There was some evidence of some politics at the fair—but not so much. Al Franken, the comedian-turned-Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, had a prominent booth at one of the entrances. The fair administrators had banned bumper-sticker giveaways; Franken's volunteers were giving away baseball cards with pictures of the candidate and his stands on the issues.

Republican incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman had a smaller booth, but with an up-to-the-minute message copied from the national GOP: let's stop all this politics and focus on aiding the Gulf. (Cynics, and Democrats, might suggest that the GOP would rather not have to talk too much about their own party brand right now.)

There were presidential booths, too. Sen. John McCain's had a steady trickle of visitors. Obama's, it seemed, was busier. By nightfall his volunteers were claiming that that they had sold or given away literally thousand of buttons, t-shirts and issue brochures. They even had a cardboard hand fan with the slogan "CHANGE ON A STICK."

As I stood in various food lines, I heard plenty of approving comments about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Indeed, she seems like the kind of gal who would feel 100 percent at home at the fair. One enthusiastic supporter of the new GOP ticket said that she had brought energy—and youthful enthusiasm—to a boring campaign.

I met the prototypical Obama guy at the Norwegian cheese curds stand. As I was getting my order, he was getting his: a colossal tube of deep-friend something on a stick. He glanced me with a pitying look. I had failed to order the best item on the menu, he said, his hot meal on a stick. "The ultimate Minnesota food," he declared.

I should have expected the lecture for, after all, my 23-year-old gastronomical guide was as Minnesotan as you can get. His pedigree was impeccable. His name was Aaron Ackerman. He was born in South Korea, adopted as an infant by Jewish parents. He grew up in the solid suburb of Minnetonka. He was educated in excellent public schools there and at Middlebury College. He has his eye on a career in international development.