Presidential Race Off to Early Start

PATRICK RYNARD, President, Drake University Democrats: You know, we're having a hard time figuring out how to keep, you know, make that enthusiasm, you know, turn it into effective actions, because, if you don't have anything to do for them right away, they might get bored over time. So that's my biggest worry about it starting this early.

RAY SUAREZ: Jennifer O'Malley worked the Iowa caucuses for John Edwards in 2004, when the North Carolina senator's surprisingly strong second-place showing catapulted him into the top tier in a crowded field. And she's on board again for '08.

JENNIFER O'MALLEY, John Edwards 2008: You know, it really is early, and there are so many strong candidates that know what it takes to have a very strong grassroots operation here. And they know, as well as we do, how to build a foundation.

So I think that, you know, everyone is starting, understanding sort of what the requirements are and are going to be putting in the time. And it's very early, so, you know, there's so much that can change between now and the caucus.

JENNIFER O'MALLEY: We start out with a great foundation, something that we've continuously been working on. And, you know, the folks here in the room are making calls to people that we've talked to, you know, not two years ago, but people that we've been talking over the last two years to really, you know, keep a conversation with them.

STEFFEN SCHMIDT, Iowa State University: Citizens don't like their politicians to abuse power...

RAY SUAREZ: When a campaign is ramping up, almost a year before the caucuses, local radio host and Iowa State University political scientist Steffen Schmidt says people like O'Malley, with on-the-ground Iowa experience, are a hot commodity.

STEFFEN SCHMIDT: There are some superstars out there who can organize a caucus and organize a campaign, both the fundraising and the tactical, as well as the strategic aspects.

Those people are very valuable, and you have to get them on board early, because there aren't that many of them. And so that's one reason, with a field this large, they're all going to be essentially sopped up, and you want the best that money can buy, so to speak.

RAY SUAREZ: He's also talking about people like Chuck Larson, former state Republican chairman and state legislator, running Iowa for Sen. John McCain.

CHUCK LARSON, McCain Exploratory Committee: We've worked very, very hard to build the right team and the right campaign team here in Iowa. Now we're reaching out to the activists across the state to build a strong team for Sen. McCain. And it's exciting.

RAY SUAREZ: Sen. McCain gave Iowa a pass in 2000, when he was running against then-Gov. George W. Bush, choosing to concentrate on New Hampshire, where he won. This time, says Larson, he can win Iowa. This summer's Republican straw poll is his chance to show that.

CHUCK LARSON: That's a tremendous opportunity and a test run for the caucuses. So we'll build our organization; we'll recruit our county chairs; we'll recruit our precinct captains; we'll recruit our team leaders, essentially. And then we'll drive them towards the straw poll in Ames in August.

CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEER: Hi, this is Lynn, and I'm calling on behalf of Sen. John McCain here in Des Moines and wanted to extend a special invitation to you and your family with an event that Senator McCain is going to be in town for, next Saturday the 17th.

RAY SUAREZ: And Democrat Hillary Clinton is on the ground, too. Senior adviser Bonnie Campbell, former Iowa attorney general and candidate for governor...

BONNIE CAMPBELL, Hillary for President: We want to be creative in finding ways to reach out to women who maybe haven't been active politically before, to broaden that base of support. It's a very nuts-and-bolts political organization. People think it's glamorous. It's actually somewhat tedious, but it's important. And it builds a sense of excitement.

RAY SUAREZ: As an example, Campbell counts the large, enthusiastic crowd at Sen. Clinton's recent campaign visit to Iowa as both a success and a show of organizational strength. Even those who haven't yet officially declared their candidacy go to Iowa. Republican candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney visited this past week.

RALLY ATTENDEE: I like what I heard.

MITT ROMNEY (R), Former Governor of Massachusetts: Hey, thank you, Joyce.