Presidential politics 101 by Jim Splaine

I am quite a fan of the New Hampshire First-In-The-Nation Presidential Primary. I think it is democracy at its best in that our process allows candidates to spend time talking "with" us instead of "to" or "at" us, which they often end up doing by standing behind cameras in television studios in the larger states.

Here they have to meet regular folk face-to-face, talking with us one-to-one and eye-to-eye on our streets and sidewalks, in our living rooms and small meeting halls. We get to ask them tough questions AND we usually have the chance for follow-up if they have just given us their own consultant-written, focus-group tested politically-correct answer. Then we go into the privacy of a voting booth and make our choice.

Our Presidential Primary is a real election.

The Iowa Caucus is not.

Whatever happens in the Iowa Caucus, New Hampshire voters should keep it in perspective by reminding ourselves that whatever it is and whatever they call it, the event in Iowa is not an election. While I respect and appreciate the Iowa Caucus, we should keep in mind that for all that it is, it is not an election in any sense. That doesn't make it any less meaningful. I just means the rest of the country should keep that in mind.

A "Caucus" as in the case of Iowa is a statewide series of meetings. Members of the Democratic and Republican Parties meet in meeting halls and living rooms throughout the state and discuss the candidates. It is purely a party event. The political parties create the rules. The political parties pay for most of the arrangements.

The rules for the caucuses are confusing at best, and often favor candidates who have lots of staff on the ground able to facilitate the logistics of the caucus-goers. Political parties and candidates' campaigns often arrange for dinners for their supporters to gather before, or after, the caucus. Sort of a reward, I guess.

The caucus meetings themselves are often several hours long, making it difficult for many working men and women who have other obligations to attend. Supporters of the candidates "vote" by voicing their opinions and standing up, or sitting down, in corners of the room with other supporters of that candidate. Oh, and campaign staff and organizers can watch to see exactly what you're doing, and who you're supporting.

The Iowa Caucus is a good event in that it is an exercise in democracy, but it is not an "election" of the kind Americans will participate in New Hampshire and most other states. New Hampshire's First-In-The-Nation Presidential Primary is a real election, paid for by the state, held under the strictest of regulations protecting the integrity of the ballot.

In New Hampshire, voters go into the privacy of the voting booth to exercise their right to vote for the candidate of their choice. Unlike Iowa, "observers" are not looking on to intimidate the voter. The New Hampshire Primary is administered in exactly the same way that the November General Election will be. Indeed, it is a real election and a much more accurate indicator of voters' support for candidates.

What New Hampshire Democrats and Republicans should do in making their final judgement about whom they will vote next Tuesday is to put aside the results in Iowa after taking a good look at them. If a candidate comes in "first" in Iowa, does that tell us anything other than that candidate's staff and the special interest groups supporting that candidate were effective at getting their supporters at party meetings? And if a candidate runs fourth or fifth in the Iowa Caucus, that should not discount him, or her, for staying in the race. They're on our ballot next Tuesday and we should have them still in the contest by then.

So, from my point of view whatever happens in Iowa should stay in Iowa. We should look at the results, maybe chuckle a bit if one of the candidates screams on caucus night, perhaps even thank the people of Iowa for fulfilling their democratic role of voicing and standing up for their opinions. Then we should make up our own minds. We still have a few days to do that.

Comments

4 January 2008

Good news in Iowa, but now the real election in New Hampshire. As an American living, working and traveling overseas for nearly five decades, I know that our nation needs a new direction. It can't be done with old-style political leadership. I urge voters to support Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama, depending on your party affiliation.
Sincerely,
Frank G Anderson
American Citizens Abroad representative, Thailand

Posted by: Frank in Thailand | January 4, 2008 03:29 AM