Who Has White House Ambitions? Iowa Visits Offer Hints

DES MOINES — Is Democrat Cory Booker, the bachelor vegetarian Rhodes scholar who played football at Stanford, harboring a quiet hankering for the White House? What about Cory Gardner, the amiable conservative from the Colorado eastern plains who nailed an upset win in a tough U.S. Senate election last year?

Both U.S. senators are on a lengthy roster of celebrities and politicians who hit the campaign trail in Iowa to stump for their favorite presidential candidate before the 2016 caucuses.

There’s good reason to take note of who sought a first-in-the-nation microphone: Not every high-profile spotlight-seeker will eventually run for president, but almost everyone who does run for president has logged an Iowa trip.

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“Chances are you’re not going to run for president if you haven’t visited Iowa at least once in your life,” said Democratic strategist Mo Elleithee of Washington, D.C., who has worked on four presidential campaigns.

“They come to Iowa to look around, assess and better understand what it takes for a future caucus run,” said Des Moines Republican David Oman, a veteran of 10 presidential campaigns.

Before Republican John McCain ran for president in 2000 and 2008, he was in Iowa, serving as attack dog for Phil Gramm in 1996. Banjo-strumming Democratic contender Martin O’Malley publicly foreshadowed his 2016 intentions when he sought out Iowa Democrats at the national convention in 2012. Republican Chris Christietest-drove his blunt, wise-cracking speaking style by appearing on Mitt Romney’s behalf in 2012 and may have taken it to heart when more than one Iowan told him they thought he was more engaging than the candidate.

Iowa political activists sketch out moves in the presidential game years into the future, Oman said. They size up the potential contenders who make their way here and follow their careers, “knowing we might see them again,” he said.

Even if the Iowa visitors say they’re not interested in the White House, part of the sport is to demur, demur, demur — right up until filing the presidential campaign paperwork.

Among those who made an Iowa foray during the 2016 cycle: Republicans Ben Sasse, Tom Massie, Trey Gowdy, Kristi Noem, Louie Gohmert, Adam Kinzinger,Ivanka Trump and George P. Bush, and Democrats Tammy Baldwin, Tulsi Gabbard, Amy Klobuchar, Bill de Blasio, Keith Ellison, Julián Castro and Chelsea Clinton. There were dozens of others.

Hillary Clinton went hog wild on the surrogate front, bringing in members of Congress, gunshot survivor and former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, and rock stars Katy Perryand Demi Lovato, among others. Bernie Sandersdueled her with famed philosopher Cornel West, actress Susan Sarandon, Ben & Jerry's ice cream founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, musicians from Foster the People and Vampire Weekend, and others.

Celebrity appearances on the campaign trail are often designed to attract voters who wouldn’t normally show up at such an event, Elleithee said.

But the success of much-scoffed-at TV star Donald Trump proves that even a seemingly unlikely candidate with an activist streak can fan their aspirations into a bonfire. Iowa is known as a place where non-traditional presidential hopefuls, far from the Party Chosen One, can get a foothold.

Some politicians find themselves in Iowa because a presidential campaign calls them in to help with a certain constituency or geographic region.

Marco Rubio hauled in truckloads of Washington insiders to give speeches for him at precincts around the state on caucus night. Rubio won five counties — Johnson, Polk, Dallas, Story and Scott — but his aides strategically placed surrogates in other areas to ensure he didn’t underperform. That’s how California U.S. Rep. Darrell Issafound himself making a pitch for Rubio in Greenfield; Michigan U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga was in LeMars; Georgia U.S. Rep. Austin Scott was in Pella, and so on.

Trump didn’t score many surrogates until after Iowa. One notable exception: his extensively predicted “surprise” endorsement by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Some predicted Palin’s imprimatur would be a game changer for Trump in Iowa, but he finished a disappointing second behind Ted Cruz.

The children of candidates sometimes grow into candidates themselves. The sons ofGeorge H.W. Bush got their feet wet in Iowa campaign politics in the 1980s. Two eventually ran for president.

