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Big Timing in Iowa

Wedesday January 26, 2000

  • Title: "Big Timing in Iowa" Someone who is showing off in Iowa is sometimes referred to as a "big timer." Hanging around with the national press corps mean I was "big timing."

  • "More Numbers:" Over the past three-or-so caucuses the turnout has been between 100,000 and 108,000. A turnout of only 86,300 is a drop of between 17 and 20 percent.

  • "The Lad (son Reed) …" Reed did advance work for the Bush in Iowa. It was not a surprise he was in Iowa. It was a pleasant surprise he was assigned to work the bus I was on.

  • "Tuesday is Getaway Day …" Press travel, at this time of an election cycle, requires the assistance of at least a half-dozen people on a campaign. Planes have to be arranged for; buses to transfer from airport to event to hotel; a panel truck to haul luggage; volunteers to move the luggage from the plane to the truck, then from the truck to the hotel, then (the next morning) back to the truck and the plane. Box lunches are provided on the buses.

    There has to be time in the afternoon to let reporters send in their stories. This is called "filing time" and is done in a "filing center." Phones, power, tables and chairs have to be arranged as well as a hole in the candidate's schedule so reporters don't have to choose between filing and covering an event.

  • "This is called a 'pool report'" There are occasions, like Gov. and Mrs. Bush in their suite, when it is inconvenient or impossible for the entirety of the press corps to physically cover a portion of an event. At such time a "pool" is constructed which generally consists of at least a wire service reporter, a print reporter, a still photographer, and a broadcast crew.

    They will cover the event, and then share their coverage with the rest of the press corps. The pool reporter will, at times, add his or her personal impressions which is what each reporter would have done had they been there. Pool reporting is taken as a serious responsibility.

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