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Steak-Fry draws pumped Dems

BY MATT HOROWITZ & JORDAN LEVINE

As 44 Campus Democrats piled into their cars, the sky was filled with dark clouds promising rain later that afternoon. The Democrats were on their way to a yearly Democratic ritual, the 29th Harkin Steak-Fry at the county fairgrounds in Indianola. By the time the Grinnell contingent arrived, the rain clouds of the late morning had cleared up and the bright afternoon matched the enthusiastic optimism of the gathered Democrats.

Iowa is home to a number of highly competitive races. With the governorship up for grabs, as well as control of the state legislature and several Congressional seats, more than 2,000 Democrats gathered to eat steak and chicken with a hopeful eye cast forward to the November election.

Oh yes, and Barack Obama was speaking too.

After the meal, the politicians began to mingle in the crowd, but many were crowded by spirited Grinnellians and other College Democrats seeking photographs, or even a simple handshake. A series of local politicians running for the state legislature and offices like Secretary of State and Agriculture gave short speeches.

The crowd responded enthusiastically to the speeches, cheering calls for rises in teacher salaries and the minimum wage, support for stem cell research and attacks on the war in Iraq. Eventually, Rep. Leonard Boswell took the stage to introduce the other four Democrats running for Congress. The energetic Boswell called for fellow Iowa Democrats to keep him company in Washington.

After a brief intermission, Governor Vilsack gave a speech noting his accomplishments as governor over the past eight years. As he shifted focus from the past to what he said still needed to be done, the entire rally became more animated, with Vilsack raising his voice and pumping his fist in the air.

The Democratic candidate to succeed Vilsack, current Secretary of State Chet Culver, followed the governor with a rousing campaign speech. Besides the Democrats on the stage, a constant, invisible presence at the Steak-Fry was Rep. Jim Nussle, the Republican candidate for governor who was lampooned and criticized as out of touch with Iowa's needs. "I want to be the people's governor!" Culver roared. "Jim Nussle wants to be the special interests' governor!"

After being introduced by Senator Tom Harkin, Obama, the event's main attraction, gave a lengthy concluding speech. From the second he stepped up to the podium, the crowd was silent, listening to each of Obama's words intently.

"It's time for us to create the kind of competitive future for our kids that we're just not doing right now," Obama said. "We're not dealing seriously with the problems of health care, education, energy, the deficit, that are going to create the better future for our kids that has been the hallmark for the 'American dream.'"

As Obama received a standing ovation, one woman turned and declared, "That man's going to be president one day." The excited Democrats gathered on the field in Indianola would have agreed.

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