Nation: Playing the Florida Game

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Carter Coordinator Jay Hakes understates matters when he notes that "the perception is as important as the reality." The Carter supporters want to demonstrate that Kennedy can be defeated. On the other hand, says Sergio Bendixen, co-director of the Kennedy forces, "if we can beat an incumbent President with an unannounced candidate, it's a stunning accomplishment.''

The sides seem evenly matched. Carter's forces have a larger organization, including control of the party machinery and loyal party officials in each county, and more money (total budget: $250,000). For the past several months the White House has been raining appointments and grants on the state. For example, ex-Governor Reubin Askew was made Carter's special trade negotiator, and Miami was awarded a $2 million grant to rejuvenate the Little Havana district. In addition, the President's people in Washington have dispatched a steady stream of high-level visitors, starting with the President and Rosalynn Carter in late August. Mrs. Carter has been back twice.

What the draft-Kennedy forces lack in money (total budget: $175,000) and big-name resources, they make up for in youthful spirits and shoe leather. They have hundreds of volunteers, directed by a small but experienced team of campaign veterans. It is a bare-knuckle fight. Observes A.J. Boland, Democratic chairman in Escambia County in the panhandle: "They're shooting to kill here, fighting like cats and dogs. The Kennedy people in the county intend to march their slate, 32 strong, to the voting place in a mass, to prevent last-minute defections."

The bloodiest battlegrounds are the urban areas. In Broward County, Carter Chairman Larry Hochendoner has set up a bank of phones, manned by six women volunteers, in his Fort Lauderdale headquarters. Last week they were in the midst of calling 20,000 registered Democrats. "This is not a conversion process," observed Hochendoner. "The name of the game is identifying and delivering votes." The phone calls went like this: "Hello, I'm calling for the President. How do you intend to vote on the 13th?" If the answer was for Kennedy, the conversation was ended. If the Democrat seemed to favor Carter, the volunteer noted the voter's name on a white legal pad. For those who need transportation, Hochendoner has lined up 50 buses, at an average cost of $100 each.

Even so, voting will require considerable stamina. Some Democrats will have to travel 30 miles to a polling place —there is only one in each county —and wait up to two hours for their ballots, which can be a yard long and contain as many as 800 names. Just to make matters more complicated, the candidates will be listed in alphabetical order, with nothing to indicate whether they support Carter or Kennedy. As a result, each camp is passing out lists of delegates to supporters, so they will know how to mark their ballots.