U.S. Senator Mark Udall of Colorado, son of legendary Congressman Mo Udall spoke passionately tonight at the Pima County Democratic Party’s headquarters to elect Democrats in Arizona, his former home. Mark Udall, who graduated from Canyon del Oro High School in Tucson, spoke of his initial shyness in campaigning for U.S. House, but then spoke of a recent “historic moment” in the U.S. Senate when he got to vote to appoint Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to the U.S. Supreme Court.

U.S. Senator Mark Udall

He also asked the hundreds of loyal Democrats in the room to “carry on for my dad Mo”. He spoke of how the previous Bush Administration had “driven the bus into the ditch” economically, and that it was not time to “give them back the keys” to the bus, but to get the bus out of the ditch & put the bus into “D” for drive (and Democrat), not “R” for reverse (and Republican).

Also speaking tonight were Rep. Chris Deschene, candidate for Arizona Secretary of State, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (CD 8 U.S. House), and finally Attorney General Terry Goddard, running for Governor. Goddard joked that something was “wrong with our immigration policy” to allow the Udalls (Mark and Tom) to leave the State of Arizona. Tom Udall is former U.S. Rep. Stewart Udall’s son and now U.S. Senator of New Mexico. Mark and Tom’s fathers Mo and Stewart Udall were brothers, and both represented Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Goddard said there was “no gap of enthusiasm in Southern Arizona”, and that there was “no bigger push than now” to take back the state and bring the “prosperity train” back to Arizona. (Incidentally, Goddard is a graduate of Rincon High School while Giffords is a graduate of University High School, which shares the same campus in Tucson.)

Also attending tonight ‘s rally were Rep. Daniel Patterson (LD 29 House candidate), Bruce Wheeler (candidate in LD 28 House), Dr. Macario Saldate (candidate in LD 27 House), Vince Rabago (former AG candidate), and Tim Sultan (former candidate in LD 28 House). Congressman Raul Grijalva (CD 7) was initially scheduled to attend tonight, but was unable to due to a scheduling conflict.

Chair of the Pima County Democratic Party Jeff Rogers also spoke of the tremendous activity in the four Democratic headquarters in Southern Arizona . He emphasized that this was a “pivotal time” in Democratic politics in Arizona, due to the necessity of electing Terry Goddard to Governor, in order for him to veto bills coming from the Republican Arizona legislature.

Pima County Democratic Party headquarters in Tucson is located at 4639 E. 1st. Street, phone 520-326-3716. Website is www.pimadems.org.

KUAT Channel 6 invited both Republican Governor Jan Brewer and Democrat Attorney General & Gubernatorial candidate Terry Goddard to discuss political issues with Arizona Illustrated host Bill Buckmaster on October 19, in their studio at the U of A campus here in Tucson. Only Goddard responded and will be attending the interview, to be telecast at 6:30 p.m. See the video online later at www.azpm.org.

AG Terry Goddard is an Arizona native (born in Tucson and graduated from Rincon High School), educated at Harvard College, with his law degree from ASU. He served as Mayor of Phoenix for 4 terms, and was elected Arizona Attorney General in 2003. He ran for Governor before in 1990 and 1994, and his father Samuel Goddard Jr. was Governor for 2 years (1965 to 1967). Terry also served an active duty tour in the U.S. Navy and retired as a Commander after 27 years in the Naval Reserves, which makes him an Veteran as well.

His Goddard for Governor campaign website is: www.terrygoddard.com.

Last week I posted a blog about Terry’s family (click here) but I will republish a recent Goddard family photo here. His son Kevin is 11 years old (6th grader).

Kevin, Monica, and Terry Goddard

Vote wisely on or before November 2nd.

I just found out that German is the 4th most spoken language in Arizona, following English (official), Spanish, and Navajo. It is taught at the University of Arizona (bachelor’s and master’s levels, with a Ph.D. in Transcultural German), and at Pima Community College (bachelor’s degree) at three campuses: Downtown, West, and Northwest.

The German language is also taught at least at eight high schools in Tucson: Amphi, Canyon del Oro, Cholla, Empire, Flowing Wells, Mountain View, Rincon, and University High.

On the elementary school level, I believe the only offering in bilingual German/English is at the private, well renowned International School of Tucson, at 1730 N. First Ave. Ages taught at that school are 3 to 11.

German Americans were some of the earliest immigrants to America, and now comprise 17% (2000 census) of the U.S. population, over 51 million people. But that probably doesn’t account for inter-marriage, prevalant nowadays.

German is spoken in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, parts of America, and a little in Luxembourg, Alsace and Lorraine (both in France), a little in Denmark, a solid group in Romania and Russia, and in southern Brazil, Peru, and Argentina.

I myself am married to a Native German professor and it has opened up my world to an appreciation of the German language and culture. I’ve audited German 101 and 102 at the University of Arizona (German Studies Dept.), and have studied German informally as well.

Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Ja, ein bisschen.
(Do you speak German? Yes, a little).