On The Trail: John Edwards in Iowa, Aug. '07

We are kicking off another recurring series here on the Texas Blue today. On The Trail will feature dispatches from Texas Blue writers as they travel with campaigns, both local and national. Our inaugural set of On The Trail blogs star Texas Blue publisher Curtis Clinesmith as he travels Iowa with the John Edwards For President campaign. We hope you enjoy On The Trail. — George Nassar, editor

I arrived in Des Moines, Iowa early this morning to get an up-close look at the Edwards for President campaign. Senator Edwards is currently trekking across Iowa on a week-long bus tour that will end with the first Iowa debate on Sunday.

My first impressions of his Iowa state headquarters are positive. Just the way a campaign should be: bad lighting, dingy carpet and lots of volunteers. The staff has been helpful and working at a pace that you rarely see in August. The headquarters' physical location is directly across the street from Senator Clinton's and about a block from Barack's.

Another impressive thing: every staffer I have met was with Senator Edwards in 2004. That is unheard of in Presidential politics and may be a reason for Edward's lead in the state. The immediate schedule calls for some phone banking and lunch with the chair of the Iowa Democratic party. More later; I'm off to experience democracy in action.