George,

Reading the piece in the Washington Post regarding Creigh Deeds, it had a ring of familiarity to it. I think I could have substituted the name "Harry Truman" for Creigh Deeds, such was the similarity to the criticisms of op-ed writers and critics of Truman's era.

Even Truman's "funny nasal voice" was another of the lightweight summaries of the man.

"His [Truman's] gestures were out of sync with his words", again were similar to "his hands were jabbing in the air like six shooters".

"He could plow the straightest furrow in Missouri" was often more a sarcastic reference to Truman's "bumpkinesque" background.than any specific qualities he had to be in the political arena. Truman was written off early in his quest for elected office as a "greenhorn" rural, unsophisticated individual, not ready for the big city voters in Kansas City and the like.

Creigh Deeds is, in my opinion, exactly what is lacking in modern politics, a straightforward, no-nonsense, intelligent individual fully in touch with the issues confronting the state, projecting himself in an honest, "unslick" manner. Call it "down to earth" or whatever, if a person of Truman's caliber is our choice, I can only say "bring em on!"

Harry Tenney (Electronic mail, March 29, 2009)