GENERAL:                                                                                                Wednesday, April 9, 2003

Iowa Pres Watch morning headlines -- From front page of today’s Des Moines Register: “Kerry to back only pro-choice justices” Register’s Thomas Beaumont reports that Kerry told a group of Dem women in Des Moines yesterday as president he would only appoint justices to the U. S. Supreme Court who support Roe v. Wade decision.  

Headline from inside the Register: “Hart to decide within days on race…The ex-senator, who ends a visit to Iowa today, would be the 10th Democrat to try for the presidential nomination.” Coverage from Hart’s Cedar Rapids stop: He says decision is “only days away, maintaining the feedback he’s received so far is very encouraging.” …

President Bush –in case you missed it last night or went to bed early – has designated today as “National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day.” The recognition of past POWs was announced as GWB also committed to work for the safe return of Americans now regarded as POWs in Operation Iraqi Freedom. U. S military stats indicate seven American troops are considered POWs – while the Pentagon says it is holding more than 7,000 Iraqi POWs.…

The war goes on as questions linger about Saddam and his sons, but Coalition commanders (as well as embedded correspondents) warn against complacency and quick assumptions – saying things look like they are going well, but there’s still work to be done. One of biggest controversies now seems to be living correspondents – especially with Arab media claiming that Arab journalists may have been targeted in war zone -- questioning how colleagues getting shot and killed? (The most likely reason: There’s a war going on with people firing guns and shells, and dropping bombs. Those tanks going through the neighborhood are armed and ready – as well as dangerous and devastating.)…

Best journalistic line of the week from yesterday’s Daily Iowan (University of Iowa): “There won’t be any monkey business when Gary Hart comes to town today.” The report says that Hart’s name “has been synonymous with the scandal that led to his political downfall” during bid for 1988 Dem presidential nomination – which must have been like breaking news on a campus populated by students who were still enrolled in Sandbox 1 and learning to read when Hart was boating with Donna Rice. (More on Hart and other candidates below.)…

Pessimistic Iowans apparently have little hope for peace -- WHO-TV online question: “Will there ever be peace in the Middle East?” Responses: Yes – 21%, No – 79%…

The Sioux City Journal reports spring snowstorm that moved across Iowa earlier in the week set records. The Journal said 6.3 inches of snow fell in Sioux City Sunday – breaking the record of 4” in 4/6/11. The record for snow on a 4/7 also was broken – with another 3.1 inches in Sioux City on Monday, which broke the old record of 2” on 4/7/16…

Good news story of day: Iowa State University kicks off yearlong celebration of 100th anniversary of University Extension service. (More below.)

CANDIDATES/CAUCUSES:

Hart takes center stage in IA today  – primarily because he’s the only prospective Dem nominee scheduled in state. He’s in second day of a two-day visit, but he’d better do his political song-and-dance routine fast because a couple heavy-hitters – Gephardt and Lieberman – land tomorrow…

Kerry tells WHO Radio (Des Moines) yesterday that protests condemning his “regime change” remarks – such as the one held over weekend outside his DSM campaign headquarters – are being organized by Republicans. That may be the most astute observation and most accurate statement Kerry has made since announcing his presidential candidacy… 

Speaking of WHO Radio, talk show host Mickelson yesterday ridiculed Edwards’ statement during DSM Sunday forum about “taking the fight” to GWB. Mickelson played tape of Edwards comment – asking “Doesn’t he sound almost like Barney Fife?” and noting he “almost fell off my chair” listening to the Edwards’ tough talk. Mickelson says it’s easy to be tough in “a totally friendly environment” with a “nearly hand-picked audience” at a forum arranged by Harkin. Mickelson: “It cracks me up. If he wants to fight anybody, why doesn’t he come out where the big boys are?” Just to pile on the North Carolina senator, Mickelson then played an audio cut of Barney Fife (Don Knotts) as the Mayberry deputy – apparently so listeners could determine whether Edwards or Fife/Knotts sounded more ridiculous, or funnier…

But that’s not the end of it – Greg Pierce in the “Insider Politics” column from yesterday’s Washington Times: “Sen. John Edwards defended his backing of the war in Iraq to skeptical Democratic activists Sunday, but said the real test of U. S. policy will come after the fighting ends…In the first session [of the monthly Harkin-moderated forums featuring the Dem wannabes], Mr. Harkin and Mr. Edwards prowled the stage taking questions from about 300 activists. The questions, mostly on domestic issues, sounded like speeches, the Associated Press reports.”…

In Iowa City during his two-day swing through IA, Hart told the Daily Iowan the Dems “are not going to win the White House on domestic issues alone. I know I’m the only candidate talking about the need not to go to war in the Middle East until we’ve prepared at home.” The DI article noted “Hart said it is not unpatriotic or inappropriate to speak against the war while it is still going on.” Hart quote: “It’s possible to support the troops, which we all do, and still question [national] policy. I know this country is not prepared for the terrorist attacks that will probably result from the war. You can’t keep your mouth shut about things like that.” 

