Look Who Could Horn In: Charlie Crist, as I Live and Breathe

Charlie Crist, former Florida governor turned independent Senate candidate turned ambulance-chasing billboard lawyer, is now rumored to be trying his hand as a thunder stealer.

They say, metaphorically speaking, he's going to crash the Republican National Convention next week by officially switching to join the Democratic Party so he can run for governor in 2014. The long-anticipated switch is hardly a surprise. At present the Dems have a gubernatorial-candidate shortlist so stunted it's barely a tweet.

Who are "they," the rumor leakers? The Broward and Palm Beach New Times, which got it from Saint Petersblog's Peter Schorsch. Apparently, Charlie's plan is to announce his latest flip-flop in a column in Sunday's Tampa Bay Times.

Let's face it, nobody's better than Charlie at throwing out camera chum. With 15,000 media-types crawling all over Tampa, more than a few TV networks are going to reel him in.

Smart political move if he wants a shot at a speaking gig in Charlotte week after next.

But, upstage Mitt Romney at his own party? Don't count on it -- at least, not for long.