The morning after he was elected Mayor of Tampa, Bob Buckhorn was asked by a reporter what he thought about the fact that he would be inaugurated on April Fools Day.
The (three quarters) Irishman replied that he wished it were on St. Patrick's Day, but had to accept the fact that according to the city's charter, today is the day he becomes the city's chief executive, a position he has aspired to for nearly half his life. The 52-year-old Virginia native at 2:00 p.m. officially takes charge, and four new members of the Tampa City Council get sworn in as well: Frank Reddick, Harry Cohen, Mike Suarez and Lisa Montelione.
Also happening on this April 1st: It's opening day — or night, as it were, in St. Petersburg, where the defending AL East champion Rays host the up-and-coming Baltimore Orioles at 7:10 p.m. While you've heard about Rick Scott's participation at the Dome tonight, CL reviews what's in store for the 2011 MLB season.
Florida Republicans are acting like they and their Democratic colleagues did four years ago — arrogant that they can decide on their own when they'll have their presidential primary. Although we don't disagree that Florida deserves to have its votes count just as much as Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina or Nevada, they're supposed to play by the rules dictated by their national political party. People laughed that off four years ago, until the DNC stripped Florida Dems of all of their delegates. Seems like folks would learn from that.
Meanwhile, a Florida Republican who enjoyed being called "Senator" for nearly a year and a half wants to hear that again. George LeMieux, who was fortunate enough to be a friend of Charlie Crist's at the time that Mel Martinez bailed out of that prestigious job, this time says he wants to raise money and win it on his own.
the report here.
