A Quick Look Back

I actually had to look back at my calendar to refresh my memory about all that's been going on these past several weeks and interrupting my regular blogging efforts. Campaign wise it's been a whirlwind of driving, debating, interviewing, working on issues and strategizing. Despite the usual predictable poll numbers I continue to be energized and buoyed by the press coverage (ok, I never get as much as I would like but it has been picking up) and the comments of random supporters and strangers. With six weeks to go, I am still confident that most likely voters are either undecided or if committed, are soft in their candidate support. A win is still very much out there.

I got a very nice two part story by James Shea of the Hendersonville Times News last week. James followed me around for several days (a little unnerving to have a reporter constantly in tow but it worked out fine). Jordan Schraeder of the Asheville Citizen had a good blog piece as did Under the Dome on my endorsement by the Charlotte/Mecklenburg Black Caucus endorsing me in the primary. Finally, Jordan also did an article on the fact that our campaign is the only one dealing with substantive positions on the issues. Fred tried to take a shot by labeling our efforts something about "majoring in minors", I suppose claiming that we were actually focusing on trying to solve problems rather than relying on fluffy rhetoric.

Laura Leslie had a fun posting about my ear issue. Ah, the body piercing gone bad joke. However, skin cancers aren't a joking matter despite my best attempt and now that I'm a few grams short of left ear material since last Monday, I can make the responsible candidate pitch for everyone to use sun screen regularly and get check ups by your dermatologist. Anyway, everything is fine but trying to apply a bandage (maybe for the next several weeks) to your ear requires more dexterity and patience than a candidate in the waining weeks of a hotly contested election should have to endure.

At least this weekend provided a short respite from the campaign trail thanks to the Easter holiday and the NCAA tournament. Warm weather and a lack of political events allowed me a couple of hours to whack a few golf balls with my daughter Louise (I certainly did apply my sun screen!) The Heels were awesome (as was Davidson, Laura) and I'm excited about the way the team is playing. Today was a chance to make it to church after being out of town the last several weekends. The church was overflowing, Greg gave a great sermon, and I had the extra pleasure of holding my granddaughter Lauren on my lap for the entire service. And one of my democrat leaning fellow parishioners complimented me on the campaign saying how proud he and his wife were in the way we had conducted our efforts.

Tomorrow begins a long week traveling all across the state with more debates and press interaction. Fred and Pat appear to me to be smug and cocky about locking up the two top slots in the primary. Am I worried? Not in the least. After all, Hoosiers is one of my favorite movies. Bring it on, boys.