Pants Down

Listen hard enough, and you'll hear the strangest things while taking off your pants.

While behind the curtain in a Hyde Park alterations shop this afternoon, I hear Gov. Charlie Crist will likely announce his 2010 Senate run on Monday.

Crist certainly has his plate full these days: a new wife, a long-awaited seat belt law and an ongoing battle for blackjack. The latter is sure to incite some thorough mudslinging from the man who took Crist to court over past casino meddling: Marco Rubio.

The former House speaker - a staunch Huckabee supporter this time last year - announced his candidacy Tuesday, which will put him against the current governor in the U.S. Senate race. That's assuming Crist enters the race. He will.

The two republicans will soon spar, and no doubt Rubio will play up his Florida Supreme Court victory over Crist. Rubio alleged Crist overstepped his bounds when he talked casino expansion with the Seminole Tribe in 2007. The Court sided with Speaker Rubio. Crist's deal with the Tribe was a bust. Similar talks this week appear to be off the table as well.

Friday will mark the end to another annual legislative session. Lawmakers have approved a $66 billion budget that will drive up prices on car registrations and cigarettes. Crist will announce his news to run for the Senate on Monday, according to the voice on the other side of the curtain.

Once outside the cramped dressing room, the tailor pins my pants leg for a hem. The voice I had heard belongs to a guy my age who says he's a fundraiser for the Democratic Party. He's just been relocated to Tampa from Boston. He says his name is Brian. His shirt looks much too big for him. That's why he's here.

Brian tells me he works for Florida C.F.O. Alex Sink, and if Charlie Crist announces on Monday we can expect Sink to do the same on Wednesday. If he runs, then she runs. She simply can't announce her plans to run for Governor if the current one hasn't officially decided not to run for reelection. So we'll have to wait and see what Charlie does.

It may prove to be a long weekend for political junkies, but my wait will be much more grueling. I mean, really, seven days to hem a pair of blue jeans?


-P.F.