June 23, 2022

"Andrew Gillum, the Democrat who lost the 2018 Florida governor’s race to Ron DeSantis, surrendered to federal authorities in Tallahassee on Wednesday ..."

"... after he and a close associate were charged with conspiracy and 19 counts of fraud over how they raised and used funds when he was mayor of Tallahassee and a candidate for governor. He pleaded not guilty in a court appearance on Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Gillum, dressed in a navy suit with a dark tie and face mask, was cuffed around his wrists and ankles, with a chain around his waist.... The once-ascendant Democrat, Mr. Gillum came within 32,000 votes of the governorship in 2018 — which would have made him Florida’s first Black governor and a future White House hopeful — only to lose his political direction and face personal struggles. In 2020, the police found him in a Miami Beach hotel room where another man was suffering from a possible drug overdose."

Looking into my own archive, I see:

August 29, 2018, quoting ABC News: "Gillum’s victory isn’t just a political victory for Bernie Sanders but is a major notch on the belt for progressive policies and the movement nationwide. The 39-year-old Tallahassee mayor’s victory as the Democratic gubernatorial nominee in the nation’s third-largest state is arguably as important as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s upset over Rep. Joe Crowley in June...."

September 2, 2018, quoting WaPo: "'We Negroes' robocall is an attempt to 'weaponize race' in Florida campaign, Gillum warns. 'Well hello there, 'the call begins as the sounds of drums and monkeys can be heard in the background.... 'I is Andrew Gillum.'... The speaker goes on to say he'll pass a law letting African Americans evade arrest 'if the Negro know fo' sho he didn't do nothin'.' It is unclear how many people heard the call."

October 25, 2018, quoting Gillum at a debate with DeSantis: "Now, I'm not calling Mr. DeSantis a racist. I'm simply saying the racists believe he’s a racist."

ADDED: Proofreading this post, I noticed the ambiguity in WaPo's writing "It is unclear how many people heard the call." 

I don't know how I read that in 2018, but just now, I had read it to mean that it was unclear how people interpreted the phone call: Did they see it as coming from Gillum's opponents, who would be rabid racists attempting to influence them to vote against him out of racism, or did they see it as a trick coming from Gillum supporters, who were parodying virulent racism to reinforce the theory that the DeSantis side is ugly? 

Rereading the quote, I realize there was no such depth coming from WaPo. It was merely a way to say that the number of people who heard the call is unknown.

57 comments:

BUMBLE BEE said...

It's a start.

mezzrow said...

For the untold part of the Gillum story, search on "Gillum south beach vomit" and you'll get a little something extra.

The rest is that we are deciding between Nikki Fried and Charley Crist (SMH!) to defeat DeSantis. Nikki is our Commissioner of Agriculture because she promised everybody free weed. We're still waiting. I became aware of her when I started seeing her picture on the gas pump, and said to myself "she must be a Democrat". I was right. Someone told her that having your picture on the gas pump would be a bad idea, and those went away really quick. She did look pretty good in the picture.

Ron's going to probably be our next President, you know. Some say we're going to have a 1929-30 level of economic collapse by 2024, and he could be our next FDR figure.

Stranger things have happened, and they have happened not that long ago.

Humperdink said...

Watching the once-ascendant Andrew Gillum flameout reminds me former high flyer, president-to-be, hero of the left, Michael Avenatti.

"Did they see it as coming from Gillum's opponents, who would be rabid racists attempting to influence them to vote against him out of racism, or did they see it as a trick coming from Gillum supporters ... " Biden is not as artful. He just flat-out says his opponent will "put y'all back in chains".

jaydub said...

" — only to lose his political direction and face personal struggles.

Strange way of saying he was found in a hotel room doing coke with a male escort, plus skimming campaign contributions with his campaign manager. Florida dodged bullet with this one.

Richard said...

I suppose it is presumed Gillum would have straightened out his personal life if elected, right?

tim maguire said...

And if the election were held today, he would still get 40% of the vote.