This cycle, both of Jeb Bush’s sons roamed Iowa: Jeb Jr., 32, mostly as a behind-the-scenes aide, and George P., 39, who did some solo events. Chelsea Clinton, then 35, stumped with her parents and anchored events on her own, acting at times as her mother’s attack dog when a surging Sanders was no longer an underdog. Ivanka Trump, 34, joined her stepmother, Melania, 45, and father on the trail in Iowa in the closing hours.

What an Iowa visitor says and does on the stump can telegraph the future. Democrats described the speech Booker gave just before the caucuses in the Cedar Rapids suburb of Marion as electric.

"Cory Booker is firing up this crowd in Marion more than any other surrogate I have seen on the campaign trail," CNN's Dan Merica tweeted. Bret Nilles, chairman of the Linn County Democrats, told The Des Moines Register: "He did get the crowd going."

The New Jersey U.S. senator's campaign trail debut with Hillary Clinton immediately triggered speculation that he'd be a good presidential contender himself or running mate material.

“I think you all got more than a little taste about why this young man still is still so special to so many," Clinton told the audience that day in late January. “There is nobody I'd rather have by my side.”

Who has made Iowa visits

Here’s a list of some of the politicos who might be dreaming of crawling up the ladder into the nation’s top job or are viewed by Iowans as presidential material. All made an Iowa trip during the 2016 presidential election cycle, firing up the speculation machine for the 2020 presidential race.

Republicans

Ben Sasse: The Nebraska U.S. senator, a self-described Huskers football addict, crossed the river to stump in Iowa for three presidential contenders: Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina and Marco Rubio. Sasse, 44, laid it on the line as an early public face of the “never Trump” movement — and began to make a name for himself as well. Sasse, who has a doctorate in history from Yale, works on staying in favor with the establishment and the tea party. “Ted Cruz would do well to study how Ben Sasse communicates constitutional conservatism in an earnest, non-annoying, on-point manner,” tweeted Ken Shepherd, managing editor of NewsBusters. Sasse has been staking out a position as a policy leader, guiding the discussion on what Republican health care reform would look like.

Cory Gardner: The 41-year-old U.S. senator and green energy advocate from Colorado was one of a slew of GOP elected officials that Marco Rubio hauled in to speak for him in Iowa, but Gardner was a standout in that bunch, politics watchers say. Gardner leaned on his talent and likability to beat an incumbent, even after Democrats attacked him as “anti-women” and accused him of scheming to ban some forms of contraception. Gardner has a reputation for being relentlessly cheerful. “Not since Mona Lisa has a smile been discussed this much,” the Denver Post wrote before his election. He’s projected to wind up on vice presidential shortlists or on presidential watchlists in future cycles. “He’s a definite rising star in the party, having won a high-profile Senate race in 2014,” said Kyle Kondik, an analyst with the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.

Marsha Blackburn: The conservative Tennessee congresswoman appeared to be openly flirting with a 2016 presidential bid when she made an appearance at presidential forums in New Hampshire in 2014, and Iowa and South Carolina last year. Blackburn, 63, told The Hill newspaper she was in Iowa to give a speech at Iowa U.S. Rep. Steve King’s Freedom Summit because she is the “chief mama in charge of new ideas.”

Adam Kinzinger: The six-year congressman is a U.S. Air Force pilot who served five tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. At age 32, he defeated an incumbent in Illinois to win his first term in the U.S. House. Kinzinger, who was endorsed in 2010 by former governors Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney, was the first member of Congress to endorse presidential hopeful Jeb Bush. Unlike Sasse, who played the field, Kinzinger campaigned exclusively for Bush in Iowa — and against Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. An Illinois congressional seat isn’t an ideal jumping-off point for a presidential bid, but a Cabinet position could launch him, or he might be an appealing vice presidential possibility along the same lines as Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, politics watchers said.

Kristi Noem: South Dakota’s lone member of the U.S. House is viewed as a generational figure — a young Republican who appeals to women. Time magazine named Noem, a no-nonsense rancher, to its “40 under 40” in 2010 and likened her to Sarah Palin. A pivotal moment in her life was the death of her father in a grain bin accident in 1994. Noem, who at the time was 22, married and expecting her first child, dropped out of college and took over the family farm and ranch. She hit Iowa as a Marco Rubio surrogate.

