BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

Perhaps, it was Mitt Romney’s stumble talk, “I won’t remember Iowa”, or the fact that he was in Altoona when he told the truth.  I began to look beyond the Iowa Caucus to the next day.  Will anyone remember Iowa on Friday as the candidates migrate to New Hampshire?

What will Friday look like in Iowa?  Will the caucus goers feel like the homecoming queen the day after homecoming?  Or, will they resemble the Christmas presents the day after Christmas?  I suspect a little of both.

Most of the free world has been so focused on Iowa that the other forty-nine states have gone into hibernation.  John McCain kicked the bear in New Hampshire and got a slight movement.  Rudy Guiliani did what most affluent Yanks do in the winter.  He went to Florida.  I saw Fred Thompson driving through Tennessee a week or so ago.  I assumed he was asking directions to Iowa.  But, for the most part, Iowa has been trampled by the candidates and their groupies.  From all indications, it has been a large time for all.  As my mother would have said, “You’re going to enjoy it whether you want to or not.”  If the interviews are any indication, most are enjoying the attention.

Tonight’s the night.  (Is Rod Stewart in Iowa?)  Anyway, Iowa has enjoyed its fifteen months of fame.  It has basked in the limelight of the chosen few, the first to make a political statement that could potentially affect all our futures.  I must say that I’m impressed that most of the citizens seem to take their roles and responsibilities so seriously.  Of course, none of the media interviewed the man on the street who just wishes everyone will leave so he can get his regular seat back at the corner diner.

Tonight the caucus goers will enter into a process that is deemed arcane by many political pundits.  It absolutely fascinates me.  In a time when it is impolite to ask someone how they voted, these citizens will stand up before God and everybody and state their cases.  These meetings could well be the best debates of the campaign.  When I think of standing up before a group of neighbors and declaring one’s support my heart races.  It goes against all conventional wisdom and Amy Vanderbilt’s Rules of Etiquette.  It isn’t proper to talk about politics or religion in public.   

We have to love it!  During this primary campaign we have talked of nothing but politics and religion.  These caucus goers have spit in the face of all that the genteel folks consider proper to get to the truth as best they could.  I hope the media can learn something.  The candidates will answer the questions when pushed.  And, now these citizens will be rewarded by having the opportunity to state their preferences in public.  You know…. stand up and be counted!

About tomorrow…. I envision Iowa looking like the day after homecoming.  The queen with smeared lipstick and blurred black smudges beneath her eyes.  They may feel like the Christmas present, first shaken to determine what was inside, then unwrapped before anxious eyes, and then set aside almost forgotton as the next gift is offered to the candidates.

We hope Iowa has benefited from the primary and the caucus.  They probably won’t see any of the candidates again.  After all, they only have seven electoral votes.