GENERAL NEWS:                                                                                 Tuesday, April 15, 2003

…Reports about 14,000 serving with USS Constellation (returning to San Diego to be retired from service) and USS Kitty Hawk (heading to Japan home base) carrier battle groups leaving Iraq region bolster confidence that Coalition forces continue making positive progress in war operations – as Pentagon TV update regular Gen. McChrystal says Iraqi fighters haven’t mounted a “coherent defense” and major combat is essentially over. Also returning home seven members of Boone-based Iowa National Guard aviation unit after five-month tour in Kuwait. They were welcomed back yesterday during ceremonies at Camp Dodge. (Iowa Pres Watch Note: The next question is when the network armies begin withdrawing, drop 24/7 talking-head war coverage and get back to other deserving, under-covered news stories – or shift focus to North Korea?)  

… Lieberman tells South Carolina newspaper – The State in Columbia -- his campaign has been “a bit slow in organizing Iowa.” (More details on The State coverage below.) Then Lieberman tells Florence Morning News that “South Carolina is every bit as important as Iowa and New Hampshire. There’s a lot of ethnic diversity in this state.” (Iowa Pres Watch Note: Why is Lieberman -- in the 2004 Dem caucus campaign -- starting to look a lot like John McCain did in the 2000 IA GOP caucus campaign? Lieberman says – like McCain – he has reservations about ethanol tax credits and now – like McCain again – Lieberman says South Carolina will be as important as IA and NH. Are you sure, Joe, that you don’t want to comment on Wyoming’s importance in the Dem nomination process, too?) 

… Too good to pass up: An Iowa Pres Watch observation – OK, given the above comments, let’s all see what Lieberman’s campaign and political aspirations look like after he finishes behind Gephardt, Kerry, Edwards (and probably Dean) in the Iowa caucuses?  By the time the Dem candidate caravan reaches SC and AZ Lieberman, especially with his attitude, should be back in the Internet Research and Development Lab with Al Gore and the DraftGore.com committee. Just remember this, Lieberman has been a national loser before and he will be again – except this time it will be 10 months before the general election. 

… Duffy cartoon on front page of today’s DSM Register: Two guys in a tank at Syria border – one with “Rummy” on his helmet. He says, “You know, since we’re in the neighborhood.” Take a guess at who the other guy is in the tank?  (Duffy cartoons at www.DesMoinesRegister.com/duffy)

… Morning newscasts report GWB to make Rose Garden “Tax Day” appeal for economic plan – and tax cuts -- this morning. Meanwhile, today’s Des Moines Register reports Grassley is “major target” of group known as the Midwest Coalition for Tax Reform and Economic Growth. Register story excerpts: “A group of Republican activists announced at the [State] Capitol Monday the formation of an Iowa group to lobby in support of President Bush’s latest tax-cut proposal. But the group…concedes its major target” is Grassley, the powerful chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. 

… If WHO Radio talk show host Jan Mickelson is right, the United States might as well bring all the troops home and leave Iraqis to their own destiny – and presumed demise. On yesterday’s program, Mickelson devoted about 45 minutes to analysis of Iraq situation and concluded democracy has “no chance whatsoever. They can have rule of law, but not a Western-style democracy.” He said those trying to institute democratic institutions have “over 1,000 years of history” against them, adding that “our forefathers used them as bad examples” of how to organize a nation. Mickelson added that he is “very pessimistic” about the situation since “our nation seems to be betting the farm on Iraq becoming some kind of western democracy,’ 

…More temperature records expected to be broken today across Iowa – after several high temperature records set yesterday. Today’s forecast high for DSM 85 -- where an 86-degree record has survived for more than a century (1896). 

… Time to start Iowa Pres Watch 2008? While Iowa Dems continue X-raying the current crop of wannabes, Paul Bedard in this week’s “Washington Whispers” in U. S. News & World Report writes: “With Republicans expecting President Bush to roll to reelection in 2004, their focus is fast turning to 2008 and whom the GOP will run against expected Democratic nominee Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Now, Whispers is told that Florida Gov. Jeb Bush looks strong. ‘If Jeb is in the mix’ for the nomination, says a top GOP official. ‘it’s his.’” 

