A throw-away question

Tonight Sen. Clinton held a national town hall meeting, where she answered one question per Super Tuesday state; all the states were linked up via satellite, and supporters met at central locations. Here in Kansas, people gathered in Wichita. Originally they were supposed to meet at a bar and grill, but I believed they moved to a theater.

Anyway, for the first time in my life, I watched the Hallmark Channel, which broadcast one hour of the Senator's give-and-take with fawning supporters. And at 9 p.m. on the dot, Hallmark switched back to its programming. And I still hadn't heard the question that Kansas would ask.

So I rushed back to my room and visited Clinton's Web site, which was streaming the remainder of the program. Finally, it was Kansas' turn.

And what a strange question it was. Last week I was on a conference call with Sen. Clinton's main backers here in Kansas, and they said they'd have to think of back up questions in case all the good ones -- you know, health care, the war, education, etc. -- were taken. Well, they were.

Kansas asked the dubious and curious question of how Sen. Clinton would tackle a national rail system, a la the Bullet Train in Japan or EuroStar in Europe. Seriously?

Clinton was overjoyed at this question (and all the others, for that matter). The Giants fan said she loved trains (!) and would definitely consider looking into creating a national rail system. *Sigh*

I, for one, was not surprised this square state didn't make it into the broadcast. I don't know how they organized it, but it may have something to do with delegates, because North Dakota and Delaware were two other states that didn't make it on-air.

I like trains -- my friend Blair and I took a lovely Amtrack ride from Chicago to Ann Arbor once. But I'm not sure that's the question on everybody's minds this presidential race.

I guess I'll find out tomorrow, when I'm live vlogging Super Tuesday!