The Fourth of July Honor America Smoke-In and Gas-In -- not exactly Woodstock

I missed Woodstock. I had to work. Some surfer friends invited me to drive the 900-some miles with them to a field in upstate New York. They didn't have tickets but didn't see it as a problem. "Hendrix's going to be there, man -- and Santana!" I'd need money for gas and food. Take off a week from work. Sounded tempting, but I said no.

Class of 1969, working to pay for college. I had a ROTC scholarship but I still needed spending money. I needed clothes, too, because the ones I had bought over the preceding months had terminal smoke damage from the fire that burnt half of our house and infused the rest with clouds of smoke. I wanted to spend more time with my girlfriend before we headed off to separate colleges. I wanted to get in some storm surfing, too, as August can bring some big waves to Daytona. I was a hard-working lad, looking ahead with bright eyes and a sense of purpose -- with a bit of fear lurking in the background.

Over the next decade, I went to plenty of small music festivals and lots of concerts. I saw "Woodstock" the movie numerous times. I felt a twinge of regret that I didn't cast fate to the wind and just go. As it turns out, I missed so many of key cultural events of the 1960s and 1970s. I wasn't at Altamont, either. Don't hear too many Baby Boomers waxing nostalgic about that one. I never got to see Janis or Jimmy in concert, but I did see Woodstock performers Canned Heat and John Sebastian. Sebastian was on a concert bill with the Edgar Winter Group, which seems an odd match-up. Maybe that bad juju caused the riot that night at the Orlando Sports Stadium. That, and a group of people climbing the stadium fences to get in for free. We got tear-gassed and two of my friends -- including the driver of our concert vehicle -- were thrown in the slammer. We hitched a ride to the county jail and got the keys from Rick and got home around dawn.

Not exactly Woodstock.

I was tear-gassed at another concert. This was the "Honor America" concert during Fourth of July weekend 1970 on the National Mall in D.C. Paul from Notre Dame and I were on leave from our summer ROTC cruise and hitched from Norfolk to D.C., where both of us had college friends. Our original destination was the Atlanta Pop Festival, but we decided it was too far to go and, in D.C., there was a girl waiting for Paul. So D.C. it was.

Paul went to Alexandria, and I stayed with my friend Pat and his big Catholic family in northwest D.C. Pat and his brother and sisters and parents and grandma all went to the National Mall for the concert. Meanwhile, over the the Washington Monument, hippies were staging a smoke-in. As we settled in to enjoy the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, pray with Billy Graham and hear quips from Bob Hope, Pat and I thought we could smell the smoke drifting over from the monument. That's probably because we both were stoned, having earlier staged a much smaller smoke-in behind Pat's garage.

The crowd for "Honor America" was heavy on families. Who wouldn't enjoy the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and fireworks on the National Mall? We were all having a grand time until the tear gas arrived. Pat and I had been right -- prevailing winds had caused the smoke from the smoke-in to drift over to our crowd. That pissed off the cops and they dispersed the smokers with clouds of tear gas which immediately inundated us. Not too many of the Honor American crowd had been tear-gassed. Pat and I had the benefit of multiple gassings that spring during post-Kent State riots at University of South Carolina. We told Pat's family members to put a cloth over their faces. "Don't run," Pat said. "It only makes it worse."

They ran. Pat and I grabbed his grandma and guided her slowly back to the car. She was having difficulty breathing. You could see panic and tears on the faces of the escaping concert-goers. Later, over a joint with Pat and his brother, we laughed about it. "Welcome to the Fourth of July Honor America Smoke-In and Gas-In." "Our parents warned us about going to those concerts."

Not exactly Woodstock.

Not every concert ended in tear gas. In 1976 in Gainesville, I saw the wonderful Rolling Thunder Review tour with Dylan and Joan Baez and Roger McGuinn and Kinky Friedman. I was at the Eagles Hotel California concert outside in a different stadium in Orlando. I saw Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger at Red Rocks outside Denver in 1972 during a hitchhiking trip around the U.S. That same summer, I saw Quicksilver Messenger Service in Berkeley. I was at three Allman Brothers concerts with the original members, including the amazing Duane Allman.