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

Woke orthodoxy was used against DeSantis.
1. As long as racist dog whistles are being used, anyone who does nothing to stop them is a racist.
2. To say the woke want blacks to be able to evade consequences for criminal acts is a racist fantasy; of course it is a simple truth.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Andrew Gillum’s misfortune is that he doesn’t have a dad in the White House.

gilbar said...

"Gillum’s victory isn’t just a political victory for Bernie Sanders but is a major notch on the belt for progressive policies and the movement nationwide. The 39-year-old..
is a crook
is a drug addict
is homosexual that cheats on his "wife"
is a POC

Gillum is the model, of a modern model democrat

gilbar said...

jaydub said... Florida dodged bullet with this one.

Can we ASSUME? That the 2024 democrat presidential team will be (Stacy) Abrams and Andy (Gillum)?

Robert Marshall said...

That this Gillum (Gollum?) guy was nearly elected governor in Florida is frightening. And still, even today, the media sugarcoat the dumpster fire that is Gillum: "only to lose his political direction and face personal struggles." Really? That's it?

He lost "political direction" because people began to see what a train wreck the guy is. His personal struggles stem from the fact that he is, personally, an awful human being.

If Gillum wasn't black, our racist media would have nothing good to say about him.

Ann Althouse said...

"Biden is not as artful. He just flat-out says his opponent will "put y'all back in chains"."

And Gillum was literally put in chains: "Mr. Gillum, dressed in a navy suit with a dark tie and face mask, was cuffed around his wrists and ankles, with a chain around his waist."

wendybar said...

And he hired the Democrats go to lawyer for all things corrupt.....Marc Elias. They are all in bed together in one giant orgy.

Humperdink said...

AA said: "And Gillum was literally put in chains: "Mr. Gillum, dressed in a navy suit with a dark tie and face mask, was cuffed around his wrists and ankles, with a chain around his waist."

Funny, I did not think of that as I was commenting. And it was right there!

Howard said...

So once again the system worked and the all-powerful all pervasive all controlling Democrat DNC machine couldn't save Gollum from himself.

Fredrick said...

Gillum put himself in chains with his conduct. Another would be Kwame Kilpatrick without the charisma or connections. Do our political parties perform some actual due diligence before promoting these people, or is this the easily manipulatable type they're looking for?

Gusty Winds said...

Gillum should relocate to Madison, WI and run for city council. He could do a little rehab. Claim the whole male prostitute thing was because the DeSantis loving nazis in Florida won’t let anyone say gay, and he was forced to stay in the closet. Use the perp walk in chains image as a campaign commercial....next this you know....he’s Mayor.

gilbar said...

If Gillum was a Republican, our racist media would have nothing good to say about him.
fify!

Humperdink said...

If Gillum can expedite his case and plead guilty, Slo' Joe can pardon this miscreant before Joe retires to the home.

Temujin said...

I was thinking of how our state would have been before, during, and after covid, had Gillum won instead of DeSantis. And he almost did win. It's amazing what the people can be coerced into voting for.

In Florida, it's been the difference between a free and prosperous state, the fastest growing state in the Union, or another state paying fealty to Washington edicts. Not everything works out, but for the most part, this worked out great.

Georgia- your Andrew Gillum is coming back for more dressed up as Stacey Abrams.

mezzrow said...

And Gillum was literally put in chains: "Mr. Gillum, dressed in a navy suit with a dark tie and face mask, was cuffed around his wrists and ankles, with a chain around his waist."

...still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest, hmm

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

We celebrated my father’s birthday recently and I learned he had asked for a chain. I was surprised, I thought I knew my father as well as a son could. But then I thought, it kind of makes sense as a display of freedom. I guess. Our mom passed almost two years ago. Maybe mom was the reason why he wouldn’t, couldn’t say, much less buy a chain for his neck.

David Begley said...

Florida had a close call.

boatbuilder said...

I'm a little surprised that they identified him as "the Democrat" right up front there. Usually it's in paragraph 19. Maybe they figured he's too well known to bury it.

