GENERAL:                                                                                              Monday, April 7, 2003

Funeral services are scheduled today (mass at 10 a. m.) for Marine Sgt. Bradley Korthaus of Davenport – the first Iowan killed in the Iraq war. Burial with military honors will be at the National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal, on island in Mississippi River…

Big smoke overnight as U. S. forces launched a “for real” attack on central Baghdad. News reports indicate armored units rolled into the city with heavy air support overhead. Indications are that Coalition forces went after – and captured – major facilities, including a presidential palace, as Iraqis ignited trenches filled with oil in attempt to obscure aerial view of city/battle …

Snow, snow and more snow with dicey travel conditions in IA this morning as TV talking heads engage in interesting debate topic – arguing over whether Iraq war is in 17th or 18th day, as if anybody really cares or it makes a difference. The war continues and Coalition troops are in Baghdad --and nobody cares whether it took 25,000 minutes or 26,000 minutes or 75,000 minutes. As GWB and Rummy keep emphasizing, the goal was – and is – to get there and finish the job at hand…

Wannabes, wannabes everywhere – except in Republican western IA today: Edwards continues two-day visit with Des Moines metro appearances…

Dean scheduled at afternoon informal reception in Cedar Rapids with musicians David Crosby and Graham Nash, who are performing there tonight…

Kerry also due in Cedar Rapids today with a visit to Waterloo, too…Kerry may have most challenging situation since IA State Patrol reports roads east of  Grinnell – including I-80 to IL border – “completely covered” with ice.  Travel not recommended north of Highway 20 – including I-35 north to MN border, as areas around Fort Dodge get 8” of snow with more expected today. Winter storm warning for central Iowa cancelled, but the area has icy, slushy conditions this morning… 

After all, who’s running for president here? During  the first Harkin-sponsored forum featuring the Dem wannabes with Edwards as the first contestant-star, Harkin spent as much time talking – and criticizing GWB – as Edwards. (Iowa Pres Watch question: Are these really going to be forums for the Dem candidates or an extension of Harkin’s 2002  -- or anticipated 2008 -- reelection campaign?) After a question to Edwards about No Child Left Behind legislation, Harkin said the Bush education initiative was “another example of where this administration has not kept faith with the people.” At another point, Harkin said “we want the next president of the United States elected, not selected.” One of the most interesting things about yesterday’s forum was that many of the questioners read their inquiries from note cards – not to mention that pre-prepared anti-Bush props, graphs and charts littered the stage. Key questions this morning: Who really prepared the charts and graphs– and who wrote the questions? And, why did note cards many of the audience members were reading their questions off of look a lot like the cards Harkin was reading his notes off of, too? 

(Iowa Pres Watch Note: Since this was the first forum of the monthly series Harkin is sponsoring to feature the Dem contestants, one of the central questions becomes whether Republicans will demand equal time on C-SPAN?  Are these legitimate candidate forums or – as Harkin probably intended – will they be Democratic orgies to attack the president? One more question: Did anyone in the “audience” – except Harkin, Edwards and possibly Dem Congressman Boswell -- have an IQ above 71?) …

Speaking of the Edwards DSM forum, AP’s Iowa caucus specialist Mike Glover went with standard issue-oriented coverage. (See below. Reports on Kerry’s IA visit also below.)… 

From the file on “just what the world needs now and that everybody wants to hear about,” VOANews (Voice of America) reports “India said it is developing an advanced version of its most sophisticated nuclear-capable missile.” The VOANews report indicates India’s defense minister, George Ferandes, said the new surface-to-surface missile being developed by Indian scientists will have “a longer range than the missiles India now possesses.” 

CANDIDATES/CAUCUSES:  

Edwards had his shot to impress IA Dems during the 90-minute forum in DSM yesterday and – despite voting for the Iraq resolution in the Senate – said the true test of the Bush decision to launch military attacks will come after the fighting ends. AP’s Iowa caucus expert Mike Glover reports that Edwards “argued that the United States could send the strongest of signals by quickly returning control of the Iraqi oil fields to a transitional regime and making clear that oil revenues will stay in Iraq.” Edwards: “The way to do that is to be committed to reconstruction of Iraq. We also ought to make it clear that we are not there for those oil fields.” 

