This week, both candidates running for the 1st Congressional District stopped by the Kennebec Journal to meet with the editorial board and ask for an endorsement.

As a reporter, I sit in on these meetings just in case anyone says anything outrageous (they never do) and usually, to write a news story.

And while Republican Charlie Summers of Scarborough and Democrat Chellie Pingree of North Haven talked about their differences, they are both hearing the same thing from voters.

People are disgusted with Washington.

Summers, who has talked with people at work as part of his 30 jobs across the district effort, said he too has little patience for "the silliness of politics."

"When you see people in their everyday setting and talk to them there, they are much more likely to open up to you," he said.

What have they said?

"They are angry about what they see in Washington today, in terms of the bailout," he said. "They feel like the politicians aren't taking care of Wall Street or Main Street, they are taking care of their own interests down there."

Pingree, who said "the public has had it," said if Democrats win the White House and increase their majorities in the House and Senate, they will have a big responsibility to lead.

"If we elect a Democrat to the White House and we have bigger majorities in the House and the Senate, and we don't fix this stuff, we won't deserve to govern," she said. "People won't have confidence in us again."

She continued:

"I think this is the country potentially turning over its trust in sort of a last ditch effort to say OK, uncle, we can't afford this, we can't survive this."