None of them were Woodstock. But so what? I had fun at most of them. As for the rest -- they make great stories to tell our kids and grand-kids when they ask: "Dad (Grandpa) -- were you at Woodstock?"

Not at Woodstock, I say, but do I have some stories for you.

Author Don Delillo coming to Jackson Sept. 29

My first Don Delillo novel was "Running Dog." I picked up a hardback copy for a dollar at the annual Denver Public Library summer sale. It was subversive and wacky. Characters are pursuing a copy of Adolf Hitler's final movie, filmed in his underground bunker just before his suicide. A reporter from Running Dog, a sixties-style underground newspaper, is in a race to find the film.

I won't give away the ending. It's suitably Delillo. I went on to read almost all of his 14 books, including the National Book Award winner, "White Noise." "Libra" outlined an alternate history for the JFK assassination. For research, Delillo's read the entire Warren Commission Report, delivered to his house in multiple cardboard boxes. Earlier this year I read "Falling Man" which centers around the 9/11 World Trade Center attack.

Dark homor. Great stories. Memorable characters. What else do you need in a novel?

Delillo will be making a rare public appearance in Wyoming. Here are details from the Teton County Public Library in Jackson:

The University of Wyoming, Teton County Library Foundation and Jackson Hole Writers Conference present a rare evening with Don DeLillo, the author of 14 critically-acclaimed novels, on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 7:30-8:30 p.m. DeLillo is the winner of the 1985 National Book Award for "White Noise," and his novel "Underworld" was runner-up on the New York Times survey of best American fiction of the past 25 years. This is a free event at the Center for the Arts, Center Theatre. Contact: Adult Humanities Coordinator, Oona Doherty, 733-2164 ext. 135 or odoherty@tclib.org.

I'd travel 430 miles to see Don Delillo. And I may.

They're all bozos on this bus

Mike Dennison of the Billings Gazette reports that a gaggle of bus-riding anti-healthcare-reform people will drop into Pres. Obama's town hall meeting in Bozeman this Friday. They will come loaded with intelligent questions about health care reform. Or maybe just loaded.

Patients First, a project of Americans for Prosperity, is organizing bus tours in 13 states to promote opposition to health-reform proposals before Congress. One of those tours had been planned in Montana this week, and organizers slightly adjusted the schedule to have a stop in Bozeman on the day of the president's visit.

Jake Eaton, a former executive director of the Montana Republican Party and coordinator of the event, said the bus tour will feature speakers opposing the reforms as a "government takeover of health care," and will stop at pre-planned rallies in several cities, from Friday through Monday.

Americans for Prosperity is a nonprofit political group that promotes conservative causes or lobbies against liberal causes. It has ties to the Koch family, which controls Koch Industries, an oil-and-gas company and one of the largest privately held firms in the country.

Who is Koch Industries and why does it fund Americans for Prosperity? Media Matters had this:

Americans For Prosperity Has Strong Connections To Koch Industries. In a post titled "Americans For Prosperity Of Koch Industries," The Wonk Room wrote: "The group isn't just funded by an industry CEO, it was planted by one. David Koch, Executive Vice-President of family-founded multi-national conglomerate Koch Industries, is a founder of AFP and a financial supporter through the family-controlled and company-financed Claude R. Lambe Foundation. Koch Industries, Inc. and its sister company, Koch Holdings, LLC, own a group of companies invested in refineries, chemicals, minerals and so on." [The Wonk Room, 7/27/08]

Google shows that Koch has holdings in Wyoming. More research is needed. Anyone know where Koch has businesses and employees in The Oil/Gas/Coal State?

Americans for Prosperity also is one of those global-warming-denying outfits. No surprise there.

Great Falls Tribune reporter John S. Adams has the president's full schedule on his blog at http://mtlowdown.blogspot.com/

Health care horror stories across the U.S.

Pauline Bartolone sent this:

I just came across your blog, hummingbirdminds, and I saw that you have been posting about health care reform. I am a video producer at Consumers Union,the publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, and I thought you might beinterested in some videos I've produced about residents in Wyoming and their access to health care.

Last summer, I drove around in an RV for 4 months gathering stories about everyday consumers' experience with the health care system. Wyoming was my favorite state in the lower-48! Seriously - it was just so beautiful!

