Edwards Will Campaign for 36 Straight Hours

(CBS)

AMES, IOWA -- With a stop in Ames this afternoon, John Edwards will kick off his 36-hour "Marathon for the Middle Class."

That's right: 36 CONSECUTIVE hours of stump speeches, rallies, gladhanding, baby kissing and all the other generic activities you might associate with the campaign trail.

We start with the event in Ames at 12 noon Central Time today and plow right on through the late night and early morning hours until a grand finale concert with rocker John Mellencamp tomorrow night.

There's a sense of adventure and dread among the reporters locked in for the long haul. Fortunately, we've been upgraded from press vans to a full coach bus to make things more comfortable. There's at least two seats for every reporter/photographer, so it should be easy to sneak in a nap when needed.

So, as we criss-cross the Hawkeye State, weaving in and out of field offices and coffee houses and private homes, I'll be here to catch every word and nuance of the madness ahead.

So crack open a Red Bull and let the fun begin!