Tom Gallagher, man of leisure

Tom Gallagher seems a man with few concerns.

The former CFO and Republican gubernatorial candidate has been seen all over Tallahassee in recent days, sporting a wide smile and a new beard (think Al Gore, only not fat). He appears happy, even if unemployed.

Thursday morning Gallagher was at the corner of Monroe and College, wearing a blue polo, khakis, white tennis shoes and a Bluetooth earpiece. He opened the door to a brand-new silver Mercedes CLK 320 Cabriolet, dropped paperwork onto the seat, then popped a coin in the meter and walked off into the sunshine.

"I'm enjoying life," Gallagher told the Buzz. "I'm just enjoying life."

Comments

[Roaring 20's]

Did the new mercedes have any hood indentions yet?

Tom's head would have some big dents in it if Laura ever caught him messing around. Besides, hiding behind a beard is a sign of depression and withdrawal. Tom suffered the ultimate indignity when he was soundly trashed by a person he considered his inferior. Depression was the predictable outcome. Depression affects the libido, so all of the hot Tallahassee babes are just going to have to wait for Tom's mojo to return. Sigh.

5:21 you are an idiot

Hot Tallahassee Babes is an oxy-moron...

I sincerely hope he is enjoying life and proud of his decades of service to Florida. Best wishes.
CC Supporter

529, remember though, mile wide and inch deep. If you're looking for substance, try DC.

if 'substance' = 'bulk' then yes, DC is your town.

We're enjoying his involuntary retirement more than he is - trust me. Can you imagine if he had won? (Picture Al Gore, only daytrading, stealing, philandering, and Governor Davis). Go away

[terminator]

5:21
Thank you Dr. Phil for your analysis.
Good for Tom. He deserves it after thirty two years of admirable service to the State of Florida.
Let him enjoy being a father without the burden of cut-throat politics getting in the way. He'd never get those years back so enjoy them Tom!
5:20
Funny but Tom's out of that business. You've got to give it to him, the hood of the gold Mercedes 450 SL is Tallahassee legend.
I think 7:03 is jealous it never happened to him!

[Paul D. Harvill]

Tom,

Regardless of the negative comments, there are a lot of us who miss your service on the Cabinet and in the Legislature, me being one.

Paul

Tom, thank you for not wearing the frog shirt anymore.

I loved the old Tom Gallagher and sincerely wish it is he who is behind the beard. The last time that Tom grew a beard, he was in Boston studying at Harvard. It was there that he invented the personna of the new Tom Gallagher. Maybe when he shaves this beard off we will get the real Tom back. Imperfect, but a great guy in so many ways.

Tom

You spewed all this right wing fringe nut crap during the campaign so are you living that now or are you being the hipocrite we always knew you to be. Lets see, don't you just love the elected wing-nuts that when they lose they turn up cruising around town in their mercedes convertables...hmmmm wonder if they have time to fit in regular sunday service and tribute to the church now that their campaign is over.

9:04 glad you mentioned that...just happened to see him in church last Sunday.

The guys at that church are all growing beards for some reason...except Bronson.

Will Gallagher go ahead and endorse Romney. Come on, go ahead and get it over with now.

hopefully, gallagher will retire from florida politics, never to return.

Tommy Romney!

Tom can finally start dating again

11:45 - maybe he's daytrading again??

They took the Gallagher campaign plan and dusted it off for Romney. Rationalizing that Romney is different. The plan is the same and so will the outcome.

It's good to see Tom is happy, is Laura?

I saw Tom outside of Andrew's on Monday - for a second I didn't recognize him in his beard. He looked super relaxed and like he was taking it easy. Good for him...I didn't vote for him, but by the relaxed way he appeared he didn't care.

7:59 - you really need to attend the Red Mass this Wednesday. 6 p.m., St. Thomas More. Pass your anger onto the Lord.

Why don't you all just have coffee with one another instead of blogging and taking up space. Everybody knows you live within 5 minutes of the Capitol and are all young staffers.

Good for Tom.. He is the man! AND could care less what you people think. Jealousy is the only thing going on here!

[Randy Ray]

Tom grew a beard while on Christmas vacation and planned to shave it off but was asked to participate in an Easter presentation of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. I think that he is cast as the Disciple Andrew.

