Reliving Karl Rove’s Fox News meltdown as he refused to give Ohio to Obama
It may seem like the 2012 presidential election results came in much later in the night than those in the 2008 election, but in fact it was only 12 minutes later. In 2008, the networks — waiting until the polls closed in California — all announced simultaneously that Barack Obama had won the White House…
Fall in autumn beers
Seasonal brews perfect for sweater weather.
Florida progressives rejoice — Alan Grayson is back in state’s congressional mix, Allen West is out
Alan Grayson One of the more absurd aspects of modern politics is how Americans never tire of bitching about Congress — and then promptly re-elect their own representatives at an alarmingly reliable clip. Of course that's predicated on the fact that most congressional districts are gerrymandered to overwhelmingly favor one particular party, taking a lot…
Smoking weed is now legal in Colorado and Washington state. So what do the feds do?
Apparently California isn't always ahead of the curve when it comes to social progress. Two years ago, voters in the Golden State rejected a measure that would have legalized marijuana under state law. However, last night in Colorado and in Washington state, the people voted to legalize it. But what does this really mean? The…
The Gaily News: LGBT community wins big this election
LGBT rights advocates had a banner election season, and last night's results really show how much the country has evolved on that front throughout the past four years. President Obama has made many strides for our community during his first term — including becoming the first sitting president to step up in support of marriage…
Mitch Perry Report 11.17.12 — Democrats plus six
President Obama wins re-election; Florida still too close to call.
Hillsborough shocker: Henriquez thumps Ronda Storms for Property Appraiser
Bob Henriquez is the new Hillsborough Property Appraiser Although some local pundits always thought that Democrat Bob Henriquez had a decent shot to knock off Republican Ronda Storms in the race for Hillsborough County Property Appraiser, that sentiment seemed to change as the calendar moved toward November 6. Perhaps that was because of an alleged…
In two narrow Hillsborough house races, Mark Danish is in, Gail Gottlieb is out
Mark Danish Democrat Mark Danish has beaten Republican incumbent Shawn Harrison in one of the bigger upsets of the night in the Florida Legislature in House District 63, a redrawn district that includes parts of Lutz, the USF area, Town N’ Country, Seminole Heights and Ybor City. Out of over 60,000 votes cast, Danish won…
In HD-68 race in Pinellas, Democrat Dwight Dudley beats Frank Farkas in what he calls a “despicable” campaign
Dwight Dudley at the Coliseum in St. Pete on Tuesday Pinellas County attorney Dwight Dudley has beaten former GOP state legislator Frank Farkas in the extremely competitive House District 68 race, 51-44 percent. Independent Matthew D. Weidner received 5 percent of the vote. Dudley targeted much of his campaign against Farkas for his 2006 vote…
3 Florida Supreme Court Justices win retention bids
Keeping their jobs: Florida Supreme Court justices Barbara Pariente, Peggy Quince & R. Fred Lewis The three Florida Supreme Court Justices up for merit retention on this year's ballot — R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince — are going to keep their jobs, despite the unprecedented push by the Republican Party of Florida…
Kevin Beckner crushes Margaret Iuculano in Hillsborough County Commission District 6 race
“I give her an ‘A’ for effort and an ‘F’ for integrity and honesty,” Beckner said caustically.
