"If I were his mother, I'd be horrified"

Scott Maxwell writes that he "saw one of the most bogus pieces of campaign mail this week that I've seen in a long time. (Which is like trying to sniff out the stinkiest skunk in the den.)"

The mailer claims that state Rep. Jason Brodeur is responsible for "EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY REFORM."

It even urges recipients to "Thank Jason Brodeur" for his super-ethical ways, claiming Brodeur helped rid the world of the appointed members on "the scandal-plagued Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority."

Um … what? . . .

Brodeur calling himself a reformer is like a cow patty calling itself a rose bush.

"Voters will see some big changes"

"Early voting for the Democratic and Republican primaries and nonpartisan elections open to all voters starts Friday in Broward County, and voters will see some big changes from previous elections." "Early voting begins Friday in Broward." See also "Early voting in Palm Beach County starting for Aug. 26 elections." Related: "Voters love casting ballots by mail, but red tape can prove challenging."

The Gainesvile Sun editors: "Get out the vote."

"Tom Lee is Back"

"State Sen. Tom Lee says Charlie Crist has made a 'mockery of the political process' and is now leading a campaign to against the former governor." "Sen. Tom Lee is behind those ‘conservative Charlie Crist’ robocalls." See also "Attacks on Charlie Crist Show Tom Lee is Back."

Crist gets more public money

"Crist on Friday received more than $474,000 when he received his second check of public matching funds. He has now received slightly more than $1 million in state money to assist his campaign." "Crist gets another boost with public money."

Weekly Roundup

Kevin Derby: "Political Bits and Pieces." See also "Arrivals and Departures, Aug. 15, 2014" and "Weekly Roundup: Signed, Sealed, Delivered."

All Aboard hiccup

"All Aboard Florida is drawing the concern of two Florida congressmen who joined together, despite partisan differences, in asking the federal government to conduct a study to see if its plan to connect Orlando to Miami by high-speed rail is viable. " "Bill Posey, Patrick Murphy Team Up Against All Aboard Florida."

Dithering Jeb unsure about whether feds should enforce federal MJ prohibition

"Former Gov. Jeb Bush is conflicted over the federal government’s role in medical-marijuana states and refrains from criticizing President Barack Obama over the issue." "Jeb Bush conflicted over feds role in medical-marijuana enforcement." See also "Bush latest heavyweight to stake out medical pot position."

Scott's "Extreme Makeover"

Aaron Deslatte writes that Nan Rich "is who she is, a South Florida liberal, unabashed advocate of abortion rights and expanding the state government's footprint in health care. She sponsored bills mandating background checks for gun buyers. She was Charlie Crist before Crist was Crist, way back five years ago when he "blindly supported irresponsible gun legislation pushed by the NRA." She was sponsoring bills to allow same-sex couples to adopt children when Crist was backing Florida's gay-marriage constitutional ban."

Scott, though, has been undergoing his own Extreme Makeover: a weeklong environmental tour, an about-face on education funding and an abandonment of the tea party. The corporate raider who cut water-management money and dismantled Florida's growth-regulation agency is now pledging $1 billion for water conservation.

Scott spinning at the speed of sound

"Unemployment in the Sunshine State is now the same as the national rate. . . . Gov. Rick Scott, who has largely focused his re-election campaign on job creation, seemed to believe the news was another step in the right direction for Floridians." "Unemployment Rate Remains Unchanged at 6.2 Percent."

Bus tour may have violated state law

"Charlie Crist’s School Bus Tour may violate state law on use of school buses." "Crist campaigned in real school bus despite state ban."

Meanwhile, "School bus carrying Charlie Crist rear-ended in Orange County, troopers say."

Sheldon eligible

"A Leon County circuit judge ruled Friday that George Sheldon has no residency issues that disqualify him from running and serving as Florida attorney general." "Judge rules George Sheldon eligible for attorney general primary." See also "Judge: Sheldon can stay on ballot in AG race." See also "Questions raised about where attorney general candidates really live."

Maybe next year

"Florida granted 1-year No Child Left Behind waiver."

Cohn blasts Ross

"Alan Cohn, a Democratic candidate challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, blasted Ross at a Tampa forum Friday for not having an adequate presence in Hillsborough County." "Cohn blasts U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross for not having office in Hillsborough."

