Campaigning takes a holiday

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By Ed Tibbetts | Friday, December 28, 2007 |

Leslie Pomerantz, of Des Moines listens to Democratic presidential hopeful, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, speak Friday. Candidates are taking a Christmas break from campaigning. (AP Photo)

Finally, a rest.

With Christmas upon us, the non-stop presidential campaign that’s bombarded Iowa for most of the year has blessfully, thankfully — perhaps even miraculously — ground to a halt. With the exception of a single event today, the campaign bus has pulled to the side of the road, yielding to Santa Claus’ sleigh.

No Hillary, no Obama, no Huckabee. The only Mitt in the state are the hand-warmers to be found under the tree.

The phone banks have ground to a halt. Even the television ads, while not entirely absent, have slowed. Only 39 political ads will air Christmas Day on KWQC-TV6, said Allen Wiese, the general sales manager. That’s about half the norm.

“Some of the candidates have asked not to run on Christmas,” Wiese said. And of the TV ads that do air, they’ll likely have a holiday theme. About the edgiest they’ve gotten the past day or so is a John Edwards spot that pledges not to forget the poor.

Mostly, sweater-wearing candidates have posed with their families and their Christmas trees. And they’ve remembered Santa’s admonition that he’ll know who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.

It may be a good thing, this break.

Activists have found themselves fighting higher stress levels as they juggle their political avocation with their holiday obligations.

“It’s been very difficult by the time you work on your caucus materials, and you’re trying to make a quilt or knit a sweater. It’s hectic,” said Audrey Linville, a Davenport woman who’s secretary for the county Democratic Party.

John Hammill, of LeClaire, was squeezing in one of the last pre-Christmas campaign stops when he went to Eldridge to see Joe Biden on Saturday. He has struggled to figure out whom he’ll support, and he said the topic will be surely discussed even at the dinner table tomorrow. “Everywhere you go, everything you do, you discuss this,” he said. “There’s no doubt.”

Of course, the break is temporary. The campaign trail will be well-trod Wednesday.

Barack Obama will be in Mason City in the morning, Bill Clinton will be in Muscatine. Joe Biden will be in Des Moines, the first of 80 cities and towns he’ll hit through the rest of the week.

Somebody else will have to toss the Christmas tree to the curb, clean up all the gift wrapping. After all, there will be only nine shopping days until the Jan. 3 caucuses.

Ed Tibbetts can be contacted at (563) 383-2327 or etibbetts@qctimes.com. Comment on this article at qctimes.com.

Over the holidays, if you want to educate yourself about the Iowa caucus process go to: qctimes.com/elections2008