And So It Begins

Here is how it starts.

We'll be sitting in the usual spot.

A restaurant.

A coffee shop

Like this one.

A favorite.

 

It will be a neighborhood sort of place

where people sit with laptops

and study

or biking buddies

and stop for a caffeine buzz

mid-morning ride

or catch up

over breakfast

with old friends.

 

It will be a

come as you are

kind of place

whether as you are be

yoga pants and sneakers

or college sweatshirt

and backpack.

 

It will be an Iowa sort of place.

With a hometown feel

and friendly chatter

drifting around the room

on the fragrance of coffee

good and strong.

 

And then they appear.

The entourage.

They will be polished

and properly dressed

for a Wall Street meeting

with $150 haircuts.

They will be smiling

just a little too big,

talking a little too loud,

eyes scanning the room

to see

who is present

who is watching.

 

And they will orbit

like little

crisp-shirted planets

around the

Star of the Day:

The Candidate.

 

And then

In. Walks. The. Candidate.

 

Democract

Republican

or

otherwise

they will be dressed in

one of two ways:

crisp, white shirt

with proper accents of

flag red or flag blue

in the tie/scarf/jewelry

or

farm-family casual

with sleeves rolled up just-so

and everyman/everywoman pants and shoes.

(Hog-lot appropriate, just in case.)

  

There will be baby kissing.

 And burger flipping.

There will be inspection of corn notsogood.

 

And corn lookingnotgreatbutbetter.

(No political lean intended here

not even a little bit

but

doesn't this photo just scream

"I spend lots of time in farm fields!"

 

Yeah.

(Smiling)

I think so too.

 

So anyway.

That's what they'll be wearing.

 

Today Chris Christie

chose the more formal attire

when he walked into the

local hangout

for breakfast and coffee.

Crisp, white shirt.

No jacket.

Dress pants.

 

As a politico friend of mine said

when I told him about seeing him here,

"And so it begins."

 

Indeed.

Today Governor Christie

was the first in what will be a

nonstop parade

of would-be candidates

and candidates

and probably

Bruce Springsteen.

 

 

And while it will look like

every person living in Iowa

came out to greet them

in general

no matter where they all go

the reaction will pretty much

be the same:

 

We'll keep drinking our coffee.

And talking about our kids.

And checking our phones to make sure

we're not late for our grandson's ballgame.

Because we're so used to having these folks around.

 

We remember not to park on certain streets

because CNN and all of the other satellite trucks

are blocking more than their share of lanes.

 

We see news anchors sitting at bars.

Press secretaries ordering lunch.

Celebrities ducking into Starbucks.

First ladies caravans

making us late to work.

It's all part of the game.

 

 

And every campaign

it starts earlier.



Can you spot the maybe-candidate for President in this picture?

(Hint: it's not the one with hands clasped like a reverent nun.)

(I made it easy, follow the arrow....yep, the one

basking in the glow. Sidenote: it was glowing in that spot

before he arrived.

Just sayin.)

 

Can you spot the TV camera?

Can you spot the weary reporter?

(Buck up, kid. It's a long road to the election and you might

as well grab a punch card. You're going to be

earning lots of free coffee in this state.)

 

CAN YOU spot the incognito security guy??

(Hint: He needs to review the Incognito Manual)

 

And so it begins.

Welcome would-be, won't-be and I-hope-you'll-be candidates.

You pump fistfuls of cash

into our local economy

with your expense accounts.

 

We're glad you're here

and you can be sure

regardless of political ilk

we'll welcome you like neighbors.