One more post today. It was amazing to be in Iowa in the run up to the presidential caucuses. Virtually all of the candidates were crisscrossing the state; apparently many of them had already visited Grinnell. It's so different from the rest of the nation, where you only get a chance to see candidates on TV ads or the news. It's really great, because you realize it's not, for example, just a choice between Ms. Clinton and Mr. Obama on the Democratic side (the media's portrayal notwithstanding). Iowans also take their role really seriously, and my family and I spent hours educating ourselves about candidates: going to campaign stops, watching videos on Youtube, reading the Des Moines Register, talking to friends, and looking up position sheets. I managed to see Hilary Clinton up very close in Pella (40 minutes away):



Claire and Dad saw Barack Obama (in Tama, I think). We all also managed to get to Joe Biden's second stop in Newton (20 minutes away), and were completely converted. He seems, to me, the only candidate that sees the world as it is, rather than as a list of issues to have campaign promises about (1. Iran, 2. China, etc. etc.). He impressed me with a strong stand on Sudan, a clear knowledge of world events and realities, and a spontaneous, inspiring speaking style. Too bad I can't vote for him--I'm already in Bloomington, and the caucuses are tonight.

Speaking of caucuses, I don't know how many of the people who read this know how they work, but they are insane. They are wonderful in that they allow for interaction and don't allow people to just walk in and brainlessly push a button for someone they decided on months ago. However, they're really bad in that you absolutely have to be there to vote (ie, many policepeople can't make it, and neither can deployed members of the armed services, people who are on vacation, or people who work evening shifts), they take hours sometimes, and the "arcane rules" lead to a lot of political maneuvering. Non-viable groups caucusing for a candidate might promise their delegate to members of another group in exchange for more people (and thus viability)--in so doing they don't actually gain any more votes, but the results of the caucus as they will be reported on TV (all that actually matters from the Iowa caucuses) look a little better.

It'll be crazy, and exciting, tonight. I kind of wish I were still in Iowa--in Indiana you hardly even see any signs up for candidates. It's a different world.