Dodd tells farmers he's a neighbor in need. Elizabeth Kucinich on the stump with coffee-drinking earthlings. The writer's strike: WWRD (What would Rudy do?)
The following piece was produced through the Huffington Post's OffTheBus. Edited by Richard Riehl and Denise Wheeler. Reported by Kirsten Anderson, Ken Bank, River Curtis-Stanley, Jodi Lampert, Julie Pierce, Debbi Plummer, and Theresa Weathers.
I'll be your favorite son until the caucus is over: At a forum for candidates hosted by the Iowa Farmers Union, Chris Dodd pointed out that his wife and children have moved to Iowa and that he has an older daughter attending school in Des Moines. "I'm an Iowan," he explained, "at least for the next few months." Does he really think farmers are more likely to vote for a short-term neighbor, living in a rental?
"The Fierce Urgency of Now": Sound like a chapter heading from a salacious romance novel? Nope. It's the headline hype of the Obama campaign's latest email. What's so fiercely urgent? It's a request for money to keep the candidate in Iowa rather than having to cross the country in fundraising trips before the Iowa caucus. Sounds more urgently fierce than fiercely urgent to us.
He's A Material Man: During Mitt Romney's swing through the "Inland Empire" of California on Nov. 14 and 15, he squeezed in four fundraisers. All events were closed to the press and mostly held at private residences. None were open to the public without cash in hand. For us regular folks who'd like to meet the candidate, we'll just have to admire him from afar at the next debate.
Coming to a planet near you: Here's the buzz at the Kucinich campaign website: "Elizabeth Kucinich arrived in Denver to attend the Colorado for Kucinich fundraiser brunch held at the Mercury Café." That's the one in Denver, on this planet. But we got your hopes up there for a moment, didn't we?
Rudy the comedy writer? While visiting Giuliani's Glendale, CA campaign office Tuesday, the media couldn't resist asking Rudy which side of the writer's strike he supported. "You know. It's very unlikely, but if they needed my help, I'd be more than happy to help, as a fair-minded mediator." That's a relief. For a moment there we thought he was offering to be a scab writer for the Daily Show.
In the land of bagels and money: In his continuing effort to prove he's the candidate of the people, John Edwards will meet and greet real Nevadans at Harrie's Bagelmania prior to tonight's debate in Las Vegas. The fun begins around noon on E. Twain Ave. #120. No word on whether that's a suite number or the minimum age for admission.
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