GALLAGHER GETS HELP FROM HIS OPPONENTS BEFORE EDITORS

The four main gubernatorial candidates appeared Friday in a forum hosted in St. Petersburg by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors and Florida Press Association, and the issue of a candidate's private life came in for key discussion in the wake of the Tampa Tribune's printing this week of portions of a court transcript related to State Chief Financial Officer and GOP candidate Tom Gallagher during a nasty divorce from his first wife.

The hearing transcript, from 1979, showed Gallagher's now ex-wife Ann Louise seeking a restraining order, claiming he had broken into the family home several times after she kicked him out when she discovered that he was having an extramartial affair. He admitted only one instance when he came to get their sheepdog. The unnamed judge in the case, later identified as Milton Rubin, refused to issue the order, telling Gallagher that he was a public figure and didn't need the adverse publicity. Rubin said he would not issue the order as long as Gallagher stayed away from the home until the divorce was finalized.

Two of Gallagher's opponents, Democratic State Senator Rod Smith of Alachua and GOP frontrunner Attorney General Charlie Crist, said Friday that the press should concentrate on a candidate's public decisions instead of mistakes in their private lives.

Here are what the candidates had to say, from the AP story by Brendan Farrington and the St. Petersburg Times political blog The Buzz.

Rod Smith: "Most folks don't care about it. Truth is that three of the candidates up here have been divorced at some point in their lives. About every family sitting out here has had a divorce...Folks out there don't care about that as much as you care about writing about it."

"If divorce was the reason we don’t have great leaders, Ronald Reagan wouldn't have been the president he was. You know, we’re human beings. If I had the life to do over again I’d probably do it most the same way but there’s a bunch of things I’d do differently."

Charlie Crist: "We understand sometimes that (politics) is a contact sport, but we need to keep it on a level that talks about issues."

"We are what we are. Yeah, I’m divorced and I don’t have any children. But Strom Thurmond [late South Carolina U.S. Senator, who married at aged 66 and had four children...two after turning 70] gives me hope (laughter). I’m only 49. But in all seriousness, my upbringing has had a profound impact on my life. I understand the importance of families."

Congressman Jim Davis of Tampa: "We're human beings -- we never claim to be perfect...Y'all are the judges and so are the voters...Some folks have said they want a governor with a wife and kids in the governor's mansion. That works for me. If I’m the governor, the first thing I’ve got to do in the morning is get my kids ready for school."

It should be noted that of the four candidates on the dais, Davis is the only one who has not been divorced.

Gallagher told those in attendance that he spoke with current spouse Laura about what may come out regarding his personal life before deciding to enter the gubernatorial race.

"There's nothing I've seen come out that my wife didn't know about prior," he said. "All of us have things in our lives that we probably haven't been proud of, and I think the sign of a good leader is to take those things and mistakes you've made in your life and learn from them, and it makes you a better leader."

On other issues, Democrats Davis and Smith gave credit to term limited GOP incumbant Jeb Bush on his leadership during the recent hurricanes, but criticized his and the legislature's policies on education. They also slammed Republicans for supporting tax cuts that benefit few Floridians instead of spending more on education.

Crist supported the Bush education package, and specifically mention his Just Read! Florida programme. Gallagher suggested to the editors present that newspapers can help toward improving children's reading skills by devoting a learning page for elementary aged kids.