Category: Uncategorized

* Rays vice president Chaim Bloom has been with the team for 15 years and is a key reason why the Rays made the 2019 post-season with MLB’s lowest payroll. Now he’s been hired by the Red Sox, a franchise with a payroll that is nearly four times that of the Rays. The upshot is this: The Rays have succeeded because with far less money than the competition, they have had to be smarter. But then, alas, those with far more money can ultimately buy the smartest people. It’s a function of a system that has no salary cap, thus forcing teams to, in effect, play by different rules. If the Rays, for example, sign a free agent who disappoints, it’s brutally bottom-line costly. If the Red Sox, Yankees or Dodgers, for example, sign an expensive free-agent bust, it’s, well, the cost of doing business.

* “I will be buying an AR-15 tomorrow, because if you impeach MY PRESIDENT this way, YOU WILL HAVE ANOTHER CIVIL WAR!!!” This is not some despicable tweet from some stereotypically despicable Trumpster. No, this was from MLB umpire Rob Drake, whose “apology” was a blatant effort to save his job. It’s also another scary reminder of all that the “new normal” entails.

* “You can’t help but notice that there’s a boom going on in Tampa. Who would have thought it would have started with the Lightning? … It seems like every time you come, there’s something new.” That was the recent takeaway of visiting NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

* “European governments have a very low regard for Trump anyway. They know that they need to work with the United States, but it confirms to them that Trump is incapable of thinking strategically, handing victory to the Russians in Syria.”–Charles Grant, director of the Center for European Reform.

* ” The most significant long-term, geopolitical threat facing America.”–How Sen. Ted Cruz characterized China.

* “This action will prevent the Castro regime from profiting from U.S. air travel and using the revenues to repress the Cuban people.”–Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on the Trump Administration’s banning of U.S. flights to all Cuban cities except Havana.

* “With Nancy Pelosi’s dressing-down of Trump at that White House meeting, her weekend trip abroad (to Jordan and Afghanistan) and her highly visible oversight of the impeachment process in the House, a first-time visitor to the capital might conclude that she is shaping events while Trump just thrashes around.”–Eugene Robinson, Washington Post.

* “You don’t hold up foreign aid that we had previously appropriated for a political initiative. Period.”–Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

* “I really try very hard to be super ethical and always legal. But I can’t publicly defend everything I do because I’m presumed guilty. If I did, my business and firm would be unable to have any clients.”–Rudy Giuliani, President Trump’s personal lawyer.

* “If we are not the champions of the good and the right, then who will follow us? And if no one follows us–where will the world end up?”–Retired Navy Admiral William H. McRaven, former commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command.

* “The only person in the military Mr. Trump does not feel is ‘overrated’: That’s Colonel Sanders.”–Former Defense Secretary–and retired four-star Marine general–Jim Mattis.

* “Today’s Republican leaders, with the vehement support of their base, have threatened the autonomy of the federal and state judiciary, treated intelligence and law-enforcement agencies as instruments of the ‘deep state,’ attacked the press and pulled down the empire of science, reason and fact into the mire of ‘fake news.'”–James Traub, author of “What Was Liberalism? The Past, Present and Promise of a Nobel Ideal.”

* “We’ve had enough of Adam Schiff running this Soviet-style star chamber, because only in the Soviet Union would you have a process where they are trying to impeach a duly elected president in secret, behind closed doors.”–House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La.

* “Next year’s election should be about Trump’s betrayal of his oath of office. Realistically, however, it also matters that the economy probably won’t be his friend.”–Paul Krugman, New York Times.

* “Take a colossally ignorant and incurious man in decline, have him divide his working hours between Fox News and golf, and then give him the nuke codes.”–Willamette University American History Professor Seth Cotlar.

* “(Facebook’s) algorithms favor the echo chamber, backing a user’s bias.”–Timothy Egan, New York Times.

* “This is positive news for both sides of Tampa Bay. … Reconstructing this interchange will be a boon to commerce and make life easier for residents and visitors. The future of St. Pete and Tampa has never been brighter.”–St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, on announced state plans for a $1.4 billion rebuild of the West Shore interchange.

* “This (Hillsborough) is no longer the county we turned red in 2000.”–Republican donor and political adviser Sam Rashid.

