In this conversation with Rita Hart, Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, we dive deep into Rita's journey from growing up in a bipartisan household to becoming a key political leader in Iowa.
The call itself mirrored some of the conflicts within the party. On one side was Jerry Crawford, a major donor and long-time Democratic operative with clients like Monsanto, alongside members of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, including writers who have been critical of Hart’s leadership. Also present were others who have written pointed commentary about Big Agriculture's impact on Iowa’s water quality and the party’s hesitance to prioritize this as a key electoral issue.
Leadership in an organization like this—especially one driven by committee-based decision-making, limited resources, and a passionate constituency that often believes it could do better—is no easy feat.
Hear Rita's reflections on how her upbringing shaped her values, the challenges facing the Democratic party in Iowa, modernizing get-out-the-vote efforts, and fostering optimism within a party that has lost a lot of ground since Barack Obama won the Iowa caucuses and the state in the general election—twice.
Whether you're interested in Iowa politics or inspired by stories of leadership and perseverance, this episode offers valuable insights and honest dialogue.
Our Potluck calls are more like casual dinner conversations than formal interviews. You’re invited to the table in real time or by listening to the recording.
Hart appears to be on a ‘listening tour’ and willing to spend time answering questions and criticisms—she’s getting an earful. She understands there is room for criticism but wants participants to know she has a plan.
🎧 Listen now on Substack, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. If you prefer to read, the full transcript is available!
Monday Zoom Potluck Call is Open
Monday, January 20, is not only the day of our regularly scheduled podcast call but also the day of the next president's inauguration. Will you be watching?
The ceremony will be held indoors despite a longstanding U.S. tradition of having it on the steps outside the Capitol. The reason given is that the forecasted temperature in Washington is expected to be in the mid-20s, with sunny skies.
Ronald Reagan’s second Inaugural was moved inside when temperatures were expected to be in the single digits.
Too cold to hold the Inauguration outside? How about a bit more perspective?
On January 20, 1961, the day of John F. Kennedy’s Inauguration, the temperature at noon was 22°F, with windy conditions and snow on the ground. Despite the cold, the ceremony proceeded outdoors.
Jimmy Carter’s Inauguration on January 20, 1977: The estimated noon temperature was around 28°F. Carter walked from the Capitol to the White House after the ceremony, embracing the weather.
Barack Obama’s first Inauguration, January 20, 2009: The temperature at noon was 28°F, with wind chills making it feel colder. The ceremony remained outdoors as planned. I was there that day. I don’t recall it feeling too cold to be outside. Not one bit.
My son and I were seated on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial that day Obama became president. By happenstance, we shared that moment in history alongside a man who had been at that very same spot in another moment in history: August of 1963 when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech.
The weather did not deter us or one of the largest crowds in history from assembling that day.
I’ve spent a lot of time in our nation’s capitol, including during significant marches in Washington and working a stint in a congressional office on Capitol Hill. I have never seen the city so full of people from around the country descend on DC than the day Obama became president. Oh, the Women’s March held the day after Trump’s first inauguration came close.
Of all the countless attempts at disinformation emanating from the incoming president in previous years, the doctored photos of his first inauguration, manipulated to fool people into thinking his crowd was as big or bigger than the Obama inauguration, remain an almost laughable explanation for why this ceremony on Monday is being moved indoors.
The temperature in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021 (Insurrection Day) was 7 degrees above freezing at 38.
Our Zoom call on Monday will start at noon central time. Since I don’t have a scheduled guest, let’s see what folks want to discuss.
Check out the new Iowa Writers’ Collaborative format! Let us know what you think?
The Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat will be held September 28-October 1. We are expanding our memoir and filmmaking offerings. Others, too.
Are you enrolled? Over one-third of our capacity has signed up already. Don’t miss it this year!
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