Christie cooks for her man

If Tom Vilsack should become his party’s nominee for president in 2008, he and his wife may avoid the cookie controversy that surrounded the Clintons back in 1992.  As you may recall, Mrs. Clinton got in a bit of hot water for saying she didn’t stay at home making cookies.  This was the quote from HRC:  "I supposed I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was to fulfill my profession which I entered before my husband was in public life."

While Christie Vilsack was a teacher for years, she cooked, too. Mrs. Vilsack intends to bring her "cheesy corn casserole" to the potluck in Mount Pleasant tomorrow night that’s meant as a sort of kick-off for Vilsack’s presiential campaign.  Jeff Link, communications director for the Vilsack presidential campaign, says Mrs. Vilsack won a blue ribbon at the Iowa State Fair when she entered this recipe in the casserole competition. 

During his annual walk across the state this September I had an opportunity to walk six and a half miles with the governor.  A few miles outside of Clarion, Vilsack declared that his wife was "the second-best political spouse in America."

"Behind Laura Bush?" I asked. 

Vilsack laughed, then qualified his statement:  "Behind Bill Clinton."

Not only does Christie Vilsack cook, as noted above, but she has thrown dozens of Victorian-style teas at the governor’s mansion during Vilsack’s eight years in office.   So, it seems Mrs. Vilsack took a lesson from Mrs. Clinton’s statement back in 1992 about staying home to bake cookies and have teas.   

In the 2008 battle of the spouses, perhaps the ball is now in the Clinton’s court.  Will the former president be able to rustle up something cheesy?  Stay tuned.