Friday, January 09, 2004
Tell me why I should care
Please. I'm serious.
Peter Nixon asks which Democratic candidate you would support. To tell you honestly, even if I still lived in Iowa, I would be very disinterested in this campaign. For the first time since 1972, I might not be able to name the entire list of candidates. And you know, after my experiences in 2000, I'm not sure I care.
My wife and I participated in the Iowa caucuses last time around. She was beside herself at the disorganization of the event in our district: party folk looking up rules in the book, unsure of what to do when Bradley people showed up, etc..
"These people need to get their act together," she said. Little did we know it was the Voice of Prophecy.
When I suggested she could whip this bunch into shape, I got hit. "And don't you even think of raising your hand when they ask for delegates," she warned.
Al Gore was already anointed by the time I got to the county caucus (thanks honey for letting me go) in March 2000. (I joined the party ONLY to participate in the process.) Then he goes and fritters away his big lead, eventually blaming Nader for his own inability to ride the coattails of peace, economic boom, and separation from Bill into the White House.
So I ask the politically minded out there: Should I care? Hasn't it already been decided who's running against Bush? It certainly will be made public by the time the wagon train hits Missouri. Seriously, I think I'd have more fun going over to the Republicans as a covert civic operative. But I would probably get hit again.
