Max Jones: Community takes center stage again for fall campaign

Editor's Note

Related Photos

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.

comments powered by Disqus

September 6, 2008

Max Jones: Community takes center stage again for fall campaign

By Max Jones The Tribune Star Sat Sep 06, 2008, 11:00 AM EDT

TERRE HAUTE — Even the most hardened cynic has to admit that Terre Haute is living a charmed life this election year.

For the fifth time since spring, the community will be visited by a major political figure in the 2008 presidential sweepstakes. The event will occur later today when Democratic Party nominee Sen. Barack Obama makes a 12:30 p.m. campaign stop at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds.

For Obama, today is his second trip to the city. He spoke to a large and enthusiastic audience in April at Terre Haute North Vigo High School’s gymnasium. That’s when he was engaged with Sen. Hillary Clinton in a heated Indiana Democratic primary battle.

Clinton won Vigo County handily (and the state by a narrow margin). But no Democrat presidential candidate has won Indiana’s electoral votes since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. That Obama would return here indicates he still considers Indiana winnable and sees west-central Indiana and its media market as valuable territory to mine for votes.

Remember, George W. Bush won locally in 2000 and 2004, keeping alive Vigo County’s uncanny record of voting for the eventual presidential winner during the past 100-plus years. Only once, in 1952, did Vigo County’s vote not match the national result. That year, Democrat Adlai Stevenson of Illinois narrowly defeated Dwight Eisenhower here.

This year’s election promises to be close — locally and nationally. It will be oh-so-interesting to see which candidate this county supports, and whether its presidential election record is extended or suffers a blemish.

Having so much attention given our county by Obama the past six months will undoubtedly have some impact on local results. Unless McCain himself shows up here — which is highly unlikely — Obama’s visits might be enough to carry the county.

McCain runningmate Sarah Palin might fare as well here as he would if she made a scheduled campaign stop. Judging by comments and observations by local observers, Palin’s making quite a favorable impression.

Instinct tells me Obama’s visit here will the last this year by a presidential or vice presidential candidate. History shows Indiana should be safe turf for the GOP. If McCain or Palin have to begin spending time in the Hoosier state to keep it in their win column, then the GOP ticket is probably in trouble nationally.

• • •

Do you want to publicly endorse a candidate for office in this fall’s election? You can do so in our Readers’ Forum. All offices and races are fair game.

Submit your endorsement letters to us via e-mail, fax or U.S. mail.

• The e-mail address is opinion@tribstar.com.

• Fax number is (812) 231-4321.

• Mail address is Tribune-Star, P.O. Box 149, Terre Haute IN 47808.

To guarantee that your endorsement will be published in our print edition prior to the election, please submit early. Letters submitted after Wednesday, Oct. 29, may or may not be published. We will publish endorsements until Monday, Nov. 3.

We strongly encourage you to keep endorsement letters less than 400 words. Briefer is better.

• • •

Last week I wrote about the Tribune-Star’s partnership with the League of Women Voters of Vigo County in sponsoring two candidate forums this fall. Due to a conflict, the date for the legislative candidate forum, originally set for Sept. 30, has been changed to Wednesday, Oct. 15, at Sarah Scott Middle School.

The forum for candidates in County Council and commissioner races remains Oct. 23 at the Vigo County Public Library.

Times for both events are 7-9 p.m.

Jones can be reached at (812) 231-4336, or by e-mail at max.jones@tribstar.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Editor's Note

MAX JONES: Local seminar to shed light on access
Transparency in public information is an important principle for the proper functioning of government at all levels. Vigilance is key in ensuring that public records and meetings remain open and accessible to citizens of our communities.

May 8, 2011 1 Photo
MAX JONES: Farewell to Stephanie, for a while
The Tribune-Star and its legions of readers throughout the Wabash Valley were extremely fortunate six years ago to welcome back a native daughter.

January 2, 2011
MAX JONES: Friends ready for next big step at Pyle historic site
The campaign to preserve the legacy of World War II journalist Ernie Pyle in his hometown of Dana passed a milestone last week. Indiana’s Natural Resources Commission voted to end the state’s involvement in the Pyle historic site and turn it over to the Friends of Ernie Pyle organization.

November 21, 2010
MAX JONES: Vigo GOP shows its gains are for real
For the better part of two decades, the Republican Party in Vigo County rarely mounted more than a feeble challenge to the entrenched Democratic Party establishment.

November 3, 2010 1 Photo
EDITOR'S NOTE: Week ahead bringing changes to your newspaper
Your Tribune-Star is undergoing some changes this week, and today’s edition reveals a few of those.

June 5, 2010 1 Photo
Editor's Note: A holiday tribute to "Hoosier," and all veterans
My late father, Joseph L. Jones, was a veteran of World War II, a 4th Division Marine whose service sent him to the South Pacific and into combat on the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima.

May 30, 2010
MAX JONES: Resuming partnership for political information
Primary elections don’t always stir a lot of interest among voters. In fact, turnout at the polls is traditionally low for primaries, although there have been exceptions. This year may be one of those.

