I was struck because his description of attending an Obama rally in Oakland, California, was very different from what I've seen on the ground here in Iowa. So, below I'm posting my essay about attending this year's Harkin Steak Fry. It sums up my impression of the candidates attending.
And I've seen Obama in small town Iowa since, and I'd say the reaction is pretty much the opposite of Moulitsas'. People seem to be looking for truth, integrity and someone who'll craft policy with them in mind. My impression is Obama is hitting that chord with people on the ground here.
Hope vs. Glory
On Sunday, Sept. 16, my husband, 6-year-old daughter and I joined 12,000 other Iowans on the balloon fields in
Tired from two days at a school boards symposium, I was not enthusiastic. Nor was my daughter who kept asking what she would do. But my husband, who is being courted for his Democratic caucus vote, had been recruited by the Obama campaign to attend their pre-Steak Fry rally. And he signed us all up, so accordingly, we lumbered to the car and took off.
Upon entering Indianola, I was impressed by the crowds of youthful campaign workers, especially for the Edwards and Obama campaigns. I was also struck by the sea of signs, mostly dark blue with white type, sporting each candidate’s name. And amidst that sea of blue, conspicuously different, stood large white signs reading, “HOPE.” Underneath in much smaller type was “Iowa.BarackObama.com.” The accompanying circular logo used the O in “hope” to create an image of a sunrise, bringing to mind Reagan’s “It’s morning in
As we drove through Indianola in search of the Obama rally, traffic grew thicker. For once, the early gene my husband and I both carry paid off, as we were able to get parking at the balloon fields directly across from the park hosting the Obama rally. There, we camped near the spot where Senator Obama would enter and address the crowd.
Our early arrival also gave me a chance to observe the campaign staff at work. Young and enthusiastic, they all seemed to know their jobs and be where they were needed. They were attentive to needs (press, the handicapped and elderly) and knew the schedule; they were confident and friendly. And they knew how to warm up the crowd with the help of a student drum corps.
That attitude reflected their leadership. When Senator Obama arrived, he strode confidently to the stage in his open collar and rolled-up sleeves to deliver a short dress rehearsal for his full speech. It had us “fired up” and “ready to go” as he led the march across Highway 92 to the balloon fields. A line of supporters at least a quarter-mile long streamed toward the Steak Fry, chanting all the way. It was an impressive entrance, after which everyone broke up to get their food and wait for the speeches to begin.
As an independent, I was interested in hearing all the Democratic candidates speak. And all but Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich were there to address the crowds spread across the green
I sat on the grass with my daughter, braiding grass blades as I listened. Obama launched the event, using his earlier address about the power of one voice to fire up people and get them ready to go make a difference as his springboard. But the interesting thing was he wasn’t talking about himself. He told stories of real people he’s met, who are changing the world for the better, and he emphasized that a new president can’t create change alone. We’re in it together.
Obama was followed by Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards and Joe Biden. And of that group, only Edwards broke away from the traditional campaign rhetoric of “When I am president, I promise to . . . ”
Like Obama, Edwards used his time to share stories about real people in
From the hillside, I felt I was witnessing a shift from old to new. Obama and Edwards represented the new face of politics in
No more glory seekers. What
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