Welcome back to season 3 of My Mayor, the Catalyst series that helps you get to know the person behind the policy. We sat down with each candidate and asked them each the same five questions, with a few follow up questions sprinkled in. For Episode 3, we asked:

  • What do you collect? 
  • What’s something you’ve changed your mind about because of a conversation with someone who disagreed with you? 
  • How do you express your creativity? 
  • What’s a small moment in your life that ended up having a much bigger impact than you ever expected? 
  • What’s something that never fails to make you smile?

JOE HAMILTON

We are back for “My Mayor,” episode three, and joining me is Charlie Crist. Welcome, sir.

CHARLIE CRIST

Hello, Joe. How are you today?

JOE HAMILTON

Living the dream. How are you?

CHARLIE CRIST

Living the dream. Glad to be with you, sir, always.

JOE HAMILTON

I’ve got five more questions to help the voters get to know you even better. And the first one is — what do you collect?

CHARLIE CRIST

I collect pens. Every time I signed a bill as governor, I signed it with a blue Sharpie pen. I just like them. And I also used it to restore the rights of 155,000 former nonviolent felons — which I’m very proud to have been able to do, give people a second chance. Who doesn’t need a second chance in life? So it’s pens. I collect pens. They’ve been important in my life, and I write notes with them, too, with people.

JOE HAMILTON

Useful and nostalgic.

CHARLIE CRIST

Indeed. Both.

JOE HAMILTON

Next question — what’s something you’ve changed your mind about because of a conversation with someone who disagreed with you?

CHARLIE CRIST

Marriage equality comes to mind. I was on the wrong side of it, to be honest. And I said as much. And what changed me wasn’t a poll — it was people. Just talking to people. Frankly, watching President Obama and Vice President Biden change their minds on this issue. And I think it was President Obama who said famously, “Who am I to tell other people who to love?” And that landed on me heavy, and it changed my mind. Certainly helped change my mind.

JOE HAMILTON

It seems to be that whenever there’s conflict, there’s usually some modicum of distance between the parties — especially when it’s not a war or something like that. But do you find that when people get together and connect, a lot of differences like this tend to dissipate a little more readily?

CHARLIE CRIST

Yeah, I think conversation is valuable and important. And if you’re of an open mind, then I think you have an opportunity to change minds. But people have to be willing to listen. I’m fond of saying, “God gave me two ears and one mouth,” and I try to respect the ratio. Listen twice as much as you talk, and it’s amazing how much you can learn.

JOE HAMILTON

Yeah. And open minds are not as readily available as they should be. Do you have any thoughts on how people should understand the importance of an open mind, and how you always work to keep an open mind?

CHARLIE CRIST

Yeah. I don’t think any of us should get stuck with a certain mentality or belief just because it’s one we’ve held for a while. I think it’s important to have an open mind. It’s better than a closed mind, to be honest. And be willing to listen to others, and be influenced by people that you trust — that you think have integrity, and are of good moral character, and are genuine about what they’re trying to tell you about.

JOE HAMILTON

So it seems like a lot of times decisions aren’t as right and as wrong. They can be 51/49 a lot of times. And to understand that — and not to discount the 49 just because it was not exactly the right decision in that instance.

CHARLIE CRIST

I would agree. Yeah, I would agree.

JOE HAMILTON

How do you express your creativity?

CHARLIE CRIST

Oh, I love music, and I love listening to music. I think everybody does. People have different tastes. Recently, Chelsea and I went to the Florida Orchestra at the Mahaffey Theater — ironically — and it was magnificent. Just a wonderful collection of creativity and music. Really centered around the 250th anniversary of America. It was great. Just great. Very creative.

JOE HAMILTON

There are few things sweeter in St. Pete than seeing the Florida Orchestra at the Mahaffey. It’s one of our great assets.

CHARLIE CRIST

That’s a fact. The arts generally in St. Pete are an amazing asset. And I sponsored the arts license plate when I was a young state senator, and it’s raised over $12 million for arts all over the state of Florida. Very proud of that.

JOE HAMILTON

Yeah. And much needed now, with a lot of the cuts that have hit the art community.

CHARLIE CRIST

Yes, sir. That’s true. It’s true.

JOE HAMILTON

What’s a small moment in your life that ended up having a much bigger impact than expected?

CHARLIE CRIST

When I was a kid, Joe, my dad was a family doctor here in St. Petersburg until he was 84 years old. He’s 94 now, God bless him. But he would do house calls, and I went on house calls with him, and it was a great experience. It seemed like a small thing, but I learned a lot of lessons from my father about being decent to other people, and how important it was to not discriminate. When he opened up his practice and his medical office, it had previously had two waiting rooms — one for African Americans, one for Caucasian people. He said that he wouldn’t rent in that office building unless they made it one waiting room for everybody, which they did. And so that changed at least what that office was doing, and it stuck with me in a powerful way. I’m very grateful to my father for those lessons.

JOE HAMILTON

Nice story. And finally — what’s something that never fails to make you smile?

CHARLIE CRIST

Chelsea. My fiancée, and my family generally. I have two sisters that live here in St. Pete. A lot of nieces and nephews. They always make me smile. Of course, my dad. And our dog, Spirit — she’s a Canadian retriever, and just all about love, and that always makes you smile. It’s great.

JOE HAMILTON

She’s very sweet. We’ll score a few points with Chelsea — tell me your two favorite things about her.

CHARLIE CRIST

Her smile and her heart. She’s just a wonderful human being — very kind, very beautiful, and very gracious.

JOE HAMILTON

Wonderful. Wonderful.

CHARLIE CRIST

I’m lucky.

JOE HAMILTON

Great answers. Thank you again for taking time out of your busy campaign schedule and sharing some information with our viewers. We’ll look forward to catching up again soon.

CHARLIE CRIST

I look forward to it, Joe. And remind everybody — please don’t forget to vote. You can early vote very soon now. You can vote by mail, and you can vote on election day, which is August the 18th. It’s coming pretty fast.

JOE HAMILTON

It is right around the corner.

CHARLIE CRIST

Yes, sir.

JOE HAMILTON

Wonderful. Good luck on the trail. Governor Charlie Crist, thank you.

CHARLIE CRIST

Thank you. Have a great day.