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THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: June 21, 2008

We have taken Charlie Crist to task for successfully campaigning for the governor's mansion on a pledge to continue the policies of his predecessor, Jeb Bush, and then breaking that promise more than once. We have no problem with Crist having his own ideas on how to address the state's problems. We just thought he should have been a bit more forthcoming when he was running for governor about the various ways he was planning to tack away from the course Bush followed.

We have to applaud, however, Crist for deviating from the Bush line this week and saying he is willing to "look" at oil and natural gas exploration off the Florida coast. Until now, Crist, like almost every other Florida politicians, has supported the federal government's ban on petroleum production off the state's coast. Environmental activists and tourist industry representatives worried about oil-stained beaches had been more than the state's political class had been willing to tackle - until now.

Crist's spine was no doubt stiffened by polls suggesting $4-a-gallon gasoline has quickly produced a majority of Floridians willing to let the petroleum industry look for whatever oil or natural gas resources might lurk beneath the waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The same seems to go for Florida's Republican U.S. senator, Mel Martinez, another former offshore drilling foe who seems to be doing a 180-degree turn.

If Sunshine State leaders know one thing it's how to follow changing public opinion.

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