Al Higginbotham beats Mark Nash in Hillsborough County Commission District 4 race
Mark Nash Mark Nash tells CL that some of his friends will never forgive us for our headline after Nash announced he was challenging Republican Al Higginbotham for the Eastern Hillsborough County District 4 County Commission seat (That headline was "Is he nuts?!!Democrat Mark Nash says he can win in the most conservative part of…
For the 22nd time, Bill Young will be representing Pinellas County in Congress
Jessica Ehrlich & Mitch Perry at Studio@620 in St. Petersburg last July The Associated Press has called the Florida Congressional District 13 race in Pinellas County for C.W. Bill Young over his Democratic opponent, 38-year-old attorney Jessica Ehrlich. With 105 of the 225 precincts in, Young leads Ehrlich 58-42 percent. Believe it or not (and…
AP calls Bill Nelson the winner in U.S. Senate race in Florida
Apparently Florida political reporters won't be writing the story Connie Mack predicted they would come Wednesday. The Associated Press is reporting that with all of the polls closed (or somewhat closed, as there maybe some people still waiting in lines across the state), Bill Nelson has won re-election to a third term for U.S. Senate…
BBC at USF: The Brits meet the Tea Party
Best sort-of-local media moment so far this Election Night: BBC's live simulcast on WUSF from the University of South Florida's Marshall Center, sadly lasting only an hour, from 6 to 7 p.m. It was fun to hear the bemused Brits talk wonderingly about how excited we Americans get about our presidential elections. The anchor managed…
Why Rombama & Company spent all that money
By this time tomorrow, America (we hope) will have elected a new president. And the two main candidates (and their most dedicated boosters, the super PACs) will have spent well over a billion and a half dollars in their efforts to sway the 19 people in the country who hadn’t made up their minds who…
Pasco County results portend good things for Romney in Florida (& beyond) tonight?
Let's get one thing straight: Pasco County, Ari Fleischer, is no longer a bellwether county like it was back when your guy was trying to get elected. The former George W. Bush flack turned CNN commentator repeated the news this afternoon that has had conservatives buzzing nationally – that Pasco, that went for John McCain…
Adult star, CoCo Brown, set to be the first ‘asstronaut’ in space (video)
CoCo Brown lives in the future — six hours in the future to be exact. Chatting via Skype from her home in Germany, Brown explains how she is training to be the first porn star in outer-space when Space Expedition Corporation, SXC, begins offering commercial space flights in a matter of months. My mouth moves…
Mitch Perry Report: This is it!
Of all the battleground states that will be the subject of intense focus tonight, only Florida is definitively still considered a state that will probably go to Mitt Romney. But the fact that most (but not all) pollsters think the race is extremely close in Florida has to be positive news for the Obama for…
New Music Tuesday! (November 6): Kylie Minogue, El Ten Eleven, Aerosmith, Ne-Yo & more
Releases out this week, with audio & video included.
E.J. Otero — the forgotten congressional candidate
Two years ago, the Tea Party rebellion that went from coast to coast animated Tampa Bay area Republicans, with several of them engaging in a spirited primary election to take on Democratic incumbent Congresswoman Kathy Castor. However, Castor swatted away those conservative fantasies by vanquishing the survivor of that GOP primary in 2010, Mike Prendergast.…
Helping those in Sandy’s aftermath from afar
@AndrewOKnowlton A pork-fueled fundraiser near Brooklyn to help those affected by Sandy. With upwards of $60 billion in damage, and over a hundred dead and counting, Hurricane Sandy's impression is deep and widespread across the Northeast. As Floridians, hurricanes are routine. We are conditioned to it, the pace of preparation every year like clockwork. But…
As the election approaches, Democratic new-comer Mark Danish chases victory
With less than 24 hours before polls open, Mark Danish feels that he can win. Danish is running for the State House from District 63 and though his campaign is lacking the funds of his opponent, Republican incumbent Shawn Harrison, he feels that the tried and true method of going door to door and personal…
Joe Scarborough makes no attempt to hide his contempt for voting problems in Florida
If you're a regular viewer of MSNBC's Morning Joe program like I am, you know that there are certain things and beliefs that hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski care about. One thing that Scarborough has had absolute contempt about is anything to do with Democrats cries of voter suppression, something that we've heard a…
Connie Mack in Tampa: The polls are wrong
Rep. Dana Young, Connie Mack IV, Connie Mack III and Priscilla Mack lead the cheers in Tampa With the exception perhaps of one outlier, virtually every poll taken on the Florida U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson and GOP party challenger Connie Mack IV has shown Nelson on top. But Mack said they're…
#MusicMonday, Vol. 78: Lenny Kravitz, Dillon Francis, Regina Spektor & more
What the CL Team is jamming this week, with video.
