Little Rock, Arkansas – Welcome to a place being billed as: “The Next South, The Next America.”   The racially divisive civil rights era is over and Mayor Mark Stodola is quick to remind visitors that “Central High is part of our history but it’s not our legacy.”  (Tomorrow, I’ll tell you more about what’s happening today at historic Central High).  These days, local residents are quick to boast that Arkansas is the home of Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, publishing giant John H. Johnson, Senator J.W. Fulbright, President Bill Clinton, and Governor Mike Huckabee. 

But as presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama travel back and forth across Michigan searching for votes in our battleground state, I decided to come south.  For the next couple days, some of the most provocative speakers in America will be addressing the National Conference of Editorial Writers. 

One of them is Robert Cox, co-founder and president of the Media Bloggers Association. 
Cox, of course, became famous when he challenged the reporting of popular New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd.   Many believe that battle opened up the blogging world to “citizen journalists” like never before.  Today, Cox urges bloggers to have a basic understanding of media law.  Without it, he says, blogging can be a “risky business.”  He’s absolutely right!

Wal-Mart Moms

A fascinating afternoon is listening to Charles Fishman and Mona Williams.  If you ever have the opportunity, take advantage of it.  Fishman is the author of the book, The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World’s Most Powerful Company Really Works – and How It’s Transforming the American Economy.  Williams is vice president of corporate communications for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.  In similar ways, they paint a very vivid picture of the impact this Arkansas-based company has had on America.  But of particular interest right now are what Williams calls “Wal-Mart moms” and how this group may decide the race between Obama and McCain.  “Wal-Mart moms” are white working women with children between the ages of 24 – 44 years old.  They are worried about having enough money to pay for their families’ daily necessities.  Williams’ Wal-Mart research indicates there are roughly 19 million undecided American voters and about 13 million of them, she claims, are Wal-Mart shoppers.  Will these “Wal-Mart moms” do for McCain or Obama what “soccer moms” did for President Bill Clinton in 1996 and what “security moms” did for President George W. Bush in 2004?  In a couple months, we’ll see if  Wal-Mart as much influence in the political world as it does in the business world?