As the dean of American intellectuals --Gomer Pyle -- might have said: Surprise, surprise, surprise ! Who could have ever seen this one coming?

Ex-Florida Gov. Crist says he's joining Democrats

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —

Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who was elected the state's chief executive as a Republican and then ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as an independent, announced on Twitter that he's switching to the Democratic Party.

The announcement Friday night fanned speculation that Crist would seek to regain his old job from Republican Gov. Rick Scott in 2014.

Crist sent out a tweet that said, "Proud and honored to join the Democratic Party in the home of President (at)Barack Obama!"

The tweet included a photo of a smiling Crist and his wife Carole as he held up a Florida voter registration application. The Tampa Bay Times reports that Crist signed the papers changing his affiliation from independent to Democrat at a Christmas reception at the White House. President Barack Obama greeted the news with a fist bump.

"I've had friends for years tell me, 'You know Charlie, you're a Democrat and you don't know it,'" Crist told the newspaper Friday night.

He cited the Republican Party's shift to the right on a range of issues, including immigration, education and the environment.

Continue reading HERE.

But if this piece of news disturbs you in any way, just go HERE instead and  sing along with Shirley Temple.  (The child star known in the former Cuba as Chirlitenpe).  After all, her signature song describes the progressive utopia favored by the Democrats so well, that it might as well become their official hymn.

On the good ship
lollipop
its a sweet trip
to the candy shop
where bon-bon's play,
on the sunny beach
of peppermint bay....

(Yes, goodies for all, paid for by the rich fat cats... but, oh dear, there's a warning about consequences... oh no!)

See the sugar bowl
do a tootsie roll
in a big bad devils food cake,
if you eat too much,
oh, oh,
you'll awake,
with a tummy ache.