Democrats play "wait and see" for 2004 Presidential candidates

With just under a year before Iowa’s Caucuses kick off the 2004 presidential race, most Iowa Democrats haven’t picked a candidate yet. Betty Brim-Hunter of Des Moines, a member of the Iowa Democratic Party’s central committee, has met privately with a couple of the candidates, but hasn’t endorsed one yet. She’s looking for someone who’ll get back to what she considers “core Democratic values.” Another member of the party’s central committee, Armando Rosales of Atlantic hasn’t decided who to support yet, either. Rosales is waiting for someone who looks and acts like a winner. He compares it to looking for a mate. He says you don’t know who you’re going to marry, you find out after you meet them and learn about them.Enid Cancilla of Solon, a life-long democrat, has a checklist of qualities she’s looking for in a candidate. She’s looking for someone with honesty, integrity and backbone — but most importantly, someone who will oppose the war. John Fedro of Cedar Rapids is reviewing the candidates’ records.Fedro says the Democrats have to stand strong on the issues, and he says that’s why Democrats failed, nationally, in the 2002 election. Iowa’s Caucuses are tentatively scheduled for Martin Luther King Day next year.