To the editor:

What an opportunity Iowans and the people of Ames have. The first-in-the-nation status of the Iowa Caucuses gives Iowans the opportunity to have an inordinate amount of influence on who the next president of the United States will be.

This is a responsibility not to be taken lightly or simply tossed aside.

First, I ask that you go and participate in your precinct caucus tonight. While this will be my first caucus, I hear that this is a good example of how democracy should work: neighbors meeting and discussing issues, working to support those who they believe meet the needs of the day.

After asking you to go caucus, I want to tell you about the person whom I will be supporting tonight. I met Al Gore on two of his previous visits to Ames. While I was excited to meet the Vice President of the United States, I expected him to be stiff, boring and not much of a speaker (per his reputation from the press), but this was not the case. Not only was he sincere, and at times humorous, but he was also passionate about issues that affect me.

While you may not understand the importance of your vote tonight, in due time that importance will be made clear. Tonight, Iowa will chart the course of the future; it will decide what dreams can be only dreamt and which dreams can become reality.

Al Gore is prepared, qualified and ready to give all it takes to be the kind of president we need right now: one we can believe in and who can lead this nation into the 21st century. Thank you for your consideration.

Paxton Williams

Senior

Political Science