Trey Gowdy: The South Carolina congressman is best known for his leadership on the House Select Committee on Benghazi. “Before he was a ho-hum congressman, he was a spectacular lawyer, a crusading prosecutor with a specialty in long-unsolved murder cases,” GQ magazine wrote in an article last fall headlined “The guy who could beat Hillary (but isn’t running for president).” Gowdy, 51, worked Iowa hard doing town halls for Marco Rubio in Clinton, Sioux City, Pella, Newton and Boone. Rubio told one audience: "I think it's very exciting that we have so many strong, conservative leaders of this generation." He said the party "needs to turn the page. We can't just keep electing the same people."

Tom Massie: The libertarian, gun-rights congressman stumped in Iowa twice for fellow Kentuckian Rand Paul, adding his voice to Paul surrogates that included former Oklahoma U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts, mixed martial arts fighter Pat Miletich and the candidate’s father, Ron Paul. Liberty Republicans enthusiastically view Massie as presidential material, describing him as a whiz kid with a great personality. Massie, who earned engineering degrees at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and made millions as a technology inventor, is known for his regular-guy demeanor and residence on an off-the-grid cattle farm. He won points with anti-establishment conservatives for declining to endorse U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellof Kentucky and for helping stage the coup on House Speaker John Boehner. “Thomas is someone who would see broad support from the liberty movement, the tea party and constitutional conservatives, as well as everyday Republicans who want to see things changed in Washington,” said A.J. Spiker, a past chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa.

Louie Gohmert: The long-winded Texas congressman last spring briefly hinted that he’d explore a presidential bid in 2016, but it’s unclear how many Republicans took him seriously. Gohmert, 62, then endorsed fellow Texan Ted Cruz and campaigned for him in Iowa. Gohmert remains outside of leadership and lacks a committee or subcommittee chairmanship, and the left mocks the lengthy floor statements he delivers, sometimes to a deserted chamber. But the former chief justice of the Texas 12th Court of Appeals is considered an honest broker by conservative activists.

Other GOP visitors to Iowa

• Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, for Donald Trump
• Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., for Trump
• Ivanka Trump, daughter of the New York businessman, for her father
• George P. Bush, the Texas land commissioner, for his father, Jeb Bush
• U.S. Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who was neutral until after the Iowa caucuses, then endorsed Ted Cruz
• U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, for Carly Fiorina
• U.S. Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, for Marco Rubio
• U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita of Indiana, for Rubio
• U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan, for Rubio
• U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, for Rubio
• U.S. Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia, for Rubio
• U.S. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, for Rubio
• U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas, for Rubio
• U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, for Rubio
• U.S. Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri, for Rubio
• U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California, for Rubio
• U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa of California, for Rubio
• U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan, neutral
• Former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, neutral

Democrats

Cory Booker: The 46-year-old U.S. senator from New Jersey gave a speech in Iowa in January that Democrats in the audience said was spellbinding and a harbinger that he has a shot at higher federal office. Booker’s argument for why Iowans should stand with Hillary Clinton sometimes rose to a shout. He threw in his Iowa connection, saying he knows “my grandmother from Iowa is dancing in heaven” at the prospect that Clinton will be the next president. “Rising star on the Democratic side, potentially a future candidate,” Kyle Kondik, with the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, told the Register. The Daily Beast wrote in 2014: “Booker has mastered a recipe for success and magnetism that few else have: mix small but principled actions with a huge talent for motivational public speaking, and even massive problems start to seem tractable.” Iowans who want to know more about him can watch the documentary series Brick City. Or follow him on Twitter at @CoryBooker. He likes to tweet.

Tim Kaine: This U.S. senator lives in Virginia, a state that’s about as purple as you get in politics these days. A fairly moderate Democrat from a swing state, Kaine could be an attractive pick for Hillary Clinton if she’s looking for a white male on her ticket, politics watchers said. Kaine, a 58-year-old civil rights attorney who speaks fluent Spanish and attends a majority African-American Catholic church, was onBarack Obama’s vice presidential short list in 2008. Kaine worked hard for Clinton in Iowa, vouching for her at events in Davenport, Mount Vernon, Grinnell, Iowa Falls, Mason City and Ames. Clinton will “almost certainly” consider him for running mate if she wins the nomination, analyst Kyle Kondik said.

