(Talk of the Town photos by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Above, local Democrats socialize before the Thomas Riley Marshall dinner Thursday evening in Columbia City. From left is Tim Bloom, Mayor Jim Fleck, John Passey and Councilman Roger Seymoure. Below, Fleck shakes hands with Congressional candidate Michael Montagano.
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
Voicing out loud a thought that has been on the minds of local Democrats for several weeks, Mayor Jim Fleck may have announced his future political aspirations Thursday night.
“Yes, I am running for vice president,” Fleck said, laughing, as he addressed the Whitley County Democratic party at the Eagles Nest Event Center during the annual Thomas Riley Marshall dinner. 
Alluding to the political qualifications of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, a former small town mayor, Fleck outlined his own qualifications.
“We fixed potholes, we collected garbage and we provide for little children in the park,” Fleck said. “The difference is that our population is 6.1 per square mile and hers is 1.1 per square mile.”
Fleck went on to say he’d been to Washington more times than she has, has met the head of the United Nations, adding, “So that makes me doubly ready!”
Despite the joking and laughter, local Democrats meant serious business Thursday night as they outlined real issues for the upcoming election and incited support for the cause.
“This is a historic year as we all know,” Fleck said, adding that for the first time in 20 years Virginia may vote for Democrats. Turning his sights on the Hoosier state, Fleck said, “This is the first year we can get it right and we need to.”
“The popularity of Senator Obama is phenomenal,” Fleck said. He shared that he had personally met with Obama’s advisors about the issues at hand in this election.
“It is up to everyone in this room to understand the difference between qualified and not qualified,” he said in reference to not only his opinion at Palin’s lack of qualification, but also of Obama’s record of achievement – particularly in the urban areas of Chicago and at the helm of the Law Review.
Fleck was most concerned about Palin because of the proximity that would place her to the oval office.
“I think its 50-50 odds (McCain) will make it four year years and I’m not sure she knows what the red button means,” Fleck stated.
Senator Evan Bayh had been scheduled to speak at the dinner, but due to meeting in Washington, was unable to attend. This was the first of unexpected events during the dinner. Later, guests learned that neither the Thomas Riley Marshall award nor the John Whiteleather award would be presented. Regardless, there was plenty of stumping to be done.
“This is a year to be excited,” said local District I Commissioner candidate Tim Hearld.
Since filing to run against incumbent Tom Rethlake for the seat, Hearld said he’s experienced what he describes as “overwhelming support” for his campaign.
“Since I’ve filed, people have asked me, ‘Well, who’s the commissioner now,” Hearld said. Such questions have given him the opportunity to educate the community on what a commissioner does.
Hearld said he’s concerned about a variety of issues locally, including accountability from elected officials.
“The business as usual atmosphere has gone on long enough,” Hearld said.
“We need to stretch budgets as far as we can,” he said.
Hearld said he was particularly troubled by the closing of businesses, loss of jobs and high number of vacant buildings and business spaces in the community.
“We need to find new, creative technical companies who are willing to come here,” he said, talking about how Kosciusko County has managed to become a hot spot for biomedical companies.
“We need to make Whitley County stand out so that businesses and families are willing to locate here,” he said.
The road to get there, however, might be a challenge – but one Hearld said he’s ready to take.
“A lot of families are really hurting right now,” he said.
Congressional candidate Michael Montagano also took his opportunity to speak for his campaign, sharing his support for Hearld as well, telling local Democrats, “I want you to work as hard for him as you are for me.”
Montagano then talked about the roads he’s traveled in recent months – walking in 27 parades and meeting constituents in eight counties, eager to share his vision for Northeast Indiana’s future.
He said that the skyrocketing national debt, poor economy and unemployment levels are a message that we need something new. “It can’t get much worse for a host of reasons.”
“Things need to change,” he said. Citing his Italian immigrant family’s presence in Northeast Indiana for the past 150 years, he shared how his own great-grandfather had given his own health and well-being to build railroads, a key element to the economy of this area. “We have an obligation to fight for the next generation as the prior three have fought for us.”
“We are in this room because we need to pick people up, not step over them,” Montagano said.
Taking his opponent incumbent Mark Souder head on, Montagano cited Souder’s 357th rank out of 435 Congressional leaders for achievement. “He’s been there a decade and a half and he’s in the bottom 20% of getting things done,” he said.
“He is a congressman who has failed to get us there time and time again,” Montagano said. “He’s against the working man and organized labor.”
“We need someone to go to Washington and fight for new jobs,” he said. “We need to get this budget under control,” Montagano said, citing what he described as Souder’s “reckless earmarks.”
Despite running in what is being regarded as the most fierce Democratic race in the state by the National Democratic Party, Montagano is steadfast. Montagano shared that the most recent polls show an encouraging lead against Souder. “He’s the lowest he’s ever been in history,” Montagano said, sharing that a record number of Republicans have indicated they’ll be voting for Montagano in the coming election.
Speaking on behalf of Gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson, who was not in attendance, Randy Schmitt said, “Don’t let anyone tell you she can’t do this – let me tell you she can.”
Major General George A. Buskirk Jr. also spoke on behalf of Long Thompson, pointing out a variety of reasons he feels Governor Mitch Daniels has failed Hoosiers, including alarming levels of job loss, sale of the State National Forest to a foreign veneer company, leasing of the toll road, refusal to suspend fossil fuel taxes and his lack of attention on the foreclosure crisis.
“Indiana is bleeding from the ears,” he said.
“I feel like it is a moral imperative that Indiana change its direction,” Buskirk added.
Speaking on behalf of the Barak Obama campaign, organizer Chris Dean urged local Democrats to give of their time to support the campaign – taking the message door to door.
Pointing to recent polls that show Obama with a lead in the Hoosier State over John McCain, Dean said, “We have a lot of momentum.”
“Indiana has the first real chance since Lyndon B. Johnson to go blue,” he said, further raising the level of excitement in the room.
