Essential Estrogen

While everyone knows we Iowans are all about the warm fuzzies, yesterday's Vilsack endorsement of the Clinton Campaign may have been less about the fuzz and more about the dough.

According to a post at the NY Times, the Clinton Campaign has agreed to help 'erase' at least a portion of the $430,000 debt Tom Vilsack accumulated in his own Presidential bid. The politicians are pointing to past personal connections (Christie Vilsack's brother, Tom Bell, served with Clinton on the Watergate Committee), but the public doesn't seem to be convinced.

A random poll of four people on the streets of downtown Cedar Rapids this morning showed that while all believed the endorsement was done for monetary gain, none found it shocking. "It's politics," said one woman while she laughed and walked away. "What do you expect?"

Another gentleman lamented the irony of Vilsack's recent calls for clean elections and grassroots politics while planning to back "one of the largest political machines in the world."

Iowans still remember when Vilsack took employment opportunities with MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. as a consultant on renewable energy and Drake University Law School as a visiting professor. In short, Iowans know their former Governor was not left penniless when he walked out of Terrace Hill two months ago.

While it will still be interesting to view the financial papers filed by the Vilsack and Clinton campaigns at the end of the month (made available April 15), don't expect any big revelations as to where the money came from and where it went. Chances are, the strategists have already decided not to let loose any funds until after the March 31st deadline, ensuring nothing will be reported until the next cycle. Even then, it will probably be buried under salaries, with Vilsack then paying his vendors from his private pockets. (Wonder how much a national chairman and Iowa Co-Chairwoman make?) The campaigns are no doubt hoping that most will forget by mid-summer and no one will take the time to dig deep enough to make the connections.

Those interested may also wish to view the two letters Tom Vilsack signed recently. The first requests money for his own campaign and the second requests the same for the Clinton campaign. The first letter went into the mail late last week and the second was an email blast by the Clinton Campaign just moments after the endorsement was official.

Be sure to read the second and let us know your thoughts on this statement:

Today, Christie and I made a contribution to Hillary's campaign, and we did it for two reasons.

Does that say/read what I think it says/reads?