Crist bashes Scott

"Former Gov. Charlie Crist brought his school bus tour to Tampa, blasting Gov. Rick Scott for cuts in public school funding as the two continued their battle over who has been more favorable as governor to education." "Crist bashes Scott during Tampa school bus stop."

"Standardized testing a detriment to public education"

"Among critics of modern education, standardized testing is one big detriment to public education. And in Lee County -- the ninth largest district in Florida -- the School Board wants to appeal the process entirely."

Whatever the standards, whatever the test, the Lee County School Board doesn’t want it -- and board members are looking into exactly how they can pull their district (so far the only district in Florida to discuss this) out of standardized testing.

Bolton laff riot

"John Bolton Gets Busy in Florida as 2016 Beckons."

Jeb spreads his "influence" on medical MJ

"Jeb Bush is adding his influential [seriously?] voice to the medical marijuana debate in Florida, saying the ballot initiative could harm Florida’s reputation." "Jeb Bush: ‘I strongly urge’ Floridians to vote against medical marijuana." See also "Opposing Amendment 2, Jeb Bush Can Play a Major Role in Defeating It."

GOPer exposed as man behind hit-Robocalls

"State Sen. Tom Lee hosted a fundraiser for Charlie Crist at his Brandon home in 1998 when Crist ran against Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Graham."

Today, however, Lee lambasts Crist as the embodiment of why the public distrusts elected leaders. And he is leading a campaign to make sure hundreds of thousands of Democratic and independent voters in Florida hear Crist in his own words tout his rock-ribbed conservatism. . . . .

The robocall campaign is less about partisan politics, Lee claims, than honesty. Crist "has failed the litmus test of character and integrity that should be the prerequisite."

Lee's campaign is not entirely honest or transparent either. He did not initially disclose his involvement, and nowhere in the robocalls does it explain when the recordings of Crist were made or that the purpose of the calls is to damage Crist.

Big of them

The Miami Herald editors: "Unintended torture not part of the bargain." "Death penalty woes."

Is Florida's unemployment rate still higher than national rate?

"New jobless numbers are due out and will show whether the state's unemployment rate is still higher than the national rate. . . . . The unemployment rate is important for Gov. Rick Scott because he campaigned in 2010 on a pledge to add 700,000 jobs above normal growth." "Florida's new unemployment numbers due out."

Boleteras season

The Miami Herald editorial board: "Early voting marks start of election fraud season." "Voters beware of boleteras."

Following the rules

"The Obama administration is granting Florida a one-year extension of its No Child Left Behind waiver. . . . . Florida was one of five states granted a waiver extension Thursday. The others are Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and Wisconsin." "Florida granted 1-year No Child Left Behind waiver."

Tallahassee Circuit Court Judge Charles A. Francis ordered the companies to respond to a limited request by lawyer Steven R. Andrews to explain who created the Gmail and Yahoo accounts and when they were established. . . .

Andrews has produced evidence that Scott and his staff have used the Google and Yahoo accounts to conduct some government business but, when asked to produce the documents, the governor’s office replied that “no responsive records were located.” Florida law requires emails used for state business to be retained and not destroyed.

HD 44

"Political newcomer challenges incumbent in House District 44 race."

Just in time for the election

"Florida is speeding up six major road projects across the state. Gov. Rick Scott said Thursday that the state will push up the timing of $806 million worth of highway construction projects across the state." "Scott: Florida will speed up major road projects." See also "Florida will speed up several major road projects."

Florida's fightin' judge

"After tussle, Brevard judge accused of violating code."

Map challenges likely

"The Florida Legislature’s special session to redraw the state’s congressional districts has ended now that lawmakers passed a new set of maps. However, Democrats and others, argue the maps still mirror Florida’s actual political makeup." "GOP-Led Legislature Passes New Congressional Maps, But Challenges Likely To Follow." See also "Scott Maxwell: Redistricting Q&A: Explaining Florida's latest scandal."

HD 61

"More endorsements announced in HD 61 race."

More Mitt

"Former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass., went to bat for a Republican congressional hopeful in Florida this week and will turn his attention to flipping a seat for the GOP in the U.S. Senate in the days to come as buzz continues that he will make a third try for the White House in 2016." "Mitt Romney Active in Florida, Other States, Amid Buzz of 2016 Run."

Enuf' of them activist judges

"Lawsuit blocks abortions at Planned Parenthood's Kissimmee clinic."

