2006 In Review

2006 In Review

New Year's Eve is also my blog-i-versary so I'm just feeling retrospective as all. A look back at the greatest hits of 2006.

(By coincidence, this contest is going on today)

January was caucus, caucus, caucus as we actually thought a four way governor's race might send the nomination to a convention (remember that Patty Judge started out running for governor?) But my heaviest traffic that month came not from Iowa but from Canada. I made a brief mention of their election and was bombarded by northerners trying to evade their national blackout of returns until the polls closed in the Yukon.



In February, back when no one knew who the heck Dave Loebsack was, John Edwards came to town. Lonny Pulkrabek showed some nerve:

Johnson County's top lawman urged state lawmakers Wednesday to decrease the criminal penalties for possessing a small amount of marijuana, a move that would essentially make penalties for such an offense comparable to getting a speeding ticket.

Governor candidates start naming other governor candidates as running mates, and I get hit by a car on my bike.

March starts with the county conventions, which were being liveblogged all over the state. A bump in the road for Dave Loebsack on filing deadline day and lots of folks write him off... Rallies for peace and choice, the Touch Play battle rages, and I first discover the jet powered slug bug.


April: Auntie Em! It's a twister! I first realize the impact the next morning when I bike past Happy Joe's - and there IS NO Happy Joe's. The GOP has a palace coup and Stew Iverson is deposed. Bush comes to Iowa for Nussle and Mike Blouin has soup in response. Neil Young rocks the planet with Living With War. Gas hits $3 a gallon and people actually stop driving for a moment. And Brett Favre says he'll play.



May and primary politicking peaks on the Ped Mall. Sal Mohamed, however, prefers street corners. And the Republican candidates for Secretary of State look for ways to keep you from voting; neither of them make it to the fall.



June and John Edwards comes back after the 666 primary to support Chet and unity. Locally the big winners are Larry Meyers and Janet Lyness. And there was that big upset by Denise O'Brien. The laptop crashed and with it six months of messages.

July: The DNC sets the 2008 calendar of Iowa, Nevada, South Carolina, New Hampshire. The foot doctor walks away, and Steve King likens immigrants to livestock. RAGBRAI rolls through. Lance Armstrong: big deal. John Kerry: no so much.

August: A local feather dustup over Jim Leach's campaign goodies. (I guess that problem is now moot.) The futile search for a GOP Secretary of State candidate finally ends with a reach to Washington DC for the Invisible Woman. Bill Northey starts getting nasty. The tenth anniversary of the murder of Eric Shaw passes. And whatever happened to Ned Lamont?



September brings Obamamania Part 1 and record traffic thanks to link love at Obama's site. Loads of liveblogging with Loebsack at the Mill (my scoop of the year: Loebsack for single payer health care) Vilsack in Coralville, my one shot at Mark Warner, Chet in Iowa City on Labor Day and Chris Dodd at the Dems BBQ in North Liberty.



September is when they start calling Bruce Braley a commie. The Hawkeyes peak early as the national sports spotlight lands on Iowa City for the Ohio State game. I do my Scarface imitation. And I write what I consider my best post of the year on the bullying bill.

October starts with Evan Bayh stressing at the last seconds of a Colts win. Bill Clinton keynotes the Jefferson-Jackson dinner and John Kerry comes to Iowa City for Chet.. All of a sudden, people start to notice this Loebsack guy. I looked back 10 years to the night I knew I was going to lose. The redundant registration Robot reminds us for four days. Spinach disappears and reappears, and Weird Al unleashes a masterpiece.

November and Steve King no quisiera que usted votara. Obamamania comes to the Ped Mall and the crowd chants "Dave! Dave! Dave!" We start to suspect something really big is happening...

Victory.

Election Day sets another traffic record even though my work obligations keep me from writing till 3 AM Wednesday. Vilsack wastes no time declaring victory and getting in. Pundits mourn Jim Leach, and the UI president crisis hits the fan.

Dems remain giddy into December. I get all big picture with the caucuses' greatest hits and ranking the presidential contenders as Spinal Tap members. Vilsack gets all big brother with his logo and all ducky with John Stewart. Loebsack gets right to work.