27 JAN 08: THE KERRY CAMPAIGN

Barack Obama won the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary Saturday night. Hillary Rodham Clinton was second. And as for third-place John Edwards - would you like to come back to Americus, and try that stump speech again?

The Barack Obama campaign is trying hard to win Democratic votes in Columbus. On Friday, it brought a bit of Hollywood to town - with appearances by actress Kerry Washington. After playing a temptress last year in the movie "I Think I Love My Wife," you'd think Washington would endorse Bill Clinton's candidate.

Kerry Washington was seen with almost all the major presidential contenders in recent months. But it was clear from a luncheon at the Liberty Theatre that she's taken a stand for Barack Obama. Yet please don't misunderstand - Washington is NOT borrowing from another movie, and declaring him The Next King of America.

Kerry Washington says she grew up in a "politically active family," so campaigns like this matter to her. She recalled working on the 2004 campaign in Florida, where anonymous callers spread lies about people being able to vote from their homes by phone. This is for President, folks - not American Idol.

Kerry Washington is SO into politics that she told the Liberty Theatre luncheon at one point: "What we're eating is politics...." I should have asked what the luncheon menu was - to see if Democrats eat chicken, while Republicans eat steak.

Kerry Washington told the Liberty Theatre audience if our country was a true democracy, "Election Day would be a national holiday" - but because it's not, people who "can't get a babysitter" are unable to vote. Someone had to tell Washington after her speech that a full week of early voting opens Monday in Columbus.

Kerry Washington explained she supports Barack Obama because he'll stand up to big corporations, such as the prescription drug industry. This apparently means when President Obama visits the doctor, he won't ask about all those drugs we're told to ask about on TV.

From where I stood outside the Liberty Theatre annex door, almost everyone in the audience was African-American. But the Barack Obama luncheon had a couple of major European-American backers - Teresa Tomlinson of Midtown Inc. and Cathy Williams of the Muscogee County School Board. If Williams backs Obama, maybe he's NOT a big-spending Democrat.

But spending was encouraged at a makeshift "Obama Store" just inside the luncheon door. T-shirts backing the candidate cost 20 dollars -- and if you simply wanted a Barack Obama sign for your yard, it cost eight dollars. Critics may call Democrats socialists, but at election time they're as much into capitalism as anybody.

(If a yard sign costs eight dollars, what about that Barack Obama banner which was stolen from the Columbus headquarters on Third Avenue? That might exceed the limits for small claims court.)

I was hoping to get a brief interview with Kerry Washington at some point in the day, but the organizers of the discussion at Columbus State University told me her schedule there was too tight. It turned out there was no time after the Liberty Theatre luncheon, either - as handlers said she had a "live interview at 1:00." In this race, Foxie-105 must have more clout than Fox-54.

As Kerry Washington left the luncheon to head for Columbus State University, a few fans were able to stop her for autographs and photographs. And there I was, waiting on her -- snapping pictures of a good-looking single Hollywood actress, standing less than 15 feet from you. Wow, being a member of the paparazzi can be fun....

If anyone from TMZ is reading this: Kerry Washington was gracious enough to sign a few autographs, and she posed with fans for a couple of pictures. Her handlers made sure one was taken with luncheon organizer Dr. Robert Wright -- which could set up a future appearance at Columbus Technical College, discussing film processing or something.

A few people had camera phones out and clicking as Kerry Washington headed to her handler's car. And as we left, a woman was irritated -- because a guy was snapping pictures of HER, taking pictures of the star. To which I remarked: "Welcome to the paparazzi."

So what about the Republican candidates for President? The only activity I've seen in Columbus so far is a large Ron Paul billboard on Veterans Parkway, near Manchester Expressway. Paul has a small, loyal following -- but so far, no one has brought him up as the great G.O.P. compromise candidate.

A bit of politics tops the other weekend headlines as well....

+ The Courier reported District Attorney Gray Conger is considering a campaign for district judge. At least we know he'd be impartial - since he's been both a Democratic and Republican prosecutor.

+ Edward DuBose returned to Columbus, to be inaugurated as Georgia NAACP President. It was a bit surprising to see DuBose NOT donning an honorary bright-yellow jacket.

+ Georgia Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle called for an easing of state water restrictions. One proposal would let you water your lawn, if you pass an online conservation course. And how are enforcers supposed to know for sure who passed it -- by hacking into their computers, to drain their personal data as well?

+ A lack of running water led to an early dismissal at Muscogee Elementary School. So one school was leaking natural gas Friday, while another school lacked water?! Maybe Keep Columbus Beautiful should stop the crepe myrtle planting at Spencer High.

+ Jordan knocked off Northside 88-70 in a big local boys' basketball game. WRBL showed a big crowd on hand, which was good to see - but then again, the only good alternative for local sports fans was watching figure skaters fall down on NBC.

+ In other sports news, Miss Georgia Leah Massee finished in the Top 16 at the Miss America pageant. One of Massee's relatives made news in Las Vegas, by criticizing the pageant's effort to make fun of its longtime image. You can spot the pageant contestant who spent too much money on hairspray....

+ Instant Message to WRBL's Steve Garrett: You've been on the air so much in the last month - yet you're still simply a "forecaster," not a meteorologist? Do you have to pass a CRCT exam this spring, too?

(BLOGGER'S NOTE: The jokes for today have concluded, but you're welcome to read on for some other thoughts from the weekend.)

BUT SERIOUSLY: Saturday marked the funeral of Mildred Upshaw. She died Tuesday, as a cold wave covered Columbus - after living outside without a home for more than 40 years. Upshaw somehow survived the 1985 single-digit chill, and the 1993 "Storm of the Century." But at age 79, her warm heart may have finally run out of internal heat.

Mildred Upshaw was known in parts of Columbus as "the pigeon lady," because she took time to feed them A relative told Saturday's Ledger-Enquirer she was NOT mentally ill - at least, no more than the rest of us. I suppose the rest of us are stupid enough to be addicted to natural gas heat, and willing to pay higher rates to use it in January and February.

Mildred Upshaw came up at the church congregation I visited Saturday. A woman quoted from an old newspaper article, in which a writer called Upshaw "one of the most intelligent people I've ever met." That quote struck me as bizarre. If Upshaw was so intelligent, why was she not smart enough to come in from the cold?

(During the discussion, I also learned the "buggy man" of Veterans Parkway and Airport Thruway was hospitalized from this past week's cold wave - and reportedly is having both his legs amputated. Assuming the public pays his bill after the items in his overflowing cart are sold, our tax dollars or medical bills may pay for his new motorized wheelchair.)

Mildred Upshaw talked in that old newspaper article about having a relationship with God -- and a Bible was found at the spot where she died. Yet her life reminds me of some Bible verses, which may sound tough but are well stated. One says some people may have a zeal for God, but "not according to knowledge." Another notes some people are "ever learning, but never coming to a knowledge of the truth."

The woman who brought up Mildred Upshaw at church expressed hope that the "pigeon lady" will find the home with God that she wanted. I don't rule that out - but I hope other homeless people learn a lesson from this. There's nothing in the Bible which says you HAVE to do without the basics of life, such as shelter and food. After all, Mother Teresa provided such things - but didn't go without them herself.

SCHEDULED MONDAY: A local elected official feels like he's being watched....

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