Humperdink said...

Gillum (muttering to himself as he is being hauled off) "Where is George Gascón when I need him?.

Lyssa said...

If there’s one thing that concerns me about about DeSantis as a 2024 presidential candidate, it’s how close he came to losing to *this* guy.

exhelodrvr1 said...

"only to lose his political direction and face personal struggles."

That's one way to put it.

RideSpaceMountain said...

The 'almost' governor of Florida. Mother of God, democracy is frickin terrifying. To think that this is still pretty much better than everything else is really sobering.

I think Rajeev said it best, "Democracy of the people, for the people, by the people...but the people... are retarded."

Freeman Hunt said...

"only to lose his political direction and face personal struggles"

LOL

Oh, to be in the political party journalists like!

MadTownGuy said...

Ann Althouse said...

["Biden is not as artful. He just flat-out says his opponent will "put y'all back in chains".]"

"And Gillum was literally put in chains: "Mr. Gillum, dressed in a navy suit with a dark tie and face mask, was cuffed around his wrists and ankles, with a chain around his waist."

Biden's quote amounted to projection, as so many progressive accusations turn out. All of us were put in chains during the lockdowns, and essential workers who lost their livelihoods due to his vaccine mandate - pardon me, I meant stupid, insane vaccine mandate - were chained to whatever lower paying jobs they could find.

Jersey Fled said...

"And Gillum was literally put in chains: "Mr. Gillum, dressed in a navy suit with a dark tie and face mask, was cuffed around his wrists and ankles, with a chain around his waist."

Glad to see he had his mask on though. You can't be too careful.

Scotty, beam me up... said...

One of these days, a Dem candidate for a major elected office with a lot of hidden baggage will be elected because a compliant MSM press chose to ignore said baggage. Oh, wait a minute…it has already happened…Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. and to a lesser, but not by much, extent, William Jefferson Clinton. The MSM hides behind the 1st Amendment. However, the Founding Fathers wrote the 1st Amendment with the mindset that the media would be independent of political parties and thus keep them honest and in line by reporting on all politicians’ nefarious activities. Instead, the MSM view themselves today as the propaganda arm of the Democratic Party and their job is to protect the party at all costs with an occasional reporting on a Dem like Gillum to show the people that they do uncover bad Dems (usually after the fact when they can no longer cover up for them when the facts become too obvious).

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

"personal struggles" - heh. Only D-hack press could say such a thing.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Hunter Biden faces "personal struggles" as he spends his millions of ill gotten washed tax payer funds from foreign nations who were strong armed into supporting VP Biden.

Media 100% sure that is RUSSIAN DIS-INFORMATION!"

Meade said...

“ Florida had a close call.”

Oh come on—it’s not as if he eats human leg.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Ann asks:

Did they see it as coming from Gillum's opponents, who would be rabid racists attempting to influence them to vote against him out of racism, or did they see it as a trick coming from Gillum supporters, who were parodying virulent racism to reinforce the theory that the DeSantis side is ugly?


#2.

Mark said...

The shackling seems unnecessary.

But if it's good for Trump associates merely for not wanting to participate in the Jan 6 Show, it's good for Dems.

Just know this - it was Biden who wanted to put him back in chains.

Bemac said...

I sometimes think about Tapper, Cooper, Stelter, Lemon and Cuomo all competing for the first interview with President-elect Avenatti. I imagine the consolation prize would have been an interview with VP-elect Gillum.

mezzrow said...

Oh come on—it’s not as if he eats human leg.

Could have been Taco Thursday. So near, and yet so far.

Life in the Sunshine State goes on.

RideSpaceMountain said...

@Meade

Are you sure? What odds are you offering?

Scotty, beam me up... said...

