It's about the Democratic Iowa Caucus! Tricked you!
While the mouth-breathers, knuckle-draggers and Santorum frothers are gathering to choose their preferred GOP Nopeful tonight, Democrats are also caucusing in Iowa to elect delegates to their county conventions, and vote on resolutions and party platform planks.
Watching the Republicans work to win over a small pool of very old, very white, very male Iowans it's not hard to remember that just four years ago, Democrats were working hard in Iowa as well, as supporters of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards worked down to the wire to win the first caucus.
This morning, former Iowa Caucus Director for Barack Obama and now Battleground States Director Mitch Stewart reminded us of the process that for Democrats resulted in taking back the White House back in 2008. Stewart emailed out a video that Obama prepared for Iowa voters on the eve of his own stunning landslide in the caucuses. In it, Obama lays out many of his campaign promises, promises he has largely made good on during his first term. It's worth watching:
Now, four years after that video, Obama has brought our troops home from Iraq, passed comprehensive health insurance reform that caps insurance company profits and sets us on a path to real universal health care, and despite a hostile Congress still managed to cut taxes for working people, repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, and implement a number of consumer protections that prevent normal Americans from getting completely screwed by their banks.
Of course, the Republicans running around Iowa right now want to undo all of this progress. They all want to repeal Obama's health insurance reforms, so that insurance companies can come between you and your doctor. Romney even said wants to keep 30,000 troops in Iraq. The fact is, while Obama hasn't been perfect, he's done a pretty good job with the circumstances he was handed. Meanwhile, the roster of GOP Nopefuls want to take us back to the 18th Century.
Tomorrow, the Republicans will take their shitshow on the road to New Hampshire, South Carolina, or Nevada. Meanwhile, Barack Obama will still have foot soldiers on the ground in Iowa working to organize supporters for November. Obama for America has eight offices up and running across the state, more than any Republican candidate. This effort was profiled in a great New York Times video about the best organized candidate in Iowa, Barack Obama:
Keep up the good work, Iowa organizers for Obama! That's the work that's going to matter in November. And Iowans, take heart: those crazy Republicans (not to mention the national media) will depart tomorrow, and largely ignore y'all for another four years. Enjoy the peace and quiet!
