Guest Post: Frigid Iowa Gets Hot

From Michael Miller regarding his recent trip to Iowa in support of John Edwards. I'm headed there for the caucus, and I'm asking for Cuddle Duds for Christmas!


Dear Friends,

By now you have all heard that Clinton's leads in Iowa and New Hampshire have evaporated and her campaign is deteriorating into mudslinging hysteria. There's word that now that they've thrown dirt at Obama, John Edwards is the next target of this desperate campaign. Yesterday on NPR in Johnston, Iowa after the debate, Clinton argued that she is the most electable Democrat because she's "the only one with nothing hidden in my past." Stay tuned...

I want to share some reflections on the Iowa campaign. As many of you know, I have spent a good deal of time campaigning for John Edwards in Iowa and will be there during the final stretch leading up to the caucuses on January 3rd. On the ground in Iowa there has been an unmistakable momentum growing for the Edwards campaign while the national media has been infatuated with the "glamour" stories of Hillary & Bill and Barrack & Oprah. John Edwards has been persuasively making his case that in order for real change to occur in Washington, DC we need a fighter who will take on the greedy and entrenched corporate interests which have co-opted our government - and that John Edwards has fought that fight, and consistently won that fight, for his entire life.

Doing well in Iowa is about “retail” politics – making direct personal contact with the people – and a highly organized team. During our most recent trip to Iowa, Cindy and I worked with a terrific group of volunteers from Illinois, Indiana, California, North Carolina, New York, Washington, and Georgia. We got to see the campaign operation in full gear and got to know some of the truly gifted and dedicated young people who are working 20 hours a day for victory. Our operation is very well-organized, our team understands the dynamics of the caucus process and has an excellent final stretch and caucus-night strategy.

While we had heard a lot about the brutal mid-west winter, nothing could have fully prepared us for the reality of the bone-chilling sub-freezing temperatures, ice and snow storms and incredible winds. But while it is frigid in Iowa now, the politics is getting very hot. Among our activities during a four-day period in Iowa, we took a harrowing ride in an horrid ice-storm to an Edwards event at Drake University (where, incredibly, more than 150 people turned out!), made 1,180 calls to likely caucus-goers inviting them to various events with Senator Edwards, cheered outside a presidential debate (called "visibility" work) in sub-freezing weather and then attended the debate, dined with Senator Edwards and discussed the campaign’s strategy for the last few weeks of the campaign in Iowa, knocked on 835 doors of likely caucus-goers in Ames (45 miles north of Des Moines) and Des Moines in blisteringly cold and windy conditions and urged them to caucus for Edwards, attended an early morning interview with Edwards on the Early Show and attended a forum of precinct captains and other supporters with Madeleine Stowe (Last of the Mohicans, The General’s Daughter, We Were Soldiers) and Jean Smart (Designing Women, 24, Frasier, I Heart Huckabees, Samantha Who?). And that was only part of our four day schedule!

The final stretch is really going to be something - hold on for a wild ride! And if you're coming to Iowa, bring you’re your thermals!

Michael

Good News for Edwards in Iowa!

John Edwards had a good day in Iowa. First of all, he earned the endorsement of Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley who called him "the best democrat to win the White House and lead our country." Braley's endorsement was highly sought after by all candidates and is an indicator of Edward's grassroots support in Iowa.

Then, this afternoon, Iowa State released a new poll with great news for Edwards. Not only has he moved into second place, just six points behind Sen. Clinton, he is in first place in the critical race for "second choice" voters. In Iowa, caucus goers whose first choice does not reach a certain threshold of support have the opportunity to make a "second choice." Those second choice voters can make or break a candidate.

The bottom line is that Sen. Edwards continues to be strong-very strong-in Iowa.

It's Hard to Believe

It's hard to believe that a month from today, Daryl and I, along with Lauren Benedict, Steve Leeds, Chuck and Melanie Byrd and a number of others from Georgia, will be in Iowa for the caucus. At this point in 2003, John Edwards was barely polling at 5% in Iowa. John Kerry wasn't doing too well either, and we know what happened. The polls in Iowa are close, and it's a hard state to poll because of the caucus system and the importance of second choice candidates. From being in Iowa in August, I can tell you that there is no doubt that Iowans love John Edwards. He is the candidate who has invested the most time in the state, and in the end, that will serve him well.

I'll be blogging from the first caucus state, on New Years Day. And on the 3rd, when he wins the caucus, we're going to have one heck of a party!!

It's Worth Noting

John Edwards has stayed competitive in Iowa, in fact leads in many polls, despite the fact that he has not been up on television while Clinton, Obama, Biden and to some extent, Richardson, have.

Fineman Handicaps Iowa

Howard Fineman is handicapping Iowa and giving Edwards the edge at the Harkin Steak Fry. Read it all here.

Health Care AND Responsibility for Everyone

Today, Sen. Edwards made it clear that health care for everyone does not imply responsibility for no one. Today in Tipton, Iowa, he told a crowd that people would be expected to see their doctor for preventative health care. He said that if Americans choose to be in the health care system, they cannot choose to not see their doctor for twenty years. Regular checkups and a healthier lifestyles would drive down health costs in American. That makes sense, but, alas, the words had hardly left his lips before the rightwing bloggers started in. The same crew that preaches personal responsibility thinks expecting people to go to the doctor is just too much to ask. Okay, how about we compromise and let you drive your SUV to the doctor??

He Won't Back Down

Let me first say, of course Clinton's poll numbers are moving. She's up on the air in Iowa, as is Obama and Biden. Second, if you click on the Tom Petty YouTube on the left, you will hear the song that the "Fight for One America" Edwards bus played loudly though 31 Iowa counties. That's right, 31 counties in six days, while Obama is planning to scale back appearances at multi-candidate forums. That' right, because it runs counter to his "bottom up" approach to this campaign, he will attend fewer forums. What?

By the way, here's the Washington Post article on the labor forum in Cedar Rapids last Saturday. I was there, and they are right, the place emptied after Edwards spoke, and Obama had a really off night.

Edwards on Top in Iowa

Edwards, Romney lead new KCCI poll, Clinton and Obama have slipped.



This is cross-posted at Georgia Women Vote!