Day 39
3:11 PM MT.

Peter and Josh are getting sick of it now because all I can do is talk about how much I love Montana! This state is just so beautiful and all the people we’ve met so far are nice, real people.

We’ve had a great day today- woke up somewhere in Helena, MT and got an early start interviewing the head of the Montana Democratic Party and a really cool guy, Jim Farrell. Then we drove at 90+ M.P.H. up to Great Falls, MT to meet the trifecta- Governor Brian Schweitzer, Jon Tester, and Senator Max Baucus.

Now I know how folks felt when they went down to Arkansas in the 80’s to see then Governor Bill Clinton speak. Gov. Schweitzer, the Democratic Governor of Montana, is like no one I’ve ever met in my life. Today he was speaking to the Montana Farmers Union, a crowd of over 200 people, and he gave a rousing speech on energy independence (without notes or a written speech) and got the crowd to its feet. I had chills running up and down my spine listening to him pound the podium and fire-up the union crowd.

I am now convinced that Governor Schweitzer is the next great hope for Democrats nationally and I am 100% on the Schweitzer bandwagon.

We are all now sitting in the hotel lobby of a Best Western in Great Falls stealing some wi-fi and then we’re headed to Missoula, MT tonight for some production and fun.

Ha- Senator Max Baucus just walked by and we got a picture with him…nice guy.

I love Montana.

-Matthew

Day 39
2:38 PM MT.

You really can’t describe nor capture the beauty of Montana in words or photos. This picture was taken as we drove west towards the capitol of Helena. While just a minute before we’d been driving through rolling plains with rocky hills in the distance, we came over a ridge and before us were the Crazy Mountains rising out of the ground. Simply breathtaking.

One thing I think about a lot as we drove through the mountain west is how much our civilization has impacted these lands and what it must have been like for the first pioneers to have fought their way through this rugged terrain. I’m exhausted enough sitting in a captain’s chair in a minivan on this trip, and the thought of covering this same path on a horse or covered wagon nearly boggles the mind. With no interstates and rest stops, no Comfort Inns or local burger joints, what did the Wild West look like to those men and women when it was truly wild?

I’m sure Peter or Matt will hit you with it soon, but we just saw Governor Brian Schweitzer speak and he is something else. Quoth Matthew: “I like Montana.” Couldn’t agree more.

We’re using the free WiFi at the Best Western in Great Falls, MT so I just uploaded a bunch of new photos and we’ll have the clip of yesterday’s Peter B. Collins call-in up in a minute.

Now on to Missoula! Only 11 days until we change the world (and I get to sleep in my own bed).

-Josh