The play is at North Florida Baptist Church in Tallahassee where Laura is a member and I am the pastor. The performances are at 6:00 on Saturday, March 31 and Sunday evening, April 1. You are all invited. Call 850.385.7181 for tickets.

Tom is a member and regular attender of Good Shepherd Catholic Church but often participates in functions of our church. Most recently, he and Laura hosted a missionary family of six in their home for five days. I know this is hard for Tom's detractors to hear but he was who he was and is who he is. Tom is not ready to be sainted but doesn't deserve the vitriolic spew of some bloggers!

Pastor Randy Ray

Pastor Randy Ray: Nice email. But be a little careful. Did you really mean to say that Tom is what he was? I think that Tom is really trying to be what he was not. You could have said that Tom is like Popeye when he said, "I am what I am". Or be existential and quote Jehovah who said "I am that I am". But think about what said. You obviously have come to know Tom only quite recently.

[Randy Ray]

12:06 What I said was that Tom "was who he was", days past, but today, "is who he is," life present. I have known Tom for three years. I also know the reputation of his past. My point is that everyone has the opportunity to make changes in their lives and the Tom I know today is genuine, still a pistol, but genuine in his faith and posture of life! I am a pastor today but back in the day, I was a rounder!! The message of any book isn't the events of individual chapters within, but the culmination of chapters and how they come together in the end. Walk with me through the pews of our church and find many who aren't what they ought to be, but by the grace of God are not what they use to be either. RR

5:29
Right. Tallahassee has all ugly chicks and no babes. FSU has no hot girls to speak of either. You're either gay or a monk if you think that. You may want to go out in this town once in a while. The girls here are legendary. I guess the FSU "cowgirl" got a column on SportsIllustrated.com and a spread in Playboy based on her brains.

let us pray....Lord and giver of all life, help us to value each person, created in love by you.

Lord God,
Remember Christ your Son who is peace itself and who has washed away our hatred with His blood. Because you love all men and women, look with mercy on all who are engaged in battle. Banish the violence and evil within all combatants so that one day, we may all deserve to be called your sons and your daughters. Grant this through Christ our Lord.

peace be with you...

Thank you, Pastor Ray, for reminding us that but for the grace of God, ... go we.

[Omega83]

Pastor Ray~

Tom may indeed be a saved man, but the excesses of his youth were so evident, many of us mere mortals had a hard time believing he was genuine...

Add to that his ethical lapses post-change, and his credibility dwindled even further.

[Lifelong Republican]

Omega83-
I had no idea Tom had to prove his moral standing this world for you. Amazing, you and the rest of bitter folks out there need to pass your anger, frustration, envy, malice, and hatred on to the Lord. Just pass it along and quit typing your deep-seeded anger as it proves nothing to us and aches at your heart. Open your heart to Him. Randy Ray, your commentary is on the mark. Have you seen Gallagher lately with that beard? Behind all that silly fur is a smile and i for one am grateful that this man is enjoying breathing, his private life, and walking in his faith. Let it go, let it go. We should all be grateful for where Tom is at and where Charlie is at because that's where the Lord wants us all to be.

[GOPFL]

Tom Gallagher is a good man and I'm glad he's enjoying life. He deserves it after his decades of wonderful service to our state. He certainly wouldn't be proposing global warming studies and executive orders restoring voting rights to felons. He might even have some conviction behind his decisions.

No, I am not Brett Doster, who is also a good man. I voted for Crist in both the primary and general thinking he was a conservative republican. I guess I was fooled.

Lifelong~

I could give 2 s**ts about Tom's moral history/life.

He made it the issue in the primary

wow, the guy's pastor weighs in and they still castigate. Let the guy be, and really, SPT, let's not bring him up unless he's actually doing something newsworthy.

Pastor Randy Ray

Posted by: Randy Ray | March 09, 2007 at 10:48 AM
================================

North Florida Baptist Church's founding pastor, Raymond Blair, was the Florida president for the Moral Majority.

4:18 FYI...the ethics commission found that gallagher did not misuse his office. probable cause is not a finding of guilt. gallagher himself has shown grace in defeat and found success in his family life/second marriage of almost ten years. why don't you show as much dignity and let it go?

choral mameleon RIP