April 3, 2010 1 Photo
MAX JONES: Christmas miracles can still happen You don’t have to wander far to find people who remember vividly when downtown Terre Haute was the place to be during the Christmas
November 28, 2009
TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: A day to give thanks and help Help only becomes a reality when it is given. Today, it’s something needed by many throughout this community and state.
November 25, 2009 1 Photo
EDITOR'S NOTE: Appearance of corruption a strong incentive for reform Today, and for the following two days, Tribune-Star readers are being treated to a remarkable series of editorials and essays produced by the Indianapolis Star.
November 14, 2009
Editor's Note: Team effort tells stories of Hoosier travel spots When times are tough economically, people get very careful with their hard-earned money. When it comes to spending, it’s a common practice to give special consideration to summer vacations or other leisure trips.
June 13, 2009
EDITOR'S NOTE: Spelling Bee a great Tribune-Star tradition Of all the great community-based events this newspaper sponsors and helps sponsor throughout the year, the Tribune-Star Wabash Valley Spelling Bee is one of the most important. It’s extra special because it gives the best and brightest young students in our nine-county area the opportunity to compete for big prizes in a popular and widely recognized annual academic competition.
March 13, 2009 1 Photo
Editor's Note: Letters continue to be popular with readers Survey after survey of newspaper readers tell us that letters to the editor are among the most read and most enjoyed content we offer. While obituaries routinely top the list of most-read items, letters are always near the top.
January 10, 2009 1 Photo 1 Link
Editor's Note: Victory Days — great time to learn history and share memories The number of American military veterans who served their country during World War II are dwindling rapidly. To those remaining, we can’t pay enough tribute. They belong to a generation of men and women who made this nation — and the world — a better and safer place to live.
October 3, 2008
Max Jones: Community takes center stage again for fall campaign Even the most hardened cynic has to admit that Terre Haute is living a charmed life this election year. For the fifth time since spring, the community will be visited by a major political figure in the 2008 presidential sweepstakes. The event will occur later today when Democratic Party nominee Sen. Barack Obama makes a 12:30 p.m. campaign stop at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds.
September 6, 2008 1 Photo
MAX JONES: Voters anxious to get news about candidates Labor Day historically marks the beginning of the fall season for political campaigning. That has been true most years in which elections are conducted. This year, however, such a designation may be greeted will little more than a chuckle.
August 30, 2008 1 Photo
MAX JONES: Voters will be big winners in fall gubernatorial debates Twice in September and once in October, Indiana voters will have an opportunity to participate in and witness, in person or via electronic media, debates among the state’s three candidates for governor.
August 23, 2008 1 Photo
Tribune-Star editorial: A day to be grateful for community kindness Obviously, it’s been a long, trying week for most folks in the Wabash Valley.

Today offers at least a moment for the community to reflect on its survival of the flood of 2008.
June 14, 2008
Editor's Note: Covering the flood shifts to recovery As natural disasters go, flooding can have a long and nasty legacy. Even when the waters have receded and raging creeks and rivers are passive once again within their banks, hidden dangers — and damages — persist.
June 13, 2008
Tribune-Star editorial: And another thing... And now for something completely different … good news!!

That’s right, amid the misery of local flooding aftermath, an announcement from Tokyo early Thursday allows us to take a brief break and ponder better days ahead for our community and its economy.
June 12, 2008
Tribune-Star editorial: Rain down some kindness Since Saturday, when flash flooding became more than the usual National Weather Service warning for much of Indiana and Illinois, we’ve all heard and seen inspirational stories.
June 10, 2008 1 Photo
EDITOR'S NOTE Sounding the bell for those who hear different drummer Are there any bagpipers out there? If so, please take a deep breath and step forward.
May 23, 2008 1 Photo
Max Jones: Evolving with an industry — and with our readers Newspapers, it is said, are living, breathing organisms that reflect the times in which they exist and the values of the communities they serve. In order to meet the changing needs and wants of their wide and diverse audience of readers, newspapers must evolve right along with them.
April 5, 2008 1 Photo
Editor's Note: Teaming up to help readers understand Indiana’s tax issues Being part of a national newspaper ownership group has its benefits.
January 4, 2008
Editor's Note: Tribune-Star staffers compete well for state honors Hoosier State Press Association awards for 2007 were announced last weekend at a banquet in Indianapolis, and I am proud to report that the Tribune-Star once again did well. We brought home seven awards in all, three of them for first place.
December 7, 2007
Editor's Note: ’07 election letters reflected intensity Our readers love to write letters, and election politics is one of their favorite subjects. The recent epic mayoral tussle produced a virtual flood of submissions. Emotions ran high in many of the narratives.
November 10, 2007 1 Photo
Editor's Note: As election nears, the spotlight gets hotter The degree of interest in any election among potential voters — who also happen to be all newspapers’ avid and loyal readers — is always most intense the last two weeks of a political campaign. That’s why we target the majority of our pre-election coverage to the final 10 days or so before voters go to the polls.
October 26, 2007 1 Photo
Debate format allowed candidates to shine The Tribune-Star has been teaming up with the League of Women Voters of Vigo County and other local organizations to sponsor candidate forums and debates for years. It’s a worthwhile service to provide newspaper readers, who research shows also happen to be among the most likely voters any time there is an election.
October 5, 2007
Editor's Note: More and better police news? It could happen Can the Tribune-Star help residents of 12 Points and surrounding areas get a better handle on crime in their neighborhoods? Those who attended a public meeting Monday night at the Maple Avenue United Methodist Church sure think so.
September 21, 2007
After summer’s lull, let the campaign begin Labor Day marks the traditional kickoff to the political season. Campaigns for various offices and seats on the ballot in this year’s municipal election have been on a low boil since the May primaries.
September 1, 2007 1 Photo
More Editor's Note Headlines

Latest News

VIDEO: Two morel mushroom recipes in less than two minutes Posted 5 hours ago 1 Photo
Vigo County Jail Log: May 17, 2013 Posted 19 hours ago
Get outside this Memorial Day weekend Posted 1 day ago

Community Calendar

Loading…

Events by eviesays.com

TribStar.com Poll

AP Video

NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor

Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool

Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids

Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction

NDN Video

Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country

Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder

Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner

Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion

Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.