Trib laff riot

The wingers on the Tampa Trib's editorial board think you should "give Scott credit for revisiting his positions. He may never be a Sierra Club favorite, but Scott has shown increasing concern for natural Florida." They write that Scott has magnanimously, in the midst of a re-election campaign no less

pledged to spend $1 billion on restoring the Everglades and Apalachicola Bay, cleaning polluted springs, protecting the Florida Keys, safeguarding water supplies and other efforts.

Critics dismiss this as a campaign gimmick, and no doubt politics is involved. But we believe that Scott, a relative newcomer to Florida when elected, also has come to better appreciate its natural gifts and understand how they are threatened.

Charlie's big yellow bus

"Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Charlie Crist kicked off a three-day, five-media market 'Restore the Cuts' bus tour Wednesday featuring the former Republican governor literally riding a school bus across the state." "Crist launches 'restore the cuts' bus tour." See also "Crist's school bus tour rolls through Orlando."

The best they can do?

We'll say it: Alan Grayson is surely muffling a chuckle as these three empty suits go at it:

The Republican primary race in Congressional District 9 is heating up again, with candidate Jorge Bonilla reminding voters that one of his opponents has a 25-year-old arrest record on a bad check; and that candidate, Peter Vivaldi, responding by calling the reference a low blow.

Bonilla's campaign sent out mailers this week comparing him with Vivaldi and the third GOP candidate, Carol Platt. The mailer makes note of Vivaldi's 1989 felony arrest, arguing that it makes him unelectable. . . .

The winner of this primary faces U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, and Bonilla argues that beating Grayson will be tough enough in the district without the GOP nominee also having to overcome any voter concerns over an arrest record, however old it might be.

Desperation

"Is that really the voice of Charlie Crist on the robocalls going out right now to households all over the state? Yep, it is, but it's not the Crist of 2014. He's a Democrat now. The call features a recording of Crist from 2006 when he was trying to win the Republican primary for governor." "Charlie Crist of 2006 is featured on robocall."

Yes, that Sanford

"Compared to other states, Florida’s health insurance plan for government employees is about average." Yet,

Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, introduced a bill during the 2014 session that would have implemented drastic changes to the types of coverage and potentially increased premiums for those who enroll in the most comprehensive plans.

"Pole dancers for special interests"

Daniel Ruth writes that, "to get away from all the ivory tower jibber-jabber, the more these charlatans can hide from the public scrutiny the easier it is for them to become pole dancers for special interests who want to jam money into their garter belts. And it also explains why occasional efforts to create a more accessible state capital away from Tallahassee have been an exercise in futility. That makes sense. Wouldn't this be a bit like someone on the FBI's 10 most wanted list posting their travel itinerary on Facebook?" "Tallahassee: Breeding ground for corruption." See also "Bill Cotterell: Move the capital to fight corruption?"

Rivera's "Madcap Bid" for Congress

"David Rivera’s roller coaster of a ride to get back to Congress took another strange turn on Wednesday as he unsuspended his campaign against old foe Joe Garcia."

This week, with the primary looming later this month, Rivera announced he was unsuspending his campaign. As Jerry Reed sang in "East Down and Bound," Rivera has a "long way to go and a short time to get there." Curbelo’s lead in the primary seems to have only increased while Rivera was off on the sidelines. Curbelo’s running TV ads across the district and, on Monday, reeled in the support of Mitt Romney. Rivera’s madcap campaign has seemingly done nothing to slow Curbelo down.

Media ignoring Dem AG primary

"Democratic candidates George Sheldon and Perry Thurston contend Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi is vulnerable in the November election because she has been a national lightning rod." "Democrats get little attention in primary race for Attorney General."

West keeps his options open

"Allen West keeps hinting that he’ll run for future office and five congressional endorsements he made on Tuesday only raised more questions about what his future aspirations are." "Allen West Keeps His Own Political Future Alive by Shaping National GOP's."

Florida's foreclosure rate highest in nation

"Florida foreclosure rate drops; still leads nation." See also "Space Coast among tops in US for foreclosure rate."

Run, Jeb, Run!

"Jeb Bush says he'll decide this year on presidential run."

