MICHAEL PASTERNAK writes:
Someone told me the other day that this presidential election is the most important in American history. Now I think this person was being a little overdramatic. However, I know where this person was coming from. I personally thought the last presidential election was the "most important election in American history."
In 2004, I remember sitting on my couch watching with disappointment/triumph/complete neutrality (pick one) as the election results were announced throughout the night. I was a couch-potato spectator watching from afar. Now I have a chance to get in on the next presidential election at ground zero, the Iowa caucus.
I'm taking this caucus class to learn how American politics really works, or at least how it works in a small Midwest state that is 97-percent white. I have never been to Iowa, and my only Iowa point of entry is Field of Dreams. Traveling to the state and meeting real Iowans will help me get a better perspective on the Midwest, elections, and small communities. Living in Chicago gives me a unique view of politics, but I believe and sincerely hope that Chicago politics is not how politics works in the rest of the country.
I will be covering two candidates in Iowa. One, John McCain, is one of the Republican front runners who just got the endorsement of The Des Moines Register. My other candidate, Ron Paul, is running low in the polls but just raised more money in a 24-hour period than any candidate in history. I look forward to following these candidates and their followers in Iowa and experiencing firsthand what it is like to win and lose an election.
Michael Pasternak is a graduate student in journalism from Coral Springs, Florida.
