Nothing New

It’s been well documented that the turnout in the last election was deplorable. District 7, for example, didn’t even break double figures. New Tampa, the more affluent part of District 7, topped out at 11 per cent.

And there’s no reason to think it will change in New Tampa. Not even a candidate, Joseph Caetano, who raised the issue of “de-annexation” could motivate voters. The very ones, mind you, who make no secret that they neither identify with the city – nor much care for being part of it.

From Green Tea Peels to Zumba

Time was when going to a health club meant little more than an exercise in pedaling a stationary bike, lifting weights and looking for a spotter. Fast forward a generation. The fitness business is now a hyper-competitive, often glitzy, $15-billion industry.

It’s not enough to have the latest equipment, lots of televisions, a sauna, group-exercise classes, tanning booths, a host of personal trainers, a child-care facility, apparel lines, member-appreciation-day treats and, increasingly, 24-hour access.

Exhibit A could be Tampa Bay Health & Fitness in north Tampa. It incorporates the Giovane Institute/Clinic Med Spa within a traditional club framework. Under one roof, members are pumping iron, boxing (in an actual ring) and undergoing botox treatments, laser hair removal, vaser hormone therapy and mesotherapy for fat and cellulite reduction.

Another hybrid facility is Tampa’s toney Harbour Island Athletic Club & Spa. World class (clay) tennis courts as well as facilities for basketball, racquetball and squash. Plus a swimming pool, a well-provisioned café and a spa that features Sonya Dakar skin treatments. From treadmills and Cybex machines to green tea peels and “Visualift” eye treatment.

And for those just wanting something more exotic than, say, Pilates, there’s the popular salsa class at The Athletic Club in Brandon or “urban rebounding,” which incorporates contemporary music and a trampoline, featured at any of the Bally Total Fitness Clubs. A number of fitness centers now offer “Zumba” classes, a combination of aerobics and a fusion of Latin and other international music. It may be the hottest trend in group fitness. Shapes Total Fitness even has a “Zumba Gold” program for seniors.

And while music is a given, the way it’s programmed is key. For example, it will differ according to the time of day and location – for Lifestyle Family Fitness members. Those frequenting the Sarasota and Seminole clubs are likely to hear “Oldies” early in the day, because the demographic skews older. At Lifestyle’s Hyde Park facility in Tampa, the youngest membership of its 29 Florida venues, the music is urban and up-tempo all day.

Profile in Common Sense

Here we go – yet – again.

Earlier this month Iyad Abuhajjaj, 36, a Palestinian who lives in California, was detained — and ultimately arrested — in Tampa after deplaning a Southwest Airlines flight from Phoenix.

Seems that on his laptop he was watching scenes of interrogations – and gruesome torture – of terrorism suspects. Both English and Arabic were being spoken. It spooked some passengers, a flap ensued with a flight attendant and he was eventually held without bail in the Hillsborough County jail.

It turns out that those scenes were from a movie, “The Strange Case of Salman abd al Haqq,” he’d been filming with some university students.

He took considerable umbrage over the incident and suspects he was singled out because of his ethnic background and thick accent.

Of course he was.

Common sense and post 9/11 reality would predispose anyone to look askance at a young Arabic male watching terrorist-interrogation torture scenes at 30,000 feet. And, no, there’s no need to apologize over rational suspicions or to feel like stereotype-stalking, ethnocentric Nazis. If anyone should apologize, it’s Abuhajjaj.

But he’ll have to issue that from the Hillsborough County jail. There was an outstanding warrant out for his arrest stemming from accusations of a death-threat and Internet-account misuse. “The Strange Case of Iyad Abuhajjaj” continues.

City Elections: (Some Of) The People Have Spoken

The people have spoken. Well, at least 15.6 per cent of the people. That was the percentage of the electorate who troubled themselves to vote last week in the races for mayor and city council.

Sure, it’s an off-year and the top of the ticket didn’t even feature a competitive mayor’s race – but 15.6 per cent?