Anyway here are a couple of the videos I did in Wyoming: Lori Donner in Cheyenne, who is uninsured with a thyroid condition. Go to http://bit.ly/12INcv. And Ken, an electrician in Thermopolis, who is uninsured and retirement age. Go to http://bit.ly/bsbur.

You can see the rest of the videos at: http://www.prescriptionforchange.org/video.html

Thanks, Pauline. Some hair-raising stories in Pauline's videos. Check them out. And keep working for a fair and just and affordable health care system.

Remainder of Cynthia Lummis's August recess schedule

I'm a little late getting Wyoming Rep. Cynthia Lummis's August recess schedule up on the blog. So much going on during the dog days of summer.

Here's the remainder of the schedule:

Douglas
Wednesday, August 12, 3 p.m. – Cattlemen’s Conference; 4 p.m. – Interview with KKTY Radio; 5:30 p.m. – Ag BBQ and Ag Hall of Fame Award Banquet Dinner at State Fairgrounds.
Gillette
Thurday, August 13, 5 p.m. – Gillette Chamber of Commerce Mixer
Torrington
Friday, August 14, 11:30 a.m. – Interview with KGOS Radio; Noon – Town Meeting at EWCC Fine Arts Building, 3200 W. C Street; 1:30 p.m. – Visit Cavello Motor Company; 2:30 p.m. – Goshen County Care Center.
Wheatland
Friday, August 14, 5 p.m. – Town Meeting at Platte County Library, 904 9th Street
Douglas
Saturday, August 15, 10 a.m. – State Fair Parade
Cheyenne
Monday, August 17, 9:30 a.m. - Interview with KGAB Radio; Noon – Interview with KGWN TV; 12:30 p.m. - Interview with KFBC Radio
Casper
Tuesday, August 18, 2 p.m. – Tour Wyoming Medical Center

FMI: http://lummis.house.gov/index.html

I don't care if your mother says it's true. Check it out!

AM 760 hosts "real town hall meetings" in Colorado Aug. 20 & 27

My evening drive time in Cheyenne isn't very long, maybe 15 minutes at most. But during that time, I listen to Mario Solis Marich on AM 760 Progressive Radio out of Denver-Boulder. My favorite segment is "Video Clips (pronounced "cleeps") of the Day." Usually it's made up of the latest "audio clips (cleeps!) of the day" from various wingnuts: Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, etc.

This afternoon, Mario was promoting his "real town hall meetings" of Colorado Democratic Congressional reps Ed Perlmutter and Jared Polis. He invited listeners to register for the Aug. 20 meet-up with Perlmutter and the Aug. 27 meet-up with Polis. However, you must sign up in advance and you must be a registered voter in the district your delegate represents. Mario plans to sign up an equal number of Repubs, Dems and Indies. Only those registered will be allowed in the door. You'll be called upon by a moderator to ask your question, which you don't have to submit in advance.

Mario hopes to filter out all those carpetbaggers paid by insurance congomerates, those loudmouths who are shouting down the speakers. It's possible that yelling and screaming still may erupt, but less likely under this format.

Good luck, Mario. I'll be listening.

FMI: http://www.am760.net/pages/mario_solis-marich.html

Keith Olbermann slams Palin's "death panels" and other wacky wingnuttia

Laramie Co. Democratic Grassroots Coalition holds milk can dinner Aug. 15

The Laramie County Democratic Grassroots Coalition is holding a milk can dinner on Saturday, Aug. 15, 1-4 p.m., at North Clear Creek Picnic Area on Southwest Drive in Cheyenne.

Admission is $10. Reservations are required. Call Katherine at 307-630-5058 or e-mail Linda at lpstowers@yahoo.com.

Prize drawings and a 50-50 raffle will be held during the event.

Mary Lou Marcum reminds attendees to bring along their recipes for the LCDGC Cookbook.

Fearmongering Religious Right again targets National Endowment for the Arts

Bill Berkowitz reports in Talk To Action that the Religious Right is once again going after the National Endowment for the Arts:

It used to be that the mere mention of the National Endowment for the Arts would immediately draw fire from the right. In the 1990s, "Defund the NEA" became a rallying cry that was regularly heard in the halls of Congress. Direct mail packages, designed by conservative public relations pros and delivered directly to your mailbox by the U.S. Postal Service, claimed that the agency supported anti-Christian and pornographic art projects. Demonizing the NEA was a fundraising tool that kept giving and giving and giving.

