Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was in Sioux City Monday, and fellow Republican John McCain was in Des Moines Saturday. Democrat Barack Obama swept through Iowa the previous weekend, fresh off an announcement of his White House bid.
Meanwhile, Tom Vilsack went Hollywood.
While Romney, McCain and Obama -- not to mention other high-profile presidential aspirants -- are clearly focusing on Iowa and the need for a strong start in primary season, Vilsack is taking a notably different approach. That's not to say the former Iowa governor is ignoring his home state, as his team has already hosted 15 successful community gatherings and built a coalition that includes 1,159 Iowans who have publicly pledged to support the campaign. It is to say Vilsack is well aware of his non-celebrity status.
While one appearance on "The Tonight Show," with Jay Leno doesn't a celebrity make, it by no means hurts a candidate who admits he's "not a rock star" and helps get him some national exposure. Such a program offers an opportunity to not only address political issues, but to come across with a different personal manner than on, say, "Meet the Press" or "Larry King Live." (It should be noted that there will be no forthcoming comparisons to Jim Carrey, who also appeared with Vilsack on "The Tonight Show" the same evening).
Tom Vilsack faces a tall order in winning the Democratic nomination -- heck, he's going to be challenged to win on his own turf. He's smart, though, and is aware of the need to get his name out there while realizing, in his own words, the White House race is a "marathon" and not a "sprint."
