If you wanted an idea of what Tampa might be like in late August when the Republican National Convention hits town, you should have been on the USF campus Monday night, hours before the four remaining candidates for the GOP nomination for president were to debate.
On the north side of the Marshall Center and the College of Arts Center, where the debate was being held, stood hundreds of protesters, some there to blast the candidates for their harsh rhetoric regarding undocumented immigrants, and many more there to show their love for Ron Paul.
Meanwhile in front of MLK Plaza, a coalition of activist groups, including Occupy Tampa, Fight Back Florida, Awake the State, union members and others gathered to hear speeches from activists blasting the GOP agenda.
This article appears in Jan 19-25, 2012.