For Buttigieg and Warren, It Might All Come Down to Iowa
Finishing below second in the Hawkeye State could put the nomination out of reach
A squat utilitarian building with a dull, brick exterior, Fisher Elementary School in Marshalltown, Iowa, would fit in well in any small town in America. For a presidential nominee, that’s the whole point.
On a wintry January morning, about 400 people assembled in the school’s gymnasium to hear from Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts senator who has recently won the Des Moines Register’s endorsement. But first, they had to sit patiently as a soundtrack of well-worn political fight songs — “Under Pressure,” “We Take Care of Our Own,” “My Girl” — blared over the loudspeakers and a swarm of quote-hungry reporters roamed the aisles, peppering the audience with questions. What did they want to hear from Senator Warren? What did they think the upcoming general election means for the future of our democracy? It was all quite a lot, especially before lunchtime.
But nobody seemed to mind — maybe they’re just nicer here? Everyone seemed eager to talk to reporters, eager to talk to candidates, eager to maintain, for at least a short while longer, a grip on the national spotlight. “The nation gets soundbites, stuff that’s been filtered through social media,” said Alex Abbe…