Over the past decade, however, in part because the agency appeared to consciously distance itself from funding controversial art projects, and in part because the Christian Right moved on to other issues (abortion, same-sex marriage, immigration), fighting funding for the NEA was no longer at the top of their agenda.

Concern over how President Barack Obama's stimulus money is being used is again focusing attention on the NEA. A July 30 Fox News report www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/29/stimulus-funds-art-houses-showing-pervert-revues-underground-pornography/) pointed out that some stimulus money (the Recovery and Reinvestment Act) earmarked for the NEA, wound up stimulating an NEA-funded "pornographic" film project, a long-running pansexual performance series, and a dance production featuring naked dancers.

Arts groups and arts funders used to run scared when the Religious Right engaged in its Know-Nothing diatribes. But we're beyond that nonsense. Ralph Reed and the rest of these fearmongering self-righteous nincompoops showed their true colors during the George W. Bush era, when they thought they owned the world and every American's soul. These buffoons have nothing to do with Christianity and everything to do with fear and hatred. We are afraid no more. Go crawl back into your holes!

Read entire Talk to Action article at http://www.talk2action.org/story/2009/8/9/125211/1420

"Sunday Night Films Not Seen in a Theater Near You" Aug. 16 in Laramie

Nancy Sindelar sends this from Laramie:

Sunday, August 16, Laramie: Double Feature -- Rick Steves' Iran Yesterday and Today and Fallout: Coming Home from the War in Iraq.

The Laramie Film Society and the Wyoming Peace, Justice, and Earth Center (publishers of Nancy's nifty newsletter) are cosponsoring the "Sunday Night Films Not Seen in a Theater Near You" series for the third summer. Proceeds are used to upgrade the projection and sound set up at the library.

Films begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Albany County Public Library, 310 S. 8th St. Get information at www.film.laramie.wy.us or http://www.ghosttownmovie.com/#/home. Free, soda and popcorn provided, donations accepted.

Brave New Voices 2009 in Denver

This is very cool...

Ask the Wyoming Garden Answer Man

Dear Wyoming Garden Answer Man:

I have ants in my zucchini blossoms.

--Distressed in Cheyenne

Dear Distressed:

And I have flies in my eyes, but you don't hear me complaining. Seriously, ants are usually going after the nectar. Late on weekend nights, you can hear them singing off-key after imbibing too much of the sweet stuff. It's not a problem unless they start eating through the flowers, or your maturing zukes takes on strange shapes. A Wheatland gardener reported zukes in the shape of Rush Limbaugh's head. If that happens, leave a bowl of cheap beer over by the petunias and that should lure the ants away.

Dear Mr. Wyoming Garden Answer Man:

Is it true that "watched tomatoes never ripen?" Or is that an old wive's tale?

--Green Tomatoes in Lander

Dear Green Tomatoes:

First of all, you are woefully out of step with the times. The expression "old wive's tale" is both sexist and ageist. I prefer "gracefully aging spousal unit's tale." or possibly "active female older adult who happens to be in a monogamous relationship with a person of the male gender's tale." But that's a mouthful. Let's move on to the expression "watched tomatoes never ripen." Who has time to watch tomatoes ripen, you old fart!

Dear WGAM:

My pole beans are growing like crazy. They have climbed up the 12-foot trellis on on to the roof. They've pried shingles off the roof and throw them at the birds. Some of the vines have invaded my TV cables and now all I can get is The Gardening Network and Lifetime. Help!

--Inundated in Jeffrey City

Dear Inundated:

You don't often see that sort of behavior in a legume. Perhaps it's the uranium in your soil, or maybe you have nurtured these beans overmuch, causing in them delusions of grandeur. Don't forget -- you're the boss. I suggest you dig up the plant and immediately consume the beans as an act of revenge and/or hunger. There have been cases of rampaging pole beans that have actually snatched the shovel from the offending human and smashed in his/her skull. These are rare cases. But, as you know, vegetables flourish amongst the rotting remains of flora and fauna.

