Charlie Crist is officially governor. This we know, not only by today’s inauguration but by the Web page now up for the new governor. The page has been evolving over the day from Jeb Bush’s presence to Charlie Crist’s. Still to be changed is the MyFlorida.com page that still has Jeb as governor.

From political reporter Michael Fechter: Florida Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman issued a statement this afternoon wishing Gov. Charlie Crist well in office. While Crist’s inaugural speech struck a unifying theme that “We are all Floridians,” the opposition party hopes “he is able to keep politics at arm’s length from his office.”

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink is the state’s highest ranking Democrat. Thurman called her “a leader in the effort to reduce burdensome property insurance rates” and urged Crist to work with here to return balance to state government.
“Floridians are hurting, and they need leaders - not partisans - now. There is no time to waste,” Thurman’s statement said.

From Tallahassee reporter Catherine Dolinski: Former Senate President Tom Lee of Valrico was smiling and shaking hands this morning as he made his way to his front-row seat at the swearing in of – among others – Alex Sink, the Democrat who beat Lee in the Chief Financial Officer race. 

Afterward, Lee acknowledged that the day generated “a lot of mixed emotions” for him.

“I feel really good about the decade I spent up here in public service,” he said. “Not just the opportunity to represent the people, but how I went about it, what I accomplished. You know, you just reflect on the fact the we all really are just passing through. You can’t take yourself too seriously.”

Lee has not ruled out future office, but has no such ambitions at present, he said. Asked what’s immediately in his future, he said:

“Flu shot.”

From Tallahassee reporter Catherine Dolinski: Blue skies gave way to clouds on Inauguration morning, churning an increasingly icy wind through the crowd. Children shivered; adults stared longingly at the spare few who brought hot coffee with them.

“What a wonderful day to be a Floridian,” Charlie Crist began his inauguration address, looking out at the chilled audience. “The sun shines upon our faces … pretty much ….”

Undaunted, Crist returned to the Sunshine State at the end:

“So today we begin; the sun is shining on our faces,” he said – and with a deadpan:  “You feel it?”

Advertisement