As to the other 84.4 per cent, we don’t want to hear from you. You’re a large part of the problem. Your abdication from responsibility debases democracy, unless we all agree to redefine it as motivated-minority rules. The idealistic, the pragmatic, the purely habitual and the narrowly self-interested determine elections. In this case, about one in six registered voters.

A final point. To lazy non-voters: shame on you. To clueless non-voters: thanks.

*Retail politics? It used to be that at the ultimate, grass-roots local level, politics was decidedly different. It was certainly the case in Tampa. By charter, party affiliations were not determinative, fund-raising was reasonable and negative ads were rare.

Those were the days.

It was obvious that partisan politics was driving some races. In District 4, for example, rookie candidate Julie Brown became the fan favorite of builders and developers and her consultants were Republican regulars. The Brown-John Dingfelder race was only “non-partisan” to those not privy to the party-line winking and nodding.

District 2 clearly matched the Republican Shawn Harrison and the Democrat Mary Mulhern. After the latter’s upset win, her campaign manager, Mitch Kates, underscored Tampa’s realpolitik. “This race was a partisan race, but as far as I’m concerned, this is the new Democratic team and the new Democratic Party,” he said. “And folks around here better start getting used to this because we know how to win, we know how to organize, and we know how to spend our money wisely.”

City councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena, who had no opposition in District 3, regularly implored voters to elect “progressives” to the council. That was transparent code for fellow Democrats Mulhern and Dingfelder.

Defeated city council (District 2) candidate Shawn Harrison raised a record-setting $215,000. Incumbent winner Dingfelder and challenger Brown each raised about $150,000 in their District 4 race. Even Charlie Miranda, who had token competition in District 6 from Lisa Tamargo, raised more than $100,000. (Mayor Pam Iorio raised about $123,000.)

The upshot is that Dingfelder announced on election night that he would be making a motion at city council to reform campaign financing for city elections. Florida law caps contributions from individuals and organizations at $500. He would limit it to $100. He’s also pondering what might be done to at least rein in the third-party, soft- money 527s as well.

“We’ll see what legal has to say,” says Dingfelder. “This election was a wake-up call for me. We need to clamp down on this and bring some sanity back. And, who knows, maybe some other cities might want to jump in too.”

But first things first. Campaign-finance reform should be a political winner. But not all candidates — or would-be candidates — agree it’s a swell idea to limit the name-recognition-enhancing, get-your-message-out money that supporters can bestow.

The final fortnight of the District 4 race turned noticeably mean-spirited. On behalf of the Brown campaign, Election Watch Florida, an independent electioneering committee, skewered Dingfelder in a series of (“DING’FELDER FOLLIES”) mailings impugning his character and priorities and even distorting his facial features.

It likely backfired.

At the ultimate retail level — city council — voters can actually know their incumbents. If an attack ad doesn’t ring true, it could be counterproductive — not just ineffective.

“As a wife, it was devastating to read that,” says Lynn Marvin Dingfelder, who is also the candidate’s campaign manager. “That’s not John. I was nauseous for days. We didn’t expect it – all that 527 stuff.

“This district is all about neighborhoods,” she points out. “It’s like insulting the family. I think it hurt her, and I think it reinforced a principle about what people will tolerate with local grass roots politics.”

*The rule of thumb is that District 4 voters will turn out in numbers greater than any other district. This was borne out again. The turnout: 21%. Still a disgrace.

*There was little question that New Tampa’s Shawn Harrison, term-limited in District 7, would have used the citywide District 2 seat as a pivot point for a run at the Mayor’s office in 2011. So much for that seamless scenario. Shows you what $215,000 doesn’t buy.

*To anyone watching any of the public forums — or noting the endorsements of both the St. Petersburg Times and the Tampa Tribune — the biggest surprise in the District 1 results had to be that Randy Baron fared so poorly. Not making the March 27 run-off had to be disappointing. But finishing last in a relatively undistinguished field of six?

