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The Best (and Worst) from the Campaign Trail
Date: Sunday, February 15, 2004
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
After driving 10,000 miles, I offer the following review of life on the road.
Number of campaign events: 57
Number of campaign events to start late: 55
Number of people interviewed: 358
Favorite state: Iowa.
Coldest state: New Hampshire.
In-car snack of choice: Raw pasta.
Drive-through restaurant of choice: Steak 'N Shake.
Typical food schedule: 1) skip breakfast, not hungry; 2) skip lunch, no time; 3) fast-food dinner, 10 p.m.
Travel devices that in some way broke or were replaced: cell-phone, fuzz buster, GPS, Blackberry, watch, laptop's internet, camera's flash, car's brakes.
Favorite random tourist stop: Appomattox Court House, between Clark and Kerry rallies.
Worst random tourist stop: The National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, which my friend Tyler and I toured after an Edwards rally there. (FYI: Czech and Slovak history, not pleasant! Too many tsars and fuhrers.)
Worst question I've asked a candidate: "Senator Lieberman, can you feel the 'Joe-mentum?" (He could.)
Most repeated acronym used by voters I interview: "ABB!" (The Valley-Girl-sounding acronym stands for Anybody But Bush, as popularized by DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe's "ABB" button.)
Most repeated campaign song: John Cougar Mellencamp's "Our Time is Now." (Edwards gives the same speech at every rally and plays the same song. His press corps claims they can recite the speech verbatim. They can also sing a mean Mellencamp.)
Best endorsement: Jim Rassmann's endorsement of John Kerry. Kerry saved Rassmann's life in Vietnam.
Worst endorsement: Michael Bolton's endorsement of Dick Gephardt, who waits awkwardly off-stage during a rousing rendition of "Go the Distance" from Disney's Hercules.
Most banal name for a campaign bus: The Real Deal Express. (John Kerry)
Most sanctimonious name for a campaign bus: Independence, Integrity. (Joe Lieberman)
My favorite candidate: Dennis Kucinich, for his compassion and his sincerity.
My favorite campaign staff: Dennis Kucinich's, whose staffers offer me hugs, not handshakes.
My favorite "the candidate is late" stalling tactic: Open-mike night with peace-song-singing Kucinich supporters at a bingo hall in Davenport.
My favorite campaign moment: Walking to the polls with John Kerry.
My biggest success after 10,000 miles: Zero speeding tickets.
My biggest mistake after 10,000 miles: I close an Elizabeth Edwards interview with, "Thank you for your time, Mrs. Kerry."
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