Hart also landed a live interview last night with WHO-TV (Des Moines) anchor John Bachman –revealing the exciting news that he’s glad to be back in Iowa. (Iowa Pres Watch Note: With enlightening interviews like that, Hart might have been better off if he’d sent Donna Rice to do the interview.)…

When the Senate voted 80-0 Monday to confirm the judicial appointment of Cormac J. Carney as a federal district judge in CA, all of the senator-wannabes – Edwards, Graham, Kerry, Lieberman (along with Harkin) – were among the missing. Meanwhile over in the House, Gephardt continued to assure his St. Louis area constituents that they continued to be un-represented. (Iowa Pres Watch Note: Actually, it’s a tossup whether he’s there or not.  They are un-represented when he misses House votes – and are misrepresented when he is there and voting.) Gephardt was recorded as “not voting” when the House considered a series of fairly non-controversial bills…

The story that keeps giving and giving and giving – back to the Kerry “regime change” controversy one more time: The Washington Times’ Donald Lambro – under the online headline, “Republicans say Kerry broke vow not to attack Bush” – reports: “Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, who said both Iraq and the United States ‘need a regime change,’ broke his vow not to politically attack President Bush while the country is at war, Republican officials charged yesterday [Monday]. At the same time, New York City’s former Democratic mayor, Ed Koch, warned Mr. Kerry that he ‘is going to end up on the garbage heap’ for what he said.” The Koch quote: “I think Senator Kerry is going to end up on the garbage heap because of his quote attacking the president and, in effect, by using language, which was, we need a regime change here at home, and that the president, in effect, has embarrassed us by the way he has conducted himself internationally.”…

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. – and multimillionaire automobile dealer – Donald S. Beyer Jr. announced this week he will not run for Congress, but will be national treasurer for the Dean presidential campaign. Beyer’s name had surfaced as a possible primary challenger against Dem Rep. James Moran – who got in hot water last month by saying Jewish influence pushed the nation toward war with Iraq. Beyer – who served two terms as VA’s Lt. Gov. -- said he agreed last Friday to join the Dean team as treasurer and added, “What I liked most about Howard is his unpretentiousness and his plain-talking, heart-of-the-message style. He’s very bright and seems to be fearless.”

MORNING SUMMARY:

Another day – and more Baghdad/war headlines. A couple examples – 

Quad-City Times top online headline: “Pentagon confident Saddam at target site”

Sioux City Journal online headline: “U. S. troops seize airport, Saddam’s fate unknown”   

Des Moines Register top front page head: “Army, Marines have headlock on Baghdad…Warplanes fill city’s airspace”…

The Daily Iowan (University of Iowa) reports that a former employee at Iowa City-based ACT – American College Testing – says “her supervisor fired her last week for refusing to remove an antiwar button from her shirt in the workplace.” The DI report by Amy Jennings: “Sarah Townsend said supervisor Chris McPherren terminated her employment and escorted her from the building after she defied a company policy that prohibits political statements about the war on Iraq in the workplace but allows displaying the American flag…The button that got the 1999 UI alumna allegedly booted reads, ‘The world says no to war. United for peace and justice.”…

Despite the spring snows earlier in the week, the first weekly crop report has been issued. The basics – frost “pretty much” out of the ground except in NE IA, fertilizer application is “well underway” and 250 acres of soybeans have been planted in Appanoose (Centerville) County, near the Iowa-Missouri border in southeast part of the state…

Radio Iowa reports this morning that one of two cloned calves born last week in northwest Iowa died yesterday afternoon. Report says other calf “continues to gain weight and is active.” The Sioux City Journal yesterday reported (before one calf died): “Two rare bovines, cloned and gestated in the wombs of domestic cows, were born last week at Trans Ova Genetics near Sioux Center, scientists involved in the groundbreaking experiment said.” …

End of an era: Within the next month, Quad-City residents who use the Centennial Bridge over the Mississippi River won’t be shelling out quarters to pay the toll. The Quad-City Times reports the toll will be removed on 5/3 when operation of the bridge – which has been owned by the City of Rock Island (IL) for more than six decades – is transferred to a group involving the municipal governments of Davenport and Rock Island, and the states of Iowa and Illinois. The toll (currently 50 cents for vehicles) was the only revenue source Rock Island had to support bridge operations and maintenance. When the bridge opened in 1940, the tolls were 25 cents for trucks, a dime for cars and 5 cents for pedestrians. The bridge, which took in an average of $210,000 a month in tolls last year, carries about 17,000 vehicles each day.

