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GENERAL
NEWS:
Thursday,
April 10, 2003
Quote
of the war yesterday from Iraqi ambassador to
the United Nations: “The game is over.”
Des Moines Register top front page
headline this morning: “THE TASTE OF
FREEDOM” Register devotes 10 pages to
Iraq coverage…
Americans
transfixed – with work slowed or stopped –
yesterday watching Iraqis, joined by
Coalition forces, topple Saddam statues and
other regime memorabilia and collectibles.
Highlight: Pulling down giant statue of
Saddam…
From
commentator on CNN Radio broadcast watching
demonstrations in Baghdad streets yesterday:
“The U. S. Marines may be saving the
Iraqis from Saddam Hussein, but can the Iraqi
people be saved from themselves?”…
Dem
wannabe – and Iraq war supporter – Lieberman
on apparent (and obvious) military success
in Iraq: “I hope and pray this day, April
9, 2003, will forever be known as V-I day,
victory in Iraq.”…
Hillary
in Hot Water – again: Report from
today’s Des Moines Register – “A bill
requiring gasoline makers to double their
use of ethanol over the next decade
cleared a Senate committee Wednesday despite objections
by Sen. Hillary Clinton and other
Democrats that the mandate was unfair.
“We’re going down a very treacherous
path,” Clinton said, referring to a
provision that would protect gasoline
marketers from lawsuits for any future
pollution problems caused by corn-based
ethanol. “What are we afraid of?”
(See below for more on Hillary’s
anti-ethanol crusade.)…
Life
in Des Moines gets more complicated for
visiting candidates and their staffers. City
officials announce lengthy section (from
19th to 28th) of
downtown artery Grand Avenue – which,
for example, is only about four blocks from Kerry’s
IA headquarters – will be closed next
Monday for seven months…
Overnight:
When the U. S. House voted 285-140 to protect
gunmakers from lawsuits last night, the
alignment probably could have been predicted
– Kucinich voted no, all five Iowa
Congressmen – including Dem Boswell – supported
it, and Gephardt was missing again, recorded
as “not voting.” The legislation would
prohibit suits against gunmakers, dealers,
etc., for damages resulting from “misuse”
of guns. The legislation now goes to
the Senate.
CANDIDATES/CAUCUSES:
  Another
possible IA obstacle for the Dem wannabes:
WHO Radio (Des Moines) farm
broadcaster Gary Wergin says this morning Iowans
– especially the state’s farmers – should
question and challenge Dem presidential
candidates on proposed Senate amendments aimed
at watering down ethanol provisions in
fed energy legislation. Wergin notes two
senators – Hillary and CA Dem
Boxer – have offered some 20 amendments,
primarily to exclude their states (and other
states) from the ethanol provisions of the
bill. He noted that since Iowa is “awash
in senators and governors” seeking the
Dem presidential nomination, “you might
want to ask them how they plan to vote on the
Boxer and Clinton amendments?” Wergin
also notes that ethanol supporters – the
corn growers and renewable fuels groups –
have issued strongly-worded statements
opposing the amendments.
(Iowa
Pres Watch Note: Anti-ethanol politicians
normally don’t fare well
in the IA caucuses. If there’s any doubt,
check out John McCain’s adventure in the
2000 GOP caucuses. This year, in fact, Lieberman
has already told IA reporters his position on
ethanol tax credits is pretty much like
McCain’s – and he doesn’t expect to
win the 2004 Dem caucuses.)
As
Wergin points out, it’s “not a partisan
issue” since the pro-ethanol legislation
has strong support from both Grassley and
Harkin…
On
a related matter, the Senate Environment
& Public Works Committee yesterday
approved legislation expanding the use of
ethanol as a gasoline additive. (See above
re Hillary opposition.) The proposal,
as approved by the committee on a voice vote,
also included authorization for a $20
billion project to bring natural gas to the
states from Alaska’s North Slope…
Two
Dem aspirants – Gephardt and Lieberman
– due in Iowa today. Gephardt appearances
scheduled in Des Moines, Ames
and Fort Dodge today, starting a
three-day swing that will include nine IA
communities. Lieberman set for Des
Moines and Council Bluffs
today with stops in Fort Dodge, Ames
and DSM (again) tomorrow.
