|
Iowa caucuses: In Lansing, it's Gingrich by a nose
Jan 04, 2012 (La Crosse Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
LANSING, Iowa -- Some came to listen, some to talk, a few out of curiosity about the peculiar process the Hawkeye state uses to winnow the field of presidential hopefuls.
One by one, people stood to speak to the virtues of their candidate. Newt Gingrich: defender of traditional marriage, smartest man in the room, the most likely to unseat President Barack Obama. Rick Perry: turned around Texas. Ron Paul: the only candidate who has a plan to restore constitutional government.
Mostly they spoke for Paul, but in the end, the 64 registered Republicans in Lansing broke for Gingrich, who pulled 21 votes to Paul's 20. Romney, thought to be one of the party's frontrunners, got just four votes.
Tom Treptau argued for Gingrich, mostly for his pragmatism. Shirley Henderson agreed he's the party's best hope.
"He's a smart man. All his baggage is out on the table," she said. "Remember, we want to change the party in the White House. Newt Gingrich can do that."
A block away, Obama, unopposed for his party's nomination, rallied about 40 supporters through a shaky Internet video connection, outlining his accomplishments and his plan for re-election in 2012.
While the national focus was on Iowa Republicans, both parties had business to tend to -- electing delegates to the county conventions, building the party platforms.
"A lot of people don't understand caucuses," said Marlene Duffy, the Democratic Party's caucus organizer in Lansing, who lamented that many lack the patience to participate. "People want to go vote, but they don't understand it starts here."
Obama easily won Alamakee County in the 2008 election. In Lansing, population 999, he took 63 percent. This year might not be so easy.
"It's going to be a big battle," he said. "I hope you guys are geared up."
Obama didn't campaign in Allamakee County this year, but most of the Republican hopefuls did.
Jerry Halverson, chairman of the county Republican party, said he got to meet all the candidates and liked them all -- except Gingrich and Paul.
The attention was flattering, he said, although his phone never stopped ringing.
At Lansing Auto Parts, where you can get a snowblower, a chainsaw and a tan, Diana Moritz said she'd be glad when it was over. The Obama supporter said she's tired of the phone calls -- as many as five a day, all automated -- "you can't give your two cents to them anyway."
Earlier in the day, Glen Springer discussed the world's problems with four of his buddies over cans of Bud Light at the River's Edge tavern. Candidate commercials were in heavy rotation on the TV.
Springer likes that Iowa sets the stage for the presidential race, even if the ads get annoying.
"We are a voice of America," he said. "We sit in the Midwest, the heart of the country. Sure, we don't have the population."
An independent, Springer said he voted for Obama in 2008, but isn't really happy with his performance. He's not entirely satisfied with any of the Republicans either.
He put the blame on Congress and a lack of bipartisan cooperation.
Glen Reed rubbed his thumb over his finger tips.
"They're down to the point where this is the only thing that matters to them," he said. "You don't matter. I don't matter."
Neither man planned to attend a caucus.
Mark and Ruth Kuhn, Obama supporters from the next county over, were considering going to theirs. They attended for the first time in 2008 and liked the process of talking over candidates with other party members.
Mark, a beef farmer, likes that Iowa, with its small population, has such a large influence on presidential politics.
"It's awesome. Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin have the intellect of the nation," he said. "They think we're all hicks."
Duffy said, "It's a good place to be today if you care about your country."
___ (c)2012 the La Crosse Tribune (La Crosse, Wis.) Visit the La Crosse Tribune
(La Crosse, Wis.) at www.lacrossetribune.com Distributed by MCT Information
Services
[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
|
TMCnet LOGIN
Webinars
