On Wisconsin

I'm taking it easy this evening, watching a little C-Span, which is covering the Wisconsin primary. Dean just spoke, and I'd swear he was at the Inn on The Park, which is really the Inn on the Square, but perhaps I'm wrong--he might have been at the Concourse. Good speech--he offered congrats to Edwards and Kerry, and vowed to press on--but his focus is philosophical. Once again, he invoked the ghost of Harry Truman.

Kerry is speaking now. Unlike Dean, he took his road show to the 'burbs, speaking at what I think might have been the Holiday Inn West when I was there, but is now the Mariott Middleton. It's not too far from the Capitol Brewery, maker of my favorite dark lager, and it's also not too far from my last place of employment in MadCity, Sitel, or, as my friend Steven Davison called it, Satan Corp.

Looks like Kerry eked out a victory, although he's being careful to not actually make the claim. Edwards hasn't made an appearance yet, but I expect he'll be on the air shortly.

Once again, the reports are saying that turnout was large.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought I saw Sue Bauman standing behind Dean. If you read this, Matt, let me know.

Update: My bad--it was the State Attorney General who was standing behind Dean.

Man, I've been thinking about Madison a bit lately. Saw that Kerry showed up at the Great Dane Monday, and it brought back memories: the basement bar, growlers of nut brown ale, etc. etc. For a couple of years, I rented "studio" space at the Union Transfer and Storage building on Wilson St., just down the road from the brewpub. Damn, it's just over five years since I crossed the southern border of the Badger State and began the 15 hour drive back below the snow line.

Not that I miss winter...if I ever make it back up there, it's gonna have to be in July or August--and hopefully during a heat wave.

Edwards is speaking now. He's sounding like he won, instead of finishing second--but the closeness of the race makes his showing almost like a victory. Man, he sounds good--the focus is all economic, but it's spoken from the heart. Damn. Whoever wins the nomination, I hope Edwards will be out on the stump this summer and fall.

Hmmn. Short speech. But he said everything he needed to say.

I'm kind of hoping that C-Span will go to local news coverage at ten--it's been a while since I've seen the dorky Beth Zurbachen and John Karcher over on Channel 3, or the dorky--uh, other anchors for Channels 15 and 27.

I'll be keeping my eyes open for any stuff that I come across on the internet or TV, but otherwise might pack it in for the night.