The Five Lessons of Iowa, Lessons for America

Democratic presidential candidate proclaimed to cheering supporters in Iowa. It’s time for change and Americans want that change. Republican presidential contender Mike Huckabee proclaimed the same thing to his cheering supporters. It’s time for change and Americans hunger for that change. That was lesson number one in the smash victory of Obama and Huckabee. Iowans and Americans want, no crave, change. They are fed up with the lies, deceit, corruption, cronyism, politics for sale, war mongering, political paralysis and bungling and the economic wreckage wreaked by Bush, Congress, and legions of on the make politicians. Obama and Huckabee, though neither could hardly be considered maverick, establishment challenging elected officials, at the very least, they are energetic, fresh, new faces on the national scene and they have been savvy enough to figure out how to talk the talk of change, and for now that’s enough for packs of voters.

That's even truer with John Edwards. His populist laced pitch to end poverty, bolster unions, and his rail at corporate pillaging resonated with millions and it puts him right in the thick of the White House hunt.

The second lesson of Iowa is that money can’t always buy a political win. Mitt Romney outspent Huckabee by more than six to one in the state. It didn’t help. In fact, it hurt the money candidates. It reinforced the notion that politicians and their corporate backers spread enough cash around they can buy anything. That repels millions of Americans. They repeatedly say that money and corruption go hand in hand and are twin political evils. Americans say that’s exactly why the political system is so screwed up. They are sick of watching the parade of fat cat lobbyists and corporate bigwigs buy and sell politicians and elections, and then watch as those bought and paid for politicians give away the company store to those same interests when they torpedo affordable health care, erode labor protections, pour billions into bloated defense spending, and shove through economy draining tax cuts for the super rich and corporations. Obama and Huckabee appear to many to be the candidates that will reverse this.

Lesson number three of Iowa is that race didn’t matter most. Iowa is one of the whitest and most rural states in the nation. Yet, white voters were able to strap on color blind lens and punch the ticket for Obama. This was historic. It’s a good sign that many more whites than ever are willing to truly look past race, and back up the promise they repeatedly make to interviewers and pollsters (but don't always keep) and that's that they will vote competence and qualifications not race. That’s not smoking gun proof that race still doesn’t matter in politics but it’s a good sign that it may no longer be the thing that matters most with more and more white voters.

Lesson number four is that the national media’s shameful and disgraceful hatchet job on Hillary Clinton paid off, and paid off big. The hate Hillary vendetta deeply imprinted within far too many voters that Hillary is a classic political pandering, corporate shill, and that a vote for her is a vote for the status. This again reaffirmed the power and dominance of big media and its dangerous ability to shade, massage and manipulate public opinion to suit its ends.

Lesson number five of Iowa was that the Christian evangelists are far from dead in the political water. They are desperately looking for someone to energize and mobilize them. They found that someone in Huckabee. If aroused they still pack a wallop in key states and Huckabee may just be the one they’ll step up to the plate for.

The election is far from over. There are more primaries ahead for the candidates, and more tough battles for them to win them. A slip, a misstep, or a scandal could be fatal to the two front runners. But for now Huckabee and Obama are the ones to beat. Stay tuned.