Gordon Fischer sends Yepsen a love letter about the student vote

[BeyondGeography]

Encourage students to go native

While I always appreciate David Yepsen's incomparable knowledge of the Iowa caucuses and insight into campaigns, I must disagree with his criticism of Barack Obama for encouraging Iowa college students who grew up outside of Iowa to come back to their campus for the Jan. 3 caucuses. The other candidates should be doing as Obama - encouraging the participation of this group often criticized for not participating.

I have strong personal feelings about this issue. In 1987, as a University of Iowa undergraduate student from the Chicago suburbs, I became inspired by another extraordinary Illinois senator, Paul Simon, who was running for the Democratic nomination for president. I worked hard on his campaign, which led to my falling in love with Iowa politics, resulting in my eventual involvement as a volunteer on numerous Iowa campaigns and my service as chair of the Iowa Democratic Party.

Even more important, it led to my falling in love with a "native" Iowan, whom I eventually married. How different my life might have turned out had I been discouraged from participating in the Iowa caucuses when I was an Iowa student who had come from Illinois.

- Gordon Fischer,

Des Moines.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007712220305

Fischer is former chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party and an Obama supporter.