  Meanwhile, Des Moines Register’s Thomas Beaumont focused coverage on Edwards’ health care views – reports Edwards called for expanding “number of Americans with health care…but stopped short of joining some of his rivals in endorsing a universal national health care plan.”…Beaumont also reports on Kerry’s eastern Iowa visit – headline: “Kerry defends remark on U. S. ‘regime change’” 

Meanwhile, Quad-City Times Ed Tibbetts reports on Kerry’s Davenport visit – “In the Quad-Cities for the first time this campaign, U. S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., said Sunday the Bush administration botched diplomatic efforts to gain support to disarm Iraq. And while he did not repeat his belief there needs to be a ‘regime change’ in the United States, Kerry said he wouldn’t shrink from a fight with the administration or the Republican Party.”…

Matt Drudge notes – during current controversy over Kerry’s “regime change” comments that it has been a consistent, on-going theme for Democrats and anti-Bush critics over recent months. Drudge notes that Kerry may have been the first Dem wannabe to use the phrasing, but “other pillars of the party” have been using it for months. Among others calling for “regime change” since last October – Barbra Streisand, Jesse Jackson, Michael Moore, Louis Farrakhan, former AG Ramsey Clark, Susan Sarandon, Dem MI Rep. John Conyers …

Headline from yesterday’s Washington Post online edition: “War Highlights Rifts Among Democrats…Antiwar Faction Poses a Dilemma for Those Seeking to Unseat Bush in 2004” Article by Dan Balz excerpts: “The war in Iraq has divided and largely silenced the Democrats, leaving many of their leaders as bystanders to the conflict and their presidential candidates contending with a resurgent antiwar constituency that could drive the party further to the left. The war has underscored the absence of consensus among Democrats on foreign policy and national security and highlighted concern among some Democrats that, to date, no one has emerged with the experience, political stature or credibility to pull the party together to challenge President Bush on issues that will be central to the 2004 elections… 

Democrats believe that after the war they will unite around criticism of Bush’s diplomatic missteps and the administration’s plans for reconstruction of Iraq. Democrats, they argue, will have no trouble sketching out an appealing Democratic alternative. But the struggle to enunciate a policy on the war may foreshadow a continuing struggle between the party’s centrist and liberal wings long after the shooting stops in Iraq.”…

Drudge Report says story “developing” about Hillary missing deadline to produce a “completed manuscript” for book deal she signed with Simon & Schuster about her days as First Lady. Report says she received a $2.85 million advance on book due next month (for August publication) – but the publisher hasn’t received a completed manuscript and the book doesn’t even have a title yet. 

(Iowa Press Watch Note: Nobody understands what the delay is, but Hillary’s book would be a certain best-seller if she just includes two words – Monica Lewinsky.) 

IOWA POLITICS:

Leftover from yesterday’s “Thistles & Roses” column in the Des Moines Sunday Register – 

a “rose” for Grassley and Harkin for joining together to secure $98 million for the federal animal disease complex in Ames, 

a “rose” to Vilsack for taking state’s economic development efforts to Germany, and a “thistle” to Polk County (Des Moines) Republicans for distributing yard signs distributing signs supporting GWB and troops in Iraq war. Excerpt about yard signs: “They’re nice re-election campaign posters.”

MORNING SUMMARY: 

Morning headlines remain focused on Baghdad. Examples – Des Moines Register top front page headline: “U. S.: Baghdad is ours”  Omaha World-Herald top online headline: “U. S. tanks roll into heart of Baghdad, Saddam’s palace taken” …

In a copyrighted story yesterday, Sioux City Journal staff writer Mike Koehler reported that a “few good men and women of God are becoming hard to find as Siouxland experiences a shortage of clergy.” The report said “area religious leaders are struggling” to fill open pastoral positions…

The Iowa City Press-Citizen reported that two University of Iowa colleges have moved up at least five spots in the U. S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of graduate school programs. Moving up – the Henry B. Tippie College of Business was 29th this year (up from 34th a year ago) and the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine at 24th  (up from 30th last year). The Press-Citizen also noted that six other UI programs continued to rank among the top 10 in the nation.

