Essential Estrogen

Saturday was an interesting day of dualities in Cedar Rapids. On one hand, you had this huge, commercially oriented banquet being held at a downtown hotel. In front of the hotel, campaigns reserved street parking for cranes, flatbed trailers and buses plastered with candidates' names. Inside, staffers were instructed to line up and race into the building to compete for sign placement.

Just a few blocks down the road, however, there was this amazing, family-friendly festival known as the Cedar Rapids Pride Fest. Music played. Children danced. Pets barked and sniffed each other. People lazily made their way from booth to booth. A group of volunteers stood on the stage, waiting for a train causing sound-system problems to move away from the park, so they could begin a song.

Even when New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, the only presidential hopeful to appear in person at the festival, made his appearance, the festival and it's population didn't change. Instead of being mauled by a hungry crowd, he moved to shake hands with those attending. He graciously signed copies of his book and even bottles of the salsa that bear his name and image. (For those who are looking to try it for the first time, the initial sweetness is quickly replaced by a slow, building burn.)

My two daughters (ages 15 and 7) and I arrived at the Pride Fest shortly after it began. There had been rumors on the grapevine of a protest, although the exact nature of what was planned wasn't known. As it turns out, however, the protest contingent was so small that I hadn't noticed parking just down the block from them. We walked past the four individuals holding "repent or perish" signage and a blow horn. Fortunately, they were too distracted by a man describing his version of Christ to take notice of us.

Within the confines of Green Square Park, the protesters' blowhorned shouts were barely audible between entertainment and announcements over the event's sound system. We passed several booths before I was asked to put out $10 for a couple of bratwursts and a hamburger. It didn't look so much different from any festival scene in Iowa. Couples holding hands walked past. Booths offered merchandise for sale. (That cost me another $40.) Some people sported political buttons or stickers while others opted for religious or philosophical sayings.

Early in the day, rumors flew that both Gov. Richardson and Sen. Hillary Clinton would be dropping by. Once I spotted Clinton's Iowa Campaign Manager JoDee Winterhof in the crowd without the senator; however, I knew we'd not be seeing Clinton in person. It didn't take long for others around us to catch on as well. As Winterhof took the stage, I watched two women take Hillary buttons from their shirts and drop them into a nearby garbage can before moving along to the beer tent.

In addition to Clinton and Richardson, candidates John Edwards, Sen. Chris Dodd and Sen. Joe Biden were in town Saturday to attend the Iowa Hall of Fame dinner. Only one, however, took time to brave the intermittent rain and speak in person to those who attended the Pride Fest: Gov. Bill Richardson. He not only spoke and worked the crowd but signed copies of his book, jars of his salsa and whatever else was thrust in front of him.

"This event fit in well with the governor's campaign strategy," said Richardson's Iowa Communications Director Tom Reynolds. "We want to meet as many potential caucus-goers as possible and shake as many hands as we can. We want caucus-goers to have the opportunity to meet and hear Governor Richardson."

For his efforts, Richardson was able to garner one-on-one campaigning with more than 250 gay and lesbian activists. He highlighted his progressive record of supporting legislation to further protect civil rights for the LGBT community. In all, he spent almost an hour at the event.

"The governor has a long and consistent track record of fighting for gay and lesbian civil rights and fighting against discrimination," Reynolds added. "As president he will continue to work to ensure each and every American is treated with respect."

(Author's note: Since my camera fought the rain and the rain won, my sincere thanks to Pride Fest organizers for allowing use of their photographs in this post.)