Presidential candidates took turns lambasting an unpopular war, a flagging economy and a controversial president. In Washington, a sitting Republican president urged the faithful to circle the wagons; in Florida, partisans swore that the president was as dangerous as his vice president was loony. The field included a woman, who was black, and a fiery populist. ...more

June 22, 2008

Although I was invited to see Sen. Barack Obama last week at his campaign rally in Tampa, I decided not to go because I didn't want to jinx him. ...more

May 25, 2008

So the buzz is that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is visiting Sen. John McCain's ranch in Arizona this weekend for some sort of vice presidential tryout, which got us thinking about the image of Crist in those second-in-command shoes. ...more

May 25, 2008

Until now, Shirley Morgan had always been the kind of voter the Republican Party thought it could count on. She comes from a family of staunch Republicans, has a son in the military and has supported Republican presidential candidates ever since she cast her first ballot, for Richard Nixon in 1972. ...more

May 3, 2008

After "Kaiser Bill's" U-boat sank the Lusitania, Woodrow Wilson still pursued appeasement tactics. National outrage compelled him to declare war on Germany. Warren G. Harding's patronage appointments embroiled him in the Teapot Dome scandal and his death from food poisoning under unclear circumstances. Herbert Hoover vetoed bills to provide employment during the Great Depression, also efforts to fund public works. ...more

May 2, 2008

Paul A. Miller's scrapbooks overflowed with photos of future presidents, Supreme Court justices and a gorilla named "Joe." ...more

January 31, 2008

In the annals of "Boy, what the ^%$#@ was I thinking?" this probably ranks up there with Nick Nolte saying, "Sure, I'll have one more for the road," and Richard Nixon musing, "An Oval Office taping system, what a great idea!" ...more

January 24, 2008

Last week, when Gov. Charlie Crist was inducted into the Florida Wildlife Federation Conservation Hall of Fame, he told the audience that his environmental activism should not be considered unusual for a Republican. ...more

January 23, 2008

John Edwards and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton criticized Sen. Barack Obama's praise of former President Reagan - an anathema for many Democrats, particularly union members considered crucial to winning Nevada's Democratic caucuses today. ...more

January 19, 2008

Johnny Grant, the avuncular honorary mayor of Hollywood who traveled the world as Tinseltown's No. 1 cheerleader for more than a half-century, has died. He was 84. ...more

January 13, 2008