IS PERRIN OUT OF THE RACE?

Democratic candidate Carl Perrin has not won a single delegate, even in New Hampshire, the state where he grew up. The candidate admits he should have been more active in the Granite State. Not too many people there remember him after 50 years. He also had high hopes for South Carolina because he served in the Dixie Division at Fort Jackson during the Korean War. Unfortunately, whispering campaigns have painted him as a New England Yankee despite service in the Dixie Division. Even so, that was over 50 years ago also.

So, is Perrin ready to throw in the towel? “No way,” says the smiling candidate. The Florida primary is coming up next, and he lived in the Sunshine State for a while, and that was more recent, just a little over a year ago. "The guys and gals in the West Palm Beach Writers’ Group will remember me,” he says, “and so will the people in the Century Village Computer Club. I expect to have a lot of support in south Florida.”

Soon the fight will go on to Ohio, Missouri, Maine, and New Jersey. Perrin has taught in all those states and has thousands of former students who will remember him. Perrin quoted a famous philosopher: “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over, and it ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings.” Perrin is a man who believes in looking at the bright side of things.

DIRIGO

DOES PERRIN HAVE ANY CHANCE OF WINNING THE NOMINATION?

The Democrats are beginning to snipe at each other. Dennis Kucinich charges that the front-running candidates are conspiring to keep him out of the running. Elizabeth Edwards suggests that Hillary Clinton is not the best candidate on women’s issues, and Bill Clinton comes to his wife’s defense. Hillary and Obama are taking shots at each other over the issue of talking to heads of rogue governments.

And where is Carl Perrin in all this? Is no one attacking him only because so few people realize that he is even in the race? How can he possibly compete against candidates who are raising millions of dollars, while he has less than $100 in his entire campaign fund? If you talk to Dr. Perrin, you will find him extremely relaxed and self confident. You would never guess from his manner that he is way behind even Dennis Kucinich. That is because he has a plan.

In August he is going to Maine to campaign. Maine’s state motto is Dirigo, which means “I lead.” There used to be a saying, “As Maine goes, so goes the nation.” Perrin is confident that the saying still applies. He expects to do very well in Maine. Volunteers all over the state are collecting returnable bottles that will swell his campaign treasury. While the other candidates are focusing on Iowa, New Hampshire, Florida, and California, Perrin is putting his effort in Maine. As far as the rest of the country is concerned, Perrin is travelling under the radar right now. Once he gets to Maine, the other candidates will be blindsided. He will seem to have come out of nowhere and rise to the top of the charts. People in Maine appreciate cheap beer, and they know they can depend on Dr. Carl Perrin to keep the price beer down so they average person can afford it.