Local GOP silence

From the Palm Beach Post-

It's been a tough summer for fans of old-fashioned party bossism.

After the Palm Beach County Republican Party board of directors' high-profile failure to influence Gov. Charlie Crist's appointment for a county commission vacancy last month, the GOP inner circle last week opted not to make any endorsement for the latest school board opening.

County Republican Chairman Sid Dinerstein and his kitchen cabinet loudly endorsed Boynton Beach Mayor Jerry Taylor to fill the commission vacancy when Warren Newell quit under a corruption cloud. Crist picked school board member Bob Kanjian instead.

With Kanjian's seat vacant, the Republican board last week considered endorsing wealthy Delray Beach activist Nick Loeb, Ocean Ridge Commissioner Nancy Hogan and Palm Beach Shores Commish John Workman. All were fine, Dinerstein said, but none stood out from the pack enough to get a GOP stamp of approval.

Also, since Crist knew he was creating a school board vacancy by appointing Kanjian, Dinerstein said he suspects the governor's people might have someone in mind and "they don't need us to get into the mix."

Dinerstein & Co. were eager to get into the mix a few weeks ago, voting 10-0 to endorse Taylor for the commission seat.

I'm glad Crist had the sense not to listen to the local party bosses. There was too much of a dark cloud over City of Boynton Beach Government to be taking a chance on Mayor Taylor.

Despite a Knucklehead win, and some mocking from me on another occasion, Governor Crist has shown pretty good judgment in office since being elected last year. I think there is more than a fair chance the Governor will appoint the right man or woman to the school board.

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