WAR/TERRORISM:

Observations from BBC’s Jeremy Paxman: “There were claims this morning that the Americans had killed Saddam in an overnight bomb attack. If true, this would signify a clear end of the war. Or would it? Legally we are NOT at war with Iraq. So how can we know when we’ve won? There will be no US flags flying from symbolic buildings and no official peace treaties.”…

Under the heading of news about the next possible war, VOANews reports: “Talks are underway in Seoul between South Korea and U-S officials concerning their military alliance. One topic on the agenda is the possible redeployment of 37,000 U. S. military personnel stationed in the country. The talks come as concerns continue about North Korea’s nuclear programs.” Koreans said the talks were aimed at creating a “more forward-looking alliance” while U. S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Richard Lawless has said the Pentagon wants to make the presence of American troops less intrusive in the daily lives of the Korean people. Some reports indicate the U. S. wants to pull troops away from the North-South border later this year. A key excerpt from the VOANews report by Steve Herman: “North Korea says the United States plans to invade it. Washington repeatedly has denied that charge and says it wants to resolve the dispute peacefully. However, the United States has beefed up its forces in Asia, saying it wants to deter Pyongyang from making any hostile moves.”…

VOANews also reported that police in the Philippines are “hunting for five Indonesians” suspected of being involved in a deadly bombing last week. Authorities say the five men “conspired with a hit squad from the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front, or MILF, to bomb Davao city’s port last week, killing 16 people.”

FEDERAL ISSUES:

As congressional Republicans plot strategies aimed at trying restore the tax cuts sought by GWB, IA Sen. Grassley – chairman of the Senate Finance Committee – said it would be a “pipe dream” to believe the eventual tax cuts will end up in the $550 billion range. The Iowa GOP senator said, however, he was more optimistic about a figure between $350 billion and $500 billion. The president’s plan calls for $726 billion in tax cuts – a proposal already approved by the House – but the Senate cut them to $350 billion. Grassley and others have been trying to secure a compromise of about $550 billion. Grassley: “At the midnight hour, it seems like it’s difficult to get there.” He also told WHO Radio (Des Moines) that if reports about Saddam Hussein being killed in Iraq are confirmed it will also signal the end of Saddam’s political party – which, Grassley said, would break down the loyalties to Saddam. 

Update: Based on video coming out of the war zone this morning – with Iraqis dancing in the streets, trashing Saddam photos, generally celebrating (not to mention looting) – it would appear that Grassley’s analysis was pretty accurate and Saddam’s political party is toast…

Radio Iowa reports two Iowans – Joel Greer of Marshalltown and Sandy Sunde of Estherville – are among American Cancer Society volunteers lobbying in DC this week for more fed money to conduct cancer research.

OPINION:

Des Moines Register editorials: “Big job still ahead…The war won’t be finished until Iraq is a functioning democracy.”  “The right to express hatred…The Supreme Court found a middle ground on cross burning, but left some confusion.” Excerpt: “How are the courts to discern what is in the heart of someone who would set fire to a cross?”…

Register columnist Rekha Basu, headline: “Don’t let Iraq become another Guatemala” Excerpt: “Guatemala is far from the only example of a U. S. intervention intended to shape economies and regimes in American interests.”

SPORTS:

Iowa State women’s basketball associate head coach Robin Pingeton yesterday was named head coach at Illinois State. She spent three years at ISU after compiling a 194-76 record in eight seasons at St. Ambrose in Davenport – and will take over a program that was 7-20 this past season…

After two players were arrested during a three-day period over the weekend, Iowa football coach Ferentz has declared a downtown Iowa City bar off-limits. Ferentz didn’t disclose the name of the bar involved because he didn’t “want to get anybody mad at me” – but the arrests (resulting in disorderly conduct and public intoxication charges against Hawkeye players) occurred in or near two bars on the same city block. The Hawkeye coach said he is going to be “a little more proactive” in curbing future incidents and has been pondering a possible curfew for the team…

From the wrestling front: Iowa State 132-pounder Nate Gallick was named most outstanding wrestler in the FILA junior freestyle world national championships. He – along with ISU’s Kurt Backes, who won the 185-pound title – qualify for the Junior World Championships in Turkey this summer…

Register reports search for a new Drake women’s basketball coach focuses on three candidates with Drake and/or Iowa ties.

WEATHER:

DSM 5 a.m. 24, fog/mist, calm with no wind chill. Temps in teens and 20s this morning – 14 in Clarion and Dubuque to 27 in Council Bluffs and 28 in Burlington …

High today 52, morning fog. Low tonight 28, late night fog. High Thursday 65, patchy fog.

IOWAISMS:

Iowa State University officials and local residents in Hull – in northwest Iowa – kicked off a yearlong celebration of the 100th anniversary of the University Extension service. The event was held Monday night in Hull because the extension movement – which has grown throughout the nation – started after a Hull farmer asked ISU if the university’s research was applicable to northwest Iowa. Shortly thereafter, the Sioux County Farmers Institute established the nation’s first county cooperative experimental farm. By 1918, every county in the state had its own Extension agent. The Iowa State Extension folks report that during 2002 more than 665,000 people had individual contact with ISU Extension programs.

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