MEG WHITE writes:
I was listening to National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" today (December 19), and they had a quick segment about Iowa caucus goers. During "Morning Edition," political reporter David Green had commented that in the last few caucuses, only six or seven percent of eligible voters in Iowa caucused. In response to this, the reporter invited University of Iowa political science professor David Redlawsk to talk about what these people look like.
I turned the radio up, curious to find out who I'd be meeting in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Redlawsk said caucus goers are whiter, older, richer, more educated, and more rural. That didn't surprise me, until I started thinking about it. They are whiter, older, and more rural than most other Iowans?
We're talking Iowa: 93 percent white, 14.6 percent over age 65, and the state that taught this Minnesotan the definition of rural.
Who knew Iowa could even get whiter, older, or more rural?
Who made these people boss of the democratic process?
I might be overreacting here. What state can truly claim to represent our diverse nation? And how much power does Iowa really have in choosing our next president? Not all that much, historically.
But they sure do get a lot of attention. I don't think it's too off base to suggest that environmentally dubious ethanol is still on the political table because corn-heavy Iowa makes up its mind on the next presidential candidates first.
Iowans don't like it when I say stuff like that. They say they have built up a political culture that no other state could compete with. They also say I am just jealous.
Iowans may be in better political shape for this job than other states. I intend to find that out for myself on January 3, 2008.
I do know this, however. I've lived in a couple of "purple" or swing states. And I have to say having my city swamped by reporters, the Secret Service, and candidates, not to mention my television taken over by attack ads, is not something I looked forward to on election years.
Meg White is a graduate student in journalism from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Posted by awiens at December 19, 2007 5:07 PM
