One of our economy’s liberators arrived last week in Missouri, a bell-weather state in this year’s presidential election, and  to loud applause Senator Joe Biden told an enthusiastic crowd of more than a thousand people that it’s time to “STAND UP FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS”.

We rose to our feet, cheering the end of the Bush era, one of the most dismal in our nation’s history. Afterwards, Joe worked the rope line for nearly an hour, stopping to have his picture taken with everyone who asked. He met John McGurk’s mom, and started his presentation by jogging around the podium and hugging Dutch Newman, whom he called “an old girlfriend of mine”. I’ve never seen Dutch glow quite as much as she did that warm afternoon at William Jewell College.

In talking to one of the secret service agents as we awaited our turn at the rail with Joe, we learned that Joe Biden is just as approachable and down to earth behind the scenes as he is in front of the cameras. In fact, the agent said he’s just a regular Joe, as genuine and real as anyone this 30-year career agent had ever met.

One of the lines that got people laughing was when he referred to the other vice presidential candidate. “Sarah Palin likes to say she was in second grade when I was elected to the United States Senate at the age of 29,” he said with a big grin. “Well, she was in 6^th grade the last time John McCain had a new idea!” 

He referred to McCain “lurching” from one idea to the next, continuing the policy of the Bush Doctrine by constantly shooting from the hip. In reviewing the policies of an Obama/Biden administration, I was pleased to hear him make a pitch for the new green economy, describing the need for green jobs that cannot be shipped overseas, and reminding us that Americans are innovators and entrepreneurs who can help tackle climate change with the same vigor that we used in launching the technological revolution.

Afterwards I spoke with Sam Myers, a northeast Missouri family friend who handles media advance work for Biden. He said they are feeling the bubbling up of hope at every stop, and people seem to be energized now more than ever.

Missouri may hold the key.

Kim and Lynn Hinkle work precinct in Missouri