THE KATHERINE HARRIS WATCH CONTINUES...

Being the weekend, we don't really expect much from Congresswoman Katherine Harris (R - Longboat Key). Maybe a couple of campaign appearances, but will certainly attempt to keep as far away from the Florida media as possible.

UPDATE: Actually, she is one of 18 featured speakers this weekend at the "Reclaiming America for Christ" conference being held in Fort Lauderdale, led by televangelist Dr. D. James Kennedy. FYI: Also on the speakers' list is another prominent Republican politico, Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who is considered one of the main players in the race for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination.

St. Petersburg Times Capitol Bureau Chief Steve Bousquet has an interesting piece in today's edition for your consideration. His question is wheather the $10 million she promised to put toward her campaign will attract voters or repel them:

"What will voters think of a candidate who's so rich, she can spend $10-million on a political campaign at a time when her constituents can't pay their homeowners insurance premiums? Ten-million dollars is a heck of a lot of money to most people - even people with yachts in Sarasota.

"So much for Harris' strategy of connecting with Florida's working families."

He also mentioned that Ms. Harris' top political adviser, Ed Rollins, was quoted in Friday's Orlando Sentinel as saying that she should withdraw, consider the setbacks her campaign has experienced:

"Rollins said they worried about Harris' sluggish fundraising, her inability to generate excitement among top Republicans and future fallout from illegal campaign contributions she took from a defense contractor who has since pleaded guilty to bribing a California lawmaker.

"Rollins said he and others told Harris it would be 'very difficult' because she likely would have to spend considerable energy explaining the contributions.

"Finally, he said, the advisers 'made our recommendation that she should probably get out.'".

And I almost forgot that there is a new Website called "Make Her Spend It All", encourging visitors to donate to the campaign of Democratic incumbant Bill Nelson...telling Ms. Harris, in effect that "...U.S. Senate seats are not for sale". It is not paid for or authorized by any candidate or campaign committee, and is a work of Mandate Media, a political consulting/Internet strategy firm based in Portland, Oregon.

If you hire big guns like Ed Rollins to advise, sometimes it's smart to take their advice and bail out. Maybe Ms. Harris should consider it. Otherwise, you'll be singing the words of the classic 1971 Blood, Sweat & Tears song...

Go down gamblin', say it when you're runnin' low
Go down gamblin' -- you may never have to go