"Both Sides Ramp Up Attacks"

Kevin Derby: "Trumpeting her “North Florida Way,” Democrat Gwen Graham took aim at U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., in a new Web video released on Wednesday. Graham, the daughter of former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., is insisting she is a political outsider despite working as a campaign aide to her father and to the presidential campaigns of former Gov. Howard Dean, D-Vt., and then-U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., during the 2004 election cycle." "Both Sides Ramp Up Attacks in North Florida Congressional Race."

As for hunting junkets, silencers are golden

Fred Grimm: "For too long, Bambi has been allowed to sneak around, hardly making a sound. When some hunter, possibly under the influence of Jack Daniels, pops off an errant round, a deer — alert to the danger — simply runs like hell and vanishes in the woods."

Surely, you can see the inequity suffered by the huntsman as he strives to keep wildlife from running roughshod over the Florida countryside, terrorizing women and children.

Come Sept. 10, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission intends to right this asymmetrical unfairness. The commission, with a very big nudge from the gun lobby, is posed to allow hunters to attach silencers to their firearms. . . .

Silencers also would appeal to Florida civic leaders like Gov. Rick Scott, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam and several members of the House of Representatives hierarchy, who were embarrassed last month by revelations they had been treated to luxury hunting excursions arranged by the state’s sugar lobbyists. The thing about those hunting trips – the politicians wanted to keep them quiet. Very quiet. For these guys, when it comes to hunting junkets, silencers would be golden.

"Nelson's Place in Politics Now?"

Jeff Henderson wonders, "Where's Bill Nelson's Place in Politics Now?"

Koch brothers fund "shadow GOP" Hispanic initiative

"Looking to make inroads with the rising number of Hispanic voters, conservative activists are offering English classes, health checkups and courses to help Spanish-speakers earn high school diplomas. Picking up part of the tab: Charles and David Koch."

The billionaire industrialists are working to patch a gaping hole in the GOP coalition that could spell a generation of irrelevance if Republicans cannot build some credibility with Hispanic voters, who typically shun the GOP. The fast-growing group could have tremendous sway in American politics for years to come. Party elders have acknowledged their struggles to win over Hispanic voters, who as recently as 2004 were roughly split in party preference.

Enter the Libre Initiative, an organization that has collected millions from the Kochs' political network. Libre, which is pronounced LEE'-bray and means "free," pushes a message of limited government and economic freedom between lessons on how to build family-run businesses and prayer breakfasts with Hispanic pastors.

Its organizers pitch conservative ideals while offering tutorials on U.S. immigration law, support for overhauling the broken immigration system that stops short of campaigning for the Senate's bipartisan bill and collecting donations for the unaccompanied children crossing the United States-Mexico border illegally.

In effect, it is a shadow GOP — one with a gentle emphasis on social services and assimilation over a central party often seen as hostile to immigrants and minorities.

Fruit packing plant raid

"Workers from a Naples vegetable and fruit packing plant are headed back to court as they face charges related to alleged workers comp fraud. The case stems from the raid of a packing plant where more than 100 workers were detained, most of them presumed to be in the country illegally. . . . Using a fake ID to gain employment . . . is a third-degree felony, under Florida law." "Naples packing plant workers back in court.

Republican Gov. Rick Scott and his likely challenger, Democrat and former Gov. Charlie Crist, both of whom expected to win their party primaries later this month, have spent more time criticizing each other than laying out a future vision on major issues such as water, climate change, gaming, property insurance, economic policy or taxes.

The candidates, their operatives and third-party groups relentlessly drive a message that their opponent is untrustworthy, unethical or incompetent. Their campaigns eagerly amplify the mud-slinging in news releases, social media messaging and television ads, and their policy papers lack details on a host of deadlines facing the next governor will face.

Political scientists, consultants and even former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, who served two terms as governor, warn that the lack of vision in the governor’s race spells trouble for Florida.

“What frankly concerns me is it is going to be a very nasty election in which a lot of people will go to the polls asking which of these two bad choices is least bad,’’ said Graham, a Democrat who was elected governor in 1978 and 1982 and served three terms in the U.S. Senate. “Nobody is going to be elected with anything that could be described as a mandate to do something.”

Graham warned that if there are tough decisions before the Legislature on education, taxes, health or the environment, “neither candidate will be able to say, ‘I ran in order to accomplish these goals; the people elected me. Now, Legislature, let’s put our shoulder to the wheel and get it done.’” . . .

A politically-wounded governor will have his power shift to the Legislature, experts say.