* “The most Democratic of Republicans.”–How Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister describes his politics.

* “This is just the first year of the 30-year tax. If you can imagine 30 years from now, it’s going to be like the Jetsons. It’s going to be wonderful.”–Jean Duncan, Tampa’s director of transportation, on Hillsborough County’s new transportation tax–provided the Florida Supreme Court permits it.

* “We’re much more aware of how we police.”–Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan, on the steep decline in racially-skewed stops and citations for bicycle violations.

* “Anyone who wants to assist Syria in protecting the Kurds is good with me, whether it is Russia, China or Napoleon Bonaparte.” President Trump’s inimitable response to critics who say his Syria withdrawal amounts to a betrayal of the Kurds while accommodating Russia and Iran.

* Too bad there is no Kurdistan. The U.S. could use a reliable, Middle East nation-state ally. The Kurds were actually promised a state after the Ottoman Empire collapsed in World War I. Obviously, it never happened. Wonder if Trump knows that?

* “Who Can Trust Trump’s America?” That’s the question asked on the cover of the latest issue of The Economist magazine.

* Trump’s foreign policy: sanctions and tariffs. Next question.

* We know that ambassadorships can be a reward for hefty political contributions. But it’s more likely to be Guinea-Bissau than Great Britain. Some assignments are too important–even for party political payback. Which brings us to Gordon Sondland, whose $1 million donation to Trump’s inaugural resulted in Sondland becoming America’s ambassador to the European Union. That would not have been for sale if Europe were still a Trump Administration priority. And speaking of priorities, there was Sondland, America’s representative to Brussels, working behind the scenes in Ukraine as Rudy Giuliani’s accomplice and enabler. No wonder State Department professionals are embarrassed and appalled about America’s international decision-makers and the accompanying, alarming ramifications.

* Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s acting chief of staff, acted more like Sean Spicer the other day with his flummoxed parsing of “quid pro quo.” But it did briefly divert attention from his imperious “get over it” directive to journalists. “Elections have consequences.” Then he did a  “clarification.” Professional spokespeople shouldn’t need instant, CYA mulligans. The next day, amid a walkback of Trump’s self-serving plan to host the next G-7 summit at his financially-struggling Doral resort, Mulvaney acknowledged that Trump still thinks of himself, emolument scenarios notwithstanding, as working in the “hospitality business.” Think Don Jr. and Eric didn’t already know that?

But, no, don’t look for Mulvaney on “Dancing With the Stars.”

* Trump continues to disparage former Defense Secretary James Mattis for being “overrated.” By whom? The one who nominated him? And, yes, Trump no longer refers to him as “Mad Dog,” which makes him sound like a tough guy who doesn’t respect a chaotic, isolationist, bone-spurs president.

* “I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.”–That’s William Taylor, acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, foregoing typical diplomatic rhetoric.

* Alas, Facebook’s fact-checking rules do not apply to political ads. As a result, candidates can spread misleading–or worse–claims. Basically, that means the Trump campaign can show ads that traditional TV networks have declined to air.

* Two-term Florida Republican Congressman Francis Rooney made news lately with his declaration that he was open to presidential impeachment. Good. So much rides on a constitutional reset and the removal of this existential threat. Then Rooney announces that he will be retiring at the end of his term. Not good. “The system we have now, which would probably disappoint our founders, is so oriented toward re-election, raising money. … Everybody is quaking in fear of being criticized by the president,” explained Rooney.

Sorry, Congressman, but as someone who sees what is happening to our democracy through a relatively non-partisan lens, you have to do more than further disappoint our founders. It’s not enough for you or Jeff Flake to publicly call out this president–and then walk away from doing more with your statewide and national forums because your gutsy stands will likely get you primaried in your (Fort Myers-Naples-Marco Island ) Trump-friendly district. It’s got to be country first, something our founders would emphatically endorse. 

* It goes without saying that this president is without precedent. George W. Bush, upon reflection, has never seemed so prudent and prepared.

But American fissures have broadened into serious societal fault lines before. Here’s a Henry Kissinger take on a previously combustible era a lot of us lived through. “Perhaps the most serious, surely the most hurtful, domino which fell as a result of the Vietnam War was the cohesion of American society.”

