by Javier Manjarres

The political funny season continues to bring out the worst in candidates who can’t help resorting to disingenuous political tactics that try to curry favor with potential voters.

One such case is the one of congressional candidate Joe Kaufman. Kaufman is running to replace Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and is presently trailing in his contested Republican primary against  the popular grassroots front-runner, Karen Harrington.  Kaufman has been criticized for continuing to insist that, “It takes a Kaufman to beat a Wasserman,” a remark that many interpret as bigoted.

More on Joe Kaufman-

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During the 2010 Republican U.S. Senate race that was ultimately won by now Senator Marco Rubio won, Joe Kaufman was part of the Bob Smith(pictured in blue) for U.S. Senate team.  Yes, this is the same Bob Smith who made a full-throated endorsement of Sen. John Kerry over President George W. Bush in 2004.  While helping to lead Bob Smith’s Senate campaign, many in South Florida speculated if Joe Kaufman was involved in the reprehensible racial slurs and attacks that came out of Team Smith that were directed at Senator Rubio.(Read more- Joe Kaufman Opposed Marco Rubio)

Kaufman also recently appeared on the Daily Show and things didn’t go so well. In addition to his disastrous appearance, Kaufman verbally attacked one of the most influential Rabbis in South Florida. (Watch ‘The Daily Show’ clip, and read the post-The Daily Joke)

While I wasn’t a witness to the encounter, Kaufman’s video makes one wonder if Palin was actually directing  “support” to, let alone if she had any idea who Kaufman was?

Watch this video compilation of several of Kaufman’s attempts at getting politicos to endorse him, including the Palin incident. You be the judge.

[vsw id=”A3QvxS6B3tc” source=”youtube” width=”425″ height=”344″ autoplay=”no”]

Let’s concede that Palin was actually directing her wishes to Kaufman, but the fact of the matter is that if Palin were truly going to give Kaufman either “support” or and endorsement, if wouldn’t have been done in the context of an ambush style manner while she was signing autographs with her fans.

Exploiting the encounter even further, Kaufman has recently mailed out a fundraising letter enclosed in an envelope that has an image Governor Palin on it with her quote along side it.  By any reasonable standard, Kaufman is shamelessly exploiting Palin’s kind gesture to further his candidacy and create the impression that there is a closer relationship and support from her then there actually is beyond Kaufman’s video tape of him asking her for an autograph.  

Equally duplicitous is the letterhead that his campaign mailers are being sent on that are designed to make its recipients believe that he is a member of Congress.  His letter head states, “From the Desk Joe Kaufman, Republican-U.S. Congress along with a seal of an eagle, eerily similar to the seal that is used on the official congressional seal.

It is unfortunate that Mr. Kaufman continues to revert to trickery in an attempt to convince potential supporters that his candidacy is commanding more support than it actually is.  So what does Governor Sarah Palin have to say  about her good name being expoited like this?