This past Sunday more than 3,500 Democrats turned out in Indianola, Iowa, for what is one of my favorite events of the year: the 29th Harkin Steak Fry. Every year this occasion draws a big crowd, but this time around we saw a tremendous turnout for two clear reasons: star power and hope.
The star power was supplied by Senator Barack Obama, who delivered the Steak Fry's keynote address. As I told the crowd on Sunday, I couldn't get Bono, so I got the next biggest rock star in America.
To watch the speeches in their entirety, go to my website TomHarkin.com and follow the C-SPAN link. NOTE: I am blogging live today to answer your comments, I hope to hear from you.
The hope was for a dramatic course correction for our country and a chance to take America in a new direction come November 7.
Every day we are seeing how great the potential for true change really is. The Democrats are up in the polls. The Republicans are down. Our fundraising in many areas is at an all-time high.
But the Republicans aren't going quietly. They're in full fear-mongering mode. It seems they will say and do almost anything to distract voters from President Bush's misbegotten, misguided, mismanaged war in Iraq.
But it is not just Iraq where they have gotten it wrong.
They're wrong, here at home, on the things that matter to American families and working people.
It is wrong to veto stem cell research.
It's wrong to block any increase in the minimum wage for nine long years.
It's wrong to privatize Social Security - putting people's retirement at risk.
It's wrong to take the Clinton-era surpluses and turn them into the biggest budget deficits in history.
Like the readers here, the crowd that turned out on Sunday knew all of this and is eager to turn things around in our country. Like Democrats around the country, they were fired-up, fed-up, charged-up --- all important ingredients for a victory in November. But we have to stay up and not let our lead slip. We cannot rest. With just over 50 days to go before Election Day, we need to fight even harder.
Once the hectic Steak Fry day began to wrap up and the sun began to set, I had a chance to think about why I love this event so much. A couple of things came to mind: it gives me a chance to hear from party activists and supporters; it is an opportunity to hear from great speakers like Senator Obama this year, former Senator John Edwards last year and President Bill Clinton in years past; it is a chance to eat a great steak, catch up with old friends and have a good time.
But perhaps one of the most critical roles the Steak Fry plays is helping rally the troops as we race toward November. We have an opening this year and we've got to do everything we can to seize it.
I'll be traveling much of the country to do my part in helping Democrats get elected. I hope you are doing yours.
See you on the trail,
Tom Harkin
TomHarkin.com