Campaign Ice Capades
IOWA CITY, IOWA -- The ice storm that plowed across the Midwest has frozen many campaign events in Iowa today. John Edwards is canceling all three of his stops, while candidate spouses Bill Clinton, Michelle Obama, and Ann Romney have already canceled their scheduled events in various parts of the state. Mike Huckabee has chopped events in Council Bluffs, Red Oak, Creston, and Osceola, but an event tonight is Des Moines is still on (and, interestingly, he's ADDED an unscheduled stop at the Bob Feller Museum in Van Meter, Iowa). [UPDATE, 2:30pm: Huckabee canceled Des Moines event as well]. Mitt Romney is also continuing with a scheduled photo op in Des Moines at 12:30pm
This morning in Iowa City, the "Main Street Express" was on hold, as members of John Edwards's advance team sat tight in the Sheraton lobby waiting word on whether events today in Davenport and Muscatine are still a go. The campaign had already canceled a 12:30pm community meeting in Clinton, Iowa – probably a smart move, given that it's tough to tell if your next step on the sidewalk will be in a puddle of slush or a sheet of ice.
"We want people to be safe," said Iowa communications director Dan Leistikow. "Senator Edwards wants to make it to events, but he doesn't want people to take the risk."
Leistikow said the proximity to the caucuses did not play a factor in the campaign's decision, but it has to be a tough call, given that it's just 23 days until Iowa's big night, and each event matters more and more.