It's a year with life-changing possibilities. I always feel that way when the Presidency is up for grabs. The national agenda, our place in the world, what we all think about and resonate against and make our art in response to is on the line. This time, it looks as though the little state of Iowa -- where a close friend lived for a long time and next door to two of my former homes -- is more central to the decision than ever.
Caucusing is fun -- I did it in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1984. Our Jesse Jackson group (we were so much younger then) had outnumbered the Mondales and thus got the central section where our caucus was located, which happened to be the state house chamber in the massive Wisconsin capitol building (second only in size to that one down the road from here in DC). It was a wild and inspiring scene -- someone had a boom box and the Jackson insiders, African-Americans all, were dancing to "Thriller" when they realized they had won the caucus.
Wisconsin never had caucuses again!
Tonight is it Obama time for a reprise of that moment on a national scale? Or will the first woman take the big step toward the Presidency? It's bizarre: the political left finds itself, at such a world-changing moment, supporting one of two white guys. Complicated! But my hunch is that there will be a surprise tonight, in that it won't be as close as is now thought.
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