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| Iowa caucus: hologram eagle and Jesus star on America's most patriotic tractor | Iowa caucus: hologram eagle and Jesus star on America's most patriotic tractor |
| (7 months later) | |
| In Des Moines on Sunday, the Guardian was given a tour of the world’s most patriotic tractor. | In Des Moines on Sunday, the Guardian was given a tour of the world’s most patriotic tractor. |
| The 1957 860 Ford, complete with hologram eagle whose eyes follow passersby, the names of military veterans and “Jesus in the clouds”, is the creation of Gary Leffler of West Des Moines. | The 1957 860 Ford, complete with hologram eagle whose eyes follow passersby, the names of military veterans and “Jesus in the clouds”, is the creation of Gary Leffler of West Des Moines. |
| As Monday’s Iowa caucus approached, Leffler was sticking to his support for former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, an underdog in this race but a politician with a strong evangelical following who won the state in 2008. | As Monday’s Iowa caucus approached, Leffler was sticking to his support for former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, an underdog in this race but a politician with a strong evangelical following who won the state in 2008. |
| “Underneath the hood of the tractor is all the names of our family that served in the military,” Leffler said as he conducted a tour of the vehicle, noting that his son had just been promoted to captain and would thus need to have his title on the tractor updated. | “Underneath the hood of the tractor is all the names of our family that served in the military,” Leffler said as he conducted a tour of the vehicle, noting that his son had just been promoted to captain and would thus need to have his title on the tractor updated. |
| The top of the hood features a Bible verse, John 3:16, and a cross, Leffler said, “and if you look in the clouds right here you can see Jesus in the clouds.” | The top of the hood features a Bible verse, John 3:16, and a cross, Leffler said, “and if you look in the clouds right here you can see Jesus in the clouds.” |
| “It’s all airbrushed in,” said Leffler, who did not paint the tractor himself. | “It’s all airbrushed in,” said Leffler, who did not paint the tractor himself. |
| He’s a man of God and when you look at the credentials of what he can do, I have to go with Mike Huckabee | He’s a man of God and when you look at the credentials of what he can do, I have to go with Mike Huckabee |
| Continuing the tour, he added: “My wife says, ‘Really? You put a snake on the tractor?’ I said that’s for Isis, al-Qaida and the Taliban.” | Continuing the tour, he added: “My wife says, ‘Really? You put a snake on the tractor?’ I said that’s for Isis, al-Qaida and the Taliban.” |
| Leffler’s tractor also features pictures of wolves – because “I just like ‘em,” he said – and an Iowa buck, of which as a “big-time deer hunter” he shoots “two or three” a year. | Leffler’s tractor also features pictures of wolves – because “I just like ‘em,” he said – and an Iowa buck, of which as a “big-time deer hunter” he shoots “two or three” a year. |
| Asked about his support for Huckabee, given his parlous position in the polls, Leffler said: “Doesn’t matter. | Asked about his support for Huckabee, given his parlous position in the polls, Leffler said: “Doesn’t matter. |
| “I’m a principled man, and that’s the reason I’m going for Mike Huckabee. No1 his stand on guns: perfect. His stand on pro-life: perfect. He’s the only man who can stand up and say, ‘I’ve beaten the Clinton machine.’ Thirdly, as Ronald Reagan said, our best presidents have come from the governors program. | “I’m a principled man, and that’s the reason I’m going for Mike Huckabee. No1 his stand on guns: perfect. His stand on pro-life: perfect. He’s the only man who can stand up and say, ‘I’ve beaten the Clinton machine.’ Thirdly, as Ronald Reagan said, our best presidents have come from the governors program. |
| “When you add it all up, he’s a man of God and when you look at the credentials of what he can do, I have to go with Mike Huckabee. To me it’s not even a choice, it’s just clear-cut.” | “When you add it all up, he’s a man of God and when you look at the credentials of what he can do, I have to go with Mike Huckabee. To me it’s not even a choice, it’s just clear-cut.” |
| Leffler also said that if Huckabee is not the Republican presidential nominee, he would be “100% for whoever the Republican nominee will be”. | Leffler also said that if Huckabee is not the Republican presidential nominee, he would be “100% for whoever the Republican nominee will be”. |
| “There’s a lot of things Donald Trump does that I like,” he said. | “There’s a lot of things Donald Trump does that I like,” he said. |