Florida Delegates Talk Issues, Obama at DNC

Florida delegates attending the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., talked politics with South Carolina Patch Political Editor Shawn Drury on Monday.

Last week, Ann Romney and Condoleezza Rice made an appeal to women voters during last week's Republican National Convention in Tampa.

Alison Bereke Marano and Shannon Love talked about what President Barack Obama needs to do to reach out to women voters and to win their votes.

"The Republicans are doing a great service by being so ignorant," Marano said. "And by showing their disregard for women and what they think we are actually about."

Marano is the vice-chair of the Florida Democratic Party and lives in Pasco County.

Love said that she didn't feel the gap in female voters, exists the way the Republican Party thinks it does.

Love is the President of the Pinellas County Young Democrats, and is from St. Petersburg.

"You look at how women have played a key role in the Democratic Party and particularly in President Obama's (administration), they've been there every step of the way," Love said.

Love said she thinks that the Republican Party tried to show their leaders in their party last week, by having Ann Romney and Rice speak at the convention.

"I think at the same time, there was also a base that was fundamentally stronger and will fundamentally turn out to vote for the Democratic Party," Love said.

Small business has become an underlying theme during both conventions.

Marano, who is a small business owner in Tampa, said that a couple of months ago she took a group of other small business leaders to the White House on a listening tour.

Marano said it was an opportunity for administrative officials in the Obama camp to find out what the different needs are for small business owners.

"A group of those same administrators came to Orlando and we had around 600 people in that room," Marano said. "They don't talk at you and lecture you."

Marano said they offered solutions and advice to businesses and each person left with a number to directly contact them in the future.

In 2008, voters were energized about casting ballots, especially young voters. Love said that this election needs that same energy, but there are underlying issues.

"Early 20s and out of college, you need to know that you can afford to make student loan payments and not have to file bankruptcy to deal with student loans," Love said. "I need to know that I can afford to get a living wage job."