Handshakes, hog futures and media scrums – covering the political race in Iowa

First it was Elizabeth Warren who was the centre of attention. Then it was Pete Buttigieg. Then the focus will be on another Democratic candidate, Amy Klobuchar, who’s holding an event in the northeast.

At least, that is, weather permitting. Officials have issued a storm warning and said there could be five inches of snow. To be honest, I ought not to be sitting at a formica-topped table in an unchanged diner in the town of Denison writing this, and should instead be trying to make it to Sioux City before the weather hits.

Every politician trying to win over voters in Iowa – the large, sparsely-populated state in the middle of the country that is famous for being the first to vote – knows they’re going to be in for some hard work.

There are going to endless events in town halls and community centres, trying to make your case, amid an audience who may support you, or may be there simply out of curiosity. So get used to handshakes with a thousand people, or as Warren has been making a part of her campaign stops, a thousand selfies.

And because Iowans take their role as test group for the nation rather seriously, candidates could be quizzed on a million topics. This morning, the South Bend mayor was asked about social security reform, the lack of local access to high-speed internet, and how his foreign policy would differ to that of Barack Obama.

If the candidates need to suck up the long distances and thin coffee, the freezing winds and warm welcomes, so do the reporters covering the race. All the major candidates have at least a dozen journalists trailing them, many national and international, but even more local media. (Driving between events, I like to tune in to an AM station and listen to the local news, which includes updates on commodity prices of items such as soybeans and live pigs.)

And because a candidate’s stump speech inevitably turns from sounding fresh and vital, to something you’ve heard so many times you could recite it verbatim, the media is looking for any new angle to pounce on. Warren attacking Michael Bloomberg, while Buttigieg was pressed further about his record on race relations in Indiana.

Some complain the media fails to report sufficiently on policy. But there are only so many times you can outline Warren’s plan for healthcare, and an audience’s response to it. In the news business you need something new.

It’s a pleasure and privilege to cover the race in Iowa. It has been the making of countless presidents, just as it has been the graveyard of others. Readers can be assured we will be coming back here again before the state holds its vote on 3 February, to make sure you don’t miss anything.

Yours,

Andrew Buncombe

Chief US correspondent