It's been brought to my attention by two faithful News Tribune readers that I may have incorrectly reported the details of a brouhaha at Adam Smith's town hall meeting last week in Lakewood.

I reported that a man holding a sign depicting President Obama with a Hitler mustache was taken to the ground by bystanders, who crumpled up the sign and threw it away.

That's what I saw and a few witnesses said they saw. But two people now have called me to say it was actually the man with the Obama-Hitler sign that pushed another man to the ground -- not the other way around.

I'm trying to confirm what actually happened.

A spokesman from Adam Smith's office couldn't confirm it one way or another because he said Smith's staffers had a poor view of the scuffle, too. I scoured the Web briefly last Wednesday trying to find another account of the fight, but didn't find another news outlet that mentioned it. Today I'm starting my search anew.

I have our news partners at KIRO-TV in Seattle checking to see if they have any video feed of the incident that could clarify what happened once and for all. I'm planning to call the local police department and see what they know.

I'm wondering: was anyone there that could tell me what went down? I'm very interested if anyone has video or a picture that could help me write an accurate correction if it happened differently than I reported.

E-mail me at melissa.santos@thenewstribune.com.

Never say never. Two Washington congressmen who initially resisted holding health care town halls are appearing events tonight in the area.

6th District Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, will host a town hall at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton from 7:30 to 9 p.m. tonight.

Meanwhile, 3rd District Rep. Brian Baird has moved tonight's town hall to a new location: Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE in Olympia. It will run from 7 to 9 p.m.

Both men took heat from constituents for initially declining to hold such events. Baird criticized what he saw as a counter-productive tone of some of the discussion. "It's a lynch mob mentality out there," Baird said. "There is an ugliness to it."

=> Read more!

I should check my answering machine more often. I guess I was too busy making dilly beans over the weekend.

State Rep. Tom Campbell, R-Roy, left a message to say he is withdrawing from his previously announced run for Congress against U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Tacoma, and instead will run for re-election to his state House seat in the 2nd Legislative District.

Wonder what that does to JT Wilcox, who announced last week he would be running for what appeared to be Campbell's vacant seat in the state House.

Campbell sent out an e-mail news release late last night. Thanks for the heads up, Tom. Can I interest you in a quart of pickled green beans?

Rep. Tom Campbell declares intent to return to Legislature in 2010.

Roy, Washington. August 31, 2009.

Rep. Tom Campbell announced today he will run for re-election to the Washington State House of Representatives.

“I have been asked by a number of my constituents to reconsider my candidacy for Congress so that I can continue my work in the State Legislature on behalf of the 2nd Legislative District. I have listened to these voices and have decided to once again ask the voters of the Second District to elect me to represent them in the Washington State Legislature.”

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U.S. Rep. Adam Smith spoke to Tacoma Rotary 8 this noontime and deflected praise for how he handled two recent town hall meetings.

Unlike some of his congressional colleagues, Smith kept to his August recess town hall schedule even after some meetings elsewhere were disrupted by citizens angry about the health care reform issue.

Tuesday he spoke to and listened to 2,500 at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood.

Smith said it is a member of Congress's job to listen to constituents. And he said it was wrong for some members of Congress to ridicule and condemn those who were passionate – and sometimes rude – at these meetings.

"It doesn't do my profession any good to make fun of people," Smith said, specifically referencing a YouTube video in which U.S. Rep. Barney Frank asks a constituent "On what planet do you spend most of your time?"

"You have to take all comers," Smith said. "If you don't ... find something else to do for a living."

But the Tacoma Democrat acknowledges the level of feelings on the health care debate.

"When I was first elected, I did a town hall meeting in Lacey and one person showed up," he said. "We've gone from one to 2,500. Times have changed."

This for our Washington, D.C. correspondent Les Blumenthal:

Washington Democratic Sen. Patty Murray said today one of her earliest memories of Sen. Ted Kennedy was when she watched him on the Senate floor "patiently and passionately" arguing in favor of the Family and Medical Leave Act.

And one of her last memories was watching him champion equal pay for women.

"When I was young Ted Kennedy was larger than life," Murray said in a statement. "I could not believe it when I first walked out on the floor of the Senate and he walked over to welcome me. From that day on, he became a valued friend, a courageous partner and a personal mentor."

Murray serves on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee which Kennedy chaired.

"Ted never once stopped fighting for those who couldn't fight for themselves," Murray said. "The country is indeed a better place because of him.

"His loss is very personal to me. I will miss him. Our country will miss him."

Washington state's other senator, Democrat Maria Cantwell, called Kennedy a "tour de force in American politics the likes of which we will never see again.

