Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne

I drove to Iowa City after school today to see John Edwards at the City High Auditorium. I got there about fifteen minutes before the scheduled start time and was fortunate to find a seat in the balcony as the place was full and more people were on the way. The program started about 5:15 with a couple of introductions and then Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne sang several songs including "Make me an Angel" (I don't know if that is the title or not but its how I remember the song) and "A Thing called Love." On the Make me an Angel song she had Greg Brown, Pieta Brown, Bo Ramsey and a women whose name I missed come up on the stage and sing along. She probably helped Edwards score some points with the local folk music crowd.

In between their songs they told us why they supported Edwards and encouraged us to caucus for Edwards. After half an hour of songs, John Edwards gave a rousing speech. He criticized Bush and reiterated his plans for getting the US out of Iraq, health care, and his concern for the poor. Compared to the last time I saw him speak Edwards spoke with a lot of passion and energy. Combined with the singing this was the nearest thing to a revival meeting I've been to, since I've been to a revival meeting and it has been awhile since I have been to one of those.

Edwards took a few questions but kept that part relatively short. He answered questions about global warming, education, health care, social security, and one on how he makes decisions. If you have heard him before he didn't really say much new, but the passion did come through.

When he talked about his plans and ideas in relationship to the other Democratic candidates he tended to compare his positions primarily to those of Clinton. He kept repeating that if you want traditional politics with leaders beholden to corporate interests then Clinton would be a good choice, but if you wanted change and a politician who would fight special interests than he was the best choice. It was the first time where I really heard him talk about his experience as a trial lawyer and how every day for 20 years he fought against the HMO's, the health insurance companies and other large business interests to protect his clients. He argued that he would bring that experience with him as he battled for universal health care and other improvements in life for the average American.

As he finished they played a Springsteen song over the speakers and many people went looking for autographs. A lot of people were picking up literature, signs, and stickers, but it is always hard to tell how much of it is people collecting campaign paraphernalia and how much is because they support the candidate.

debate

The candidates seem to be campaigning in either the Des Moines or Dubuque areas so none have been coming near the cornfields where I live. I think Edwards is supposed to be in Iowa City Monday and Romney may be in Washington Wednesday. I have a couple of unwritten rules about going to these events. I won't drive more than 30 miles to get to the appearance - especially when gas is up to 3.10, and I won't go to an event where I have to pay to get in the door. I suppose there are others but those two seem to work for the most part.

I did watch the debate which raised questions about how CNN and other news media cover this whole race. CNN's website said something like, "Clinton dominates debate." They neglected to add that CNN reporters asked her the first question and that the first ten minutes of the debate were primarily Clinton and Obama going back and forth. Why shouldn't Clinton dominate the debate if she is asked the majority of the questions and allowed to respond any time one of the other candidates dared to criticize her by name.

If according to the news reports Guliani is the FOX news candidate, is Clinton the CNN candidate? If the rest of Iowa is like my town, most of the registered voters are undecided and will only say they are leaning towards a candidate. Howard Dean was surprised by the results last time, and I hope Clinton is surprised in this one as well. Maybe a third place finish in Iowa would derail her a bit.

Edwards finally got pulled into the mix and eventually the other candidates got some air time. The local paper said Biden didn't talk until 15 minutes in and Dodd, Richardson, and Kucinich were even later.

One thing I found disappointing was how many of the candidates said that national security was more important than human rights. I believe Richardson and Kucinich were the only two to either challenge the premise or to say human rights was more important. It reminded me a bit of Thoreau who we were looking at a bit this week in my American History class. One of his passages from On Civil Disobedience seemed appropriate; "The mass of men serve the state...not as men mainly, but as machines with their bodies. ...In most cases there is no free exercise whatever of the judgement or of the moral sense but they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones;.... Others as most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers... serve the state chiefly with their heads; as they rarely make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God." I think we would all do well to read Thoreau again.