Opinion: If you’re a Democrat and happen to be in Indianola today ....
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U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin hosts his 30th annual steak fry fundraiser in a farm field outside Indianola, Iowa, today, and all six of the top Democratic presidential candidates are planning to be there. They are, in the alphabetical order Harkin lists them, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson, and you can watch them live on the Web or on C-SPAN at noon Pacific time.
Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich weren’t invited because neither has any Iowa organization.
Now, what could possibly draw all six contenders to a steak fry to raise money for Harkin, in a farm field 20 miles south of Des Moines? How about the 10,000 Democrats who bought $30 tickets to attend what is the first large party gathering in Iowa since Labor Day Weekend, traditionally considered the launch of the campaign season? Though in reality, this campaign seems to have launched just after last Christmas.
The expected crowd is about the same size as turned out in 2003 to hear seven of the 2004 Democratic contenders, and closing comments by former president Bill Clinton. The roll call of attendees reminds how many candidates start these presidential campaign ventures, and how many quit: Howard Dean, John Edwards, Richard Gephardt, Bob Graham, John F. Kerry, Dennis J. Kucinich, Carol Moseley Braun. Absent were Joe Lieberman and Al Sharpton.
If you recall, Dean was re-invigorating the party’s progressives at that point, but by the time the caucuses ended Kerry had won and Edwards placed a surprising second, presaging the slate that would ultimately run in November.
Incidentally, it rained that day four years ago, turning the field into a quagmire. The forecast for this Sunday? Partly cloudy and 76 degrees. Not that it matters. Because you can watch the whole thing on C-SPAN starting at noon Pacific time. But still...
We have a complete story on the website now and in Monday’s print editions.
-- Scott Martelle
