U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.), riding the wave of popularity wrought by Barack Obama’s visit to Rolla three weeks ago, visited a local farm Tuesday part of the Illinois senator’s Rural RV Tour.
Praising Obama “as close to a home-grown candidate” as Missourians can hope for this election year, Carnahan, a 1976 Rolla High School grad, told the group of about 20 at David Finch’s cattle farm that he saw something special in Obama when he met him.
“Actually, the first time I saw (Obama), oddly, was at the White House,” Carnahan told the group sitting on hay bales before a back drop of fenced cattle and the Finch’s barn that was built in 1849.
“I could see right away he was a very different kind of candidate in terms of bringing people together. I think there’s a great hope,” said Carnahan, who was accompanied Tuesday by his wife, Debra, a St. Louis Municipal Court Judge.
Carnahan said Missouri is an important swing state in the race for the White House, and he urged those in attendance to support Obama.
“This rural tour going on this week is important. When I endorsed his campaign in August, 2007, I knew how important Missouri is to win,” Carnahan said.
“Missouri is a bellwether state. The only time the (White House) didn’t go as Missourians voted was in 1904. We didn’t pick the winner then, but at least we had the good sense to vote for a Democrat. Missouri is a microcosm of the nation,” Carnahan said.
Cattle farmer Finch, 80, who was accompanied by his son Jonathan, is a soft-spoken man whose family has farmed the 320-acre spread for nearly 160 years.
Finch would like to see gasoline back to $2 a gallon, and he’s “concerned that everything, even the filters for (his) tractor,” is made overseas.
Addressing those concerns, Carnahan said the America “has two oil men in the White House,” and the country “needs to ramp up its technology for bio-fuels and find alternative (energy) sources. We need to attack this thing like we did the Apollo program,” Carnahan said.
As for the trade imbalance, Carnahan said the current system is broken.
“Our current trade polices have created a race to the bottom. First there was a change to Mexico, now there’s a race to Asia. And what has that gotten us,” he asked rhetorically. “We’ve gotten tainted toothpaste and lead in our children’s toys. We don’t have a fair trade policy,” Carnahan said.
Rolla resident Les Spencer asked Carnahan about “this gun thing” in which “Democrats are portrayed as wanting to take away gun rights.”
“It’s been drilled in their heads by the Republicans from the beginning,” Carnahan said about gun rights. “Anyone who believes this is being taken for fools if they believe that.
“(Gun ownership) is part of our culture and heritage, and (Obama) supports that. You should spread that,” Carnahan said.
On Finch’s list of concerns is the 2008 Farm Bill, which Obama supported.
The bill provides Missouri farmers with the stability they need, important nutrition assistance to children and families and financial assistance to rural communities, Carnahan said.
Obama’s presumptive Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, voted against the 2008 Farm Bill, and said if he were president he’d veto it.
The RV Tour will be making stops throughout small and large towns through Saturday in Missouri to talk about Obama’s record of standing up for rural America and highlight the differences between the Obama and McCain records as they relate to rural Missouri.
The Finch farm is located at 10424 County Road 3000 in Rolla.
Carnahan is the son of Mel and Jean Carnahan and sister of Robin Carnahan. Mel Carnahan was Missouri governor for seven years before he was killed in a plane crash, making a bid for the U.S. Senate. Jean Carnahan was elected posthumously to the Senate. Robin Carnahan is Missouri Secretary of State.
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U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.), riding the wave of popularity wrought by Barack Obama’s visit to Rolla three weeks ago, visited a local farm Tuesday part of the Illinois senator’s Rural RV Tour.
Praising Obama “as close to a home-grown candidate” as Missourians can hope for this election year, Carnahan, a 1976 Rolla High School grad, told the group of about 20 at David Finch’s cattle farm that he saw something special in Obama when he met him.
“Actually, the first time I saw (Obama), oddly, was at the White House,” Carnahan told the group sitting on hay bales before a back drop of fenced cattle and the Finch’s barn that was built in 1849.
“I could see right away he was a very different kind of candidate in terms of bringing people together. I think there’s a great hope,” said Carnahan, who was accompanied Tuesday by his wife, Debra, a St. Louis Municipal Court Judge.
Carnahan said Missouri is an important swing state in the race for the White House, and he urged those in attendance to support Obama.
“This rural tour going on this week is important. When I endorsed his campaign in August, 2007, I knew how important Missouri is to win,” Carnahan said.
“Missouri is a bellwether state. The only time the (White House) didn’t go as Missourians voted was in 1904. We didn’t pick the winner then, but at least we had the good sense to vote for a Democrat. Missouri is a microcosm of the nation,” Carnahan said.
Cattle farmer Finch, 80, who was accompanied by his son Jonathan, is a soft-spoken man whose family has farmed the 320-acre spread for nearly 160 years.
Finch would like to see gasoline back to $2 a gallon, and he’s “concerned that everything, even the filters for (his) tractor,” is made overseas.
Addressing those concerns, Carnahan said the America “has two oil men in the White House,” and the country “needs to ramp up its technology for bio-fuels and find alternative (energy) sources. We need to attack this thing like we did the Apollo program,” Carnahan said.
As for the trade imbalance, Carnahan said the current system is broken.
“Our current trade polices have created a race to the bottom. First there was a change to Mexico, now there’s a race to Asia. And what has that gotten us,” he asked rhetorically. “We’ve gotten tainted toothpaste and lead in our children’s toys. We don’t have a fair trade policy,” Carnahan said.
Rolla resident Les Spencer asked Carnahan about “this gun thing” in which “Democrats are portrayed as wanting to take away gun rights.”
“It’s been drilled in their heads by the Republicans from the beginning,” Carnahan said about gun rights. “Anyone who believes this is being taken for fools if they believe that.
“(Gun ownership) is part of our culture and heritage, and (Obama) supports that. You should spread that,” Carnahan said.
On Finch’s list of concerns is the 2008 Farm Bill, which Obama supported.
The bill provides Missouri farmers with the stability they need, important nutrition assistance to children and families and financial assistance to rural communities, Carnahan said.
Obama’s presumptive Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, voted against the 2008 Farm Bill, and said if he were president he’d veto it.
The RV Tour will be making stops throughout small and large towns through Saturday in Missouri to talk about Obama’s record of standing up for rural America and highlight the differences between the Obama and McCain records as they relate to rural Missouri.
The Finch farm is located at 10424 County Road 3000 in Rolla.
Carnahan is the son of Mel and Jean Carnahan and sister of Robin Carnahan. Mel Carnahan was Missouri governor for seven years before he was killed in a plane crash, making a bid for the U.S. Senate. Jean Carnahan was elected posthumously to the Senate. Robin Carnahan is Missouri Secretary of State.
