Norm

Yesterday was State Fair day for our family.

We always eat in the area by Tejas that used to be the Beer Gardens, but now is just food vendors and nice tables.

Senator Norm Coleman happened to be the guest guacamole maker at Tejas. He arrived just as we were leaving, so I went over to take a photo for my blog. Terry and the rest of the gang were by the door waiting.

I snapped my photo and was approached by a man with a notebook and pencil. He said he was a reporter with the St. Paul Pioneer Press, showed me some ID, said they were doing a piece for the paper and asked me what I thought about seeing candidates stumping at the Fair.

I said, "I think it's interesting and fun." As soon as those words came out of my mouth, I had one of those Chris Farley moments, you know, the thought "STUPID, STUPID" ran through my mind and I said to myself, "Self, you have to be more articulate than that."

Reporter man went on, "Some people think candidates who make appearances at the Fair are pandering. Do you agree?"

My answer? The one he wrote down into his little reporter's notebook. The one he asked me for my name and city in case he wanted to quote me. That answer. I really hope it's not in print, because if it is, you will see this.

On Monday, as she was watching Senator Norm Coleman make guacamole at the Tejas booth at the State Fair, Linda Dugan of Bloomington, MN said, "I enjoy seeing candidates at the State Fair because it's interesting and it's fun." Ms. Dugan went on to say, "It makes you realize that they are just real people and everybody panders."

That's correct. My big moment, and I inform the world that everybody panders. I'd like to think that I was offering a deep spiritual truth on the fallen nature of man, but in reality, I was just babbling. Something I do often. Case in point, this blog and this post.