Belpre student greets McCain prior to debate
By JESS MANCINIBELPRE - A Belpre student with political hopes was a greeter for Sen. John McCain on Tuesday before the debate with Sen. Barack Obama at Belmont University at Nashville, Tenn.
Eric S. Deems, 20, son of Randy and Kelita Deems of Belpre, is a sophomore in business administration and political science at Belmont where he recently started a campus newspaper, The Right Aisle Review. Deems is the managing editor.
Deems was one of two students asked by college President Robert C. Fisher to greet the Republican presidential candidate and his wife, Cindy McCain, upon their arrival at the Curb Event Center. The other was George Scoville, president of the Belmont University Republicans.
Deems and Scoville spent more than five minutes with McCain.
''Obviously it wasn't a long time, but it was more time than none,'' Deems said.
''He was very genuine in person,'' he said. ''Especially, his wife.''
McCain was in Nashville for the second debate with Obama, a senator from Chicago, Ill. Obama, the Democrat, and McCain are in a close presidential campaign.
''I think they both did a good job in playing to their own base,'' Deems said.
However, Deems gives the debate victory to McCain.
During the debate, Deems sat in the audience with former senator Fred Thompson, an actor who last appeared on the NBC crime show ''Law and Order;'' Gov. Mitt Romney, an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for president; and former Vice President Al Gore, who lost the 2000 election to President George W. Bush.
''I was able to talk to them as well,'' Deems said.
Deems also met country singers Vince Gill and Amy Grant, and CBS newsman Bob Schieffer. Deems drove Schieffer to the airport, and the television newscaster gave him a business card and told Deems to stay in touch.
''It was really neat to talk to him,'' Deems said.
Deems is a 2007 graduate of Belpre High School.
He has political aspirations and hopes to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Ohio's 6th District, which includes Washington County and counties toward Cincinnati.
''I'm extremely proud of him,'' Mrs. Deems said.
''I knew if there was anyway he could meet John McCain he would do it,'' she said. ''It didn't surprise me a bit.''
Deems met President Bush twice when he was in Parkersburg, she said. When he was was a junior in high school in 2006, Deems was chosen for Boys Nation, of which only 93 students from around the country participate, she said.
''He's always had a fascination with government, even as a small boy,'' Mrs. Deems said.
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jamesbob
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10-10-08 4:53 PM
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Mrs. Deems WOULD be doing the talking, yes.
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MrWilson
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10-10-08 8:55 AM
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This kid ROCKS! Maybe someday we will have a Presidential candidate from our very own Belpre, Ohio. Very cool.
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