"Working the Crowd"

Essential Estrogen:

Proving having a candidate at arm's length isn't a requirement for drumming up political support, staffers for Democratic hopeful Sen. Barack Obama visited with festival goers and passed out literature for their candidate at the 2007 Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival yesterday.

Field Organizer Allison Pulliam and Regional Field Director Hallie Schneir -- two of the hardest working young women in Eastern Iowa politics -- seemed to be having a hot but great time near the 3rd Avenue bridge when I caught up with them.

I heard that staff members from other campaigns -- particularly Gov. Bill Richardson's, former Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Sam Brownback and former Gov. Mitt Romney -- were on the ground in Cedar Rapids as well. Either I didn't spot them or they did a good job of running from the camera.