Steve and I had just received a tip that John Edwards was appearing in a local restaurant around the corner from where we happened to be (in downtown Iowa City). Winding our way down the hallway to the back room where the crowd was, a woman stepped out of the restroom. We almost bumped into each other.
Just as I was processing the thought Elizabeth...? she said "Hi. I'm Elizabeth Edwards..." She then stuck her hand out to shake mine.
Yes, so I noticed!" I replied...
We caught the tail-end of John's speech and as he made his way through the room to leave, I shook his hand for the second time in two weeks. He smiled and thanked Steve and I when we wished him good luck this evening.
What were we doing in downtown Iowa City early this morning you ask? Why we had just attended a Chris Dodd pre-caucus coffee hour. There we met and had a brief conversation with his wife, Jackie. We had met Chris a couple of weeks ago...
Quite the morning I'd say.
Now I'm not sayin' who has my vote. But I will say it's fun to experience for the first time what all this Iowa Caucus hoopla is all about. Any way you look at it, this is history in the making and as Chris Dodd said this morning, no where but in Iowa do people have the opportunity to really get to know the candidates - and on a first name basis at that.
Elizabeth, Jackie - it was a pleasure to meet you both this morning. You too, John and Chris.
~ Connie
Great to "bump into you" at the Mill. Hope you decide to stand up for John tonight.
Posted by: Elizabeth Edwards | January 03, 2008 at 06:57 PM
I have been thinking of you, but too busy to blog.
It's great to "meet" Elizabeth Edwards here on your blog!
Way to go, both of you!
And now I see what it means to stand up for someone!
Posted by: Kathy Podgers | January 03, 2008 at 09:52 PM
*waving wildly at Elizabeth Edwards*
So, Connie, did you caucus? I've been envious of caucusers all evening.
Posted by: TheQueen | January 03, 2008 at 11:24 PM
How cool to get to participate in the caucuses! Seems like a good system, so you don't feel obligated to jump right in and vote for your least disliked of the frontrunners, something so many people say they do in elections.
Posted by: Janet | January 03, 2008 at 11:43 PM
Well dang, never a dull moment in the Kuusisto household!
As much as I admire Elizabeth Edwards (fellow breast cancer survivor) I confess I'm glad that caucus is over. I was a little tired of "all Iowa, all the time" on NPR. Glad you have the stomach for it. Now it'll be on to New Hampshire.
Posted by: Georgia Whitney | January 04, 2008 at 08:43 AM
Elizabeth,
We're flattered you would take a moment to visit and comment on our blog. Thank you. Congratulations to you and John for your second place win last night!
Posted by: Connie & Steve | January 04, 2008 at 11:30 AM
To TheQueen and Others...
Yes, we did caucus last night. Being new to Iowa we didn't quite know what to expect. What a scene! They announced that they were expecting just over 200 people last night. Instead we showed up with 600+ other people! We stood in line well over an hour just to get in! Fortunately they allowed us in the building to get out of the cold - the line snaked down four long hallways in the elementary school we caucused in.
Posted by: Connie | January 04, 2008 at 11:38 AM
One thing Connie didn't mention about our "caucus experience" is that the elementary school gym was designed for 12 people instead of 600. Accordingly the air was sort of reminiscent of life on a submarine. However the communication on a submarine is better than the Iowa caucuses. There was a guy down front who made many announcements that no one could hear. I wouldn't be surprised if our local precinct actually voted for Pee Wee Herman.
Posted by: Stephen Kuusisto | January 06, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Nor did I mention the one young man who walked in at the very last minute, taped a "Caucus for Mike Gravel" sign (on a piece of notebook paper) to the wall and proudly stood there - all by himself. Can't help but admire that!
Posted by: Connie | January 07, 2008 at 12:30 PM