[Speed Gibson,
Monday September 4, 2006 at 11:04am]
The Gods Must Be Crazy
I went to the State Fair yesterday, despite the gathering clouds.
In the early afternoon I chanced to see Amy Klobuchar speaking live to a small group from her campaign booth. Her vocal style reminded me of Hillary Clinton, umbrage delivered in a half-shouting monotone. She was going to fix three things squeezing the middle class - gas prices, college tuition, and health care costs. That these are all things the government meddles with most, and can truly take most of the blame on a bipartisan basis didn't occur to her. That she is a complete newcomer to these issues, let alone national politics didn't occur to the cheering supporters.
Then the rain started to fall. By now I was over by the Hippodrome checking on the livestock. I happened to see Brian Ward exiting the Swine Barn around 3 pm with a big smile on his face. Maybe he was getting some dinner ideas, I thought. No, he's either doing show prep for next year or some opposition research. Anyway, it was time to wander back to the Patriot booth for the final hour of the NARN, which I was listening to live on my Walkman.
Amy Klobuchar gets dry weather. Mitch Berg and Captain Ed get chased inside the booth by a downpour just as I arrive. The gods must be crazy. The rain backed off to a drizzle the last few minutes, so I at least was able to reassemble a live audience of one, clapping my appreciation of their 20 hour effort, the Blue Ribbon broadcasts of the 2006 Minnesota State Fair.
In the early afternoon I chanced to see Amy Klobuchar speaking live to a small group from her campaign booth. Her vocal style reminded me of Hillary Clinton, umbrage delivered in a half-shouting monotone. She was going to fix three things squeezing the middle class - gas prices, college tuition, and health care costs. That these are all things the government meddles with most, and can truly take most of the blame on a bipartisan basis didn't occur to her. That she is a complete newcomer to these issues, let alone national politics didn't occur to the cheering supporters.
Then the rain started to fall. By now I was over by the Hippodrome checking on the livestock. I happened to see Brian Ward exiting the Swine Barn around 3 pm with a big smile on his face. Maybe he was getting some dinner ideas, I thought. No, he's either doing show prep for next year or some opposition research. Anyway, it was time to wander back to the Patriot booth for the final hour of the NARN, which I was listening to live on my Walkman.
Amy Klobuchar gets dry weather. Mitch Berg and Captain Ed get chased inside the booth by a downpour just as I arrive. The gods must be crazy. The rain backed off to a drizzle the last few minutes, so I at least was able to reassemble a live audience of one, clapping my appreciation of their 20 hour effort, the Blue Ribbon broadcasts of the 2006 Minnesota State Fair.