Democratic establishment in his bid for Senate, but this takes it to a completely different level: On Wednesday, Murphy earned endorsements from no less a pair than Barack Obama and Joe Biden, two figures who seldom involve themselves in primaries. It's a sign that the very highest echelons of the party believe in Murphy and care deeply about winning this race, which could determine who controls the Senate next year.
In fact, Biden will also head to Florida at the end of the month to campaign for Murphy, who faces a fight with fellow Rep. Alan Grayson for the Democratic nomination. Grayson's response was, to put it mildly, completely berserk:
"These endorsements are a last-ditch effort by the DC Establishment to try to blunt our large and growing command of the race. […] The anti-Democratic Party Establishment is desperate to drag Grayson's opponent, their do-nothing, errand boy for Wall Street, over the finish line. But Florida voters in both parties are fed up with egregious manipulation by outside forces to dictate our candidates. These arrogant Empire-Strikes-Back efforts by the Democratic politburo will be no more successful than the similar failed attempts by Republican party bosses. This is the year when the voters decide."
Uh, wow. Grayson just seriously compared Barack Obama—a man who is extremely popular with Democrats—to Darth Vader and the Soviet Union in one press release! This is not, as we understand reality, a winning move.
Speaking of crazy, a deeply hilarious report emerged in the late hours of Super Tuesday, one that will make you laugh if you haven't heard about it yet: Some Republicans are supposedly encouraging Ben Carson to quit the presidential race, pull a reverse snowbird, and head down to Florida to run for Senate. It is, of course, a psychotic idea for so many reasons, not least the fact that Carson is from a different state, and possibly from a different planet as well.
Carson also proved himself a spectacularly awful campaigner, and his entire fundraising operation was nothing but a churn-and-burn scam. Just as absurdly, NBC reporter Hallie Jackson says that these same enthusiasts have promised to "open up the field" for Carson and make sure he has all the "goodies." Right now, the GOP field includes two self-funding rich guys, two members of Congress who are giving up their seats in the House to run, and the state's lieutenant governor. These people are not going to step aside for Ben friggin' Carson.
It's probably just as much a fantasy as the Pharaoh's grain storage pyramids, though: Jackson says that Carson apparently "hasn't expressed any interest" in the idea. But in his typically somnambulent way, Carson did just kinda-sorta drop out of the presidential race on Wednesday, so who knows? Florida's a very relaxing place—the perfect spot for Carson to continue his nap.