Pitching Fort Myers: President Barack Obama traveled to one of the most Republican regions of Florida to pitch his $787 million economic stimulus package. He got final Senate approval for the spending-tax cut plan as he was questioned by a woman who was living in her car and an overexuberant Mickey D’s worker. Credit: White House Photo/pete Souza

The stimulus dominated the national political dialogue, Republicans started cracking down on their own and some Tampa Bay politicians think the way out of our housing glut is to build more housing, in The Week That Was:

Be vewwwwy quiet, I'm hunting RINOs: The governor of Florida was kind enough to join Barack Obama onstage at the president's town hall meeting for economic stimulus. What was Charlie Crist's thanks for introducing the president and telling the truth that the Sunshine State badly needs the stimulus plan's infrastructure, Medicaid and COBRA insurance billions? He's been called a RINO (Republican in name only) by national conservative groups and quietly mocked here at home by members of his own party, who are now adopting an anti-stimulus package litmus test for the GOP. Republican consultant Alex Castellanos told Adam C. Smith of the St. Petersburg Times, "At the one moment when we've finally found our voice and remember who we are as Republicans, Charlie Crist forgets. It's stunning."

Keep digging: Smart-growth activist Mariella Smith reported on the Sticks of Fire blog that a majority of Hillsborough County commissioners are moving toward easing development rules to speed construction. Here is how she put it: "Near the end of their meeting last Wednesday, the commissioners discussed their ideas for how to get us out of the hole they helped dig. Four of them think the solution is to keep digging. Faster."

The four pro-growthers are Jim Norman, Ken Hagan, Kevin White and Al Higginbotham.

Quick hits, or The Former Report: Former Hillsborough GOP state Committeewoman Carol Carter, whose racial e-mail flap we recounted in last week's column, tried unsuccessfully to rescind her resignation … Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio slammed her successor in the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections Office, the embattled and former Buddy Johnson. Iorio told 10 Connect's Mike Deeson that she is delighted to see the FBI probe Johnson's spending and tenure in the office … Speaking of Iorio, a Strategic Visions poll placed her a close third in a Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in 2010 but showed her running strongest from her party in head-to-head contests with the Republican contenders … Former St. Pete City Councilwoman Kathleen Ford formally announced her bid for the mayor's office in this year's elections … Former Newschannel 8 reporter Irene Maher joined a growing list of laid-off journos who are now writing part-time for the St. Petersburg Times … Former Tampa City Councilman Shawn Harrison, defeated a few years ago by Mary Mulhern, announced he will run for the Florida House of Representatives. Hillsborough NAACP President Curtis Stokes is challenging for that seat as well.