I spent most of the weekend in Davenport, Iowa, the heart of the Quad Cities, to knock on doors for the Howard Dean campaign. The campaign actively solicits out-of-state volunteers, counting on its excitable base of young people in cities and college towns to do the legwork in demographically moribund states like Iowa. I went on a lark with Tara, another Wicker Park Green; neither of us were really committed to Dean, but were curious to experience the energy surrounding his campaign and thought it would be fun.
Quick facts about the trip:
Total hours spent in the Quad Cities: 36
Quad Cities I had a drink in: 3 (of 5: Davenport, Moline, and Rock Island, plus recent additions Bettendorf and East Moline)
Doors knocked: about 80 (it was cold!)
Precincts visited: 2, in suburban Bettendorf and in-town Davenport
Dean supporters behind those doors: 7
Candidate rallies attended: 2
Minutes spent waiting for late candidates at said rallies: 95
Bunnies seen: 3
Black squirrels seen: 3
Foreign cars seen: maybe a dozen
Casino billboards seen: maybe a dozen
Ostensibly gay bars visited: 3
Amount I spent on snacks, at a bakery in Chicago and a health food store in Davenport: $30
Photos taken: 32
The daytime photos have a bluish hue, for three reasons: the camera’s light settings were set for yellowish indoor light; Midwestern winters tend to have a grayish blue cast; and it was foggy the first day we were there. I could color correct them, but I won’t.
west north 