There's just one day to go before the first votes are cast in a 2008 presidential nominating contest that feels like it began some time during the Coolidge Administration.

The already frantic pace has quickened and is as palpable as the subzero wind chills (New Mexicans, when was the last time the wind actually HURT?). Literally thousands of media members from around the world are here, and while the locals sure are nice, they've just got to be getting sick of us.

Shall we blog?

BACK TO IRAQ 

Gov. Bill Richardson during this week's last stand in Iowa has focused on the Iraq war and his controversial plan to quickly and completely withdraw all U.S. troops  from that nation as one key step to peace there.

During the several stump appearances I've covered, Richardson began each with his Iraq policy, then ended his abbreviated campaign speech and jumped into extended Q-and-A sessions with would-be caucus-goers.

"This is a record for me: eight minutes in a stump speech,"  Richardson joked at one house party before going to questions.

The Associated Press said that at one event Richardson mentioned Iraq 19 times. 

Recent polling that pegs Richardson in the single digits would suggest the Iraq emphasis isn't pulling new Iowa voters his way. But Richardson campaign manager Dave Contarino in a Monday memo said just the opposite is true.

"Our internal  data shows that the Iraq message has been particularly successful in bringing voters to our side," Contarino said in that memo.

Richardson spokesman Tom Reynolds at a Tuesday campaign stop in Oskaloosa said the Richardson camp sees Iraq tied to all major domestic issues, including education and health care.

"We're spending literally billions of dollars a month in Iraq that could be spent here at home in America," Reynolds said.

 "We made a strategic, calculated decision to bring the debate back to Iraq," Reynolds added. "Even as it slipped from the headlines and the speeches of other candidates, we remain committed to the issue."

In a Journal interview last week, University of Iowa political science professor Peverill Squire said he doesn't see Richardson making great political headway with his Iraq tactic.

On that issue, "The Democrats, although there are some differences, they're pretty bunched together," Squire said. "For most Iowans at least, war policy isn't really going to drive their caucus vote." 

Caucus-goers will let us know who's right tomorrow night.

QUESTIONABLE

 The Des Moines Register reports that Hillary Clinton, one of the three Iowa frontrunners, hasn't fielded questions at most of her recent campaign stops in the state.

"Out of her 24 campaign rallies in Iowa since Christmas, Clinton has done three question-and-answer sessions with audiences," Register staff writer Jennifer Jacobs said in a Tuesday story.

Quite a difference between the big gal and the little guys: It seems all Richardson has been doing this week is taking questions, and the Register reports that fellow lower-tier candidate Joe Biden also takes questions at all of his stops.

 AND SPEAKING OF CLINTON ...

Finding a place to have a political meeting must've been tough on New Year's Day in Oskaloosa.

Richardson had a noontime Q-and-A session there, while a group of Clinton supporters had a meeting of their own (sans Clinton herself) in a small upper-level balcony area.

A dozen-plus campaign signs from Clinton and Richardson were poked into the ice and snow along the road outside the Smokey Row coffehouse, competing for the attention of a few passersby. And Richardson's speechifying was interspersed with  the applause of the Clintonites who were doing their own thing up the stairway.

"Are they clapping for me up there?" Richardson joked at one point.

Um, no.

I'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE

Richardson today swaps his usual mini-motorcade for an airplane, flying to cities literally all over Iowa in hopes of grabbing some last-minute support.

He started the morning at a restaurant in Muscatine on Iowa's southeastern edge before flying to the Dubuque airport 100 miles to the north. He was then to head to Decorah, 99 miles away and not far from the Minnesota border.

From there, he was to fly 88 miles to Mason City, 136 miles to Storm Lake,  232 miles to Centerville and 120 miles to Iowa City.

Look for more coverage of Richardson's Iowa caucus quest in tomorrow's Journal.  If you have questions,  e-mail me at jjones@abqjournal.com

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