Dean
starts two-day eastern Iowa visit
tomorrow and Kucinich due in state
over the weekend …
All
senator-wannabes – along with Grassley and
Harkin – were present and voting when Senate
passed a slimmed-down version of GWB’s
“faith based initiative” yesterday.
Bill passed 95-5 with five GOPs casting the no
votes – both Idaho sens, both WY sens and
Oklahoma’s Nickles…
From
“Inside Politics” column by Greg Pierce in
yesterday’s Washington Times: “Sen. Bob Graham,
Florida Democrat, raised just over $1 million
for his presidential campaign, and Rep.
Richard A. Gephardt, Missouri Democrat,
pocketed $3.6 million in first-quarter
fund-raising results. Mr. Graham’s total
came in just three weeks of phone calls,
according to his campaign. His campaign got a
slow start after the senator underwent heart
surgery earlier this year. Mr. Gephardt,
in addition to the $3.6 million, transferred
another $2.4 million from his Gephardt for
Congress committee.”…
 After
seeing the media frenzy Kerry created with
his ‘regime change’ rhetoric last week,
it appears Hart is going to try his
hand at political phrase making. The Hart
phrase – which appeared in several IA media
reports about his latest visit – is “hornet’s
nest” as in “we are kicking over a
hornet’s nest” by proceeding with the Iraq
invasion. From the Daily Iowan (University of
Iowa): Hart said “that the war in
Iraq would ‘kick open a hornet’s nest’
and make the United State more vulnerable
to terror attacks.”
More
Hart from the Quad-City Times: “Hart
said top [administration] policy advisers
are interested in transforming the region,
not just disarming Saddam Hussein. ‘It’s
not accidental the phrase axis of evil was
used,’ he said, adding that hawks in the
administration see the United States as an
‘avenging angel’ poised to combat
governments it does not like.”…
Gephardt
has done something different
this week – casting a vote in
the House. After several missed votes over
recent weeks, he was recorded as
voting for a resolution
condemning the harsh penalties
handed down to dozens of Cuban dissidents.
The resolution was approved 414-0 with Gephardt,
Kucinich and all five IA Congressmen
support it. But, when the House voted 424-0
to freeze the cost of postage stamps for three
years, Gephardt was recorded as “not
voting” again. Kucinich and the
Iowa Five supported the stamp-price freeze.
IOWA
POLITICS:
Harkin
receives “Porker of Month” recognition
from Citizens Against Government Waste. CAGW
says Harkin got the April monthly award
for “strapping on the feedbag and
earmarking emergency wartime funds to pay for an
agricultural facility in his home state.”
At issue: Last month, Harkin and Grassley
shared credit for getting
$98 million for
renovations and improvements to the national
animal disease complex in Ames…
  How
will Leonard explain his vote to Castro? IA
Congressman Boswell – scheduled to
visit Cuba next month – was among the
414 House members (on a 414-0 vote) supporting
a resolution that condemned the arrest of 79
dissidents. FL Republican Congressman Lincoln
Diaz-Balart said the House “sent a clear
message in support of the Cuban people’s
right to be free and in opposition to the
brutal tyranny that oppresses Cuba.” Boswell
has accepted an invitation to join a group of
IA business leaders on a trade trip to Cuba. Vilsack,
citing scheduling conflicts, has pulled
out of the trip. VOANews (Voice of America)
reported yesterday that human rights
groups “worldwide are condemning
the summary trials as acts of government
repression.”
MORNING
SUMMARY:
Morning
headlines –
Sioux
City Journal online top head: “Iraqis
topple statue to celebrate end of Saddam’s
rule”
Omaha
World-Herald top online head: “Cheers
replace fear in Baghdad”
Chicago
Tribune online headline: “Unrest Grows,
Looting Surges in Baghdad”
Quad-City
Times online top story: “Iraqis fill the
streets as regime falls apart
…
The
outcome of a hearing in U. S. District Court
in Cedar Rapids this morning (10
a.m.) could determine the fate
– and result in at least temporary
closing – of the Meskwaki
Bingo-Casino-Hotel near Tama. The court
action became necessary after two banks
froze accounts of the casino because of a
power struggle between factions of the Sac
and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa.