*Now District 1 features the political junkie’s supposed dream: strip-club icon Joe Redner, 66, squaring off with current city council chairwoman Gwen Miller, 72.

Memo to Redner:

Demand a debate. Maybe more than one. Your opponent has been given a minority pass for 12 years, getting by as the nice, quiet lady of inclusion who listens. This is euphemistic, political-speak for lightweight who still hasn’t mastered subject-verb agreement. Nobody will say it on the record, but Miller as city council chairwoman is an embarrassment for a city of Tampa’s stature.

It may be too late in life, but limit if not eliminate the attitude. You’re more than conversant on the big issues, so come across as knowledgeable about the environment, mass transit, property taxes and growth paying for itself – not as a dismissive smart ass. Don’t berate; don’t belittle. Don’t act like the millionaire renegade with nothing to lose except a seventh try at public office. In fact, you do have something to lose: the sort of legitimacy that your money has never been able to buy you.

And, yes, it will be especially challenging when the inevitable question arises about your adult-club background. Take a deep breath, especially if a panelist just implied that you and Luke Lirot pervert the First Amendment. And remember this is not an imposition-of-morality issue. But, yes, it is a priority and (legal) cost issue.

And, yes, it is also a quality-of-life issue. Sorry, but even consenting adults don’t want a Mons Venus in THEIR neighborhood.

Lose the pony tail; this isn’t a beach community. Even with a coat and tie, it’s the look of the bohemian, the aging hipster, the provocateur. A candidate’s debate is manifestly mainstream stuff. Image, as you know, matters.

*Imagine, another 90 votes and Charles Perkins (31 per cent) would have made the run-off in District 7. Sad commentary when no public-forum appearances and no discernible aptitude for public office is no problem. Was there that much nostalgia for “White Chocolate”or was this the practical-joke vote?

Tates’ New Digs

We all like a feel-good story, and that new Davis Islands’ house for Tom and Cynthia Tate and family — courtesy of “Extreme Makeover: Home Addition” — was just that. Last week’s ABC telecast showcased their new house – and new beginning.

Some postmortems:

*Obviously, host Ty Pennington, he of the over-the-top personality and megaphoney histrionics, comes with the deal.

*The obeisant ABC affiliate, WFTS, didn’t disappoint. Channel 28 milked it for an extra hour before the national broadcast. Nobody does soft news and fawning, network teases like WFTS.

*The Tates and their kids seemed like genuinely nice people. Good for them.

*Wouldn’t you like to see the punch-list after a whirlwind, one-week construction of a 3,500-square-foot, two-story, four-bedroom house with a pool and guest suite?

Politics: The Good, The Bad and The Butt Ugly

Imagine, it’s barely March — of 2007 — and the calculating positions, ratcheting rhetoric, rapacious fund-raising and saturating media coverage associated with presidential campaigns have been underway for months. “Hillary vs. Obama.” “Mitt and the Mormons.” “America’s Mayor’s Multiple Marriages.” “The Maverick and the Evangelicals.” “The Inconvenient Candidate.” “Brownback vs. Brokeback.”

And then imagine this: All the self-serving spin, all the special-interest warcraft, all the tabloid headlines — and this is as high-minded as it will get. Enjoy the respite.

For those wanting perspective on the permanent campaign cycle that is American presidential politics and an informed look at those who package and manipulate America’s candidates, check out Joe Klein’s year-old “Politics Lost: How American Democracy Was Trivialized By People Who Think You’re Stupid.” Author/columnist Klein is one of the more astute observers of the body politic and those who pander to it. He pulls no punches about anything – from both major political parties to the media. And he names names. There’s a reason why cable-news talking head and consultant to presidential also-rans Bob Shrum won’t return his calls.

“Polling has replaced thinking and feeling, and not just for politicians,” posits Klein. “Political journalism, especially on television, has become little more than the slavish devotion to polls.

“We are drifting,” says Klein, “toward a flaccid, hollowed-out democracy where honest debate is impossible – a democracy without citizenship.”

