Once every four years, the country looks to Iowa as a political indicator for the rest of the nation. After watching the Democratic debates on television, I couldn't pick a candidate.  Barack Obama was inspirational, but his ideas seemed superficial. John Edwards was a fighter, yet his southern gentleman shtick rubbed me the wrong way. I was pretty sure that Hillary was an unfeeling automaton, but she seemed right for the role.  One of the advantages to living in Iowa is the unequaled access to party candidates. John Edwards claims to have visited every county in Iowa, while Obama spent 83 consecutive days traveling the state. Even Hillary took the "Hillacopter" to my hometown of Iowa City.

I decided to see all the major candidates and ask them to convince me.

I saw Obama speak at a junior high school in Coralville. We were ushered into the tiny gymnasium strewn with signs that read "Johnson County Loves Obama" and "Change we can believe in." The sound system cranked out Aretha Franklin's "Think." We managed to snag folding chairs close to the front, and the seats soon filled. The woman beside me sacrificed her chair to an older woman. "Don't worry," she assured the apologetic senior. "I've seen him at least 15 times." Obama looked skinny, but presidential. Like any performer, he had perfected the gestures, the dramatic pauses, and the one-liners. For a moment, I really believed in his message of hope and change.  "We don't need someone who plays the game better," he shouted. "We need to put an end to the game." His supporters were young and energetic. It wasn't until we left the rally that I got a bad aftertaste from the total absence of policy in his speech.  How Obama was going to radically change the government was still unclear.

I traveled to rural Iowa to see John Edwards at the Washington Public Library. Organizers expected 45 people, but they must have crammed 150 into the tiny conference room. I was stuck between a red-faced farmer in blue overalls and a slick reporter from the Washington Post. Edwards spoke about the middle class, poverty, and his refusal to negotiate with lobbyists. He described a ruined America, a failing economy, and a loss of international standing. "Are you going to look your children in the eye and say, ‘I'm going to leave this mess for you?'" he asked. Edwards spoke clearly about his goals, even providing an 80-page booklet outlining his policies. But something felt wrong. A dissatisfied Republican asked about Edward's views on illegal immigration. "If you want to become a US citizen," Edwards shouted, "you have to learn to speak English." His comment seemed xenophobic and hostile, yet the crowd loved it and applauded enthusiastically.  Edwards obviously campaigned well in rural Iowa, but I had doubts about his ability to campaign in more diverse states. I decided it was time to give Hillary a chance.

Clinton spoke on New Year's Day at the Sheraton Hotel in Iowa City. The room was packed, and the audience spilled into the hallway. The whole event had a carnival atmosphere. A vendor walked the aisles hawking Hillary buttons and T-shirts. The hotel ballroom was designed like a circus tent with blue curtains draping from the ceiling, while a diva named Betty O. belted R&B tunes onstage. When Hillary took the stage, the scene transformed from a circus into a Neil Diamond concert. Middle-aged women went wild. Hillary had brought Chelsea and former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack. I was star-struck. I kept getting distracted by Hillary's perfectly tailored suit and Chelsea's complicated hair-do. Hillary's speech was impassioned and convincing. She covered all the major issues: education, ending the war, women's rights, and health care.  Most importantly, she talked about the outlandish price of a college education and plans to allow students to work off debt immediately after college. I hate to admit it, but she was really great. My sister and I got into the performance, holding up signs and cheering. Afterwards, Chelsea approached us. Singling out my sister, she said,"I like what you were doing with your signs." We laughed. "So, are you going to caucus for my mom?" she asked, going in for the kill. Julia got tongue-tied. "No, um, shoot, well, maybe. Probably not?.." she stuttered. I tried to remedy the situation. "She gave a very convincing speech," I said. Chelsea smiled. "Well, it's important that you caucus," she said, and walked away. "Did I just tell Chelsea I hate her mom?" my sister asked, confused. Despite Julia's humiliation, we decided to wait for Hillary after the rally.  A sullen, bald Secret Service agent eyed me and asked me to please step away from the barrier. I tried to ignore him, but the look he gave me would peel paint. When Hillary finally made it to our group, she shook my hand, signed an autograph, and took a picture with all of us. I think I may have a new celebrity crush.

Susannah Snider is a former City Newspaper intern.