"Shakespeare in the Rain," Part II

Last night, I witnessed my second "Shakespeare in the Rain" performance of the summer.

In July, we watched the Wyoming Shakespeare Company perform in the rain at Cheyenne Botanic Gardens. The Lander-based troupe continued "Richard II" through a summer shower. More worrying were the lightning strikes flashing all around Lions Park. But the show went on as audience members huddled under umbrellas -- if they remembered them -- or trees -- as we did. Not bright, considering the lightning, but who were we to desert these stalwart thespians?

Yesterday evening, Chris, Annie and I drove over to Pando's Pond (officially City Park) to watch Shake in ChyWy perform "A Midsummer Night's Dream." This is a new troupe, directed by Carey Junior High teacher Angel Katen and performed by local actors, some home from college for the summer. The makeshift "theatre" resides among the terraces at the park's south end. The troupe hung homemade banners along the terrace walkway. No microphones, so the players had to speak loudly over passing trucks and Harleys.

The clouds gathered and thunder rumbled as we picnicked. I bought a root beer float from a booth staffed by the Carey dance team. The performance began and the players complted the first 10 minutes before the sky unleashed rain and a nasty salvo of lightning.

Angel announced: "We're moving to Carey Junior High. Please follow us."

We gathered our picnic and chairs and made a beeline to the car. Drove a mile through the deluge to Carey, meeting up with a daughter of a family friend.

Consider the hubbub part of the performance. A volunteer theatre trouple needs flexibility and persistence. We were in a our seats but a few minutes before the play resumed.

I've seen the play performed a couple of times before. I saw the recent movie and the old black-and-white version. I've read the play, the first time as an eighth-grader at Our Lady Of Lourdes grade school. I couldn't make heads or tails of it back then. Sister Theresa couldn't help as she probably hadn't read it or -- if she had -- didn't get it. She may have been outraged by the queen of the fairies falling in love with an ass who really wasn't.

Who knows? But this version was so much fun and so well-acted. As I sat watching the show, I marveled at the longevity of Shakespeare. New theatre troupes keep popping up. Shake in ChyWy is brand now this summer and the Wyoming Shakespeare Company is only ten years old. One can't go through a season in Wyoming without a half-dozen Shakespeares on the playbill. Hollywood loves The Bard.

I can't really call myself a fan. I love many of the plays, but I don't want to read them again. In fact, I didn't read them all during my time as an English major. But my daughter Annie does. After the show, she borrowed the script from one of the actors. Our friend MacKenzie (Mac), working as a horse wrangler this summer to pay for her next year at University of Tennessee, spends some of her off time reading Shakespeare. What's the matter with kids these days? Reading "Richard II" and "Midsummer" while they could be wasting their time in front of the PC as I am doing right now?

Love that Tom Rush '60s song: "Kids these days/they don't value a dolla'/don't like to chew/but they sure can swalla'."

Forgive the terrible rhyme. It takes dedicated chewing to read Shakespeare on a summer day.

"Small-state" senators with big-time clout

Great article about the U.S. Senate by Nate Silver on fivethirtyeight:

As you all surely know, the Senate is not a terribly democratic institution. A voter in Wyoming -- population 533,000 -- has about 70 times more ability to influence the Senate's direction than one in California -- population 36.8 million. And the lack of representativeness can be particularly acute when the Senate is conducting business at the committee level. Max Baucus's "Table for Six," for instance, which may very well determine the fate of efforts to reform health care, is made up of members who collectively represent about 6.5 million people, or around one-fiftieth of the country's
population.

Read entire article at http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/08/real-problem-with-senates-small-state.html

Wyoming Jefferson-Jackson dinner Sept. 26

The Wyoming Democratic Party's 2009 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner & Banquet will be held in Riverton at the Holiday Inn on September 26. The evening will kick off with a VIP Cocktail Hour with featured guests (to be announced) beginning at 5:45 p.m. and dinner is scheduled for 7 p.m. Individual tickets or tables of eight are available.

You may register and buy tickets at www.wyomingdemocrats.com or state party HQ at 1-800-SAY-DEMS.

Brianna Jones, Communications Director, Wyoming Democratic Party, (307) 752-5288.