He also includes a piece of advice that all politicians – and probably CEOs and university presidents — ignore at their own peril.

“Given the immense power and authority of the hired guns – the pollsters, strategists and ad makers – no politician should ever go to battle without a ‘better angel’ at his or her side,” advises Klein.

Basically someone to ride herd on those hired guns and their formulaic battle plans. Someone to tell the candidate what he or she needs to hear – the good, the bad and the butt ugly.

Ronald Reagan, for example, had folks in his inner campaign circle who ultimately prevailed and allowed “Reagan to be Reagan.” Al Gore wasn’t so fortunate.

Clinton Breaks Even

You win some; you lose some. Sen. Hillary Clinton has already seen her share.

A fortnight ago she was trashed by David Geffen, the Hollywood mogul and erstwhile supporter, who took shots at the Clinton “machine” that can be merciless in its payback. What riveted the public’s attention, however, was Geffen’s characterization of the Clintons as infamously veracity challenged. “Everybody in politics lies,” assessed Geffen, “but they do it with such ease, it’s troubling.”

It certainly troubled the Clinton machine. Some verbal jousting with the Barack Obama campaign resulted, which only served to give the Clinton-character issue more news-cycle legs.

Arguably, however, this embarrassing flap was more than offset by the syndicated comments of conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks, hardly a Clinton water-carrier. He put her support for the Iraq war in context. There’s no need to apologize, stated Brooks, so the Liberal wing of the Democratic Party needs to get off her case.

Brooks wondered if those calling on Clinton to apologize actually had read her remarks during the war resolution debate in October 2002, when she “specifically rejected a pre-emptive, unilateral attack on Saddam.”

Sure, she was triangulating, but it can’t be ignored, underscored Brooks, that Clinton wanted “more U.N. resolutions, more inspections, more diplomacy, with the threat of force reserved as a last resort

GOP Candidates: Follow Charlie Crist

Here’s a suggestion for the Republican Party presidential front-runners as they travel the pre-primary highway. Look through the windshield, not the rear view mirror. Whatever chance the GOP has to hold on to the presidency in 2008 will not be improved by its best candidates nuancing values and kissing up to social conservatives. And when it comes to delegate-endowed Florida, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney need to reference the Charlie Crist strategy — tacking toward the center — not reread the Book of Bush.

And if the (Rev.) Jerry Falwells and James (Focus on the Family) Dobsons feel marginalized, so be it. The Party of Pelosi is still no viable alternative for their fundamentalist acolytes.

What Voters Need To Hear

Here’s another suggestion. To separate from the pack, presidential candidates might consider going refreshingly candid and saying, in effect: “Of course, health care, education and jobs are important. They’re always important.

“But everything, ultimately, is moot if we don’t soon figure out our place on this planet. Do we remain a Brobdinagian misfit perversely accommodating those who misread, misunderstand or just flat-out hate us? We can, of course, continue to blame craven “Old Europe,” the feckless United Nations and mutant Muslims, but we can’t pre-empt everything and everybody.

“On September 12, 2001, we had most of the world with us. Then we lost the moral high ground. That’s the real tragedy. And we’re no safer for our poorly planned, occupational response. Bravery and heroism are not synonyms for intelligence and enlightened self interest.

“We still ask nothing of Americans – except our military families. As a result, our foreign policy is still largely oil driven. As a further result, we’re still in bed with autocrats and dictators worse than Fidel Castro. It makes the spreading of democracy, still a work in voting-inertia progress here at home, look hypocritical.

“And the 45-year-old, Cold War-era, economic-and-travel embargo against Cuba just reminds the rest of the world — at the worst possible time — that the U.S. can be petty, arrogant and inhumane. This counterproductive policy has got to go. Now.

“Until we address all this — and actually talk (which doesn’t mean appeasement) to everyone that impacts us — we’re fooling ourselves with business-as-usual political pandering over values, taxes, ‘outsourced’ jobs, political correctness and entitlement programs.”