As I was driving back from dropping Betsy off a work I happend to pass a man standing on a corner, waving a flag. My first thought was "advertisement" as we have many street corner ad men here in Cleveland-some for plumbers, some to tell of liquidation sales, etc. But then as I passed I saw a sign saying "Reilly For Congress" Now I was was struck by how basically American this is. Here is a man standing for office, literally. And though I fleetingly thought it could be a campaigner, I quickly realizesd I was wrong. And I was curious. Who is Reilly? What office? So I turned back, at first just to take a photo or two. But my curiosity and my patriotism got me. Yes, folks, I am a patriot. I know the right-wingers think they have a lock on that but they don't. So I parked and crossed the street, thinking to myself I was being foolish. Who am I to ask what he is doing? I'm not a reporter.
But I also hve the right to ask questions- so I crossed Mayfield Rd. and went up to him. I met Dan Reilly, who told me he is running for Congress for the 11th District on May 4th against Marcia Fudge. She happens to be my current Congresswoman. Dan is ex-Air Force, a union carpenter and a paramedic who is running on a reform ticket. He thinks we have had enough and changes need to be made. He plans to be on this corner and others around the east side 11th district for the next few weeks. If I were a reporter I would have gone for more detail, but as I am not I felt I learned enough for this morning. This is a man who loves his country, who cares enough to run for an office, without the fanfare and hoopla of a huge campaign. I didn't ask if he is right or left. I don't much care. He is doing something folks. He is the quintessential American.