Where there's a politician, there are protesters. And when a man with a camera approaches those protesters, the men with the Throw the Bums Out signs usually break into hundred-watt smiles.
That was the case Saturday when I approached Max Baucus' headquarters on First Avenue East in Kalispell. Max's campaign bus was parked in front of the HQ — and standing in front of the bus were these fellows with their signs (one possibly made from lawn signs procured by the midnight requisitioning brigade) and pitchfork.
Update, 16 November 2008. Shawn Bailey, one of the protesters, just updated me on the source of the signs: “I wanted to let you know that the MAX signs were official yard signs, and they were obtained at the Democrats HQ. The ladies inside gave them to me.” There may have been a bit of subterfuge here.
Update continued. I can also add that Max’s field staff were a lot more accommodating than Obama’s field staff from Oklahoma. I sent the Obama organizer in Kalispell an email messsage asking for a lawn sign. He never even deigned to acknowledge my request.
They left before Baucus and Jon Tester arrived, thus depriving me of a great photograph, and them of a Joe the Plumber moment.
An hour later, driving home, I saw the pair in the second photograph standing on the corner of Main and Third. As I was stopped at the light, I grabbed the camera and triggered three blind shots. Just before the third shot, they spied me and hammed it up.