Sen. Mike Enzi's August recess schedule

Here is Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi's schedule during the August recess (from a press release on his web site):

Highlights of Enzi’s schedule are provided below:

**Individuals interested in attending speaking engagements must contact the event organizers. **

Hulett, Jackson - Monday, August 10
Enzi plans to participate in the 8th Annual Challenger Learning Center Golf Scramble at Devils Tower Golf Course in Hulett from 7:15 - 11 a.m. Following the golf tournament Enzi is scheduled to travel to Jackson to tour Alces Technology (650 W. Elk Ave.) from 2:15 - 3:00 p.m. From 3:15 - 4:00 p.m. Enzi plans to tour Square One Technologies (3500 So. Park Dr.) and from 4:15 - 5:00 p.m. Enzi is slated to tour the Alzheimer Care Clinic (555 East Broadway, Suite 218).

Jackson - Tuesday August 11
Enzi plans to take to the links to raise money for the Congressional Award program, which encourages youth to serve their communities and grow as individuals. The annual Congressional Awards Golf Tournament will be held at Teton Pines Country Club in Jackson.

Douglas - Wednesday, August 12
Enzi is set to attend the Wyoming Agricultural Hall of Fame Awards presentation and picnic at Riverside Park (420 West Grant).

Douglas, Cheyenne - Saturday, August 15.
Enzi plans to celebrate the Wyoming State Fair by participating in the annual parade beginning at the intersection of Fifth and Hamilton streets in Douglas at 10 a.m. After the parade, Enzi plans to present at the Wyoming State Historic Preservation
Office’s 2008 Centennial Ranch Awards at the Wyoming State Fairgrounds in the Pavilion next to the museum from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Enzi plans to stop by the day long Cheyenne Sons of Italy Chapter annual Bocce ball tournament from 5-6 p.m. at Frontier Park (Indian Village at 8th and Carey).

Casper,Riverton - Monday, August 17
From 12-1 p.m., Enzi is scheduled to be the luncheon speaker at the Casper 5 Trails Rotary Club’s weekly lunch at the Parkway Plaza (123 West E St.). Enzi plans to speak about reforming health care and the cap-and-tax proposal. Organizer: 5 Trails Rotary Club (contact: Bill Sullivan 307-232-1211).
Enzi plans to attend the Central Wyoming College Intertribal Education and Community Center Groundbreaking (2660 Peck Ave.) from 4 - 5:30 p.m.

Riverton, Lander - Tuesday, August 18
Enzi is scheduled to tour the Riverton Community Health Center (511 N. 12th St. E #B)
from 10:30 - 11:15 a.m. After the tour from 3:15-4 p.m., Senator Enzi plans to tour the Wyoming Catholic College (163 Leedy Dr.).

Casper - Wednesday, August 19
Enzi plans to speak at the Petroleum Association of Wyoming’s Annual Meeting at the Parkway Plaza Hotel (123 W. E St.) in Casper from 10-11:45 a.m. Organizer: Wyoming Petroleum Association (contact Bruce Hinchey 307-234-5333). Following the speech Enzi is slated to speak to the Casper Lions Club from noon-1:15 p.m., in the Wyoming Room of the Parkway Plaza. Organizer: Casper Lions Club (contact: Frank Stewart 307-234-1461) Enzi plans to speak about reforming health care and the cap-and-tax proposal at both events.

Evanston - Thursday, August 20
Enzi is scheduled to tour the roundhouse railroad complex (1440 Main St.) from 10:45-11:25 a.m. followed by a visit to the Evanston Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Wyoming Hall at the Best Western Dunmar Inn (1601 Harrison Dr.) from 12-1:15 p.m. Enzi plans to speak about reforming health care and the cap-and-tax proposal. Organizer: Evanston Chamber of Commerce (contact 307-783-0370). Following the luncheon Enzi plans to tour the Evanston Hospital (190 Arrowhead Dr.) from 1:30-2:15 p.m. Then Enzi is scheduled to tour Carbon Fiber Technology (1375 Union Road) from 2:30 - 3:15 p.m.