Rich "tugging at their heartstrings"

Anthony Man: "Between now and Aug. 26, Florida Democrats need to decide if they'll go with their hearts or their minds in the race for their party's nomination for governor. Tugging at their heartstrings is Nan Rich, a lifelong Democrat and champion of just about every issue important to party members — even when it wasn't politically advantageous or popular." "Crist appears poised to win Democratic nomination, but Rich perseveres."

Start your golf carts

Kevin Derby: "Crist's running mate, Annette Taddeo, to speak to Villages Democrats."

"Worker issues dominate House race"

"A veteran state worker is challenging state Rep. Alan Williams for the chance to serve Leon and Gadsden counties in House District 8. . . . Williams, 39, is the House Democratic Whip and the head of the Legislative Black Caucus and is banking on his years of experience and his efforts in 2013 to see the Legislature pass raises for state workers for the first time in seven years. He’s also fought multiple efforts to revamp the Florida Retirement System." "State worker issues dominate House race."

Snapshot of key primary races in SoFla

"For a handful of candidates eying the state House and Senate, it’s August 26 — not November 4 — that matters most."

The August primary will determine the outcome of two South Florida races: House District 94 in central Broward County and House District 107 in northern Miami-Dade County. Because no other candidates are running in November, the winner of the Democratic primary in each race will win the seat.

In the Senate, the District 36 primary winner is all but certain to join elected colleagues in Tallahassee because only a long-shot write-in candidate is on the ballot in November.

Weekly Roundup

"Weekly Roundup: Farewell Summer, We Hardly Knew Ye." More: "Political Bits and Pieces." See also "Arrivals and Departures, Aug. 8, 2014."

"No respect"

Bill Cotterell: "Tallahassee lawmakers get no respect."

FlaGOP's "sheer lameness"

Adam Smith writes that, with respect to the Florida GOP's latest attack on Crist, he "can't decide whether this line of attack is more interesting for its sheer lameness or because it reflects how closely the GOP is tracking everything Crist does." "Keeping eye on Crist."

"Bought by Big Sugar"

Carl Hiaasen reminds us that, "back when he first ran for governor of Florida as a self-styled outsider, Rick Scott lambasted his opponent in the Republican primary for taking campaign money from U.S. Sugar, one of the worst corporate polluters of the Everglades."

Scott indignantly squeaked that Bill McCollum had been “bought and paid for” by U.S. Sugar. He said the company’s support of McCollum was “disgusting.”

“I can’t be bought,” Scott declared. Seriously, that’s what the man said. Stop gagging and read on.

Four years later, the governor’s re-election campaign is hungrily raking in money from U.S. Sugar, more than $534,000 so far.

Apparently this has become a secret tribal rite for some top Florida Republicans. Exposed last week by reporters Craig Pittman and Michael Van Sickler of the Tampa Bay Times, the politicians ran like jackrabbits for the hills.

Buying off politicians with hunting and fishing trips is an old tradition in Tallahassee, interrupted by the occasional embarrassing headline followed by flaccid stabs at reform.

Nobody believes the absurd GOP party line saying that the King Ranch hunting jaunts are “fundraisers.” They’re just free (or heavily discounted) vacations.

You really can’t blame Big Sugar or its lobbyists. They know who and what they’re dealing with; the only issue is the price.

The company has given more than $2.2 million to Republican candidates in the 2014 election cycle, and there’s no reason to believe it won’t get its money’s worth.

Taxpayers, not the sugar tycoons, remain stuck with most of the cost of cleaning up the Everglades. Every time someone tries to make the polluters pay a larger share, the idea gets snuffed in Tallahassee.

Meanwhile the politicians who could make it happen are partying in Texas with the polluters — shootin’ at critters, smokin’ cigars, sippin’ bourbon around the fire. Hell, maybe there’s even a steam bath.

These are the people controlling the fate of the Everglades. They’ve been bought and paid for, just like Rick Scott said four years ago. Now he’s one of them. His staff won’t say why he changed his mind about taking Big Sugar’s money.

Bondi tries to sidestep a political issue

"Florida Lawmakers’ Personal Wealth Keeps Growing."

Bondi seeks to "shelve" gay marriage as a political issue

"Attorney General Pam Bondi is asking an appeals court to put on hold two challenges to Florida's ban on same-sex marriage until the U.S. Supreme Court can rule on similar cases from other states."

But Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, said Bondi, who is running for re-election this fall, is seeking to "shelve the issue of the freedom to marry because it is increasingly inconvenient for electoral politics." Bondi has drawn heavy criticism from Democrats and gay-rights supporters for defending the same-sex marriage ban.

"The last thing Crist can afford is alienating anyone else"

Michael Mayo writes that, "given the way he's changed stripes — and positions — so frequently, you'd think Crist would be a little more humble and ingratiating when it came to the primary."

Would a token one-hour debate against Rich really have been such a burden? After all, it would have gotten Crist some free airtime in the dead summer months, a way to counteract the blitz of negative ads the Republicans are already throwing at him. And it would have sharpened his debate skills before the November main event.

Crist is counting on Democrats forgiving and forgetting by the general election, especially when they are confronted with the specter of a second Scott term. And Crist will likely trot out some heavyweights on the campaign trail before Nov. 4, including President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. (Given the president's rising unpopularity, I don't know how wise this strategy will be, particularly among Florida's large voting bloc of independents).

The Scott-Crist race is shaping up to be a hold-your-nose election, with both candidates sporting unfavorable ratings that are high and quite stinky. Nate Silver's influential FiveThirtyEight.com website did an analysis last week calling Scott-Crist "the least-liked pair of candidates in a governor's race [nationally] in the last 10 years."

Crist knows the general election is going to be all about the turnout. But in a strange race like this, voters might be more motivated to go to the polls to defeat the other party's candidate than to support their own.

Against this backdrop, the last thing Crist can afford is alienating anyone else.

The man who fancies himself "The People's Governor" should be working harder to win over his new party. Instead, Crist keeps giving off more reasons to doubt him.

Grubbing for FlaBaggers

"This should have been the best week for Jorge Bonilla’s campaign as he runs for the Republican nomination to take on Alan Grayson in November, but he was hobbled by bringing out -- and then walking back -- conservative endorsements that clashed with the leadership of the Florida GOP. "

Bonilla scored a big endorsement from conservative pundit Michelle Malkin this week. In her endorsement, Malkin talked up Bonilla, painting him in far different colors than she did Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. Malkin also called out Carol Platt, Bonilla’s main primary rival, who has been endorsed by Bush. . . .

At first the Bonilla camp heralded the endorsements, sending out a fundraising email on Wednesday quoting them. But then Platt fired back, calling for Bonilla to repudiate Malkin’s and Loesch’s comments about Bush and Rubio.

New Florida elections law

"A new Florida elections law [giving SOE's flexibility regarding early voting], and changes adopted by Miami-Dade and Broward, are intended to make things go more smoothly than two years ago." "Retooled early voting begins Monday in Miami-Dade."

"Mrs. Scott has mastered the arcane art of the vacant death stare"

Daniel Ruth: "Here's a tidbit about Florida first lady Ann Scott you might not know. She has a glare that could reduce Vladimir Putin to a whimpering puppy."

Mrs. Scott seemed somewhat taken aback when asked if is true she and her husband are vegetarians. "We eat a plant-based diet," she revealed.

This seemed odd. After all, if the governor is a vegetarian why in heaven's name would he accept an invitation to King Ranch in Texas for a secret event paid for with money from U.S. Sugar laundered through the Republican Party of Florida, all the while blasting away at unsuspecting animals he had no intention of eating?

Like her husband, Mrs. Scott has mastered the arcane art of the vacant death stare when asked a question she would rather not answer.

Could the first lady provide any more detail about which U.S. Sugar officials her husband palled around with while on his King Ranch reverie and what issues relevant to Florida agriculture and the environment they discussed?

Surely it was possible the big lug returned from Texas to regale his wife with hysterical stories about what cut-ups all those U.S. Sugar chaps can be. Again, a muted curtain descended as the first lady's flack tried to deflect questions about the King Ranch lobbyist-palooza to the governor's famously unresponsive campaign bunker.

This seemed odder still since the suddenly reticent Mrs. Scott was the closest thing to the Governor's Mansion and her husband's campaign in the room. She may be the spouse of the governor, but she is also Florida's First Campaign Operative, too. You would have had an easier time getting Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to start yammering away from the bench.

One more? Since Rick Scott had eviscerated his Republican primary opponent, Bill McCollum, four years ago as a Florida sugar industry pawn for accepting hefty campaign contributions, wasn't it just a pinch hypocritical for her husband to accept more than $500,000 from those very same special interests in 2014?