Only this time the cohesion-cratering context is a perfect storm. Start with an unfit, pathologically dangerous, authoritarian president who demonizes non-supplicant media; fuels the fires of white nationalism; emboldens adversaries that attack our electoral system; and ignorantly and arrogantly retreats from global commitments. One who gets along a lot better with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un than Justin Trudeau and Angela Merkle. Then add an under-informed and under assault electorate that is easily manipulated by social media and cherry-picked talking heads. With 65 million followers, Trump has weaponized Twitter.

Some dominoes are easier to recover from than others.

* Trump-benefiting, Russian meddling in the 2016 election–sowing division and peeling off key Democratic votes from Trump’s opponent–is a given everywhere outside the Oval Orifice.   That’s because Trump needed separation from Vlad Putin, his handler and Helsinki helper. He also needed vanity-driven distance from insinuations that his presidency might be less than electorally valid. That’s a familiar story line, but now we have an unexpected, updated 2020 variation of the Russian theme.

It’s being aired out by, yes, Hillary Clinton, who knows a thing or two about Russian interference and influence in American presidential elections. “I’m not making any predictions, but I think (the Russians) have got their eye on someone who’s currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming HER to be the third-party candidate,” coyly noted Clinton. “SHE’s the favorite of the Russians. They have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far.” Clinton didn’t actually name that female candidate, but no one thought she was referring to Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar or even Marianne Williamson.

Which leaves: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who responded like someone who had just been targeted as a Putin enabler. “Thank you @ Hillary Clinton. You, the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long, have finally come out from behind the curtain.” That’s not typically how a presidential candidate talks about the party’s most recent nominee. That can’t be helpful.

* Mayor Pete Buttigieg hit the media triad last Sunday with appearances on “Fox News Sunday” CNN’s “State of the Union” and NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

* “I am more than ready to assume the office of president of the United States. … To put it bluntly, I’m back.”–Sen. Bernie Sanders.

* “My son’s statement speaks for itself.”–Joe Biden’s Hunter statement that speaks volumes.

* “He has committed crimes in plain sight. As a former prosecutor, I know a confession when I see it”–Sen. Kamala Harris.

We’re all familiar with the Tip O’Neill-associated, political aphorism that “all politics are local.”  We get it. Let’s not, for example, drag Washington and the White House into the untidy, sometimes turbulent, milieu of local elected officials addressing local issues. Whether the president is Clinton or Bush or Obama, it doesn’t matter. And had it been Gore or Kerry or McCain or Romney, it wouldn’t have mattered. But, alas, a President Trump matters. Mightily.

It matters because an unhinged, unprepared avatar of narcissism and chaos–with a high-profile track record of immoral and unethical behavior preceding him–reflects unflatteringly on those who supported–and voted for–Trump. It means they philosophically supported what he said he stood for–from “The Wall” underwriting to climate change to the “fake news” media to unworthy allies–or were just duped into following–and channeling–the Rev. Jim Jones of “populist” presidential politics.

We’ve seen examples of Tampa Bay mayoral candidates who have acknowledged having voted for Trump, and now we have a St. Petersburg City Council member, Ed Montanari, at the center of attention and controversy for having admitted to voting for the authoritarian-in-chief.

The unprecedented bottom line is this: If local candidates voted for Trump, they have revealed something that voters need to know–and need to be concerned with. Even in a non-partisan city council race. That’s because it says something very concerning about candidates’ values and judgment. It means they were all in with getting a reality-TV charlatan and faux populist whose “ideology” belonged on a baseball cap. Or maybe it was Trump’s bullying, “tell-it-like-it is” anti-establishment manner that sounded like a favorite drunk at “last call.” Or maybe it was just a matter of fealty to a cult leader.

Sorry, Ed, but Trump support should be disqualifying. But learn from it, distance yourself from this con-man threat, speak out against his re-election and no longer enable those who want to “Make America Grieve Again.”

Now that the Washington Nationals,managed by former Joe Maddon bench coach Davey Martinez, have made it to the World Series against the Houston Astros, it leaves only one MLB franchise–theSeattle Mariners–without a WS appearance. But Lou Piniella already knew that.

* “Saudi Arabia appreciates Russia’s active role in this region and in the world.”–Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

* “In recent years, the quality of our relations has changed dramatically. We consider Saudi Arabia a friendly nation.”–Russian President Vladimir Putin.

