theBlueHighwayman says: The Fight for the Heartland

I’m camped in St Louis tonight, Congressional District 1 represented by Congressman Clay, a Democrat. Missouri is at the very heart of the nation and there’s a very tight race for the Senate out here between incumbent Republican Jim Talent and Democratic challenger Claire McCaskill. Just back from Hooters out here in Maryland Heights a part of the St. Louis suburbs. For those of you not familiar with Hooters it’s a restaurant/bar where all the waitresses are dressed rather provocatively and the TV’s are tuned to sporting events. These places are very popular throughout the Midwest. St Louis is also the location of the playoff games for the National League championship between the Mets and St. Louis Cardinals. Tonight’s game was rained out for all who might be interested.

I had an interesting conversation with Shonelle a bartender and college student. She is a theater major and grew up in many different places as her father was in the army and she presently votes in Kentucky. They are a very Democratic family and she said her parents always said the Republicans offer the working class nothing. Her theater class freinds are also strongly Democratic. I gave her my sticker which said ‘Support the Troops Vote Democratic’ which she put on immediately. She expressed the same sentiments I have about the coming elections which is that the Democrats must win for the good of the nation. I told her to get everyone she knows to vote in St Louis as there is a crucial Senate race in Missouri. Young people like Shonelle will be a key factor in winning these Midwestern states. There is still a very Democratic feel out here as it has been since I was here in January. True, St Louis is a liberal town but even in the rural areas 'Blue Skies' are an indication of the changing weather.

I also had a great conversation in Pennsylvania yesterday in the 19th Congressional District. There were signs there saying ‘Eleven and a half million Illegal Immigrants are depending on Casey’ seems Santorum is getting very desperate. The individual I spoke with is confident Bob Casey will be the next Senator from Pennsylvania. If Santorum is the only Republican defeated in November it will be cause for me to celebrate.

Sunday night I got to my hotel late after a long hard ride from NYC to Jeffersonville, Ohio. This town is located about 60 miles north of Cincinnati in Congressional District 3 represented by Republican Michael Turner. The first thing I saw on TV was a political ad supporting Mike 'Dewiney' (my pet name for him). The ad has the father of a soldier killed in Iraq claiming that Congressman Sherrod Brown voted against body armor for our troops and is responsible for his son's death. Nothing like hitting below the belt but hey this district is next to Congresswoman Jean Schmidt's district. Who can forget her first act in Congress when she stood on the floor of the House and called Rep. John Murtha a coward. I heard on the radio that the Republicans have given up on this Senate race but it's most likely going to get a lot uglier as Dewiney Campaign becomes even more hopeless.

Tomorrow I’ll be in Minnesota the site of another Senatorial race that seems to be leaning heavily in the Democratic direction. The latest poll, Klobuchar ahead 55 percent to 34 percent among likely voters, nearly the same margin as it was in September. The tsunami is on its way so it seems.

I’ve a feeling that we will have to watch the polling sites carefully on November 7th and make sure everyone gets to vote. If there was ever an election that Republicans would do anything to steal it will be this one. I hope every Democratic organization across the country is up to the fight this time. No excuses let’s just hand them their asses in this election. I hope we all wakeup on November 8th with a major reason to rejoice. What did Dr Martin Luther King say in the ‘I have a Dream Speech’?

"Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"