- Last week at the Tampa Convention Center, this city hosted one of the 14 “Women for Trump” rallies across the country. How embarrassing, how unfathomably stupid and how obvious that the Tampa rally would be the one that would feature two prominent Trump harlot-enablers, Kellyanne Conway and Pam Bondi. Florida is that important; the I-4 Corridor is that important; and Tampa, an I-4 anchor, is that important. So important, in fact, that Donald Trump actually called in to remind participants, notably important white women, that “We won with women. We’re doing great with women, despite the fake news.”
Indeed, Trump did inexplicably well with white women in 2016. But that demographic was more helpful to Democrats in 2018. That’s why the national rallies and the Conway-Bondi show in Tampa. But demographic politics notwithstanding, nothing should excuse—or even explain—a “Women for Trump” rally. It’s makes as much sense as “Jews & Gypsies for Hitler,” “Blacks for Jesse Helms” or “Migrants for Joe Arpaio.”
- Looks like the Cross-Bay Ferry will be back crossing the bay. It’s a welcome scenario, even if it’s not meaningful mass transit in a bay-and-channel-centric market. At the very least, it helps promote the downtowns of Tampa and St. Petersburg, and at the most it’s an ongoing reminder of a common-sense alternative to driving everywhere.
- No surprise that customer-service-oriented businesses, including around here, are open to the idea of training personnel to better serve LGBTQ customers. For example, look for more couples being addressed as “folks” and “friends”—as opposed to “ladies” and “gentlemen.” It’s sensitive and inclusive—and smart. The LGBTQ customer buying power is nearly $1 trillion.
But you know what still sounds weird? When you’re on that special, heterosexually-traditional, dinner date and your server (no longer a “waiter” or “waitress”) greets you with: “So, how’s it going, guys, what can I get ya?” A romantic reset.