State of the Union isn’t the hottest topic on Main Street Sarasota

SARASOTA, Fla. — On Main Street, at the sidewalk tables between Orange and Lemon avenues, no one seemed to be making any plans Tuesday afternoon to watch the State of the Union Address. Bulletin from the real America: Most people are not political junkies.

They may vote in November, but in January they’re focused on their iced lattes, or their lap poodles, or their job hunts. Or some distraction. Florida may be the biggest swing state, with 29 electoral votes, but a brief unscientific survey here reminds that it’s also a land of sunshine, beaches, good times all around, and the daily jaunt through life may not coincide with watching Fox News Channel or MSNBC or reading Politico.

Consider the seven young friends gathered around a table outside the Pastry Art bakery. They were drinking coffee and smoking Camels and American Spirits. Any pundit would have sized them up as supporters of President Obama. But they were no more likely to watch his speech later than to sign up for polka lessons.

“I don’t have cable,” said Michael Murphy, 24, a musician who has been working to boost the music scene in town. When informed that the national address would be on broadcast television — not to mention streamed on the Internet – he said, “Probably still wouldn’t watch it. I listen to NPR now and then.”

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Downtown Sarasota is one of the few places where one can reliably turn up Democrats in the Republican Riviera that is Southwest Florida.