The Selma Times-Journal

The &8220;Time for Action Tour&8221; began with dinnertime in Selma.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., arrived in the Queen City on Sunday evening on the first stop on his tour. The senator is slated to speak at 9 a.m. today outside of the Bridgetender&8217;s House adjacent to the St. James Hotel.

McCain got off of his tour bus at the Downtowner Restaurant, 1114 Selma Ave., around 7 p.m. Sunday where he was met with a standing ovation.

Among those who greeted the senator were Gov. Bob Riley, local businessmen and guests of The Tuesday Night Group, which organized the dinner.

The senator first offered his apologies for being an hour late before sitting down to eat.

McCain didn&8217;t take any questions from the press, but did engage in an informal question-and-answer session with the guests after sitting down to some fried chicken and lemon pie.

As the senator sat down to eat, a familiar face sat across the table. Harry Gamble Jr. attended Episcopal High School with McCain in Alexandria, Va.

On the Time for Action Tour, McCain will travel across the country visiting regions that are not usually visited by elected officials.

The senator will take a ferry ride to Gee&8217;s Bend after leaving Selma to visit the nutrition center and Gee&8217;s Bend Quilters Collective.

According to spokeswoman Crystal Benton, McCain&8217;s tour through the predominately democratic areas is an attempt to get to listen to the voters&8217; needs and to offer solutions to those needs.

After stopping in Thomasville and Birmingham, McCain is slated to visit economically depressed areas of Youngstown, Ohio.