RPOF issues mailer depicting Democrat Gail Gottlieb as crazed domestic terrorist
(UPDATE)Throughout the years, Eastern Hillsborough County hasn't exactly been a welcoming region for Democrats. But Gail Gottlieb and her followers think she has a solid shot in the race for the open seat in Florida House District 59, which encompasses much of Brandon, Valrico and Riverview. Apparently the Republican Party of Florida agrees, as its…
Pairing wine with Firehouse subs, can it be done?
Firehousesubs.com The Hook and Ladder sub can be shared while enjoying sips of Esporão Reserva DOC Red Alentejo wine. Rushing around to get dinner done? Just stop by Firehouse Subs and grab one of their overloaded, meaty sandwiches and pair it up with a glass of wine. It’s a sure-fire way to turn fast food…
Mitch Perry Report: Apparently there is one more day of early voting
Democrats in Florida are going all-out to get voters out to the polls today
Florida Orchestra kicks off historic week with Gershwin favorites
S'WONDERFUL! One of the photos of George and Ira Gershwin in the Florida Orchestra's Here to Stay. The Florida Orchestra started a stellar week of performances with the spirited, nostalgic pops show Here to Stay: The Gershwin Experience. The show enchanted with hits and biographical tidbits on George Gershwin (and a little about lyricist brother…
Concert review: Black Moth Super Rainbow hits Crowbar on Halloween
A review of the Wed., Oct. 31 show, with setlist and photos.
Mixed emotions at Tampa’s Bicycle bash
The city hopes to have a robust bike-sharing in place sometime in 2013.
Sack up
A reader who thought herself unshockable is proven wrong.
Outdoor dining guide
Where to eat and drink, when the weather is just right.
Cirque Italia is back on at MOSI — $10 tickets offered Sunday
CIRQUE TALENT: Eighth generation performer Nicolette Fornasari specializes in aerial work, hula hoops and "comedy matadors." The Museum of Science and Industry announced today that Cirque Italia’s ACT XII on its adjacent property resumed for tonight's scheduled performance.
Henriquez goes after Ronda Storms in mailer to independents
Bob Henriquez The race to succeed Rob Turner as Hillsborough County Property Appraiser has been a snoozer so far. But that's no longer the case. In a mailer distributed to approximately 34,000 non-party-affiliated voting households on Friday, Democrat Bob Henriquez has decided that it's time to do some "comparisons" between him and his Republican opponent,…
In Ybor City, Jeb Bush defends Chris Christie against conservative attacks
Jeb Bush speaking at La Segunda Bakery in Ybor City Saturday morning Jeb Bush knows natural disasters. As governor in his second term in Florida, Bush had to handle no less than seven major hurricanes ripping through the Sunshine State in 2004-2005, and knows how the state had to work with the federal government for…
Clinton stumps for Obama one last time in St. Pete
Kimberly DeFalco Bill Clinton speaks Friday night in St. Petersburg Bill Clinton campaigned for Barack Obama 40 times in 2008, he told the audience at the Coliseum in St. Petersburg on Friday night as he took the stage at about 6:10 p.m. But he said, pausing, "I am far more enthusiastic about him than I…
The New Guavaween, Part II: The Music
A look back at the new music component of the fest, with pics.
