Republicans To Party In Iowa
Glitz and politics have collided in the Iowa Straw Poll, and glitz has taken an early lead.
Nine contenders for the Republican presidential nomination are headed for Ames. Most are throwing lavish parties for backers, organizing legions of buses to truck them into town for the day, and fighting for attention from the 600 or so journalists signed up to chronicle the event.
"It has taken on a life of its own," sighed Sara Miller, Finance Director of the Iowa Republican Party and an organizer of Saturday's doings.
Straw polls have been a staple of Iowa politics for the better part of 25 years, but none have approached this year's edition. There isn't a bus to be had anywhere in the state, and the same thing holds true for golf carts.
Don't even think about renting a tent.
"The party rental places are pretty well cleaned out," Miller said. Caterers will make out about as well as Republicans, who will collect $25 for every vote cast.
The Iowa event picked up additional steam when Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the overwhelming front-runner, said he'd not only compete but play to win. "The Bush people really raised the bar on this thing," said Bob Haus, an organizer for publisher Steve Forbes.
With that, things spun happily out of control.
"It's been hyped to the point where you'd think the election was this Saturday," said former Cabinet Secretary Elizabeth Dole.
You can't throw a party without some entertainment, and the Iowa State Center at Iowa State University will be as much concert as convention.
Former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander is bringing in country star Crystal Gayle to croon for backers munching on barbecue. "We've got baby back ribs," said aide David Kochel. Pork, of course. There's this hog industry crisis going on.
Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch promises the Osmond Brothers, crooner Vic Damone and pianist Roger Williams in a concert clearly designed with baby boomers in mind.
Bush is leaning toward the athletic, with a touch of salsa, a natural for a candidate courting Hispanics. Former pro football star Roger Staubach and pro basketball star Sean Elliot will be on hand, but the big local draw is retired University of Iowa football coach Hayden Fry, a very popular transplanted Texan.
Not to be outdone, Hatch is bringing in Karl "the Mailman" Malone.
Ames is a mid-sized college town of 47,000 with all the usual amenities, but forget about renting a hotel room there. Folks are being shipped 30 miles away to Des Moines to find a room.
Some resources are getting strained. The various campaigns really have rented all the available buses in Iowa (rumor has it Bush has leased more than 100 buses). And there are no golf carts available because the 300 or so volunteers will be buzzing around the grounds on their electric wheels.
The best guess is about 15,000 activists will be on hand, and there'll b plenty of politicos mingling with the entertainers.
All of the candidates are being tight-lipped about their spending, but it's huge.