Michelle Obama was in Fort Myers Thursday morning for a sold out fundraiser. The wife of the presumed Democratic presidential candidate spoke to about five hundred people at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater. With the exception of one writer from the News Press – reporters were barred from the event. WGCU’s Valerie Alker was there, but not inside, and has this report…

This election year there’s a place…in cyberspace…where people participate in an online town meeting 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As James Call reports, the website, which went up last week, hopes to help Republicans craft their party’s platform.

A new poll finds that “independent” voters in Florida
Generally do “not” support the idea of Barack Obama choosing Hillary Clinton as his running mate. As David Pitman reports the poll also sheds light on how age and race may play into the November election.

Hillary Clinton is expected to announce her support of Barack Obama’s candidacy for President Saturday. Obama’s emergence to the head of the party has led to mixed feelings for some long time democrats. Dr. Valerie Smith teaches Sociology and Cultural Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. She told WGCU’s Valerie Alker that as a woman – and an African American – her loyalties were divided at the beginning of the campaign.

Florida’s senior U.S. Senator, Democrat Bill Nelson, is co-sponsoring legislation that would keep recreational boaters from having to purchase a permit to discharge so called “grey water”. He was in Fort Myers Friday touting the bill. Valerie Alker reports.

In such a tight budget year, with funding cuts to go around, the watchdog group called Florida TaxWatch still managed to find what it calls “incidents of frivolous spending” - also known as turkeys. Gina Jordan reports.

Republican Congressman Connie Mack will face three challengers in November for his District 14 Congressional seat. Republican State Senator Burt Saunders…who’s running as an independent; Jeff George, an independent political newcomer who grew up in southwest Florida and works as a sleep test technician; and Robert Neeld, a Cape Coral Democrat who’s run twice before, both times receiving more than 30-percent of the vote. Neeld is an accountant whose family moved to southwest Florida in 1956. He told WGCU’s Mike Kiniry that he put economic issues at the forefront of both of his previous campaigns in 2004 and 2006…and that’s certainly not changed this year.

Incumbent Republican Connie Mack will face three challengers in November for his District 14 Congressional seat. Republican State Senator Burt Saunders…who’s running as an independent; Robert Neeld, a Cape Coral Democrat who’s run twice before, both times receiving more than 30-percent of the vote; and Jeff George, an independent political newcomer who grew up in southwest Florida. George works as a sleep test technician…and owns his own video production company. He told WGCU's Mike Kiniry that his goal is to put the people back in charge of their government…and that online video sharing is his key tool.

It was Senator Barack Obama's turn to address South Florida's Hispanic community on Friday, following John McCain's campaign stop in Miami earlier in the week. Obama addressed the Cuban American National Foundation, outlining his Latin America policy. WGCU's Matthew Kay was there and has this report.

Broward State Senator Steve Geller has filed a federal lawsuit to force national Democrats to seat Florida delegates at the party's national convention. Rick Stone reports.