In addition, the state – because of the
tribal dispute – has been unable to
negotiate a new agreement with the tribe to
allow gambling at the casino, which
generates more than $10,000 a day. The current
state-Meskwaki compact expires on 6/24…
Apparently
taking no chances Iowa farmers will get
confused or engage in a misdirected French
boycott, a new tag line has been added to
commercials for DuPont ag products on WHO
Radio (Des Moines). After reading a DuPont
spot yesterday, ‘WHO farm broadcaster Gary
Wergin said: “DuPont, America’s oldest
company – even if it does have a French name.”
WAR/TERRORISM:
A
Marine Corps investigation into the death of Sgt.
Bradley Korthaus – the first Iowan killed in
the war to free Iraq – has determined it
was accidental and found no negligence by his
commanders. Radio Iowa’s Matt Kelley
reported that questions were raised after
Korthaus and another Marine drowned two weeks
ago attempting to cross the Saddam Canal.
Korthaus was buried Monday with full military
honors at the Rock Island Arsenal National
Cemetery…
Several
news reports quote Grassley as saying
the U. S. won’t lose face in the world
community if extensive mass weapon
stockpiles aren’t found in Iraq. Grassley:
“We’ve found other weapons that he had
that violated U. N. agreements so
there’s no reason to think that he doesn’t
have these other weapons of mass
destruction.”…
Headline
from online edition of yesterday’s Sioux
City Journal – which covers a tri-state
area: “Ellsworth crew carries out bombing
raid on Saddam” Journal carries coverage
that the bomb was dropped by plane, crew out
of Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota…
 IA
GOP Congressman Leach says that as the Iraq
war’s anticipated conclusion gets closer the
United State still has a long road ahead in
helping rebuilt postwar Iraq. Radio Iowa
reports that Leach said the “hot war”
is in some ways the most manageable task,
but that “winning the peace” may be
the hardest part and take years…
On
a voice vote yesterday, the House
approved legislation to provide tax breaks and
other benefits for soldiers and reservists.
The legislation, which now moves on for Senate
consideration, also includes provisions for military
personnel killed in the line of duty and
families of the astronauts killed in the
space shuttle accident. Reacting to the
House vote, Grassley –chairman of the
Senate Finance Committee -- said:
“There’s things that are unique to the
military that the tax code doesn’t
reflect.”…
The
standard North Korea update – From VOANews:
“The United States and South Korea have agreed
to move a large U. S. military facility out of
Seoul as soon as possible. The decision
comes as both countries are struggling to defuse
tensions over North Korea’s nuclear
ambitions.” VOA report says that for
years some South Koreans have called for
moving the Yongsan Garrison base, complaining
that it sits on valuable real estate and
troops based there cause trouble for the
surrounding community. Meanwhile, back at the diplomatic
funny farm – otherwise known as the
United Nations – some strange alignments
developed yesterday as the Security Council
debated what to do about North Korea
situation. Basically, French are siding with
U. S. and old/former friends endorsing U. N.
action, but China – after opposing U. S.
Iraq operation – endorses plans for the
United States to handle North Korea.
FEDERAL
ISSUES:
Several
IA news outlets this morning report Grassley
says a scaled-back federal
tax cut would be acceptable if
it keeps the congressional budget process
moving forward. Grassley, chairman of
Senate Finance Committee, says priority should
be to wrap up work on the budget this week.
He told Iowa reporters yesterday negotiations
on a compromise –
between the House-approved $726 billion (the
amount GWB had proposed) version and the
Senate-approved $350 billion – have stalled.
Grassley indicated after the Senate
rejected Bush’s proposed tax cut that he was
pushing for a midpoint compromise
in the $550 billion range
– but he said earlier this week getting
to that figure would be a “pipe dream.”
Yesterday, he said it’s time to
move ahead with a smaller tax cut.
STATE
ISSUES:
WHO
Radio talk show host Mickelson said he
expected to spend the program discussing Iraq
success and toppling Saddam statues, but
instead he, his listeners and several angry
callers unloaded on yesterday’s “Day
of Silence” – where
participants stayed quiet for the day --
activities for gay students at Des Moines
Roosevelt High School. Mickelson contends Roosevelt
is “sponsoring” (and uses school
facilities for) an event that provides “an
opportunity for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and
transgendered teens to show support for
themselves at your expense.” He noted
that students could buy “Day of Silence”
T-shirts and materials at the guidance
counselor’s office – adding: “Does
the guidance counselor over there sell Bibles
out of the office too, I don’t think so?”
