Downtown Tampa sure secure these days

Think it was Monday morning when the talk radio guy said it:
"Downtown Tampa looks like Baghdad."
Not the bombed out Iraqi capital, understand.
He meant the concrete barriers and tall chain link fences manned by some serious security for the Republican National Convention.
Security bearing automatic weapons.
On our way to the Tampa Convention Center Wednesday morning, my Herald colleagues and I must've gone through three separate checkpoints in our car.
At least.
Got the full going-over at one of them, with one guy sliding a mirror device under the car, while another checked out the trunk and another went under the hood.
Their badges said Secret Service.
Next to them were armed soldiers.
Up ahead were police.
Matter of fact, there must've been a cop or two on every corner.
Downtown Tampa was sure secure, all right.