New poll shows Justice, Long leading in the early vote in Pinellas County
Charlie Justice The Democratic Party up and down Florida has been pushing its voters to get to the polls during early voting, so perhaps it's not that big a surprise that a new survey shows that Pinellas County Democrats Janet Long and Charlie Justice have five point leads against their Republican opponents Neil Brickfield and…
Don’t try this at home: New cirque training in Clearwater
Has the impending arrival of Cirque du Soleil got you wondering what it takes to be one of those nimble performers? Ever aspire to become a celebrated contortionist or spellbinding aerial dancer? Like to watch people twist and turn their bodies in disorienting and potentially traumatic ways? Or does your young son or daughter want…
Metropolitan Ministries moves holiday drop-off tent
Thanksgiving this year takes place early – in less than three weeks- on November 22. And with the holiday season just around the corner, this is the time when the folks over at Metropolitan Ministries kick into high gear to help out those in need. But there's a difference this year – because of construction…
Mixologist Alex Ott makes drinks that don’t cause a hangover.
“I told them you’ve got to stop doing this, you don’t know what you are doing. This is dangerous.”
The Ale and Witch brews up a fundraiser to help Sandy victims
Brett Andress, owner of The Ale and the Witch — a pub popular for its variety of craft beers, nestled in courtyard of downtown St. Pete's Tower Plaza — grew up in New Jersey, "off Exit 4 of the turnpike, he says. Andress' family and friends still live there, and the shore was his summer…
Peace Couture styles for a good cause
An evening of music, art and fashion to prevent domestic violence.
Rowdies celebrate and then celebrate some more
Last Saturday, a majority of the sold-out crowd was sitting in Al Lang Stadium watching the Rowdies compete for the NASL Soccer Bowl championship when a chant began from the Ralph's Mob fan group. The Rowdies fan group, Ralph's Mob, is a constant at the games held at Al Lang Stadium.
Flight is an up-and-down affair
Denzel is solid as Zemeckis returns to live action.
Reinterpreting News of the Weird with improv comedy
Hawk and Wayne get some strange at American Stage — and it works.
Mitch Perry Report 11.2.12 – RPOF laughs at the idea of extending early voting through Sunday
The Bureau of Labor Statistics today reported that the unemployment rate in the U.S. is at 7.9 percent for September, a notch about the 7.8 percent for August, but still under the symbolic 8 percent level which was where it was for much of the Obama administration. How long until we get the Tweets from…
Two Big Mouths #117 Now Live
[audio-path:http://archive.org/download/TwoBigMouths117/Tbm11-01.mp3] Yes friends, we are back with an action packed show. This week, we'll talk about some of the stories that came out of Super Storm Sandy's devastation. Want to find a mistress? Tampa is the place to be. And it's going to cost you a lot more money this year for that Thanksgiving dinner.…
Two Big Mouths #117 Now Live
[audio-path:http://archive.org/download/TwoBigMouths117/Tbm11-01.mp3] Yes friends, we are back with an action packed show. This week, we'll talk about some of the stories that came out of Super Storm Sandy's devastation. Want to find a mistress? Tampa is the place to be. And it's going to cost you a lot more money this year for that Thanksgiving dinner.…
Cirque Italia shows at MOSI canceled due to insurance snafu
All performances of Cirque Italia’s ACT XII at the Museum of Science and Industry have been canceled — for now.
Cynthia Nixon, aka Miranda, talks up Obama in Ybor City
Cynthia Nixon at the Obama field office in Ybor City. If it hadn't been for Eleanor Roosevelt, Cynthia Nixon might not have been charming Obama supporters in Ybor City today. The Tony-, Emmy- and Grammy-winning actress best known for playing Miranda in Sex and the City told volunteers packed into the small Ybor field office…
The Jill Stein interview
An in-depth conversation with the Green Party candidate for president.
Like: Hurricane Sandy tweets and posts
Here are some screen captures of the poignant, informative and humorous posts on Facebook and Twitter today — story teases, reminders and quips that inform, make us smile, think and remind us to assist those who survived the storm that devastated New Jersey, Manhattan and surrounding areas — and pay respect to those who lost…
Insert coin for Wreck-It Ralph
Disney’s latest spins video game characters into adorable entertainment.