Tom Perez: The U.S. Labor secretary promoted Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail in Iowa, but also talked quite a bit about himself — a hint that he wanted the Iowa voters who vet presidential candidates to get to know him better. He has been the subject of much Clinton veep chatter lately, but he downplays the talk. Politico wrote: “To Perez’s fans, he’s the under-the-radar choice who checks every box Clinton’s going to need if she is the nominee: progressives, unions, African-Americans, Obama loyalists, Latinos.”

Tammy Baldwin: The Wisconsin Democrat is one of the most underrated senators, politics watchers said. Baldwin, 54, was the first openly gay person elected to Congress. She served in the U.S. House from 1998 until 2012, when she decided to run for an open U.S. Senate seat. More recently, she has gotten a lot of notice for her work on sexual assault in the military.

Tulsi Gabbard: The Hawaii congresswoman is “a rising Democrat who is quickly becoming something of a rebel in terms of her relationship with some party leaders,” analyst Kyle Kondik said. Gabbard, a 34-year-old military veteran, didn’t endorse Bernie Sanders until a few weeks after Iowa, but she’s no stranger to Iowa activists who embrace a populist message. Iowa Democratic strategist Jessica Vanden Berg was a congressional chief of staff for Gabbard. Gabbard spoke in July at a Polk County Democrats event. “Elected in 2012, she is the first American Samoan and the first Hindu member of Congress,” an event flier told Iowans.

Other Democratic visitors

• Former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner

• U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, for Bernie Sanders
• U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, for Sanders

• Chuy Garcia, a commissioner in Cook County, Ill., for Sanders
• U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, for Hillary Clinton

• U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, for Clinton
• New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, for Clinton
• U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, for Clinton
• U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, for Clinton
• U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillebrand of New York, for Clinton

• Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, for Clinton

• Chelsea Clinton, for her mother
• Former president Bill Clinton, for his wife

Super Bowl 2014: Your Complete Viewing Guide To The Game

Whether you are going to the game or watching in HD, it's a long day, and we're here to help

NEW YORK – You've studied the rosters for theDenver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks enough to know a few players besides Peyton Manning and Richard Sherman, and can name all the members of the "Legion of Boom." You've watched that adorable Budweiser commercial with the puppy about 100 times, and have booked a trip to Omaha to ward off the post-Super Bowl depression that will hit with a vengeance Monday morning.

There are still several hours before kickoff. What to do?

First things first. From the moment you wake up, hydrate. Super Bowl Sunday is a marathon, not a sprint. If a few of the Manning family's favorite game-day beverages or the like are in your plans, you will thank me Monday.

10 a.m. (all times Eastern) – Those of you having a party at home, knock out that last run to the grocery store. You'd have better luck getting through Broncos nose tackle Terrance "Pot Roast" Knighton than the afternoon crowds. Chips? Salsa? Guacamole? Queso dip? Mini meatballs? Spinach dip? And get some of those cut-up veggies while you're there. Someone will eat them. Sure they will.

Those of you lucky enough to have game tickets, start planning your wardrobe. The snow and freezing temperatures everyone was fearing for the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold-weather city never materialized, but this isn't Miami. You need layers, gloves, a hat, warm jacket and boots. Throw some of those hand-warmers in your pockets, too. You won't be sorry in the fourth quarter.

Noon – FOX's pre-game show is starting. It's worth watching just to see the replay of Richard Sherman's rant after the Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers two weeks ago. You know they're going to show it a time or 10.

1 p.m. – Hit the road if you are going to the game – if you haven't already. Gates open at 2 p.m. and this isn't New Orleans, where you could stroll down the street to the stadium. The trip to the New Jersey stadium is a hike no matter where you're staying, and you're going to get stuck in a bottleneck somewhere. This is New York, deal with it.

You have three choices to get there: Public transportation, Fan Express shuttle buses (for the low, low price of $51) or have someone with a parking pass drop you off. Good luck with that last one, unless you happen to know someone whose last name is Goodell.

