At the Iowa caucus in 2008 my husband, an environmentalist, sat in the Richardson section.  We’re always in the wrong section,  meaning our guy never wins, so I don’t go anymore.  He said the Obama section was huge.  He recognized some guys who work at the neighborhood stores cheering for Obama.

I was backing nobody.  Why bother until the election?  I gave up caucuses after the Howard Dean fiasco in 2004.  He was predicted to win in Iowa, and he made third place by one vote, probably mine, and afterwards the media created the “Dean scream” debacle, which was a two-second sound-byte taken out of context.  In retrospect I wonder why I ever thought he could win.  Don’t presidents have to be extraordinarily attractive?  With the exception of George W. Bush, I think that’s a requirement.

Whether it’s true or not, I now say I’m a socialist.   The caucuses are to blame for this.  What a f—–g crazy system, everyone sitting in designated-politician-fan sections of a school auditorium and then a couple of volunteers doing a head count.  A primary makes more sense.

The day after the 2008 caucus, I met my cousin at Starbucks.   She was moderately excited that Senator Clinton (whom we refused then to call Hillary) was running for president, though of course Clinton was a centrist and my cousin, like me, was a socialist. But if Megan and I are leftists, why are we supporting the corporate chains?  But I no longer feel guilty about my penchant for Starbucks, Scooter’s, and Caribou. They are luxurious, with their plump comfortable chairs.  Yes, I’m supposed to support the independents, but I love Starbucks.

At this rate I’ll be voting Republican next. Or at least Democrat.

“Don’t even bother to root for Hillary.  There will be a gay Hispanic president before they elect a woman,” I said.

“No!  I tell you, Clinton’s going to do well.”

Hm.  I doubted it.  Many disliked Hillary.  I don’t know why, because she’s smart and attractive, but I can remember some women seething in the ’90s and saying that they hadn’t elected Hillary along with Bill.  This was because she involved herself in some First Lady issues other than reading books to children, I think.

Years later, after doing a spectacular job as Secretary of State (and why didn’t she win the Nobel?), she might have a shot at winning–who knows?  Perhaps times have changed.  Michiko Kakutani likes her latest book: better her than me, because I find these political memoirs dull and poorly written.  But when Hillary did the interview with Diane Sawyer, she seemed strong and self-assured, but she didn’t seem committed to running.

My mother hoped she would see a woman president in her lifetime, and one of her happiest moments was seeing Hillary and Bill speak on the Old Capitol lawn in Iowa City.

So who’s running next time?  I assume Hillary, but I haven’t the faintest otherwise.

In 2016 I’ll support the Democratic candidate, whoever it is.  (I may be socialist, but I’m not crazy:  I’m not letting the Republicans back in.)  And  I do think Obama has done a great job overall.   I support the health insurance program (which the insurance companies are fucking with, and the media have decided to trash, and, as usual, people uncritically believe the media attacks).

But politics is so not my thing.

Yes, the candidates will start roaming around the Midwest next year trying to get our votes for the 2016 caucus. Actually some are already roaming.

I won’t be at the front-porch talks.  (Well, maybe if there are cookies!)

I won’t be at the local pizza place shaking their hands.

I won’t be at the caucus. Well, not unless it seems like an emergency, because I never support the right person.

Wouldn’t it be better if they waited till the end of 2015 to start campaigning?

Yes, obviously I don’t understand how politics works.

And so I’ll go back to reading novels.