I can understand having trouble choosing between a few of the candiates, but if, indeed, as the CSM reports, Caucus quandary: Iowans like them all, then there is something seriously wrong with Iowa.
And in all seriousness, I always find this kind of situation a bit foreign:
With just four days to go until the Iowa caucuses, Marv Grote still doesn't know which candidate he's going to vote for. The best he can do is say he's "committed" to three: John Edwards, Dick Gephardt, and Howard Dean.
I simply can't imagine being in a situation where, after all the campaigning and all that is known about these guys not knowing who I was going to vote for less than a week before the elections.
It reminds me of that SNL skit of the third Bush-Gore debate where the undecided voters couldn't decide even when one candidate told them to vote for the other guy.
Posted by Steven Taylor at January 14, 2024 08:45 PM | TrackBackIndeed.
Although, to be fair, Edwards and Gephardt are better pancake flippers whereas Dean has the better handshake.
Posted by: James Joyner at January 14, 2024 10:53 PMScrew Iowa. Today was the first day that I really got a pit in my stomach over the Bush campaign. Given that I'm one of his many precinct leaders throughout the country, and may be called upon by the regional office, I gotta do a bit of cheerleading for this guy. I haven't been all too pleased on some parts of the domestic front, but as of a couple months ago I was feeling okay about that (steel tariffs repealed, FTAA plans moving ahead, the drug bill was not as bad as I initially thought [though still troubling], etc.).
I was even cool on his immigration policy. But then my wife went ballistic on the immigration thing and we had some guy stand up at a local GOP meeting absolutely infuriated with that policy. Add to this the marriage promotion stuff ("Just say 'I do'") and the Moon/Mars mission and all the costs this entails. Now I am STRONGLY in favor of the moon thing, but each of these events seemed to have created some pretty hefty political costs. Yeah, I think Bush stood on principle here (particularly on immigration, though some see it as a tactical move to win Latinos). But there is some serious political fallout here. I definitely see the "base" a bit deflated at a time when we should be picking up momentum. (The irritation over immigration may be enough to negate the recent surge in evangelical mobilization, if not more so.) Fortunately, this is far enough from November 2 to recover. I hope.
Posted by: John Lemon at January 15, 2024 02:21 AMscrew iowa
As a former Iowan, I resent this. ;)
Actually, Steven I can say that it really shouldn't surprise anyone who knows anything about Iowa that there many undecideds remaining. Iowans are by nature (if I can be so bold to lump 2 million people together) pragmatic and cautious, weighing and reweighing information and eventually making the right decision.
Which is far different from the majority of Alabamans who haven't done anything other than reflex voting for 150 years. ;p
Posted by: Eric at January 15, 2024 10:35 AMKnowing the candidates is one thing. Knowing who to vote for is another.
What if I think Dean is the best candidate, but Kerry is the most electable? What if I think Gephart most addresses my concerns, but Clark best addresses the concerns of the country as a whole? What if I support Edwards, but know he has no chance, so want to support a guy in the top three in the polls?
Actually, the last one is me. I'm a late primary state, though, so it won't matter.
Posted by: Rv. Agnos at January 15, 2024 11:21 AM