July 16, 2008 04:23 pm
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Longtime Republican Sullivan County legislator Sen. John Waterman has ended his Quixotic pursuit of the governor’s office — about 30,000 signatures shy of the 33,000 needed to place his name on the November election ballot. In a year of unpredictable shifts in the state and nation’s political landscape, this sideshow played out pretty much the way most people expected.
Yes, Waterman — and the Taxpayers Party he founded — started late and had only three weeks to gather the needed signatures. That, of course, gives him and his supporters plenty of wiggle room to put a positive spin on the inevitable results.
John Waterman is no doubt a nice man with good intentions who means well and, more often than not, does his best for his western Indiana constituents. But let’s not dance around the obvious. The Sullivan County senator has always been, and will continue to be, a marginal legislator whose influence and impact at the statehouse is nothing out of the ordinary. He has no business being governor of this state.
Tuesday was a great day for Terre Haute’s Clara Walton, who was honored for her work in health care with a Governor’s Award for Achievement. Walton, president of the Vigo County Minority Health Coalition, received her award from Gov. Mitch Daniels at a ceremony in the statehouse rotunda as part of the Indiana Black Expo Annual Summer Celebration.
Bouquets go to Walton for her inspired efforts through the years to decrease health disparities for minorities. There could not be a more deserving recipient of this award.
What a nice touch. The Vigo County 4-H organization showed class and caring last week during its annual fair by hosting “a little heroes day” in honor of young people who have a parent in military service. In addition, the county organization conducted an auction to raise funds for a Greene County 4-Her recently injured in a traffic accident. Thoughtful actions such as these demonstrate the true character of the people who make up this valuable community organization.
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