Another Day at the Fair

The Northern Alliance has now broadcast four afternoons from the Minnesota State Fair. It was great fun; we had large and enthusiastic crowds, great guests, and lots to talk about.
Yesterday we had Senator Norm Coleman and Congressman Mark Kennedy on the program. Interviewing Norm reminded me, once again, of what a tremendous talent he is. Coleman is 99th in the Senate in seniority, but his ability has already catapulted him into a position of leadership. The administration has used Norm as a spokesman on many occasions, and he has tirelessly worked for other Republican Senators as well. He was a co-chairman of the National Convention, and he is about to be appointed chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. And he is attracting attention as a possible candidate for a spot on a future national ticket.
Not bad for a guy who’s been in the Senate for less than two years. But Norm is not only an extremely able guy, he is also one of the most talented politicians I’ve ever seen. He is able to connect with people effortlessly. And as far as I can tell, he is completely genuine. I said to my wife yesterday, after the show was over, that Norm is either the world’s nicest guy or its greatest actor.
For a long time, Minnesota was a big factor in Democratic politics, led by Hubert Humphrey and Walter Mondale. We may be on the verge of a similar era, but on the Republican side. In Norm Coleman and Tim Pawlenty, we have two Republicans who are extraordinarily talented and hard-working, and have, in addition, a political gift that can’t be taught. I’ll be surprised if we don’t see one of them on the national ticket someday, especially since the Upper Midwest has emerged over the last year as one of the nation’s critical swing areas.
The photo below shows us interviewing Norm in front of the Patriot booth at the Fair. Mitch Berg of Shot in the Dark and Captain Ed Morrissey are on the left. I’m barely visible on the right side. Click to enlarge.

After the show, we sponsored a Minnesota Blogger Bash at a nearby beer garden. The photo below shows some of the bloggers in attendance. It’s a reminder of what a diverse (some would say motley) crew bloggers are. Click to enlarge.

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