"You're our kind of guy!"
"If you are a junk bond dealer, it's the bestof times."
"Yes, that's right!"
"But if you are an out of work family, it's theworst of times."
"You tell `em!"
"It's time to build a new America."
"We'll help ya!"
"I do not intend to put Bush's feet by thefire, I intend to put them in the fire."
"Give `em hell, Tom!"
"I will and they deserve if."
Harkin pulls out a newspaper clipping and putson his glasses. "At a grocers' convention,President Bush was amazed by the bar-code readersat the checkout counters. These readers have beenin use for over eleven years." Laughter. "Whatelse has Bush missed during his years inWashington? The Detroit Free Press said he lookedlike a `preppie Rip Van Winkle."'
After the speech, the journalists joke with thepress secretary Lorraine Voles. Adam, USA Today'schief reporter covering the Democrats, didn't likeHarkin's potshots at Clinton and Kerrey: that "youwon't find my face on a tabloid, and you won'tfind me dating any Hollywood girlfriends." Adamsays, "Lorraine, why doesn't he add `Hey, I've gottwo legs and I've never had cancer!"' Voleslaughs, but at Harkin's next speech the lines willbe dropped.
Adam is a veteran of the campaign. "Yeah, Ijust came to see Harkin before he is finished.He's the only one that isn't bullshittingcompletely. Tsongas? He's as much fun as going tochurch." The reporters mostly know each other, butthey introduce themselves to newcomers. "Who youwith? How long you been up here? You doing awraparound or just a focus?" Lars, Ju-Ju and someothers will catch Harkin's next stump across town;the rest are heading to the party for the press atSt. Anne's.
An hour later, Harkin stumps at the NashuaSpartan Hall, a bingo hall. A Harkin banner coversthe electronic Bingo scoreboard in front, thetables have been moved to the rear. The generalpublic was invited to this speech, and Harkindoesn't have the unconditional cheering he had atthe hotel, but he gets them going with the preppieRip Van Winkle bit.
After the speech, a group of five collegestudents vamp on Harkin's themes: when you buy acar, what are you paying for, labor or CEOs?...this country has almost no tariffs right now,basically none... we're not producing anything inthis country... national moratorium onforeclosures... economic conversion...compassionate government... manufacturing base...universal health care... high-speed rail...
In a few days, busloads of Iowans will headback home. But today it is still primary season inNew Hampshire. Three days to go.