Kay James as MC with (from left to right) Susan Allen, Senator George Allen, Tyler Allen, Forrest Allen, and Laura Ingraham. (Brooke Allen was beside Susan.)
Saturday I attended my first George Allen Hoe Down and it was more fun than I ever imagined! Jeans and boots were the attire of the day. We had people ... and BBQ ... and a country band ... and people ... and politicians ... and did I mention people?! Hundreds attended and showed their support for Senator Allen. Boy! Did they show support!
Rhonda Winfield and I drove to Richmond earlier in the day and kept busy until time to head to the Hoe Down. After arriving, we spoke to many folks we knew before finding ourselves in the food line which snaked its way under the tent and into the barn ... BBQ, chicken, baked beans, and cole slaw. Carrying plates and drinks, we literally could not find a place to sit down and eat - all tables were full and all hay bales were taken - so we literally ended up in the last spot we could find which was half a hay bale beside the stage where the band was playing.
But what luck! We ended up with the best seats in the house! George Allen came out the door behind us to appoach the stage ... and Laura Ingraham came out the door and stood beside me while being introduced by her long-time friend George Allen. Talk about up close and personal!
Cheers and thundering applause frequently broke into George Allen's remarks. He spoke on the war in Iraq and introduced Rhonda and told her story to more thunderous applause. He called attention to our energy dependence overseas, to health care issues, to Hillary Clinton endorsing Jim Webb that very day. He reiterated the need to discuss issues in this race that has seen constant mud-slinging from the Webb camp which has little to offer in the way of issues and solutions.
Laura Ingraham received a warm introduction from the Senator ... and she spoke admiringly of him as someone she had known for quite a while and someone who stood for the principles she believed in. She poked fun at the "dinosaur press" which was so dinosaurish that they didn't even print anything in the Richmond Times-Dispatch about the Hoe Down or mention it on the Saturday night 11:00 news on Channels 6 and 12 - despite the fact there were many press people present. After speaking, Senator Allen and Ms. Ingraham both greated many who lined up to talk with them.
Augusta County residents Dr. John Wise and his wife, Wanda, were there as well as Chaz Haywood-Evans, Trixie Averill, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling and his wife Jean Ann, Jerry and Marty Kilgore, AFP's Whitney Duff, and many others.
We ended the day catching a ride back to our vehicle parked in the field ... talking politics the entire time. It was great fun and, who knows? We may have to do it again next year.
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