Thursday, January 5th, 2012 12:24:00

Election Excitement

My family and I have spent over a week in Iowa. We were expecting the normal cold, snowy weather, and bought boots, wool socks and sweaters the week before Christmas. We packed up soon after Christmas and flew to Des Moines. Four family members, 8 checked bags (double my initial goal — bulky snow boots and sweaters).

We were there to join my father, Republican Presidential Candidate Newt Gingrich, and his wife Callista on the campaign trail. Also along were my sister, Kathy, and her husband, Paul. We have spent New Year’s Eve together for decades, and this one would be no different.

Entering the downtown Marriott in Des Moines during caucus time is surreal. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of camera equipment (carts of cameras, lights and other video equipment were in sight at almost all times), dozens of reporters — local, national, and international — hanging around the coffee shop or bar, depending on the time of day. Think of it as a Disney World for political junkies.