The surprise isn't that formerly popular Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is going independent, but that it took him so long to realize what was blatantly obvious last year.

So the word is out: Crist is telling key financial backers that he's running for senate with no party affiliation. The announcement is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Straub Park in downtown St Petersburg. They're expecting a small army of media, and it looks like Crist may have no Republican press staffers with him, and will rely on folks like local supporter Greg Truax and finance director Dane Eagle to deal with press inquiries.

Let's hope we see some of this:

ALLEN: Crist has always been a prodigious fundraiser, but questions about a possible independent candidacy have left many big donors uneasy. After his veto of the education bill last week, some longtime allies, such as former Senator Connie Mack, pulled their endorsements. Yesterday, Florida's former State Republican Chairman Al Cardenas, issued his own appeal to Crist to either stay in the GOP primary or drop out of the race. He says the party has done a lot to help Crist over the years, and now stands to lose a lot if he runs as an Independent. Democrats, Cardenas notes, had been gaining in Florida, and now have built more than a 700,000 voter registration edge over Republicans. Mr. AL CARDENAS (Former State Chairman, Republican Party): We need to rebuild our party. And if a governor who's so well-known and liked by many decides to run as an independent, it would have serious long-term negative effects on our party.

Yup, let's certainly hope so.