April 2011

Imagine how proudly gratified I was this week to scroll through my Twitter feed and discover that Barack Obama and Sarah Palin have so much in common.

I once covered a politician who was a very certain man.

He remained convinced throughout his public career that he knew best – certainly better than any naysayer, political opponent or reporter.

His certainty got things done, but you had to accept that his priorities and values were the correct ones. He acted first and accepted – but did not welcome -- questions later. He was a Democrat, but only because that’s how you got elected in Baltimore. And he was unwavering.

Budgets, Deficits and 2012

A few weeks ago, I mused in this space about why anyone would want to be President. This week, I had an epiphany. And so did Rep. Paul Ryan.

To understand this, it helps to be a student of the orchestrated political rollout. That’s when an individual carefully plots out in advance what he or she wants the next day’s headline to read – and then pulls it off.

As the shutdown showdown approached its third or fourth climax late this week, I found myself in Flint, Michigan, the former General Motors manufacturing powerhouse, where the unemployment rate still stands at nearly 12 percent and people can be forgiven for casting a skeptical eye on government.

But I was far enough away from Washington that I thought this would be a good time to test a pet hypothesis. The hysteria over the standoff threatening to cripple the national government was, I was convinced, a Washington obsession.

AMES, Iowa -- I have this little theory that has long served me well. Everything, I believe, is politics.

Politics determines whether your children go to school or to jail; whether they eat or starve; whether their futures will improve on your past.

This is why I love politics and don't mind politicians. So it is with no small amount of anticipation that I look forward to the 2012 campaign.

I was reminded of this as I flew into Des Moines this week on my way to a campus visit at Iowa State University, an hour's drive north.