One of the more reposted photos of President Barack Obama’s visit to Orlando yesterday includes the president and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer lifting a glass of ale — along with some irritatingly unidentified others — at downtown’s Harp & Celt. Seems an odd choice, especially if Dyer’s team was part of the venue selection.

The pub is owned by the brother of the man who was just a thorn in the side of Dyer during a contentious election.

Ken Mulvaney, you may remember, challenged Dyer for the office of mayor in the 2004 election. Then, when Dyer won, Mulvaney, a Republican, sued to have the election results overturned on the basis of mishandled absentee ballots. Mulvaney’s brother Jim owns Harp & Celt.

Now, Jim Mulvaney is not his brother, but it’s curious that of all the watering holes in downtown Orlando, this is the one the president and mayor ended up in. Is this the first time the mayor has been in the pub/restaurant? Did he suggest an alternative venue to the president’s advance team? Or did he say, I wonder what that Ken Mulvaney guy is up to these days and what he’ll think of the guys I’m hanging out with.

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