MLK Jr. & Caucus Day

Unless you've been living under a whole pile of rocks, you probably know that the Iowa caucuses are tonight, the first binding vote in the nation for the Democratic nominee for president. Bitter cold, record turnout, close 4-way race, etc. In the headlines, Dean got some kind words (but no endorsement) from former President Jimmy Carter, and Dean's wife, Judy Steinberg Dean, has joined Dean at some campaign appearances. I swear Dean simply looks happier and more relaxed in the pictures with his wife. Sometimes Dean's smile looks a little forced and awkward, but in most of the pics with his wife, he looks as happy as a kid in a candy store.

Question: Why does this story refer to "Judy Dean" instead of "Judy Steinberg Dean"? Previously I'd always heard the longer name, and sometimes simply "Judy Steinberg," dropping the "Dean" part altogether. Is this something the Dean campaign wanted, or is the press just doing this on its own? Curious.

There's not much more to say about the caucuses tonight that you can't see on every media outlet around. For once I'm not complaining about the media's saturation coverage of an event; the presidential race deserves a media orgy, because what's more important in a democracy than elections?

Musclehead has made it clear that I've done enough whining about the negative coverage of Dean, and I agree—it's not like any of this was unexpected, or that Dean didn't, to some extent, throw down the gauntlet and ask for it. That's why he's my choice, by the way—because he was willing to say bluntly that the cowardice that reigned among Democrats for the past four years was a loser's game. I think Dean may have lost momentum when he began retreating from that blunt, challenging position, and started trying to sound more "moderate" or "reasonable" or whatever. Not to malign Al Gore, but is it any coincidence this shift became really pronounced around the time of Gore's endorsement?

However, the problem with the media is not so much what the negative coverage has done to Dean's campaign, it's what it did to Al Gore's campaign in 2000 and what it will likely do to the Democratic nominee's campaign this fall if something doesn't change. Will the media give Bush a pass on all the negatives of his administration, while beating the Dem's negatives like dead horses? I guess we'll see.

But before that, Musclehead's gone out on a limb with some predicted results, and the Daily Kos is having a contest for predictions. The prize is a set of really cheesy but really cool buttons, which if you really loved me you'd buy for me. ;-) Everyone is still picking Dean as the winner, possibly because he's got such a great "ground game". And regardless of what you think of Dean, the support he's getting in Iowa from people around the country who have travelled there to help is pretty phenomenal. The campaign is calling it the "Perfect Storm" and Blog for America (the official Dean campaign blog) has a fun little anti-FAQ about all those volunteers, answering questions with questions instead of answers:

Your Question: Are all our Perfect Storm volunteers more of those sushi eating, Volvo driving, latte sipping, body piercing, New York Times reading kind of kids?  Our Question: Will any of you dare pose that question to one of the 180TEXANS who arrived Friday on 3 Big Buses?  Will any of us be lucky enough to be there if you do?

Your Question: Would some kid riding the train from California to Philly who encountered 20 Californians on their way to Iowa really be so inspired that he would change his plans and get off the train in the Hawkeye State? 
Our Question: Could we make this stuff up if we tried?

But while the Iowa caucuses are important, today is also the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, meaning lots of people (L and myself included) have the day off, but also meaning it's a good time to give some thought to why we have such a holiday in the first place. According to Julian Bond, a professor at the University of Virginia who worked beside King in the civil rights movement:

"It's a day that we're not working but we do something he would have done -- help clean a neighborhood, work in a soup kitchen. That's the upside."

The downside, Bond said, is the evidence of what people have forgotten. The last five years of King's life -- when he opposed the Vietnam War and advocated the redistribution of wealth so more people could enjoy prosperity -- are hardly mentioned, he said. Memories seem to stop in 1963 at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, where King said, "I have a dream" and so much more.

"It's as if he gave the speech on Aug. 28 and died on Aug. 29," Bond said. "It's a shame -- we only celebrate half the man."

It's almost painful to think about King's life and work, and then to read President Bush's official statement about the holiday, in which Bush says:

America has come far in realizing Dr. King's dream, but there is still work to be done. In remembering Dr. King's vision and life of service, we renew our commitment to guaranteeing the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans.

Oh yeah, that must be why Bush is fighting so hard to ensure he's got the power to imprison U.S. citizens indefinitely and without charges. Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, justice for all, etc. Right.

Regardless of who eventually wins the Democratic nomination this year, one thing is certain: That person will do infinitely more than Bush to carry on the kind of work King gave his life for.

Posted January 19, 2004 08:40 AM | election 2004