Freyne Land

Is blowing in the wind.

The answer is blowing in the wind."

That little Bob Dylan tune fills the air this morning. The Vermont Public Service Board has given the green-light to the Sheffield wind power project! I trust the Guv will express his sincere displeasure at his 1 p.m. presser.

Also on the presidential political scene there's "a new wind blowing," says Laura Cary of South Burlington, a volunteer activist with Vermonters for Obama. It may be the "Dog Days of Summer," but the group went ahead and held an August meeting anyway at Uncommon Grounds Coffee Shop on Church Street Wednesday evening.

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama came in first with 36 percent in the Vermont Democrat Party's straw poll released on August 1.

John Edwards was second with 29 percent.

Hillary Clinton came in third with 10 percent, though she is in first place nationally among Democrats.

"The mood is excellent," Cary told us afterward. They're making plans for the fall, she said, and also finishing up collecting signatures to put him on the ballot.

"I’m no political expert," said Laura, "I’m just a voter, but I think it looks good. It’s five-and-a-half months away so anything can happen. We know that from last time, so I’m hopeful. Obviously Hillary’s the front-runner. We’d rather be the front-runner, but he’s doing very well and a lot can happen in five months."

A lot of people for Obama have never experienced the man before, I noted. Is it fair to say he represents 'hope' and the the 'unknown.' It’s part of his strength, Agree?

"Yes. I think people want change desperately. Everyone’s just had enough," said Cary. "Everyone’s had enough! Obama represents something different, a turning of the page and I think that Republicans and Democrats alike have just had it. Hope is really building. I think there’s a new wind blowing."

Did you just tune out the White House?

"I unfortunately follow it. I’ve stopped reading The Burlington Free Press and that’s made me a happier person. If I stopped reading The Washington Post, I’d probably be a happier person, too, but I haven’t. I do read the WP everyday, and The New York Times [chuckle] and The Los Angeles Times.

"Obama’s doing great. He’s building momentum. He’s No. 2 in the polls, though I don’t think the polls are accurate. Wanna know why?"

Sure.

"As a generalization, Obama supporters are younger people and Hillary supporters are older people. All the polls are done on land lines only.

Young people don’t have land lines, they have cell phones and they don’t poll people with cell phones. So I think that skews the polls. That’s my theory!"

Interesting.