Iowa to Showcase White House Hopefuls

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060810/D8JDH6AG0.html

Iowa to Showcase White House Hopefuls
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Aug 10, 7:06 AM (ET)

By HENRY C. JACKSON

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Iowa State Fair is a showcase for turkey calling, prized sheep, 600 pounds of butter carved in the shape of heifer and another breed lurking this year - 2008 White House hopefuls.

The 152nd version of the state fair gets under way Thursday and the 11-day event is expected to attract more than 1 million people. Iowans will tell you it seems about half are running for president.


Howard Dean, right, who was running for the Democratic presidential nomination,inspects the butter cow with creator Norma "Duffy" Lyons during a visit to the Iowa State Fair, Aug. 14, 2003, in Des Moines, Iowa. The Iowa State Fair is a showcase for turkey calling, prized sheep, 600 pounds of butter carved in the shape of heifer and another breed lurking this year--2008 White House hopefuls. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)


"There's no place in America where you have more potential impact on how people will talk about policy than Iowa," said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., a potential presidential candidate who plans to attend. "And if you want to see Iowans, there's no better place in the entire year."

Fairgoers also will get to see Republican Gov. George Pataki of New York, and Democratic Sens. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Joe Biden of Delaware. Another possible 2008 candidate - Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack - obviously will be there. On the primary calendar, Iowa comes first in 2008 with its leadoff caucuses.