Dan Ruth: This was supposed to be a cakewalk for a hitherto popular governor. Spend a year or so hanging around Tallahassee, wait for Mel Martinez to start wanting to spend — everybody now: "More time with the family!" — and then waltz into the United States Senate, otherwise known as "American Idols."

For Gov. Charlie Crist, political life has always been sort of a Willy Loman-meets-George Hamilton existence. The man is a walking hand-shaking, spit-polished, tanning bed machine. It was a simple enough game plan (full column here)

Howard Troxler: Just to be clear, Charlie Crist did not endorse the stimulus, okay? Sure, our governor took the stimulus dough. But it was an accident. He thought it was a campaign contribution. He hugged the president back in February, too. But he didn't even know he was hugging the president. He was being sociable. (column here)