McCain finally secured enough delegates to win the GOP nomination. It has been a long winding road. I first volunteered for McCain in Michigan in 2000 when he ran the first time. I spent some time in New Hampshire before the 2008 primary there. The pictures below are McCain giving his victory speech in the hotel after the primary there. It was a fun and interesting experience. I got to meet and see Senator Mcain several times and I also had the great honor of doing a sign wave along the highway at 7:30 AM in 24 below windchill before the primary. But something worked, we went from single digits in the polls in December, nearly written off, nearly broke and Senator McCain carrying his own luggage and flying alone to the nomination. Onward we go, to the White House.
I figured it was time for an update on the house considering it has been over a year since the last photo. I will put the old ones back up here if you haven’t seen them before. The front needs some trim finished and the stucco finished along with landscaping. The rear needs the siding and landscaping finished. Stay tuned, maybe before long I can call it finished.
Senator McCain, Cindy and me in Michigan in 2000. I was a volunteer in the Michigan campaign in 2000. We were able to pull off a win over G. Bush there somehow. The picture was taken at the Polish American Cultural Center after a townhall meeting in Warren. I was a volunteer at the townhall and dragged Senator McCain into a picture on his way out. You can tell it was in 2000 by comparing it to my picture on the top of my website, and I will not go further, ha.
My father, Dennis E. Kimes in Vietnam with Admiral McCain sometime between 1966 – 1969. Autograph is Senator McCain that I got in New Hampshire while I was campaigning for him there in January 2008. Dad is the third from the right. and Admiral McCain is standing next to him, not sure what Dad is explaining. Dad was in the 1st Infantry Division a.k.a Big Red One and spent about 2-1/2 years in Vietnam. He received the Silver Star, Bronze Medal and Purple Heart among others while there. I may put up more information about his medals here sometime.
West Virginia spends $8,988 per student in K-12 with an average class size of 14.1 students per teacher. This means we spend on average $126,731 per year per classroom. This represents spending in the top 20% among all states. Yet on the ACT test, WV students score 20.6 which is 39th overall. In Math, a critical area in my opinion, WV students score 19.5 which is 48th in the nation. Yet according to the legislature we need to raise teacher salaries, where is the money going and why aren’t we getting more for the dollars we are spending?