"For all the Kennedy name and fame, Teddy was at heart a legislator; he simply knew how to get things done. And for nearly half a century he was the best. He will be sorely missed and never replaced."

BY MELISSA SANTOS
The News Tribune

A town hall meeting held in Lakewood today by Rep. Adam Smith, D-Tacoma, attracted an estimated 2,500 people, with both supporters and opponents of government run-health care turning out in large numbers.

Most of the people who spoke at the Clover Park High School stadium asked questions critical of Democratic health-care reform proposals, though groups supporting a public health care option demonstrated in larger numbers near the stadium entrance before the event.

It was hard to tell if Smith attracted more boos or cheers when he announced, “I think a public option is good.”

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Reporter Brian Everstine phoned in a report from Lakewood, where Congressman Adam Smith's town hall is still going on. About 2,700 or so packed Harry Lang Stadium for the event. Brian saw one minor scuffle and no arrests. We'll have a report from him and reporter Melissa Santos up soon.

A big crowd is expected to attend tonight's town hall meeting at Harry Lang Stadium.

In fact the high number of RSVPs is why it was moved to the stadium on the campus of Clover Park High School from a smaller room.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and runs until 8:30. Smith's staff reports that more than 1,000 have called to RSVP. Harry Lang Stadium seats about 5,000.

Here is the blurb on U.S. Rep. Adam Smith's webpage:

Town Hall Meeting

The August 25th town hall has changed locations. The event will now be held at Harry Lang Stadium (6615 111th St SW, Lakewood, WA 98499) and will still take place from 7:00pm - 8:30pm.

If you plan to attend, please let my office know by calling (253) 593-6600. Please be aware that, due to the large amount of interest in this event, we cannot guarantee entrance to anyone.

U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, not normally a fan of townhall meetings, has scheduled two to discuss with constituents the proposed changes to the health care system.

Neither, however, will be in Pierce County.

According to the congressman's website, he will host both meeting on Monday, August 31. The first will be in the Commons Building at Fort Warden State Park near Port Townsend beginning at 4 p.m. The second will be at the Kitsap Conference Center in Bremerton at 7:30 p.m..

"These sessions will offer an opportunity for constituents to express opinions about issues on the congressional agenda, helping Norm to do his job as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives," the website says.

As we've reported U.S. Congressman Adam Smith will be in Lakewood next week for a town hall on health care. The location of Tuesday's event has changed to accommodate the expected turnout.

The Aug. 25 town hall is scheduled for Harry Lang Stadium, 6615 111th St SW, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Those who want to attend should call Smith's office 253-593-6600.

Not to be outdone, congressional candidate James Postma, a GOP challenger for Smith's seat, is holding his own town halls.

• Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. at Lakewood City Hall, room 1E board of directors room, Lakewood Towne Center.

• Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Puyallup Library, board room, 324 S Meridian, Puyallup.

• Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. Kent Commons, Interurban room, Fourth and James street, Kent.

Those who want to attend should call 253-441-0541 to RSVP.

Later in the month, 3rd District Congressman Brian Baird will be in Thurston County. He's scheduled a town hall for Aug. 31 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at South Puget Sound College's Minnaert Center for the Arts, 2011 Mottman Road SW in Tumwater.

After initially criticizing the health care town halls for producing more conflict than discussion, Baird reversed course and decided to hold a series of events around Southwest Washington. His first meeting in Vancouver attracted 2,800.

Fresh off his first townhall meeting on the health care reform issue, U.S. Rep. Brian Baird will conduct four more sessions throughout the 3rd Congressional District.

The Vancouver Democrat's second meeting is tonight in Longview and will have a townhall in Olympia (Tumwater, actually) on August 31. That meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and be held at the Minnaert Center for the Arts at South Puget Sound Community College.

Baird's townhall schedule, with directions, is here.

Here is the Oregonian's story – with some video – on last night's Vancouver event.

About 60 or so folks from MoveOn.org are out in front of The News Tribune building, showing their support for health care reform.

Here is the message they sent out earlier to rally the troops.

Join us at the office of the Tacoma News Tribune to deliver personal Letters to the Editor about the need for a REAL Public Health Insurance Option. Our representatives are currently home for their August break and it is vital we make som...(more)e publicity especially for Maria Cantwell. She is a major voice on the Senate Finance Committee. If you can, bring signs!

Over 50 people demonstrating in favor of the "Public Option" in the nation's health care debate stand behind David Winchester, Coordinator of MoveOn Tacoma Council, as he delivered letters in support of the issue at the front desk of The News Tribune, Monday. Peter Haley / The News Tribune