JJ

It's 8:26. Computer problems have kept me off-line until now here at the Iowa Democratic Party's annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner. But here I am. So are about 9,000 of my Iowa neighbors. Well, maybe they're not all my neighbors. But based on my recollection of four years ago and based on the recall of those who've been many more times than I, this is, by far, the biggest and wildest one of all.

Obama's name is in huge lights in the upper tier here at Veterans Auditorium. One's in blue. One's in red. Edwards is also up in lights right next to the big blue Obama. Obama's people are in red. Edwards' folks are in white. Clinton's are in yellow. Dodd has some in yellow, too. I don't know that I've seen any Biden shirts yet. In fact, he has virtually no visible support at all. BTW, Richardson does have people here, too.

All six presidentials are here. Sorry, Kucinich and Gravel. How many times have they actually stepped foot in this state this campaign season? Hillary Clinton is the one candidate not to have a spouse by her side. She did bring Quincy Jones. I met him outside the men's room. He's shorter than I thought.