* “It is chaos. The region is in chaos because the hegemonic power does not seem to know what it wants to do, and so nobody else does.”–Michael Stephens, of the Royal United Services Institute in London, on the impact of U.S. policy zigzags on the Mideast.

* “There is a cease-fire or a pause or whatever you want to call it.”–President Donald Trump.

* “It’s not our border.”–Donald Trump.

* “Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool.”–Excerpt from Trump’s letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

* “Withdrawing U.S. forces from Syria is a grave strategic mistake.”–Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

* “Therefore, based on both Media & Democrat Crazed and Irrational Hostility, we will no longer consider Trump National Doral, Miami, as the Host Site for the G-7 in 2020.”–Donald Trump.

* “When the president does it, that means it’s not illegal.”–Former President Richard Nixon.

* “Even in our currently polarized nation, it’s my hope that the facts will win the day. That the truth will always matter. That journalism and journalists will thrive.  I’m Shepherd Smith, Fox News, New York.”–How Shepherd Smith, a Fox News anchor for more than two decades who had been increasingly tough in his White House coverage, signed off–permanently–two weeks ago.

* “The (impeachment vote) timeline will depend on the truth line.”–House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

* “As Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, he showed us all not only the importance of checks and balances within our democracy, but also the necessity of good people stewarding it.”–Former President Barack Obama, on the death of Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.

* “There’s an algorithmic bias that inherently benefits hate and negativity and anger.”–Digital strategist Shomik Dutta.

* “Trump’s disparagement of the press has infected not only American society but anti-press forces around the world.”–Margaret Sullivan, Washington Post.

*  “I’m not just an overrated general. I’m the most overrated general. I’m honored to be considered that by Donald Trump, because he also called Meryl Streep an overrated actress. So I guess I’m the Meryl Streep of generals, and frankly that sounds pretty good to me.”–Former Defense Secretary James Mattis.

* “Ukrainian businessmen don’t give the governor $50,000 because they support his Everglades policy. … This begs further inquiry.”–Former Republican Congressman David Jolly, in reference to the donation to Gov. Ron DeSantis by Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas, the Soviet-born businessmen and Rudy Giuliani associates indicted on charges of interfering in U.S. elections.

* “We’re going to be thorough in our investigation, and we will hold accountable any companies that are intentionally targeting and misleading our youth regarding vaping products.”–State Attorney General Ashley Moody, in response to youth vaping rates that have soared–as have cases of lung illnesses tied to the practice.

* “Florida … cannot deny restoration of a felon’s right to vote solely because the felon does not have the financial resources to pay the other financial obligations.”–U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle.

* “This (Hillsborough) is no longer the county we turned red in 2000.”–Republican donor and political adviser Sam Rashid.

* “The most Democratic of Republicans. A hybrid of both parties.”–How Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister describes his politics.

* “That sort of gives me a different perspective. I’m able to look at things from a different angle. And what I hope is to sort of bring the best out of people and help WMNF achieve its goals.”–Rick Fernandes, the new general manager of WMNF, referencing a background that includes working with both nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

* “We … believe there exists compelling prima facie evidence that President Donald Trump has committed impeachable offenses.”–No, that’s not partisan-speak from Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, “Squad” members or Democratic presidential candidates. It’s part of a sobering, pro-impeachment statement, co-signed by 17 former members, Dems and GOPsters, of the special prosecutor team that investigated Watergate.

* “Tell the truth, I think, for a change.”–Former President Jimmy Carter, when asked what advice he would give President Donald Trump. Not normally the way a former president would talk about one of his successors. But nothing is normal now.

* Trump nuance update: “They didn’t help us in the Second World War. They didn’t help us with Normandy.” That’s vintage Trump on how he ignorantly rationalized America’s abandonment of the Kurds, our erstwhile Middle East ally. In so doing, he made the elimination of ISIS less than a fait accompli and sent an un-nuanced signal that the U.S. is not to be relied on unless you’re Vlad Putin. Even Bibi Netanyahu must be concerned.

* Trump nuance update II : “From the day I announced I was running for President, I have NEVER had a good @FoxNews Poll. Whoever their pollster is, they suck.”

* Trump nuance update III: “(Democrats) want to raid Medicare to fund a thing called socialism.”

