Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack says the entry of Senator Hilliary Clinton into the democratic presidential race should make the Iowa Caucuses more competitive. Vilsack says,"He fully expects the caucus process to be vigorous and rigorous." Vilsack says there’s a strong field of candidates, and that will make for a good debate. He says there’s clearly different views on the war in Iraq, as some candidates want a cap on troops, while Vilsack says it’s time to bring troops out of harms way in Iraq.
The Iowa Caucuses are the first presidential test, and are known by the one-on-one campaigning in which Iowans get to meet the candidates and shake their hands. Vilsack says having high-profile candidates like Clinton and Illinois Senator Barak Obama in the race won’t change things. Vilsack says he doesn’t think so because if candidates want to do well, he says they have to "spend time in living rooms, they have to spend time in church basements, they have to spend time in small gatherings." Vilsack says candidates who think they can win the Iowa Caucuses without the so-called retail politics, are mistaken.
Vilsack says he doesn’t feel like his campaign is getting left out with so much attention going to candidates like Clinton and Obama. Vilsack says he takes comfort in the history of the process and says in the end there is a preference for those who have governed and improved the lives of citizens. Vilsack says he’s done both of those things as a governor. Vilsack made reference to the A.F.C. title game in the NFL to illustrate how an underdog can win.
Vilsack says some people probably thought Indianapolis could not come back to beat New England in the game after the Colts got behind 21-6 at halftime, but Vilsack says Indianapolis came back to win. Vilsack says this is a long process and there’s still a lot of opportunities for candidates to be heard. Vilsack made his comments during a conference call with reporters.