I had some of the most fun yesterday than I’ve had at a political event in the past four years. I self-assigned myself to photograph 2008 Republican presidential candidate Tommy Thompson’s campaign stop at Sioux City’s Village Inn restaurant.

Shooting the event transported me back to my youth as a senior at Iowa State photographing the 1988 presidential caucus races. You remember – Gary Hart, Michael Dukakis, George H.W. Bush, Lloyd Bentsen, Pete duPont, Jesse Jackson…….

Back then, it was a simpler time. The campaign events were held in county courthouses, backyards, coffee shops and churches. There were no arena sized events – at least not until the last days before the caucus. You didn’t need no stinking advance press credentials to cover a caucus event. Heck, the biggest hassles where having to get searched to bring in all my gear to photograph G.H.W. Bush’s and Jesse Jackson’s events (because they were the only ones with federal protection).

In the 1988 campaign cycle, news photographers could move around. Basically, we could go where ever we wanted and photograph from whatever angle we wanted. We made some really, really nice photos back then. And the voter – remember, caucuses are about the voters – could actually go up to a candidate and get a little one on one face time with them. Ask them some questions. Kick the proverbial tires.

I’m really kind of disenchanted (as a photographer and a voter) with the candidates who stage massive rallies at this early stage in the caucus cycle. I don’t believe those events serve the voters of Iowa even one little bit in deciding the candidate they eventually want to support. As a photographer, I despise being herded onto a press platform and being told to “sit and stay” as though I were a show dog. I want to be able to make a photo that is different from another photographer’s. Can’t do that when you are shoulder to shoulder on a platform (”ONLY a 50′ throw!!!!!” gloats the press liason).

I want to be able to roam and attempt to make a photograph that speaks to the nature of the candidate – photos that show them interacting with Iowans. That can’t happen when the candidate is in the center of a gym surrounded by velvet ropes with a 10 foot buffer. That’s great for the candidates’ production crews who are filmimg the event for future television commercials, but not great for Iowans who are used to being able shake a candidate’s hand and ask them a question.

Anyway, back to Tommy Thompson. His event was held in a Sioux City restaurant, he seemed to have a minimum number of staffers and he took questions, shook hands and thanked people leaving the event early by name.

Heck, he even spilled a big old stream of water down his blue tie and either he didn’t notice it or choose to ignore it.

Although I love cheese and beer, please DO NOT construe this missive as a political endorsement for the former Wisconsin governor. It isn’t. But, it is an endorsement for grassroots, one on one campaigning. Iowa style.

Cheers,

Tim