McCain at the Fair

In two commentaries for the Fair Times, the newspaper of the Neshoba County Fair, I wrote about John McCain's enthusiastic support there.

First in this piece about the speeches by Senator Roger Wicker and Ronnie Musgrove. (Read the full article here: Wednesday's main event: Wicker v. Musgrove)

The most energetic and authentic cheers of Wicker's speech came when he said he was supporting John McCain for President. Wicker said Obama was supporting and helping to elect Musgrove and that John Kerry supports Musgrove. Wicker said that people may wonder where Musgrove stands but "you won't have to wonder with Roger Wicker."

Next in this piece on Governor Haley Barbour's speech. (Read the full article here: Barbour speaks on Musgrove, McCain, Medicaid)

Barbour moved from Musgrove to other national politics. "I wish John McCain were here" he said to thunderous applause. McCain must be the most popular politician not at the Neshoba County Fair. Every speaker who invoked his name received a louder and more energetic response than to anything else. A new Rasmussen Reports poll released yesterday says McCain "has nearly doubled his lead over Barack Obama in Mississippi" and "now leads his Democratic opponent by 11 points 52% to 41%, after maintaining a 6-point lead for the previous two months."

Barbour continued, "Frankly I wish Senator Obama were here, too, because I believe the more people learn about Obama's record, the better McCain is going to do." Barbour praised Obama as a great performer saying, "He could sell Chevrolets to a Ford dealer." Barbour said Obama and his liberal Democrat colleagues have said no to drilling off-shore; no to drilling in ANWR; no to drilling on federal land in the Rockies; no to more refineries; no to more nuclear plants; no to increased domestic oil production and "out of that series of No's, Obama created the slogan, 'Yes, we can.'" Barbour later referred to the presumptive Democratic nominee as "Nobama."

The only name to rival the applause of John McCain at the Fair was when State Auditor Stacey Pickering invoked the name of his uncle Judge Charles Pickering, Sr. as an example of the type of good judges Roger Wicker would fight for in the Senate.