http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-masoncity19nov19,0,4998232.story?coll=la-politics-campaignThough most Mason City residents pride themselves on Iowa casting the first ballots of the 2008 campaign, many say they are too busy and confused by the process to participate. By the time the caucuses roll around, they are fed up with politicians, and unwilling to spend a cold January night arguing with their neighbors.
Even Weaver is unsure whether he will caucus.
He would have to change his registration from independent to Democratic on the day of the caucuses to take part. "I'm not comfortable with that because then I have to go back and re-register," he said.
Norb Thomes, 50, and his wife, Marie, 50, had seen Clinton and Obama. The Thomeses often talked of politics, they said, but had never caucused. "The whole caucus thing is a little intimidating," Norb Thomes said.
On this Saturday morning, few people seemed concerned about the presidential race. The city was bustling with other out-of-towners -- farmers who had come to buy fertilizer, families shopping for the holidays. At the mall, JCPenney and Yonkers did brisk business.
Vicki Deal, who works at the bijouterie counter at JCPenney, said she would definitely be voting in 2008 -- her choice: a woman or a black man -- but she would not caucus. "We are busy around this time with the holidays coming," she said.
Bev Marshall, a 68-year-old nurse, said her work schedule prevented her from getting involved to caucus for a candidate.
"When you work 12 hours a day," she said, "you don't have the time."