A weird road trip to Iowa

Former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has rolled out her 2016 Presidential campaign with a weird secret road trip from Connecticut to Iowa.

It included a holdup of a Chipotle restaurant caught on surveillance camera - well it LOOKED like a holdup - and an armored SUV like most of us drive; it's more like a tank - named Scooby Doo, and secret service protection just like any ordinary citizen would have on a vacation road trip.

Do you get my point?

Hillary Clinton just sitting down with ordinary citizens and having them tell her their fears, their dreams, and their hopes is impossible. She's been the most admired and powerful woman on earth according to annual polls. It's like the Pope just ambling into a trattoria in Trastevere for a decanter of Chianti and some bruschetta. Ain't gonna happen.

As soon as she got to Iowa to talk to Kirkwood Community College students the media frenzy erupted with reporters racing to the back door through which she entered, eschewing the front entrance, just like you, I and the Kirkwood students would do.

'We're here to see the queen,' one protester told Daily Mail Online outside a rural community college in Monticello. He shouted ‘Give the Saudi money back!' as Clinton arrived at Kirkwood Community College - referring to millions her family foundation accepted.

Ouch! How did the U.S. media manage to avoid reporting that?

Not to pile on, but several people have noted that her logo for the 2016 race to the White House looks like a highway sign to the nearest hospital. Do you agree?

It does have that cold, corporate look that people often associate with Mrs. Clinton, so I guess it fits.

I think it would be much better if Hillary Clinton would satisfy the hunger by so many Iowa Democrats to meet and greet her. Hiding behind armored vehicles with secret service agents swarming and not energizing the base of the party is exactly the wrong thing for 2016.

Democrats in Iowa are demoralized after the thumping they got in 2015 and they need a serious shot of adrenaline and a cheerleader. When Vermont democratic socialist Senator Bernie Sanders came through Iowa the rooms were packed. The Story County Democrats soup dinner was sold out and the church basement probably violated the fire marshal code.

The real problem is that someone has assumed that Iowa voters are a bunch of ignorant rubes who actually buy the idea that the Clinton small group tour is genuine. Everyone I've talked to sees it as a gimmick.

This Clinton rollout looks more 'Where's Waldo” than Scooby Doo.

' Steffen Schmidt is professor of political science at Iowa State University. Comments: Steffenschmidt2005@gmail.com