Iowa’s Field Of Dreamers

Iowans have learned how to "farm the government," as they say. The Hawkeyes stand first among 50 states in overall farm subsidies. Vilsack insists the caucuses play no role in this largesse, that Iowa's congressional delegation delivers the goods, but presidential candidates pander anyway. John McCain, Clinton and Fred Thompson all opposed subsidies for ethanol, the fuel made from corn, at some point during their Senate careers, but as presidential hopefuls, they are all at least vaguely pro-ethanol—citing, of course, the need for energy independence to protect national security.

Still, Iowa farmers are not satisfied. "These candidates come out and promise the world," says Linus Solberg, speaking to NEWSWEEK the week after he hosted a campaign event for Edwards in one of his barns. "But when they get back to Washington, it's business as usual." Though Edwards is trying to appeal to small farmers being pushed aside by giant agribusiness, Solberg, a hog farmer, complains that Edwards left quickly without shaking hands. "He'd been to four places already and was flying out for some union that was going to endorse him," says Solberg.

The Democrats have been dancing around the ticklish subject of immigration, trying to please Hispanics without offending Iowans who want tighter border controls and no social services for illegal immigrants. "They don't want to get into it because then people have to take one side or another," says Johnny Bautista, 21. "They're just kind of avoiding it." "We're just a pawn in their political game," says Rick Swanson, 48, owner of Sioux City's Chesterfield Friday Night Social Club, who complains that immigration "is just getting out of control."

Iowans deserve the first caucus because "they're hardworking people with a sense of responsibility," says Joni Vondrak, 39, who, with her husband, Chris, 39, raises cattle outside Sioux City. But neither she nor her husband plans to vote in the caucuses, because they doubt the results will make much difference. "As Iowa goes, the nation doesn't go," says Chris. Actually, the Iowa caucuses have predicted the parties' candidates about 60 percent of the time, which is why many presidential candidates spend so many months traveling those long, lonely roads.

With Roya Wolverson in Sioux City, Iowa, Andrew Romano in New York and Eleanor Clift in Washington, D.C.

© 2007