Obama prays with the white middle class and eats with .. well .. different people

St Luke's United Methodist Church @ 86th and Meridian, Indianapolis,IN is in the heart of republican Indy - and counts Republican Senator Dan Lugar as a worshipper amongst it's 6,500 strong communion.

It was some what of a surprise therefore when Illinois Sen. Barack Obama called by on Sunday for the third service at 11.00 when Dr. Linda McCoy was preaching on the theme "Saying yes" , (Obama's campaign slogan is "Yes we can") along with a hustling crowd of bulky men with earphones carefully positioned around him, seven pews back.

Rev. Kent Millard oversees the flock with an annual budget of US$2.4 Mn and his grand daughter Taylor Hall, 7, sat next to Obama for much of the service, while her brother Tre Hall, 18, got a chance to speak to Obama before the service and fill him in on the youth scene in down town Indy.

After leaving St. Luke's, he headed for the bustling Country Kitchen at the corner of College Avenue and 18th Street. These are a chain of low cost diners that appeal to large families and large people who specialise in down home cooking and specials on hominy grits. Expect to see folks reading the bible on a Sunday as they chomp through bacon ,eggs, sausages, hash browns, waffles with strawberries and cream and root beer floats.

He was joined by U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, D-Ind., who is facing his own challenge in the May primary for the 7th District seat, and local Democratic Party officials.

"It's an exciting time to be a Democrat," said City-County Councilman Jose Evans, who was dining with Carson. "This is the most exciting times since the Kennedy days . . . (although) I wasn't alive then."

"Inner-city Indianapolis is a place where people need to be acknowledged," added local educator Evelyn Gearries, who was among a throng of diners surprised as Obama walked in the door. "Obama coming here shows he's doing more than talking about change."

As the candidate made his way around the restaurant, diners broke out into a chant of his campaign's slogan, "Yes, we can."

This morning (Monday) in a couple of hours (8.45am )Bill Clintonan will be making an appearance at Carmel High School (with a superb national and statewide reputation)to wrap up a 2 day whistle stop tour of the state.Shrillary arrives tomorrow for stops in Indianapolis, Hobart and Princeton. On Wednesday, she visits Kokomo, and she will be in Terre Haute on Thursday.

Popeye Pete in a local web Forum says .."I have voted Republican for many, many years. This year it is going to be different. I would rather vote for Hillary, but in either case I will vote the Democrat ticket in the fall. I voted for Bush two times. What a stupid mistake. It's time to get out of Iraq and bring our young people home. I will be voting for Hillary next month. " .. which seems to be an increasingly familiar refrain, especially amongst the older voters.


Sgt Ryan Jopek 20 , Wisconsin memorial from Gannet newspapers official news of death from IED exploding

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