WAR/TERRORISM:  

Online “InstaPoll” by Quad Cities TV station WQAD (located on Illinois side of Mississippi River in Moline, but serving IA market) question – “Do you think Saddam Hussein is alive?” Response: Yes by 75-25 margin…

A key government witness – Youssef Hmimssa, who was arrested in Cedar Rapids following the 9/11 attacks – is expected to testify in Detroit this week against four North African men accused of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. Hmimssa pleaded guilty last week to 10 federal charges of fraud and misuse of a visa – clearing the way for him to testify. The government claims the four defendants, who were living in Detroit, attempted to recruit Hmimssa and wanted him to create false documents to help get others into the U. S. Hmimssa was arrested in Cedar Rapids on 9/28/01 …

From VOANews (Voice of America): “The American Embassy in Vienna says funds in Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s bank account in Austria could be used to help pay for the reconstruction of post-war Iraq. U. S. officials say they asked the Austrian Finance Ministry last month to identify and freeze assets of Saddam Hussein’s regime that are held in Viennese bank accounts. The sum is estimated at around $46 million.”… 

Additional restrictions have been imposed around a Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad bridge – which has been identified as one of the nation’s 250 most critical assets – over the Mississippi River at Fort Madison. People are already restricted from walking on the bridge and vehicular traffic is prohibited near it, but now boaters using the river for recreation and fishing cannot anchor within a thousand feet of the bridge or its approaches. Guards will continue around-the-clock surveillance of the bridge while the nation is on heightened terror alert status. 

STATE ISSUES:

In the Mason City Globe Gazette and Quad-City Times, Kathie Obradovich reported over the weekend the president of the League of Women Voters of Iowa said a proposed election reform bill – already passed by the House – could violate federal law by requiring voters to show identification to receive a provisional ballot. Not only did League president Jan McNelly of Webster City express concern about the legislation, but a bipartisan group of county auditors also voiced opposition to additions to the bill designed to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA). A partisan fight has developed over several of the bill’s provisions -- closing the polls an hour earlier and removing election oversight from the Secretary of State’s office. Vilsack has expressed reservations about the legislation, but stopped short of saying he would veto it. 

OPINION:   

Des Moines Register editorials: “They make Americans proud…

With skill and professionalism, our troops are doing the job.”…”

Court TV – make it happen…All U. S. Supreme Court sessions should be broadcast.” Hails Chuck Grassley’s “lonesome campaign” to permit cameras in courtrooms…”

Go after real waste, Cal” Criticizes Cal Thomas column about “government misspending” that appeared in yesterday’s Register…

Headline on reprint of Dallas Morning News column by Carl F. Leubsdorf: “Anti-war stand helps Dean in short term…Candidate antagonizes rivals, but he gains political points in Iowa and New Hampshire”

SPORTS:   

Iowa preferences – and biases – evident in caller poll last night on WHO-TV’s sports “Sound Off” show. Iowans want regional favorite Kansas Jayhawks – and Iowa natives Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich – to clobber Syracuse for NCAA national basketball championship. Poll respondents – by a 77-23 margin – expect a KU win. Headline from this morning’s DSM Register sports section about last collegiate game for Collison and Hinrich: “THE LAST DANCE” …

QCTimes.com (Quad-City Times) beats most other IA media reporting that running game for the Iowa football team is “limping through spring practice” – noting that both Jermelle Lewis, the second-leading rusher last fall, and backup Marcus Schnoor are nursing injuries midway through drills. Report by Steve Batterson says Lewis will be sidelined for an extended period after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during practice last week and Schnoor had a thigh bruise that kept him off the practice field…

Home opener for the Iowa Cubs won’t be until Friday in Des Moines, but does anybody really want them to come home after opening year with three losses to Nashville -- and going 25 innings without scoring a run? 

WEATHER: 

DSM 5 a.m. 32, light snow, wind chill 22…Most locations reporting some snow or rain with temps in upper 20s and 30s – 25 in Mason City and Estherville to 34 in Keokuk…

High today 35, snow likely. Low tonight 22, chance snow. High Tuesday 42, partly sunny. 

IOWAISMS: 

The Sioux City Journal – covering the tri-state area of IA, NE and SD – yesterday carried an AP story about the 10th anniversary of the plane crash in eastern Iowa that killed SD Gov. George Mickelson and seven others. Investigators later determined the crash near Zingle – between Clinton and Dubuque – on 4/19/93 was “nonsurvivable” because of a cracked propeller hub. Among those quoted in the AP coverage: Lynn Ambrosy of Zingle, who with husband Merle lives on the farm where the Mickelson plane crashed into a 65-foot silo. She said, “Every year you think how many years it’s been. It’s one of those things that you say, ‘I can’t even believe this even happened to us.’”…

The Quad-City Times yesterday had a story about Iowa’s 5-year-old McCaughey septuplets. The septuplets – along with their sister and parents, Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey – live in Indianola, but were in Davenport over the weekend to participate in a women’s health and lifestyle event.

     click here  to read past Iowa Morning Reports