D.C. social scene re-created in Iowa

The Politico: D.C. social scene re-created in Iowa
By: Ryan Grim
December 25, 2007

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Washington Establishment is not known for its imagination. So it’s little surprise that when it travels en masse, it replicates miniature versions of itself. Hierarchical by nature, Washington’s often described as high school writ large. There are the legendary cocktail party circuit, the media parties, the partisan bars and the restaurants folks visit to see those who quietly ache to be seen. The Iowa caucuses put that scene into focus, as Beltway culture is transported and condensed into just a few square blocks: Des Moines in December becomes a microcosm of D.C.

Like back at home, the social landscape here in Des Moines has gradually opened up. Like an Old Ebbitt Grill circa 1950, the 801 Steak and Chop House was pretty much the only game in town in years past, for campaigns and journalists alike. “That’s sort of 2000 campaign,” says The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank, a chronicler of Washington anthropology. “It looks like the cafeteria,” he adds, with competing cliques in their practically assigned seats. 801 is what you’d expect: lots of oak, with a wide selection of aged brandies, fine cigars, a $50 porterhouse and bottles of wine with four-digit prices....

By 2004, the Des Moines social scene was on the upswing and a trendier spot emerged. Centro — with its pronunciation clarified as “” — is a consciously New York-style Italian bistro about as un-Iowa as sugar-based ethanol. Of course, John F. Kerry was a regular during the last caucus (drink of choice: sauvignon blanc). Centro stole the elite show and became something of a Democratic HQ, which it remains today. A review of expenditure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission shows that Democrats far outspent their GOP counterparts at Centro in the second and third quarters of 2007.

Tom Tancredo simply laughed when asked if he frequents Centro; neither Fred Thompson nor John McCain nor Mike Huckabee had spent money there by the end of the third quarter. The Dem hot spot, like its steakhouse counterpart, has a familiar ring. Exposed duct work and track lighting, red walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and an open kitchen give the place a chic coastal feel....One November night, John Edwards sat for dinner as a table by the bar was jammed with Barack Obama’s Iowa staff, while reporters from several outlets schmoozed. On a December night, Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd and Edwards’ staff all dined near each other. “We all get along,” says Richardson....

The kind of reporter and campaign staffer who can socialize here — Milbank’s conception of affordable is relative — is a function of both financial and social status. “It depends on what strata of the campaign you’re talking about,” Rob Follett, a Centro bartender, says of his high-class clientele. “There’s an echelon system with reporters, too.” Part of that’s the price. If you’re self-financing a blogging expedition or making a few hundred a week on the campaign, the D.C.-ish prices hit hard. But some young bucks are willing to pay for the privilege of stargazing at the Ron Brownstein types who are only Washington-famous — or famous wherever Washington lays its head on the road....

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I hope those of you who do contribute to political campaigns are happy with your money going to support upper class tycoons. These are the very people we need to get out of politics, but we keep pushing them on one another. I'd much prefer a candidate who's perfectly happy with eating and Denny's where you can also have meetings, etc, and the coffee is one price, no matter how many cups you drink.