As Florida Chills, Charlie Crist Basks in NYC's Media Glow

While Florida agriculture was under siege from a killer cold front, Gov. Charlie Crist was in his element in New York City on Monday.

The ever-sunny Crist attended the launch of a national "No Labels" movement, which seeks to become the tea party of moderation.

Headed by centrist Republicans and Democrats, including New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the No Labels gathering was receptive to Crist, a Republican-turned-independent.

But, as usual, the lame-duck governor offered more style than substance. And his bromides had to be taken with a grain of sodium, since MSNBC branded his seat-of-the-pants U.S. Senate campaign as one of the worst of 2010.

Meantime, messages left with Crist's press secretary in Tallahassee were not returned.