Western Iowa

by Jerome Armstrong, Tue Jan 01, 2008 at 05:01:41 PM EST

We are sitting in the car outside the Obama event at the School for the Deaf in Council Bluffs, waiting for the charger to do its magic (using our in-car media center powered by mobile AC unit). It's 11 degree's here, good stuff. I've got a bunch of video from earlier in the day, which we'll get up later tonight. After landing in Omaha, we drove up to Sioux City, first a Clinton event, and then to catch the tail end of an Obama event. There were about 200-250 at the Clinton event, but about double that number at the Obama event. After Clinton spoke, I asked Charlie Cook for a prediction, which he wisely begged off of making. Trei overheard David Axelrod yelling in his phone about the local television coverage having Clinton, but not Obama, on the newscast. I headed down and got some great video coverage of Obama's close, but forgot to unplug the wireless mic (which was turned off), so had no sound for a bit. We are roadtripping with Edwards as he campaigns all night and into the morning. There's something about pancakes at 5:15 AM on the schedule in Centerville. That's after Atlantic at midnight, Creston at 2:15 AM, and before Ottumwa at 7 am....and then we are going to be in Davenport for a 9 am Obama rally. Be sure to stay up with us!

Update [2008-1-1 22:13:36 by Jerome Armstrong]: The event was packed again, but not overflow as it was in Sioux City, for Obama in Council Bluffs, but so was Clinton's an hour earlier just down the road, each with about 500 inside. We are heading over to the Edwards office in Council Bluffs now. Here are some photos from Sioux City earlier today:

Tags: 2008 Iowa caucus (all tags)

Comments

17 Comments

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Re: Western Iowa

The Iowa caucus system is patently unfair and reflects poorly on America. Millions and millions of dollars and endless media hype is expended for very few delegates chosen by very few people.  Dump the system. http://katestone.wordpress.com

by Kate Stone 2008-01-01 05:36PM | 0 recs
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it shouldn't decide everything

but it's important for the nominating process to begin in small states where all candidates can compete and the voters are willing to hear them out.

by desmoinesdem 2008-01-01 06:24PM | 0 recs
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Re: it shouldn't decide everything

Why?

by hwc 2008-01-01 06:55PM | 0 recs
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Re: it shouldn't decide everything

If you belief that, even then it only works if the nomination is done trough a long process which touches every demographically diverse corner of the map with enough time in between the primaries to make sure a simple winner's bounce doesn't set a chain reaction in motion.

A nomination process that starts with a caucus in the same state every four years that has a high likelihood to start a chain reaction will probably make the result less representative of the wishes of the electorate. Just look at 2004 where only a few percentage points of the electorate created a lock for the nominee after 3 weeks.

I personally love the Iowa caucus because I'm both a huge politics nerd that loves to collect trivial data and quite happy with their choices usually. but the current system seems very broken to me. Things might work out beautifully, but right now I'm dreading the nomination will go as fast as in 2004 (although I was quite happy with Kerry).

All the disadvantages of a national primary and the current small state first model without getting the benefit of either.

by Ernst 2008-01-02 03:14AM | 0 recs
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Re: Western Iowa

Couldn't agree more. Soldiers serving in Iraq can't vote in Iowa, but high school students bussed in from neighboring states can.

Anyone working the second shift can't vote.

And, Iowans are so disinterested that only about 5% of the adults even bother to show up.

Definitely time to get rid of the Iowa caucuses.

by hwc 2008-01-01 06:54PM | 0 recs
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Re: Western Iowa

I don't know that any of us is defending the caucus.  I think a majority of us who favor the smaller states going first prefer primaries.  I do, at least.

I think there are plent of other smaller states that could and probably should supplant Iowa and New Hampshire.  I think Arizona, Colorado, Washington, Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia would all be good states.  Diverse populations, moderately-priced media markets, etc.

by Vox Populi 2008-01-01 07:27PM | 0 recs
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Re: Western Iowa

Great article today in the NY Times which backs this up.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/02/us/pol itics/02vote.html?_r=1&hp&oref=s login

by John Mills 2008-01-02 07:53AM | 0 recs
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say hi to Denise O'Brien

if you're going to the party at her house at midnight. She knows me in real life, although I don't think she reads any blogs.

by desmoinesdem 2008-01-01 06:39PM | 0 recs
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Thanks for the slide show Jerome

I appreciated seeing all of the pictures from the events.

Have a safe trip....

by ademption 2008-01-01 07:02PM | 0 recs
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Re: Western Iowa

As a black Obama supporter I'm happy as hell that South Carolina isn't first. I don't trust those black folks down there to have confidence that Obama can win. Obama needs these two white states-IA and NH--to prove to black folks that he can indeed win.

I'm convinced that if SC were held first, Obama would surely lose, with most of the black vote going to Clinton. It's b/c Obama is performing well in IA and NH that SC blacks are warming to him.

by Louverture 2008-01-01 07:53PM | 0 recs
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Re: Western Iowa

I'm a Black Obama supporter and I feel the same way. Southern Blacks are so easy to intimidate but for some reason, if they see a White person jump in the pool for Obama , they will jump in the pool for Obama.....

It's that way with everything.

by BlueDiamond 2008-01-01 10:00PM | 0 recs
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Re: Western Iowa

They're intimidated because they've seen so many statewide black candidates go down in flames.

by Ga6thDem 2008-01-02 03:34AM | 0 recs
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Re: Western Iowa

You're right. So let's keep the black folks scared, right?

by Louverture 2008-01-02 03:42AM | 0 recs
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Nope

but it's the facts and apparently you don't want to face them. Nothing about scaring anybody.

by Ga6thDem 2008-01-02 09:58AM | 0 recs
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Obama Sioux City crowd

Looks like Obama more than doubled up Clinton and Edwards.

From Reuters:

"So many people came out for the rally in Sioux City that fire marshals limited the crowd to about 650 people, forcing a few hundred more into an overflow room."

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticN ews/idUSN0160415220080101?feedType=RSS&a mp;feedName=domesticNews&rpc=22& sp=true

by Louverture 2008-01-01 08:00PM | 0 recs
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Re: Western Iowa

it could be a fluke, but i was struck by how heavily female the crowd was in the shot jerome posted of the crowd on the stairwell at the hillary rally.

by bluedavid 2008-01-01 08:35PM | 0 recs
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Re: Heavily female

Why does a crowd that appears to be heavily female surprise you?

by del 2008-01-02 10:33AM | 0 recs

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