(see a few days ago for part 1)

Well, we’re four-plus days into the stay and there has been far less political discussion than I expected.  We’ve been quite busy playing with the kids and spent Saturday and Sunday up at the Grand Canyon, so maybe there just haven’t been as many opportunities as during some trips.  It’s kind of hard to work up any kind of political ire when you’re in the presence of the awesome beauty of the Grand Canyon.

What has come out so far, I think, is more evidence that he’s of the “smaller government, less bureaucracy” species of Republican, one who might fall into more of a Libertarian camp, if there was much of one to fall into in Nebraska.

I had him intrigued with some copies of Sojourners magazine and their discussion of having a consistency of your thought in your politics.  That you can’t be “pro-life” when discussing abortion and then be pro-death penalty, or pro-war.  That it doesn’t make sense to read and preach the Beatitudes and then support legislation that doesn’t “walk the talk”.

I’ve noticed a conspicuous absence of the generic morals-based bashing of the Democrats of the kind that I used to get sick of during and for some time after l’affaire Lewinsky.  I’m sure ithe absence is out of an embarrassment felt by many of the more religious of the right.  I haven’t brought up that bone to pick, and I don’t exactly know why.  I guess it’s because I’m not trying to convert him, and I know he’s already familiar with the issues.

Tomorrow is Halloween and the visit is nearing an end.  Recent polls suggest he may return to Nebraska to find that he has a Democratic challenger leading the race for the NE-03 house spot and I’m still not quite sure if he’ll think that’s a trick or a treat, even though I’ve asked him point blank.  There’s a certain degree of suspicion of an Ivy league education that is fairly common in the western part of the state and which will turn many folk out there against Scott Kleeb, but Kleeb does have pretty strong family roots in the region and Nebraskans are much more open-minded than one might think.

As for me, I’m going to put the computer to bed for a while and work on carving a Jack-o’-lantern that just says “VOTE”.  I’m hoping I find a Harry Mitchell in my bag next week rather than another lousy J.D. Hayworth.

Peace.