* Most GOPsters fear being “primaried” if they go off the Trump reservation, but there is an uptick against Trump over the Kurds and what’s unraveling in Syria. Even supplicant Sen. Lindsey Graham is willing to jeopardize his golf rounds with Trump with high-profile criticism.

* Would that the (YouTube-available) video featuring a fake President Trump brutally assaulting political opponents and members of the media inside the “Church of Fake News” were as shocking as it was disgusting and disturbing. Nothing, no matter how inflammatory and dangerous, is a shock anymore.

* We are reminded daily of two constitutional phrasings that have caused endless, unintended consequences as well as food for thoughtless partisans. “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state …” still hovers ambiguously over 21st century, Second Amendment right-to-bear-arms context like some grammatically awkward artifact. Then there’s “high crimes and misdemeanors.” It was meant to accord Congress impeachment discretion. In addition, it accords Congress, as we are being reminded, a partisan rationale.

As we know, presidential impeachments are rare, and actual convictions nonexistent. But over the years, about half of Senate impeachment trials have resulted in a federal official being convicted and removed from office.

* Note to President Trump on sending an additional 3,000 American troops to Saudi Arabia. Read the minutes of previous meetings. A key motivator for Osama bin Laden and the 9/11 hijackers was the U.S. troop presence that remained in Saudi Arabia after the Gulf War. To the most radical elements, this was considered an “occupation” of Islam’s holiest land, home to Mecca, and further fueled the rage against Western “infidels.”

* The next “Cold War” would be with China. From intellectual-property connivance and currency manipulation to South China Sea aggressiveness and self-serving, global-infrastructure scenarios, it’s been game on for a while. But this is not like dealing with the old Soviet Union–or even contemporary Islamic militarism. We’ve got stuff in common with China besides pragmatic trade synergy. For all of our ideological differences, including censorship and protest rights, we both have a special place for billionaires and basketball.

* Lights, cameras, talking points and posturing. Twelve candidates on stage for a “debate” is oxymoronic.

* If the impeachment process gets as far as the judge-and-jury Senate, look for Sen. Kamala Harris to make her closing argument for why she should have been the Democrats’ presidential nominee.

* It’s not unfair “ageism,” to cast doubt on a 78-year-old presidential candidate coming off a heart attack. Bernie Sanders, well off the record, would likely agree–in terms of what’s best for the country and for his own health in the uber-stressful process that is the unfolding 2020 campaign. But what Sanders can’t do is hang on too long and too loudly, such that too many of his dejected and disillusioned far-left supporters reprise 2016. Just ask Hillary Clinton.

Septuagenarian candidates are also reminders that the vice presidential choice has to be Oval Office ready, not just a standard, politically-strategic fit. Even Sarah Palin might agree. Might.  In fact, a 70-something presidential nominee should be open to the prospect of a one-term reset of what America stands fervently for and adamantly against–and then revitalization follow-up by the incumbent vice president, who did more than balance a ticket.

* Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has raised a few Democratic–and Republican–brows with frequent drop bys on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show. She’s an Iraq war veteran with an antipathy toward a “world’s policeman” role for the U.S. Gabbard’s isolationist foreign policy views resonate with many–including on the right–including the occupant of the Oval Orifice. Last electoral cycle she endorsed Bernie Sanders–not Hillary Clinton.

* One sign of a candidate’s campaign confidence and expected longevity is the number of campaign field offices operating in the first four primary states. To date, the leaders are Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg.

So, St. Petersburg is moving forward on e-scooters, and we could see them in the mobility mix next year. Here’s hoping that St. Pete rethinks and scoots around this commitment, even with restrictions. We all know the gut issue–and it’s not non-hipster types who are too easily annoyed. It’s safety; its jeopardy is a function of carelessness, cluelessness and coolness, the perfect storm of scooter reality in notorious, traffic-challenged cities such as St. Pete and Tampa.

We also know what it’s going to take to change the minds of elected decision-makers. What ultimately awaits is a tragedy borne of too many vehicles, too many pedestrians and too little attention paid to rules of the road that, yes, still apply. The media coverage, likely more than local, will be over the top. St. Pete will look negligent and Visit Tampa Bay will cringe. The post-mortem rehashes will spotlight sorrow, outrage and recriminations–not hipness.