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I made it to the Boone County Fair this weekend. I scored free tickets to see Bomshel. Bomshel is two not unattractive females (one who plays fiddle), and so it is easy to assume that they are part of that second generation that was inspired by the Dixie Chicks. (They were free tickets. Don't judge, GarbageCanMusic). In any case, they are cut out of that same template, which means they really aren't my thing, but at the end of the day, I'd rather watch them than some earnest guy in a cowboy hat. For that matter, I'd rather watch Bomshel than most of the current crop of Nickleback/Daughtry shaved head and tattoed "rawk" bands. The girls had tons of charisma and stage presence, the singer had some impressive pipes (Think of a country version of "Heart" and the backing band blazed.
Of course, while at the fair, I had to check out the local Republicans and Democrats' booths. Like any fair, these booths are manned by a ragtag bunch of volunteers- people who resemble your relatives and coworkers- but given Iowa's importance, any of these guys and gals could end up making one of those big decisions that change the World.
Anyway, this post isn't going to go the way I expected it. See, I fully expected the GOP table to not have any mention of their Presidential candidate. I was wrong, though ,sure enough, there was a poster with Romney's name alongside the rest of the field.
The GOP tent had that Iowa standby- the corn kernel poll - visitors take a kernel of corn and use it to make their opinion known. One poll gave passers by to vote for their favorite anti-Obama cartoon (clipped from the Des Moines Register most likely).
The revelation of course was their poll asking whether Obamacare should be repealed. From a quick look of my eye, it was about 50/50. Now, if I was running the GOP tent, I would have stuffed the ballot, so it looked 80/20 for repeal (I, of course, don't know that the ballot wasn't stuffed and it took that just to make it look even).
In any case, that's the slam dunk the Republicans are banking on, and based on this (very unscientific) poll, that may not be as an obvious public attitude that the GOP thinks it is.
The Democrat booth had lifesize cutouts of Barack and Michelle, and homemade buttons, most with a pro-labor message (It seems neither the DNC nor the RNC is particularly interested in spending money in this particular county).
I had to pick one up, just because, and it references the Romney 'dog on the roof of the car' story, and says "Don't Ride With Romney"
Boone County is the birthplace of Mamie Eisenhower and is in Steve King's district (although you are just getting ankle deep into the true heart of Conservative Western Iowa), which may be an additional bad sign for the "Repeal Obamacare" poll.
King is running for re-election in a heated contest that has become the most money spent in an Iowan Congressional race. GOP analyst Doug Gross does bring up a point that will be missed by people who do not live here. he thinks that King being in danger will energize the Evangelicals, and they will also end up voting Romney (though they likely will hold their nose doing so).
All of this news comes out on the heels of good news for Iowa. The fivethirtyeight blog (affiliated with the New York Times) defended Iowa's first in the state status (and status as a battleground state). Iowa may not have the demographics, but its voters are politically diverse.
David Yepsen makes the case that Iowa is split equally between Democrats and Republicans, but also as a great deal of independent voters who sway back and forth from election to election.
Iowans are an independence bunch. Our two senators are both loved and seem to have secure jobs- and couldn't be any different - the proud liberal Tom Harkin and the Conservative icon Charles Grassley.
Everything I have seen shows Obama with a slight edge here, but that element of independence does put this state in play, as most insiders will tell you.
Of course, while at the fair, I had to check out the local Republicans and Democrats' booths. Like any fair, these booths are manned by a ragtag bunch of volunteers- people who resemble your relatives and coworkers- but given Iowa's importance, any of these guys and gals could end up making one of those big decisions that change the World.
Anyway, this post isn't going to go the way I expected it. See, I fully expected the GOP table to not have any mention of their Presidential candidate. I was wrong, though ,sure enough, there was a poster with Romney's name alongside the rest of the field.
The GOP tent had that Iowa standby- the corn kernel poll - visitors take a kernel of corn and use it to make their opinion known. One poll gave passers by to vote for their favorite anti-Obama cartoon (clipped from the Des Moines Register most likely).
The revelation of course was their poll asking whether Obamacare should be repealed. From a quick look of my eye, it was about 50/50. Now, if I was running the GOP tent, I would have stuffed the ballot, so it looked 80/20 for repeal (I, of course, don't know that the ballot wasn't stuffed and it took that just to make it look even).
In any case, that's the slam dunk the Republicans are banking on, and based on this (very unscientific) poll, that may not be as an obvious public attitude that the GOP thinks it is.
The Democrat booth had lifesize cutouts of Barack and Michelle, and homemade buttons, most with a pro-labor message (It seems neither the DNC nor the RNC is particularly interested in spending money in this particular county).
I had to pick one up, just because, and it references the Romney 'dog on the roof of the car' story, and says "Don't Ride With Romney"
Boone County is the birthplace of Mamie Eisenhower and is in Steve King's district (although you are just getting ankle deep into the true heart of Conservative Western Iowa), which may be an additional bad sign for the "Repeal Obamacare" poll.
King is running for re-election in a heated contest that has become the most money spent in an Iowan Congressional race. GOP analyst Doug Gross does bring up a point that will be missed by people who do not live here. he thinks that King being in danger will energize the Evangelicals, and they will also end up voting Romney (though they likely will hold their nose doing so).
All of this news comes out on the heels of good news for Iowa. The fivethirtyeight blog (affiliated with the New York Times) defended Iowa's first in the state status (and status as a battleground state). Iowa may not have the demographics, but its voters are politically diverse.
David Yepsen makes the case that Iowa is split equally between Democrats and Republicans, but also as a great deal of independent voters who sway back and forth from election to election.
Iowans are an independence bunch. Our two senators are both loved and seem to have secure jobs- and couldn't be any different - the proud liberal Tom Harkin and the Conservative icon Charles Grassley.
Everything I have seen shows Obama with a slight edge here, but that element of independence does put this state in play, as most insiders will tell you.
