National Affairs: The High Cost of Running

In the hill country of southeastern Kentucky, politics demands something slightly more personal than a television smile or a political machine. Just what it does demand was outlined last week by young (34), brawny Sheriff George Wooton, who was a candidate for Leslie County Judge in the August 1 primary. Wrote Wooton in a campaign report to the county's only newspaper, the Thousandsticks (weekly circ. 735):

"Lost three months and 20 days canvassing the county. Lost 1,360 hours of sleep studying about the election. Lost six acres of corn and a lot of sweet 'taters. Lost two front teeth and a lot of hair in a personal encounter with an opponent. Donated to 200 preachers, gave 4,000 fans to churches. Gave away one bull, eight shoats, seven head of sheep to barbecues; gave away two pairs of suspenders, five calico dresses, five dolls and 15 baby rattles, kissed 150 babies, kindled 25 fires, put up 14 cook stoves, cut 15 cords of stove wood, promised twelve pups—the old female had only six. Carried 75 buckets of water, picked 25 gallons of blackberries, hauled 100 bags of dairy feed, unloaded 20 tons of lime; shook hands 9,000 times, told 500 lies, talked enough to make 10,000 volumes; attended 27 revivals, was baptised seven times by immersion and twice by some other way, contributed to foreign missions, walked 500 miles, knocked on 2,000 doors, got bit 39 times by dogs and then got defeated."