What Happens in Iowa...

The blogger reminisces about what really happens in those Iowa caucus settings.

I’ve lived in 9 states now (and the Austin-McAllen move should count as a 10^th). In 1996, I had the good fortune to live in northeastern Iowa. I taught in Dubuque at a Catholic school and lived in a town of about 3,000 people just south of it on the Great River Road. The town was Bellevue. It was a beautiful town and a great time to be alive, with a new baby in my arms as I headed out.

Headed out to caucus.

Headed out to caucus for…Lamar Alexander.

That’s right. It’s not a misprint. Things change.

I was wearing flannel. Official flannel. I still have that shirt somewhere, along with stickers that say, “ABC: Alexander Beats Clinton.” It was Bob Dole’s race to lose, but I was convinced that a former education secretary would make a good president.

There was only one precinct in Bellevue. I walked into the public library to join 40 other Republicans and discuss gun control ad nauseum.

It was a hotly-contested race, overall. The campaigns were actively seeking caucus-goers.

There were 40 people.

Assuming half of the town was republican, that meant that (roughly) 2.7% of the population was going to determine this town’s nominee. That’s because when you caucus, you give up your evening to do it. You don’t swing by the grocery store or library on your way home from work. You commit.

The session began with a brief confused welcome and requests for people to speak for candidates they prefer.  I went third. Like J.C. Watts, I used my daughter as a prop for my Alexander push.

A man tore up used copy paper into smaller pieces. Then we “voted” on the unused side of the paper. The guy next to me put Bob Dole (not Robert). We folded our papers and placed them in a “Bob Dole for President” hat that was being passed around. There was NO sense of electoral control in that room.

After the votes had been counted, the contest went for “Bob Dole,” with Lamar coming in third. The caucus then proceeded to nominate delegates to the state convention. My daughter-prop worked, and I was set. All done but the platform.

The first volunteer thought we should have some type of gun control. Then EVERYBODY needed to speak. It was awful. It was long. I used my prop as an excuse to leave after an hour. Loved that prop, but not as much as I do now.

By the end of the meeting, I was headed to the state Republican convention…and a lot of head-scratching.

The race in Iowa was fun for a geek like me. All the candidates came to Dubuque. I even got Arlen Specter’s autograph. Yep. Big time.

It ends tonight in Iowa, but we are JUST. Getting. Started.