Obama Nation Out in Force in Iowa City

Greetings from the Midsection.

Barack Obama was looking fit, rested and may have the vote of one member of this household based on a handshake on the meet and greet line on his way to the stage. His staff threw the crowd t-shirts and a little girl put one on and looked adorable (of course, she took it off quickly because it was too hot--that or she is an uncommitted voter--at least for the next 13 years).

"He has a good handshake," said my equal half. As far as more "savvy" voters, it is hard to say, other than if you make up your mind based on turning out a crowd, Obama scored in Iowa City with what looked like about 4,000 to 5,000 people (local press reports 10,000 showed--I think they got those numbers from the Obama folks). I was impressed by the machine that he has geared up already--product placement, volunteer sign-up, cattle herding, gesticulators, and security are TIGHT.

As for me, I was looking for the meat of where he stands, particularly about the environment. His record as a Senator has not been sterling on this front*, although he, John McCain, and Joe Lieberman revived a bill that was defeated in the senate two years ago that would reduce global warming by 2% a year by 2020 and he and Hillary Clinton introduced the Healthy Communities Act of 2005, which was also defeated. The Chicago Tribune adds this recap.

On the whole, I heard what I expected from a stump speech, good ideas, not too many specifics. I contend that the Obama campaign needs to get the specifics on the table--as John Edwards' has already done.

Good energy, lots of photogs snapping away, standard fair crowd rallying music.

One big "boo" to Mayor (for now) Ross Wilburn, the Johnson County Obama chair, who introduced Obama. He recently signed on to the national mayor's agreement for global warming--an important symbolic gesture, but didn't sign on to another important symbolic gesture--a resolution to stop the war in 2002. People in the progressive community don't forget that he said it was because it was not a local issue.

* Important Update: Thanks to a comment to this entry, I gratefully and respectfully amend this post - The League of Conservation Voters (The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is the independent political voice for the environment.), gave its Obama highest ratings for his environmental stands in 2006 100% and 95% in 2005

Hillary Clinton in 2002-2006 (71%, 95%, 92%, 88%)

John Edwards in 2001-2004: 32% (he missed 5 votes), 68% (missed 9 votes), 88%, and 88%

Joe Biden in 2001-2006: 100%, 90%, 92%, 96%, and 88%

Chris Dodd in 2001-2006 : 100%, 90%, 88%, 80%, and 88%

Dennis Kucinich 2002-2006: 100%, 100%, 90%, 95%, and 90%