The Iowa State Fair Soapbox Is Americana At It’s Best
The Iowa State Fair is 162 years old and is one of the largest, most robust State Fairs in the nation. What separates the fair from other State Fairs is its affinity for politics. Iowa is the first state Caucus and because of that, one of the premier places to be seen for prospective candidates is the Iowa State Fair.
There will be over a million Iowans attending the state fair over the next several days. The Fair-goers will have an opportunity to hear from prospective 2016 presidential candidates on the historic “soapbox.” What could be more American? A stump speech from a presidential hopeful surrounded by bales of hay, a microphone, and most important a unrehearsed audience.
The politicians have a gambit of particulars to deal with from planning their message, what to wear, and how to handle hecklers. Craig Robinson, an editor with the Iowa Republican, stated:
“Be mindful that everything you do will be photographed, and everything you say will spread like wildfire.”
Who can forget the impression now President Barack Obama made back in 2007? Obama made a short, typical stump speech, accepted a beer from a fair-goer and later rode the bumper cars with his family. The Iowa State Fair soapbox is not the place to roll out a Herman Cain “999 Plan.”
The audience will be a mixture of all political persuasions. This reality allows “We The People” to see these candidates for the first time out of their comfort zones. The reality of this is Bernie Sanders will have to deal with someone who hates a Democratic Socialist. Donald Trump will have to manage an angry Hispanic who loathes him and his racist attitudes towards their race. In short, it’s an exercise in “face to face” politicking.
How this year’s presidential field handles this public discourse will go a long way in shaping their image moving into the Iowa Caucus. In the past, the hecklers have reeked havoc on the candidates and this year we should see much of the same. Carol Hunter with the Des Moines Register commented:
“If protesters show up, it is a free country, it is a public fairground, that is part of the process, but we have come close to having the pushing and shoving.”
For a prime example of how this event at the Iowa State Fair matters, just ask Mitt Romney. In 2011, Romney tangled with a heckler over Social Security which led to his infamous “Corporations are people my friend” remark which haunted him throughout the 2012 race for president.
