Politics

Giuliani plans second date to woo Pinellas

By ADAM C. SMITH, Times Political Editor
Published August 19, 2007

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is showing some love to Pinellas County. The presidential front-runner in Florida held a rally at St. Petersburg High in April, and on Sept. 7 he will keynote a Pinellas GOP's Reagan Day fundraising dinner at the Renaissance Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg.

Tickets start at $100, and Pinellas GOP chairman Tony DiMatteo, who is officially neutral but widely viewed as a big Rudy fan, said he expects to sell more than 700. For more information call (727)-539-6009.

"We're in the middle of it again," DiMatteo said, noting that Pinellas stands to be a major political hub in 2008, just as it was in 2006. "If (Rep. C.W.) Bill Young retires, that'll be a domino effect as never seen before in this county."

Property appraiser likely to be challenged

Another potentially big race looming for Pinellas: property appraiser. Regardless of what the grand jury does about Property Appraiser Jim Smith's land deal with the county, DiMatteo predicts fellow Republican Smith will face challengers if he seeks another term in '08: "I really think that he would be very hard pressed to get elected, and I'm very confident there will be a lot of candidates emerging on the Republican side to challenge him," said DiMatteo.

For Obama, it won't be a slam dunk

The word is, Barack Obama is a pretty tough basketball player, but surely not remotely in the league of a couple of the chairmen of reception Saturday at the Overtown Youth Center in Miami: Julius "Dr. J" Erving and Alonzo Mourning. Former Miami Herald publisher Dave Lawrence is also on the host committee.

Crist always working, except when he isn't

Charlie Crist has been very busy since he took over for Jeb Bush on Jan. 2, but he's also been vigilant about taking time off, too. By the Buzz's count, Crist has taken a total of 14 full weekdays off (listed as "personal days" on his schedule) since January. He also has taken parts of at least eight other days, and he has been visible frequently at events on weekends. "I'm never not governor," Crist says.

With property taxes and property insurance still roiling the public, Crist's work habits may surprise some of his constituents, but he made no apologies. "I think everybody takes their own approach," Crist said. "We all have to operate the way we feel the most comfortable. That's what I'm trying to do."

In the past, Crist has said his predecessors advised him that because being governor is an all-consuming job, he should take time off whenever it's possible to "recharge your batteries."

Education union chief defends 2002 tactic

Back in 2002, the Florida teachers union bankrolled Democrat Bill McBride's campaign against Jeb Bush, and lost big. But even as the union is starting to have a friendlier relationship with the Florida GOP, Florida Education Association president Andy Ford insists that the risk in 2002 was well worth it.

"It was the best thing we could have ever done. We showed that we were a political force in this state, and that we were determined to do what's right for kids - no matter what the consequences are," Ford said in a Political Connections interview airing today on Bay News 9, in which he also spoke about strong prospect of big education budget cuts by the legislature.

The interview airs at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. and can be seen on Channel 342 (Bay News 9 on demand).

Conservatives see red over green Crist

A national conservative group, chaired by former U.S. House Minority Leader Dick Armey, has launched a biting campaign that attacks Crist and his recent executive orders aimed at reducing greenhouse gases. "When people heard Charlie Crist's promises to follow in the conservative legacy of Jeb Bush and voted for him to be governor of Florida, they didn't expect to get Nancy Pelosi," says FreedomWorks, which has an online petition asking people to tell Gov. Crist to "end his efforts to appease the far left and the liberal media."

Any bets on tribal land gambling future?

With Crist facing a federal government deadline of Tuesday to report progress in casino gambling talks with Indian tribes, state House Speaker Marco Rubio has entered the fray. Rubio on Friday evening asked Attorney General Bill McCollum for a legal opinion on whether the state can permit forms of gambling on tribal lands that are currently prohibited by state law.

Rubio, whose opposition to expanded gambling is well known, reminds McCollum that any agreement, or compact, between Crist's office and the tribes "may" require legislative approval.

Adam C. Smith, Steve Bousquet, Alex Leary and Jennifer Liberto contributed to this week's Buzz.

[Last modified August 19, 2007, 00:04:04]