By now Mrs. Scott was in full scornful gaze mode. Elizabeth Taylor wasn't this ticked off in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, as the first lady's flack quickly ended the all too brief press availability and hustled her away.

For example, in the morning does the governor prefer orange juice or some 3-In-One Oil to keep all the internal gear-wheels properly lubricated?

After slashing environmental funding the past three years, now months before the November election the governor has pledged $1 billion for Everglades restoration and springs renewal but won't say where the money is coming from or provide any details of his plan. Is that something he discussed with the sugar industry during his clandestine King Ranch conga party?

At Scott family reunions, does the bloodline include Robby the Robot, 2001: A Space Odyssey's HAL, Ian Holm's automaton from Alien, IBM's Watson and Michael Jackson's hologram?

Although the governor says he paid his own way to the King Ranch safari to shoot all those critters just for the fun of it, who picked up the tab for his Florida Department of Law Enforcement security detail?

Scott "sees no contradiction in the positions he has taken"

"Rick Scott swept into the Governor's Mansion fueled by his scorn for President Barack Obama's health reform law. So, when Scott announced last year that he supported expanding Medicaid — a centerpiece of the Affordable Care Act — the nation was amazed."

In an interview with the Times/Herald Friday, Scott reaffirmed his support for Florida taking $51 billion in federal money to provide health insurance for up to 1 million poor Floridians. And he said he sees no contradiction in the positions he has taken.

"Corruption breeds more easily in isolated state capitals"

"A compelling new argument comes from a couple of academics, Filipe Campante of Harvard University and Quoc-Anh Do of the Institute of Political Studies in Paris: Corruption breeds more easily in isolated state capitals." "Tallahassee no longer fits as Florida's capital."

As long as the candidate is a GOPer

"Republican state Rep. Kathleen Peters was endorsed this week by the antiabortion group Florida Right to Life, which doesn't sound surprising on the surface. Except for one thing: Less than a year ago, National Right to Life labeled her a 'pro-abortion state Rep.' and claimed she had a '100% pro-abortion voting record.'" "Florida Right to Life endorses Pinellas House member once labeled 'pro-abortion'."

"Scott's campaign still can't sync up his schedule for climatologists"

Aaron Deslatte: "There is yet another policy arena in which neither of Florida's leading gubernatorial candidates seems to keep his hands clean: the environment."

Republican Gov. Rick Scott has been touring the state to promote a new environmental plan for more spending on conservation and heftier fines for polluters. This is the same man who in 2010 campaigned on deregulating development and gutting water-management districts.

Democratic rival Charlie Crist has been touting sunshine and solar power, while — the GOP has been giddy to point out — traveling with developers on planes cited for causing pollution.

"There's a distinction between the two of us running for governor," Crist told reporters last month after meeting with climate scientists in Tallahassee. "I believe in science."

The political science suggests environmentalism can be a successful wedge issue in places where climate risk is particularly acute, such as Miami, where climatologists fear sea-level rise could risk catastrophic damage during the next century. . . .

Scott has taken a beating on environmental issues this summer, from his one-time investment in a company with ties to oil drilling in the Everglades to his refusal to meet with climatologists about global warming. Despite a weeklong tour on the environment, Scott's campaign said he still couldn't sync up his schedule for climatologists who have extended him an open invitation to brief him on global warming.

Rubio dancing as fast as he can

"Buried amid widespread calls that the young migrants fleeing to the southern U.S. border be returned home is a question of fairness with a strong Florida connection: If Cubans who flee their country are welcomed, why aren't those escaping gang violence and drug trafficking? Sen. Marco Rubio says that's a valid question, even as he thinks that most of the border children should not stay."

Cubans gets privileged status under the decades-old Cuban Adjustment Act. It has caused resentment among other immigrant groups and led to abuses. Some Cubans obtain legal residency in the United States but then travel back and forth to their homeland. And there is a growing trend of Cubans' avoiding the traditional entry via water (under the "wet foot, dry foot" policy, those who are apprehended before stepping onto U.S. soil are returned) and going through Mexico.

Reuters recently reported that "more than 13,500 Cubans without the proper papers had tried to cross the southwestern U.S. border since Oct. 1, 2013, more than during all of the previous 12 months. The 12-month total was about 5,500 four years ago." They have a name: dusty-foot Cubans.