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has made it their mission to make sure that Sen. Ron Johnson is defeated in his re-election bid in November. They will report on every rumor about Sen. Johnson, true or not, in big headlines. They are willing to take a Johnson quote and report on it out of context. Nothing about Johnson’s involvement with the Joseph Project, which helps minorities, many from the inner city, get jobs that help them get decent paying jobs as well as arranging transportation to those jobs. Yet, crickets on the Dems in the primary who want his seat. Alex Lasry, a white rich boy whose father is part owner of the Milwaukee Bucks who made his millions as a hedge fund operator and is a big Dem donor (wait a New York minute, I thought all hedge fund owners are evil according to the Dems. Hmmmm…). Lasry has criticized Johnson in his TV ads for being pro-China. Yet, Lasry, who is a high ranking executive for daddy’s NBA team, has mentioned nothing negative about China nor of the NBA being very cozy with China and making excuses for China’s slave labor issue and other human rights abuses. Lasry has also been quiet about huge endorsement deals the NBA has with American companies like Nike who exploit that Chinese slave labor in making their products. I believe Johnson has been warning about China but the MJS has not reported on that.

Humperdink said...

Everyone now and then I subject myself to Morning Slobberfest on MSNBC. This morning they actually covered the Gillum travails. A Florida prosecutor was not kind to Gillum. However, waiting in the wings was a DNC operative who compared Gillum's criminal activity to ..... wait for it .... Trump on the January 6th.

Iman said...

Correction, jaydub: Florida dodged a gillum

Iman said...

The fuggin’ he gets for the fuggin’ he gotz!

Yancey Ward said...

"The once-ascendant Democrat, Mr. Gillum came within 32,000 votes of the governorship in 2018 — which would have made him Florida’s first Black governor and a future White House hopeful — only to lose his political direction and face personal struggles."

Sure, he was entirely upstanding before he lost that race. Sheesh!🙄

walter said...

"Mr. Gillum, dressed in a navy suit with a dark tie and face mask, was cuffed around his wrists and ankles, with a chain around his waist."
Thanks for setting the stage Patricia!

Jason said...

Gillum gets to turn himself in.

Republicans get a 6AM door smash with CNN news crews waiting outside the house.

CJinPA said...

Online search finds no images of "Andrew Gillum" and "handcuffs."

What's up with that?

wildswan said...

I'm going to try to remember that classic Dem expression "only to lose his political direction and face personal struggles." Looking back I see that it is the basic outline for reporting on Dem politicians, including Dem politicians in their religious and artistic forms, whose corruption can't be kept from being exposed. Archbishop Weakland who embezzled on behalf of a blackmailing gay lover, "lost his religious direction and faced personal struggles." Hunter Biden lost his way in the capitalist world and faced personal struggles such as supporting his children and his drug habit. Anthony Wiener lost his political direction and faced personal struggles such how new technologies like cell phones and IM work. Coming soon: Joe Biden who lost his way half-way down the teleprompter and faced personal issues like not knowing what's going on or why he had to be in the White House when Rehoboth beach was more fun.

Joe Smith said...

So he gets to put on a nice suit and turn himself in?

No pre-dawn raid by a SWAT team with CNN there to cover it?

Michael K said...

Lem said...

Andrew Gillum’s misfortune is that he doesn’t have a dad in the White House.


Bingo!

Zev said...

File him with Avenatti.

Ralph L said...

Avenatti had an obvious clue on Jeopardy! before Trebek died, so before he was indicted, and none of the contestants got it. I couldn't remember how his name was spelled. It wasn't "creepy pr0n lawyer," either.

Narayanan said...

AA said: "And Gillum was literally put in chains: "Mr. Gillum, dressed in a navy suit with a dark tie and face mask, was cuffed around his wrists and ankles, with a chain around his waist."
========
is Navarro in chains not to count? [is he not y'all person]

Lurker21 said...

Andrew, we hardly knew ye.

I guess your wife didn't either.

Dude1394 said...

What??? No 6 am door banging? No dragging him out of bed to stand on the front lawn while the neighbors gawk? No guns pointed at your wife and family?

Oh yea, democrat.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

He didn't "lose his way" if the charges stem from before he ran for governor. He already had "lost his way."