Mickelson said he also doubts the school would
“allow the Bible Club to sell T-shirts
with the scriptures printed on them?”…
In
the Sioux City Journal, Kathie Obradovich
reports that Vilsack believes he can
reach an agreement with Legislature on
income and property tax reform
as well as a multimillion-dollar economic
development fund. Vilsack quote:
“The future of our state really,
literally, depends on the next three or four
weeks of this legislative session.”
OPINION:
Des
Moines Register editorials today: “Liberation…There’s
still a monumental job ahead, but pause to
celebrate this moment.” & State issue:
“Don’t chip away at schools…Three
bad ideas to siphon money should be turned
down”…
Register
Columnist David Yepsen writes about state
budget, headline: “Chicken Littles never
learn state is short of cash” Excerpt:
“It’s budget-cutting time at the Iowa
Statehouse and the boo-hooers are in full
whine…
Excerpt
from commentary by Niall Ferguson, a professor
at NYU’s Stern School, in yesterday’s Wall
Street Journal: “On January 16, 1991, the U.
S. went to war against Iraq. Almost overnight,
the first President Bush’s approval rating
jumped from 64% to 85%. But after that war
ended, the victor’s laurels withered as the
economic slowdown made itself felt. By the
time Americans voted in 1992, his approval
rating had been below the halfway line for six
months. George II may soon face a similar
scenario. If he wins the war but loses on
the economy he will not be the first
incumbent to do so. Nor the first Bush.”
SPORTS:
World-class
hurdler and long jumper Jenny Adams is
latest to join list of track and field stars
expected at Drake Relays in Des Moines on
the final weekend in April. Adams has been ranked
among the top six hurdlers in the world the
past two years and won the long jump at
the 2001 U. S. Outdoor Championships…
In
an effort to keep his key players from getting
injured, Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz has ordered
that Fred Russell – the team’s only
healthy tailback – not be tackled for
the balance of spring drills. Russell said
teammates were “treating me like a china
doll.”
WEATHER:
DSM
5 a.m. 32, fair, wind chill 24…Temperatures
in upper 20s and 30s across IA this morning
– 25 in Iowa City to 37 in Fort
Dodge, Denison and Council
Bluffs…
High
today 62, sunny. Low tonight 38, clear. High
Friday 65, mostly sunny …
National
Weather Service meteorologist Mark Russell
(not the DC Mark Russell) in Des Moines says
Iowa shouldn’t experience any
flooding as snow melts from the spring
storm earlier in the week. He told Radio Iowa
the state doesn’t have any problems with
excessive soil moisture or high rivers and
lakes this spring…
From
WHO-TV’s Brandon Thomas: “It will be warmer
on Friday, with highs in the upper sixties
to low seventies. Great weather this weekend
for the Mayor’s Annual Bike Ride [on
Saturday in Des Moines]. Mostly
sunny on Saturday, with highs in the low
seventies. It will be even warmer on Sunday,
with highs in the low/upper seventies.”
IOWAISMS:
A
sure sign of spring: Not only are
temperatures warming and snow melting after
late season snow early in week, but several
school districts announce they will be running
busses only on hard-surface roads – until
gravel roads dry out…
Another
sure sign of spring: It’s VEISHEA
weekend at Iowa State University in Ames.
The ISU celebration, according to news reports
and the event website, “remains the largest
student-run, alcohol free celebration of
entertainment and education in the nation and second
largest in the world.”
The parade winds through campus and around
Campustown area at 10:30 a.m. For non-Iowans
– since everybody in the state already
knows this – VEISHEA was started
in 1922 and stands for the original ISU
colleges: V for Veterinary Medicine, E for
Engineering, IS for Industrial Science, HE for
Home Economics, and A for Agriculture…
After
spending months on the International Space
Station, astronaut – and native Iowan –
Peggy Whitson’s next NASA assignment will
be to spend two weeks underwater. Radio
Iowa reports that Whitson – from the small
town of Beaconsfield in southern IA –
has been giving speeches across the state
about her space adventure, but she will be
leaving for Key Largo, FL to participate in
“The Aquarius” project this summer.
Whitson will lead the two-week underwater
mission to attempt to simulate some of the
things that happen to the human body in space.
She told KSIB Radio in Creston it would
take a day-and-a-half to return to the
surface due to decompression procedures.
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