Des Moines Diary……

Jan. 1, 6 a.m.  or thereabouts.  As most of Reno is sleeping it off or just getting home from New Years Eve frivolities, cameraman Darrell McComb and I are off to Iowa to cover the caucuses.

Media from all over the country and much of the world descend on this mostly rural Midwestern state every four years to cover the first stop on the Road to the
White House. It’s the first time for us. In fact we’re the only news crew from northern Nevada to go. In times past we’d leave this to the national network, but 2008 is also the first time for Nevada to play a role in the early selection process. Our caucus will be held on Jan. 19^th, right after New Hampshire ’s primary. We’ve come to get a look at a process with which most Nevadans are unfamiliar and to get a preview of what we can expect.

It’s hard to imagine another event that could draw people to the upper Midwest in the dead of winter. The caucuses however are a big draw. The candidates and their campaigns have been here for months, of course, or longer.

We connect through Phoenix and our flight is packed. In front of me two Clinton volunteers flying in to join the last days’ effort. Beside me is an Iowa businessman, a Republican who winters in Arizona (wise man) but is flying home, primarily to take part in the caucus.  It is a big deal to Iowans and they take it seriously.

The airport terminal is full of other crews arriving. In the gift shop, the racks of souvenir ‘My grandpa went to Iowa and all I got was this lousy T-shirt’ offerings have been replaced by shirts each bearing the likeness of a candidate.

My next impression? The cold. It’s hovering somewhere just above zero…..and the wind is blowing 10 to 20 mph. Wind chill? Somewhere past physical pain. I’ve been in Iowa in winter before. I should expect it, but it’s still a shock. No place does cold like the Midwest . At least no place most of us would willingly go.

We rush around town to shoot our first piece…basically a ‘We’re here and why’ story.  We duck into a sports bar and grill partially to eat, partially to get warm and note a table tent that invites you to ‘vote for the presidential candidate you’d most like to have a beer with in 2008.’ They’re holding their beer caucus tomorrow, one day before the official count.