Gorey Stories is deliciously dark
Jobsite’s second take on Gorey captures the author’s twisted whimsy.
Fifteen minutes with Gloria Steinem
R. MonaLeza Gloria Steinem speaking against Amendment 6 at the I Am Choice rally in St. Pete. Two weeks ago, immediately after walking off stage at the I Am Choice rally, Gloria Steinem took a few minutes to speak to Creative Loafing. On the eve of a presidential election, Steinem talked about the importance of…
Pro-Romney SuperPAC now spending money on ads in MN,MI & Pennsylvnia
Yesterday chief Obama political strategist David Axelrod made the bold bet with MSNBC's Joe Scarborough that he would shave off his signature mustache if somehow his candidate were to lose in Minnesota, Michigan and Pennsylvania, three states that haven't gone for a Republican in a presidential election in years, if not decades. But supporters of…
Live & Local Spotlight: Third Annual Ybor Jazz Festival
The smooth-less Ybor Jazz Festival — presented by HCC-Ybor and Tampa Jazz Club — celebrates a third year with a line-up that spans the many sides and sounds of the genre. The festivities kicked off on Wednesday and run through Sunday, with “Prologue” concerts held in the Studio Theatre on Thursday and Friday before the…
Possible redevelopment in Tampa’s Riverfront Park fires up Council
Hundreds gathered in Riverfront Park in August for a Planned Parenthood rally during the RNC The City of Tampa has lots of balls in the air regarding the west bank of the Hillsborough River, but the possibility of redeveloping Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park is one aspect that has drawn concern among members of the…
So sari: Cricket and more at India Festival this weekend
Celebrate all things India with celebrity guests, nigthttime cricket games, comedy, food, vendors and a lot more. Headliners include stand-up comic Dan Nainan and Bollywood star Pooja Batra (pictured).
President Obama’s early-morning rally boosted sales for nearby businesses.
The James Joyce Irish Pub, Tre Amici and La Tropicana benefit from the rally.
Pub grub UK-style at Moon Under Water
From curries to stout to multiple curries.
Get out your LGBT planner
Crescendo, the Tampa Bay Women's Chorus, celebrates its 20th anniversary with a concert at the Straz Center's Ferguson Hall Saturday, Nov. 3. If you're still looking to make weekend plans, there's plenty of LGBT events in the Tampa Bay area to choose from. Ladies can get a jump start on the weekend with a marathon…
Mitch Perry Report 11.1.12 – Some reputations will take a serious hit next week
Has there ever been more bluster between competing campaigns and pundits as we've been getting in the waning days of the 2012 presidential campaign? I can't remember it. Who the f*ck is winning? Spend a few minutes reading or listening to a conservative, and they can tell you that Mitt Romney is not only winning,…
Can Obama win?
And will Tampa Bay voters be a decisive factor?
The alternative candidate
An interview with Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein.
Mr. Lucky vs. Connie’s kid
The candidates may underwhelm, but the implications of Florida’s U.S. Senate race are huge.
Editor’s Note: Endorsements 2012
It’s a matter of trust.
Erase The Hate spreads a timely message
The re-scheduled music festival falls at a fitting moment — right before the election.
Wit is beyond words
Life’s brevity is the soul of Wit, and American Stage conveys its brilliance.
Hillsborough County Property Appraiser candidates debate in Tampa
Ronda Storms Although the circumstances that created an open seat in the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's office were something of a media sensation, the race to replace Rob Turner in that role has been anything but. Turner, you'll recall, was ousted by fellow Republican Ronda Storms in the August primary election after serving 16 years…
According to Team Obama, Florida is looking blue six days out. Team Romney disagrees
Obama Campaign Manager Jim Messina Let's be very clear here: we have no idea who's going to win the presidential election, though we have been on record as saying that we've always thought Mitt Romney would take Florida. But the sheer bravado of recent conference calls hosted by Team Obama svengalis Jim Messina and David…