Rock Springs - Friday, August 21
Enzi plans to tour the Sweetwater County Hospital (1200 College Dr.) from 10-10:45 a.m., followed by a tour of the Western Oil Technology at Western Wyoming Community College (2500 College Dr.)from 10:55-11:40 a.m. From 12-1:15 p.m. Enzi is scheduled to speak at the Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce luncheon, location to be determined. Check www.enzi.senate.gov under the Wyoming events tab for updated location. Enzi plans to speak about reforming health care and the cap-and-tax proposal. Organizer: Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce (contact 307-362-3771).

Gillette - Monday, August 24
Enzi has accepted an invitation to speak at the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce forum from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Gillette College Health Science Building (300 W. Sinclair). Enzi is one of several speakers that will discuss health care reform. Organizer: Campbell County Chamber of Commerce (contact: Tracy Williams 307-682-3673).

**Individuals interested in attending speaking engagements must contact the event organizers. **

All plans subject to change due to weather and the Senate schedule. Check Enzi’s Web page www.enzi.senate.gov for schedule updates and additions.

Notice how the press release opens and closes with this phrase: "Individuals interested in attending speaking engagements must contact the event organizers."

Wonder why?

The only truly public forum I ses on the list is the one in Gillette on Aug. 24. Enzi's family moved from Sheridan to Gillette when he was a kid. He lived there a long time, and once was mayor. This will be a hometown crowd. Wonder if any teabaggers will show up to disrupt the proceedings?

Teabaggers rehearse their lines for Obama visit

Teabaggers have time on their hands and they plan to "be out in full force to protest President Barack Obama's health care initiatives during his visit to the Bozeman area next week." according to Channel 7 in Bozeman.

Obama is planning a visit to the Bozeman area on Friday, Aug. 14. So-called highly-placed D.C. sources confirmed Wednesday that Obama will attend a fundraiser for Sen. Max Baucus at the Yellowstone Club Big Sky next weekend.

Should be a quid pro quo for that gig. Obama will attend fund-raiser if Baucus stops being an obstructionist on health care reform. No deal, no speech.

The Bozeman Tea Party group leader Bob Adney said that his members will join a town hall forum if one is held during Obama's visit.

"It's said, it's going to be a town hall, so I hope they're not going to screen participants for only people that support Obama. I really hope it is an honest and true town hall with lots of different people, and that they'll answer tough questions. But that's something we'll see. Hopefully it's not just a staged, you know, beauty pageant up there," Adney said.

Funny thing, the idea of screening attendees at public events is a Bush/Cheney trick. Not sure if Obama's people do the same thing -- it would be a shame if they did. The Secret Service and FBI have to do their jobs to keep dangerous people from the event. A few screaming wingnuts are not dangerous. Annoying as hell but not dangerous.

During his visit, Pres. Obama also will visit Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Grand Junction, Colo.

By the way, jhwygirl at 4&20blackbirds broke the news about the Obama visit on Tuesday. Kudos to this always-alert ex-Wyomingite.

Protect an American tradition and attend Congressional town hall meetings

I'll be there as a card-carrying member of the WPEA/SEIU.

WyoDems' Petersen: "Ashamed and disappointed" in Wyoming senators

From today's WyoDems press release:

Wyoming Democratic Party Chair Leslie Petersen issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted to confirm President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor:

“Today’s confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor is a historic event for the U.S. Supreme Court and for the American people. Our nation’s highest court will gain a sharp mind and a highly experienced justice to its bench. Her dedication to the court and commitment to the Constitution have been proven throughout her expansive legal career as a judge, a litigator and a prosecutor. With more judicial experience than any justice on the court in the last 70 years, she couldn’t be more prepared to rise to the monumental task of serving our country as a Supreme Court Justice.

"On this day we would also like to pause and appreciate the life of Judge Sotomayor as a remarkable citizen. Her achievements and hard work are humbling proof that the American Dream is alive and achievable. Judge Sotomayor will be the first Latina and only the third female to serve on the Supreme Court, making her a strong role model and an inspiration to millions of Latino and female Americans. Today is a great day for the American people, and I congratulate Judge Sotomayor and wish her the best of luck as she embarks on this important journey."

We are ashamed and disappointed that neither of our Senators voted for this outstanding woman.

Contact: Brianna Jones, brianna@wyomingdemocrats.com, (307) 752-5288