Column

Early primary election leaves a passel of what ifs

By Ernest Hooper, Times Columnist
Published February 11, 2008

Democrats are fretting about what to do with Florida delegates if the presidential race extends to the national convention. But I can't help wondering where we would be if the Florida primary date had remained in early March.

With Democrats enthused and engaged, Amendment 1 might not have passed. More important, if the date had stayed in March, Florida would be positioned to be a kingmaker (or queenmaker), and Barack and Hillary would be swarming the state from Milton to Marathon.

And wouldn't Marathon be an appropriate campaign stop....

Dr. David Lubin is still out and about shooting photos for his annual Tampa Bay events calendars. I spotted him at the recent Too Good For Drugs Jr. Gasparilla Distance Classic (an excellent event, by the way), sporting a new goatee. Lubin's calendars have long been a hit....

Seen on a bumper sticker: People Work Because They Don't Know How To Fish....

People are so funny. You would expect Osceola Middle School principal Bob Vicari to receive nothing but kudos for inspiring his students to do better by vowing to eat crickets and then delivering on the promise.

But one reader accused him of animal abuse, another characterized the act as "disturbing" and a third said he should be worried about the "Gordian tape worm."

C'mon, give Vicari credit for caring about his kids and whetting their appetite for learning.

In an effort to establish a healthier diet, I'm going to forgo crickets as well as the fried cookie dough at the Florida State Fair this year. I'm sticking with the giant turkey leg. And maybe a funnel cake. And maybe some Italian sausage. And maybe a...

That's all I'm saying.

[Last modified February 10, 2008, 23:13:56]