Candidates at the Fair

This week I was able to meet three candidates at the State Fair after they spoke to crowds at The Des Moines Register's Soap Box. On Tuesday I arrived to hear the Q&A of Senator McCain's time. He addressed a question on reducing the size of the U.S.'s nuclear force, he did not give a definate answer either way, but did say that he would not do what Senator Obama has said, to take nuclear weapons off the table in fighting terrorists.

The Last question on was on immigration. An interesting question always following the failure of the bi-partisan immigration compromise pushed so hard by McCain failed in the Congress. McCain did not go too deep in his answer, but did conclude that the border must protected and the current laws enforced.

While McCain was leaving (pretty quickly) I was able to get in one quick and goofy photo with him. He thought the camera was somewhere else and I was very worried about someone passing through the frame. Can't win them all.



I didn't see Governor Richardson speak, but caught him at the Iowa Democratic Party booth for a quick autograph one of his awesome baseball cards.



Yesterday I went to the Fair to see frm. Senator Fred Thompson speak. Thompson has been in a "testing the waters" phase for a few months now and is finally expected to announce his official candidacy for the GOP nomination on September 5th. Thompson arrived early to the Soap Box, just around 1:00 for his 1:20 scheduled time. The amount of cameras around him was amazing. There were around 8 or 9 video cameras next to me, one as far away as Germany (I found out when the cameraman got a little pushy for space next to me). Still photographers were in no means limited. Thompson used the first half of his time to talk about his background as the son of former farmers and making his way through college and law school, serving as a prosecuter, his way into acting, and running for the Senate to fill the seat of Al Gore.



Thompson positioned himself as a "citizen" politician, placing term limits on himself (only serving one full Senate term). He spoke of a few main themes; the cost and effort needed to fight radical terrorism, making government more efficient, and not apologizing America which has spilled more blood for freedom then any other nation.

Thompson took no questions opposed to some of the other candidates. It was good to get to see him in Iowa since his possibly candidacy has been spoken of since early this year. I am now one candidate away from seeing every candidate in the field on both sides and that will be completed with seeing frm. Senator Gravel this Sunday. Below is another photo of me with the candidates, catching Thompson after seeing the big boar.