Winning over savvy ladies no cake walk
Iowa knitting crew debates who to back in key caucus
Dodd, a Democratic presidential hopeful, was forced to cancel at the last minute due to a vote in the Senate on a bill to cut funding for Iraq. His aides feared he'd never make it on time to Waverly, 120 miles north of Des Moines.
But the ladies desperately wanted Lois to bring her famous mini-cupcakes to their weekly klatch. They figured if she didn't know about Dodd's absence, they could still be the beneficiaries of her skill as a patissier.
It was only when Lois appeared at her niece Wendy Kepford's door with several trays of the perfectly iced morsels that they let her in on the truth. But Lois, a Republican with strong democratic principles, was unfazed and passed her cupcakes around to the other ladies in attendance, then dutifully picked up her knitting needles.
The last time I visited the Knitting Ladies, two months ago, none was supporting a candidate. They recognize Iowa's importance as the first nominating state and were behaving as good Iowans do: planning to see all the Democratic hopefuls -- most of the ladies are Dems -- and make up their minds in the summer.
But on my visit last week some were trying to talk Ann D. out of her pronouncement that she was rooting for Hillary Clinton. (Ann did not want her last name used.)
"I'm trying to get Ann off the Hillary train because I want us all to support the same person," said Karen Thalacker with a plaintive tone, as the other women erupted in laughter.
That's going to be tough. Not only does Ann D. seem convinced of Clinton's strengths, Wendy seems to be leaning toward Barack Obama. "I see Obama speaking to a lot of people who feel they don't have a voice," she said. "I think he can pull in new, different voters, younger people."
Putting down the scarf she is knitting, Heather Vering responded: "But I am worried about his experience, or lack thereof."
Karen likes Dodd's idea of a carbon tax on corporations: "He was pretty right on with his views. That's why I was anxious to talk to him."
She sighs, thinking about whom to choose: "I have to go with a candidate I fall in love with. I can't just pick someone because I think they're going to win."
Wendy retorts: "That's how we ended up supporting Dick Gephardt."
"And Paul Simon," Karen acknowledges. (Gephardt ran twice and lost the Democratic presidential nominations, first to Michael Dukakis in 1988 and then to John Kerry in 2004. Simon also lost in 1988.)
Karen has an unfailing nose for underdogs.
But she concludes: "Things are very unpredictable. People say it's going to be Edwards or Obama or Clinton but you don't know what problems will present themselves, what issues will come up."
Wendy jokes: "What if we're all at cross purposes at the end of the summer? Does that mean we'll have to give up knitting?"
The discussion continues until 2 p.m. and then it's time to go. There are plenty of Lois' cupcakes left. I take a plateful because I'm headed to Barack Obama's Des Moines office and I know the young people there will appreciate them. I will explain that while they were baked by a Republican in honor of a visit by Chris Dodd, they are bipartisan cupcakes -- delectable to those of any political persuasion.