by John McCormick
DES MOINES – The rumors had been around for days: Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York was going to bring in some big-name performer for her warm-up act before the Jefferson Jackson dinner.
But, at least as of this hour, it was a former governor, a sitting governor from another state and a tennis legend.
"She wanted the people who otherwise would be engaged in activities to focus on making sure that the people were appreciated who were coming and spending six hours in the balconies," former Gov. Tom Vilsack told the Swamp a few minutes ago. "So she asked us to go there, visit with people, shake hands and you know what, it's all about that. It's about making sure people upstairs feel special."
Vilsack, who is Clinton's state chairman, was joined in the cheap seats by Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and Billy Jean King. (Most of the state party's brass and elected officials are seated on the floor of Veterans Memorial Auditorium.)
"It's about making people feel special, one-on-one," Vilsack said. "This is a wonderful, fun time. But it is an organizing opportunity and we used it as such because we are keeping our eye on the ball."
Vilsack did not estimate the number of hands he has shaken this evening. But he said he was thirsty. "I'm through my second bottle of water and I'm looking for my third," he said.
• 
• 
• 
Comments
I'm sure there's a story here but I can't, for the life of me, figure out what it is. Other than to have a reason to mention Hillary for the 450,210th time.
Posted by: Shandra | November 10, 2007 9:39 PM
Keep me posted of her next, waitress-stiffing...
Posted by: johnny7 | November 11, 2007 5:09 AM
Are you digging to find something bad about Hillary? GOOD JOB! But dig deeper. Hillary and Bill belong to the Bilderberger Club. That should make a good story!
Posted by: Darla | November 11, 2007 10:39 AM
Hillary sat at her dinner table like a potted plant the *entire* time before her speech! She didn't get up once to visit any of the other supporter tables on the floor. She missed a great opportunity to engage with "regular" people who are stepping up to support her. Hillary should've taken notes from the other candidates who moved around the room and talked many "no-name" people.
Posted by: JJ-Des Moines | November 11, 2007 12:55 PM
Boy is this headline misleading and revving for a story - why not something more truthful like "Vilsack and other Clinton ambassadors meet with the Regular Folks." Because the truth is boring. What is wrong with the media, that it tries so hard to create and manufacture the news...when there's really nothing there. For example, we're supposed to vote on a President based on tipping etiquette (which by the way was itself not investigated before the wrongful rumor traveled far and wide). Unbelievable this day and age of the rumor mill multiplied by the echo chamber. What happened to integrity in news?
Posted by: bbln | November 11, 2007 6:58 PM