McCollum raised another $853K

Okay, so now we know Alex Sink raised nearly twice as much as Bill McCollum in the last quarter, and that she has nearly $2-million more on hand . The Republican gubernatorial candidate raised nearly $853,000 in the last quarter, but tried to infate that number by issuing a vague announcement of "total contributions" that we now know included about $324,000 in polling and consulting expenses funded by the state GOP. Presumably, Democrat Alex Sink had comparable in-kind donations.

Bob Graham's how-to guide for U.S. citizens

Bob Graham, the former U.S. senator and Florida governor, is out with a new book, America, The Owner's Manual.

Published by CQ Press (formerly of the Times empire, but no longer), Owner's Manual offers citizens a step-by-step guide for moving their ideas or issues into the realm of public policy. Graham will be signing copies at 2 p.m. Friday at the University of Florida Graham Center for Public Service, Pugh Hall.

"Each chapter starts with a real case, showing citizens tackling a step in the process, and ends with a checklist and a series of questions to help put Graham’s game plan in action," a press release said. "By offering concrete guidance, an array of resources, and advice for troubleshooting and overcoming barriers, this compact user’s guide moves far beyond traditional learning."

He wrote it with the help of Chris Hand, a Jacksonville attorney and longtime Democratic strategist.

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