All those kids in inner cities and small farm town, in the valleys of Ohio, the rolling Virginia hills -- kids dreaming of becoming scientists or doctors or engineers or entrepreneurs, businessmen, diplomats, maybe even a President -- they need a champion in Washington.

WHITEHOUSE: The White House

The whistle sounds, as it has since the 1800s, and it signals that men and women from large cities and small will be stopping, however briefly, in their town, at their station.

CNN: A Kansas town tries to keep the train coming through

In large cities and small, presidential hopefuls from both parties have been pressing the flesh, giving speeches and holding town meetings.

NPR: GOP Presidential Candidates Court Iowans

While big-city dwellers are often maligned by those who prefer the charms of small-town life, Park and Peterson note that most people in the country live in big cities and that studies prove that the vast majority of those living in metropolises are happy about it.

FORBES: The Headiest and Heartiest Cities