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Crist learns post-Castro
plan
By Paige St. John, Tallahassee
Democrat, March 16, 2007.
Gov. Charlie Crist Thursday got a security
briefing detailing the state's plans when
Cuban leader Fidel Castro dies.
It was delivered in person by Maj. Gen.
Douglas Burnett, adjutant general of the
Florida National Guard, who on his way in,
quipped he had asked military chaplains
to work on two prayers - no hurricanes and
to "keep Castro alive a little longer."
Security staff did not know what prompted
Thursday's briefing of Crist on Florida's
so-called mass migration plan. The state's
initial concern is coping with possible
large numbers of Cubans attempting to enter
the state.
"There's always new developments.
He's getting better intel than there was
three weeks ago," said Carter Johnson,
deputy director of legislative affairs for
the Department of Military Affairs.
Crist has had such briefings before. Crist
spokeswoman Erin Isaac said the governor's
briefing from Burnett was "regarding
preparation for a post-Castro Cuba. It's
part of an ongoing process."
According to The News-Press, the governor
cancelled a scheduled keynote address on
homeland security on Sanibel after being
called away to deal "with another homeland
security matter."
Isaac said the appearance in Southwest
Florida "did not go on today's schedule,"
so Crist did not cancel. She did say that
the governor stayed in Tallahassee to get
the briefing from Burnett.
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