Obama Barn Scares Off Indiana Farmer's Customers
Elkhart County, Indiana, went 70-29 for Bush in 2004, so maybe it's no surprise that folks might be rankled after "Obama 08" appeared on a big barn over the Labor Day weekend.
Still, Obama did win the county 51-49 percent over Clinton among Democratic voters in the May primary (Elkhart County is immediately east of South Bend), with over 27,000 casting their ballots (about 16,000 voted GOP). My guess is only the most partisan wing-nuts would let a BARN get in the way of dinner. For farmer Kevin Bullard, it seems, ultra right wing shoppers amount to about 10-to-15 percent of daily receipts. That's how much he's lost after Kevin's brother, Kurt, allowed "Barns for Obama" to decorate the building adjacent to Bullard's Farm Market, which is owned solely by Kevin.
Sadly, Kevin does not seem to share brother Kurt's enthusiasm for our candidate. With the reduction in income - and over 8,000 pumpkins ripening for Halloween - Kevin has decided to put up a sign declaring "It's Not Our Barn."
From WSBT News1:
"We're getting some feedback from people that have seen it and drove by and have come in and said, 'We're glad that it's not your barn.' Or, 'We were wondering what the connection was,'" he said.
Kurt appears ready to soldier on, though. He told reporter Sarah Rice that he and other volunteers intend to paint O's on at least six other barns. Again from WSBT:
"I was contacted by the state Obama campaign and asked if we would be interested because they have been doing this in Ohio, quite a bit," said Kevin's brother Kurt Bullard in a September 2 interview. "There's barns all over Ohio — with Obama barns. And I said sign us up!"
This is a solid red state that some thought could be in play this year, folks. According to Brian Howey of Howey Politics Indiana, a poll taken the day following Obama's DNC speech had McCain leading Indiana 45-43 percent. From an article posted online Sept. 12 (near the bottom):
.... [The poll] showed that 34 percent of Hillary’s Hoosier supporters were going to vote for McCain, but that was before the Indiana delegates began fanning out to their communities to try and convert the Clintonites. U.S. Rep. Brad Ellsworth said, “I don’t think you’ll see that many” Hillary supporters defecting in November.
Is there a silver lining for Obama? There are still 54 days left. Any campaign can expect a bad week and they hope it comes early. Obama’s bad week is coming moderately late, but there’s still time.
Barack Obama is fighting all manner of battles. He needs soldiers like you and me and Kurt Ballard to get out and get to work, to email friends and associates, knock on doors, make phone calls, and generally put the brush to the barn.
And if you're in the neighborhood, stop by Ballard's Farm Market. I hear the sweet corn is mighty fine. And tell 'em you think the Obama barn makes a mighty nice backdrop. Maybe if enough of us swing by we can help Kurt win his brother to our way of thinking!