2 p.m. – Gates open at MetLife Stadium. Wander around the concourses, or head over to the Gameday Fan Plaza on the southwest side of the stadium. There you can get your photo taken with the Lombardi Trophy (you know you want to), and promptly text it to all of your friends for the ultimate humblebrag.

You also can get a photo with the massive Roman numerals for this year's game. Anyone who actually knows what the Roman numerals are without having to look it up gets a prize. (Hint: This is the 48th Super Bowl.)

The Super Bowl Gospel Choir – who knew there was such a thing! – will be playing throughout the afternoon, as will some marching bands. Think the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, minus all the fun cartoon balloons.

2:15 p.m. -- Whether you're at home or at the stadium, it's time to hydrate again. Don't ask questions.

2:30 p.m. – The NFL Tailgate Party starts outside the stadium. You need a separate ticket, because shelling out a couple of grand for tickets to the game wasn't enough. The cheapest tailgate tickets were going for close to $700 on the secondary market Saturday afternoon, and you really don't want to know how much the good ones cost. What's that old saying, if you have to ask, you can't afford it?

But … if you are lucky enough to have a ticket – or be watching at home – you'll see a pretty good show. The Band Perry and former American Idol winner Phillip Phillipsare playing, and parts of the concerts will be shown on FOX.

And since we're talking about tailgating, no, you can't do it. This isn't Lambeau Field. If you want a beer and a brat before the game, it's going to cost you. A lot. This is New York, remember? Deal with it.

3 p.m. – If you're at home, put the meatballs in the crock pot and turn it on low. Get out the plates, napkins, silverware and plastic cups. Put away anything you don't want broken.

4 p.m. -- If you didn't turn on the TV before, do it now. One of the best parts of the Super Bowl is the commercials, and if the ones we've already seen are any indication, there are going to be some great ones. Tim Tebow and Big Foot, Tim Tebow rescuing puppies. Need I say more?

4:30 p.m. – Put down that other beverage you've been drinking and hydrate.

Athletes and celebrities predict who will win the Super Bowl

5 p.m. – Put out the chips and dip. But hold off on the guacamole. It gets all brown and gross after sitting out in the open, so wait until right before the first guests arrive.

5:15 p.m. – Take your seats, those of you in the stadium. Yes, there's still an hour until kickoff, but the teams will be warming up. Your ticket cost more than some used cars, you may as well get every penny's worth.

6 p.m. – Home viewers should nail down a spot that gives you access to the food as well as a view of the TV. And if you haven't already done so, get in on the pools that are undoubtedly going. You can win some serious cash in those things. Or continue your losing streak.

6:15 p.m. – The national anthem. Opera singer Renee Fleming is doing it, so you know it's going to be good. Maybe not Whitney Houston good, but not screeching cats, either.

6:20 p.m. – Hydrate. I would tell you to eat something, too, but you've been doing that.

6:25 p.m. – Finally, kickoff!

Since you did your homework, you know this game features the NFL's No. 1 offense (the Broncos) vs. the No. 1 defense (the Seahawks). Peyton Manning has taken enough grief about his cold-weather record, so I won't get into that again here. But given that the game-time temperatures are expected to be in the 40s, it won't be an issue, and I say Manning throws the ball early and often.

Because the Seahawks are a young team, expect some big-game jitters. If they can manage those from the start, they have a shot at keeping it close against the Broncos. If not, it's going to be a long night.

8:15 p.m. – There isn't quite the anticipation for Bruno Mars' halftime show as there was for Beyonce's last year – unless he's got a plan to reunite Destiny's Child that we don't know about. (By the way, did anyone else realize the Red Hot Chili Pepperswere still together before it was announced they were playing at the Super Bowl, or was it just me?)

Hey Bruno, pyrotechnics and light shows are great. But please keep them to a level the power grid can handle.

Roughly 10:30 p.m. – The game ends, confetti falls and we can all go home. But if the Broncos win, stick around long enough to see if Manning says he's going to Disney World … or Omaha

Celebrity Maxx

Sunday, March 30, 2014