Neshoba wrap-up

There are two types of Neshoba County Fairs: Dusty or muddy.

This year’s was muddy. And not just because of the political mud being thrown around by vote-hungry politicians. A three-month drought ended in a dramatic fashion earlier in the week.  The low areas flooded and the rest turned into a gooey red mud.  But thanks to the Fair Commission, by the time the politicians started slinging the mud, enough sawdust had been put down to keep the thousands of onlookers from sinking in it.

It’s a statewide election year. That means that there were more speeches and they were more fiery.  The race with the most heat is the Lt. Governor’s race, so Sen. Billy Hewes and Treasurer Tate Reeves’ speeches drew the biggest first-day crowds.  And after their speeches, the crowd moved back to one of the rebuilt cabins (from the fire this spring) and had a question and answer session with WAPT’s Scott Simmons.  The only real news that came from the ten-minute session was the two had to sit next to each other when they attacked each other.  The look on their faces was priceless.

My favorite part? I laughed as I watched the crowd run from the pavilion to the back part of the Fairgrounds. It reminded of me of an after-middle school fight.

The gubernatorial candidates made their final cases for why they should be elected and then Haley Barbour gave his farewell speech.  He seemed as relaxed as I’ve ever seen him out on the Neshoba Fairgrounds.  The public-service finish line is in sight for him.  You have to wonder if he’ll miss it.  I asked former Sec. of State Dick Molpus if he missed the public arena. He said that he did — at least the “being able to affect public policy” part but not the ” attack ads” part.

Tate Reeves had a line in his speech about children leaving the state for  better opportunities (and leaving parents only being able to see their grandchildren at Christmas.)  That was the one theme that I think many of the candidates missed. How do we change this state to where our best and brightest don’t feel like they have to leave for Atlanta, Chicago or New York for a better life.  I’m not sure I heard any good answers.

But then I met Patrick House. Yes, Patrick is the Mississippian who won the reality show “The Biggest Loser” by losing 220 pounds.  And he won more than prize money — he also received a new, better life.  He got fed up with how his life was going and made the hard decision to take action to change it. He then did the work to improve his life and his families.    As I left the Neshoba County Fairgrounds yesterday, I realized the one person who gets what Mississippi needs the most wasn’t even a politician.  It stuck to me like the red mud on my shoes.