Trump and 2020 divide longtime friends in Iowa
By Musadiq Bidar
/ CBS News
Cedar Falls, Iowa — In a quiet neighborhood down the road from the University of Northern Iowa, a group of women who refer to themselves as "sisters for life" have gathered at the home of Bonnie Anderson. Liz Miller, Janice Clark, Mary Schawke, and Lisa Sevcik each agree to have a second cup of peach iced tea from their host and despite disagreements on various political issues, they are able to come to a consensus on a few topics.
"I don't ever recall seeing this kind of a division in my lifetime," says Schawke. "We kind of are in a civil war right now between Democrats and Republicans."
The women are all on various sides of the political spectrum but on a breezy sunny afternoon, they're able to demonstrate that heated political debates in America can still take place with decency.
Miller, in her 80s, is a staunch supporter of President Trump and often repeats lines word by word from the president. Clark, in her 70s, is a Democrat who is hungry for a candidate to unseat Mr. Trump in 2020. Anderson, 83, voted twice for President Obama and then — like many others in Iowa — supported the Republican nominee in 2016.
Schawke, 63, also voted for Mr. Trump but admits she will be keeping an eye on the eventual Democratic nominee. Meanwhile, Sevick, in her 50s, calls herself a lifelong Republican but opted to vote Democrat in 2016 and doesn't see herself supporting Mr. Trump this time around either.
During a two hour conversation that turns hostile at times, the women often stop to remind themselves of their respect for each other. The longtime friends are part of the Cedar Falls Woman's Club, a chapter of the General Federation of Women's Clubs that dates back to 1914. The group holds formal meetings on the first Wednesday of each month from September through May and currently has more than 90 members.
Schwake, a small business owner, thinks part of the reason for the division in the country is because Democrats "started pouting like little children" when Hillary Clinton lost the general election in 2016. She says she "didn't like it" when Mr. Obama won but "respected our new president," adding, "when Trump won, it has just been a battle royale."
In Iowa, 31 of the state's 99 counties flipped to Mr. Trump during 2016 election after voting for Mr. Obama in 2008 and 2012. Anderson is one of those voters, and while she says "Trump is doing some good," she now regrets voting for him because of the way he "belittles people."
"That bothers me so much" Anderson says before she is interrupted by Miller, sitting next to her on the couch with arms crossed. "I don't see anything. He belittled you? Did he?" Miller asks.
Miller, who manages a farm that has been with her family for more than a century, says "the average people" who voted for Mr. Trump "don't give a dang" about how he talks and acts.
"I think he's doing great for the United States," Miller says. "People don't like his personality, so what?"
There is some sense of anxiety in the room about the future of the economy and Anderson, breaking up the brief moment of silence after she is questioned by Miller, begins to express her unease about the recent returns on her investments.
"I am afraid of a recession, I really am," Anderson says. "I have seen those investments going down on a daily basis and I know there are millions of others who have investments and the same thing is going to happen. That is scary."
While there is disagreement about the future of America's economy, these Iowans all concur that family farming is becoming "obsolete." Schawke, with a disappointed expression on her face, says "a small farmer can't raise a family in this economy."
Miller says her youngest son, in his 50s, is a farmer who hasn't made a profit in the last three years. "He is just hand to mouth. He is just breaking even," Miller says. "It's like he's not working at all and he needs to be getting another job."
The group is split when it comes to the way Mr. Trump has handled trade negotiations with China. Miller says "it is time for China to break. They were just screwing us." Clark, sitting across the room doesn't think China will back down. "They don't need us," Clark says, adding the situation makes her very sad. "I hate to see my country go down in this area because of that."
Schawke, who grew up on a farm, admits that the trade war with China is hurting farmers in Iowa and across the country. But she says, "If we give in then we are weak," adding that she admires the president for "sticking to his guns and saying 'no' to China."
The only one at this gathering who's not an official member of the woman's club is Sevick. She wants to talk about guns in America and questions why she has to "worry about going to Walmart."
"It makes no sense that they are allowing people to buy machine type guns. I hope we can do something about that," Sevick says as Miller and Schawke interrupt her to say "guns don't kill people."
"The gun is a tool," Schawke says with a stern tone in her voice. She adds the "terrorists" who are shooting people are "mentally ill."
For Schawke, the matter is personal because she is a registered gun owner and has a permit to carry but she also has a son who is mentally ill. She says "we have to change the treatment of the mentally ill," and "help with their disease."
The group is also torn about the treatment of families at the Southern border. They want the controversial detention centers to remain in place but agree that children should not be separated from their parents.
Anderson says "parents should know they are going to be separated" and questioned why families even involve their kids in the arduous journey when the threat of separation looms at the U.S. border. Clark answered her question without hesitation saying "because they are desperate."
Clark is now looking forward to the 2020 presidential race and says her "heart goes out to Warren," referring to the Massachusetts senator who is one of the front runners for the Democratic nomination. Anderson says she is "not sure" which side she will support in 2020 after voting for the Democratic ticket twice and then switching up to the Republicans in 2016.
"I don't have full confidence in Biden but if they come up with a stronger candidate, I probably would vote Democrat," she says.
Miller predicts a "landslide" reelection victory for Mr. Trump in 2020 and says the he has her full support. Schawke said she doesn't put the president "on a pedestal," and admits her support is "wavering more than it was a year or two ago."
"I am torn," Schwake said. "For the most part he's leading our country in the right direction but he doesn't act very presidential and he insults people."
First published on August 29, 2019 / 6:33 PM
© 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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