McKinney meets Bonior at the Hamburg Inn

McKinney meets Bonior at the Hamburg Inn


David Bonior and Cynthia McKinney cross paths at the Hamburg Inn

After finishing the talk at the Cottage in downtown Iowa City, Cynthia McKinney and the local Greens head three blocks up the street to a classic Iowa caucus stop, the Hamburg Inn. Since the Greens don't have party status in Iowa, there's no official caucus, but the Hamburg Inn had been alerted to McKinney's arrival. They had prepared a brand new Cynthia McKinney jar for the Coffee Bean Caucus. In this famous caucus ritual, once featured on TV's The West Wing, diners vote for president by dropping a coffee bean in a jar.

In an example of just how small Caucus World is, who should be sitting in the back corner at the Ronald Reagan table but David Bonior, John Edwards' campaign manager. Bonior was Democratic whip during most of McKinney's time in Congress, and the two old colleagues spend a few minutes catching up.

Since McKinney is looking at running for president as a Green, that means she'd be running against Edwards, or whoever the Democrats nominate. Still, Bonior had nice things to say about McKinney. "She was very progressive in the House," he said. "I know she had a lot of issues with the party, and this is her choice. Personally, our relationship's always been good, and I wish her well."

Bonior is upbeat about Edwards' chances, though most recent polls show him running a close third behind Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. "We have a dead heat, but we have great support and enthusiasm," he said. "Our rural piece is strong, he's on message, and we're moving."

Bonior says there's little Democratic campaign activity in his native Michigan, where four of the top six candidates pulled their name off the Jan. 15 primary ballot. Only Clinton, Dodd, Kucinich and Gravel remain.

As a University of Iowa graduate, Bonior is very familiar with the Hamburg Inn. "I used to come in here after a six pack," he said, adding "I know you're going to use that line" so of course I have to. He was off to Clinton next, for an event with longtime Democratic activist Jean Pardee.



McKinney, meanwhile, was working the full house at the Hamburg -- 11:30 Sunday is pretty much prime time -- before dropping her coffee bean in her brand new jar. She's at least the fifth presidential candidate to visit the Hamburg Inn so far this cycle, joining Joe Biden, John Edwards, Barack Obama, and John McCain. Former President Bill Clinton also visited a couple weeks ago.