It may be the first political campaign ever to be launched with cookies and milk.
But the leaders of the fledgling Children's Movement of Florida don't want the comestibles of their kickoff party to fool you: this milk, they say, will help build political muscle.
The brainchild of Miami children's advocate David Lawrence Jr., the children's movement is led by a steering committee of 27 influential Floridians of every political stripe. The campaign is being launched with a series of ``milk parties'' throughout the state, beginning Monday in Miami.
``Let there be no mistake,'' said Sergio Bendixen, a Miami-based pollster generally aligned with Democratic campaigns. ``This movement ultimately is about power.''
At a Monday morning news conference, Bendixen said two-thirds of Floridians supported the concept of greater investment in children when polled recently. Support for such a ``Milk Party'' compares, he said, with about 13 percent support for the Tea Party movement, a loose collection of anti-big-government groups.
While the children's movement supports five general goals -- including better healthcare, greater mentoring opportunities and high-quality pre-school programs -- the initiative is focused most on early childhood, when advocates say investment offers the greatest opportunities for improving children's lives.
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