… It appears that antiwar protests and “peace camps” are fine diversions for University of Iowa students during winter and chilly spring days, but now that temperatures are in the 70s and 80s for a couple days it’s time to engage in springtime fantasies – like selecting the Hawkeye coeds to appear in Playboy’s “Girls of the Big Ten” feature next October. The Daily Iowan campus newspaper reports between 150 and 200 students were expected to interview yesterday and today. The best news from the DI coverage (or uncoverage): Steve Parrot – the university’s director of university relations – said the coeds won’t face disciplinary action for posing in the magazine. Among those participating in Playboy interviews: DI Opinions Editor Amanda Mittlestadt, who published a diary of her preparations and reports her “skin looks like I just walked off a Jamaican beach…But I’ve been sizing up the competition around campus (it’s been pretty easy with the nice weather – girls wear so little).”

… Headline from front page of today’s DSM Register: “The naked truth: D. M. to host Miss Nude World competition” Story says up to 75 professional exotic dancers expected at the Lumber Yard strip club, just north of Des Moines, in late October. 

CANDIDATES & CAUCUSES: 

… After a three-day campaign swing through a dozen Iowa communities that concluded over the weekend, Gephardt unloaded a two-day anti-Bush barrage on New Hampshire voters. He appeared at events in Manchester on Sunday and spent yesterday in Laconia and Nashua. Among his attacks on GWB: “Bush was handed the best economy we’ve had in 50 years. He came in and squandered the surplus. I am furious at him and I am furious at Republicans…. [The president’s tax cut proposal] hasn’t done anything other than enrich the wealthiest people in the country. I will take back fiscal responsibility. ”

… From Dean’s weekend visit: The Muscatine Journal yesterday reported on Dean’s Saturday visit to Muscatine, where he participated in an Earth Day cleanup event. The Journal’s Cynthia Beaudette reported: “Prior to the cleanup Dean told supporters the way to beat President George W. Bush in the 2004 election would be to ‘say who you are, be proud of who we are and be very clear about our agenda.” He highlighted his support for a national medical coverage initiative and “concern for the environment.” Don Paulson, co-chair of the Muscatine County Democratic Party, was quoted as saying: “He was over at our house last year. I was pretty impressed with him then and that hasn’t changed. I like both his foreign policy and domestic policy positions.” 

… Edwards is expected to meet today with New Mexico Guv – and former Clinton go-to guy – Bill Richardson during a visit that includes an evening fundraiser with Attorney General Patricia Madrid, who endorsed Edwards’ candidacy last week, among the hosts. The News & Observer in Raleigh reports New Mexico is among the states considering an earlier primary – next February – rather than waiting until the scheduled June primary election. The Raleigh newspaper also reported Edwards “remains without a timetable for deciding whether to run for re-election to his Senate seat in 2004.”

… Lieberman coverage from yesterday’s The State (Columbia, SC) – “Lieberman, in an interview with The State newspaper, called South Carolina his ‘break through’ state. He said he hoped to come in here with ‘a little bit of wind at my back’ from good showings in New Hampshire and Iowa, the first two contests in the primary season. Lieberman said he felt particularly good about New Hampshire, although he admitted he has been a bit slow in organizing Iowa, a caucus state. He denied he was devoting more attention to Arizona, which is trying to steal the limelight from South Carolina by casting itself as the first state where candidates can show their appeal to moderates.” Lieberman said he has more staff on the ground in South Carolina than in Arizona. 

… Also from South Carolina – and yesterday’s The State – again: “Kerry won the endorsement Sunday of Alex Sanders, the former College of Charleston president and appeals court judge who ran unsuccessfully for the U. S. Senate last year. In a statement, Sanders said he chose Kerry for three reasons: “courage, compassion and charisma.” 

… From Greg Pierce’s “Inside Politics” column in yesterday’s Washington Times – under the subhead “A puzzling assertion” --  “’Democrats and Republicans alike were scratching their heads on Wednesday night when former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean appeared on MSNBC and claimed that he and Sen. Bob Graham had voted against the war on Iraq. But Dean has been out of office for months and didn’t have a vote.

Anywhere,’ the anonymous Prowler writes at www.spectator.org. ‘In the end, such false bravado probably no longer matters. Given that Dean built much of his early campaign on an antiwar stance, most political insiders say he’ll be lucky to survive through the New Hampshire primary.’” (Iowa News Watch New Update: Dean not only voted with Graham against Iraq war, but was co-inventor of the Internet with Al Gore.) 

… While waiting to see Kerry’s income tax reports – especially the Heinz money – several media outlets report on Dean’s income from last year as he joins GWB is releasing tax returns. Dean and physician-wife Judy reported adjusted gross income last year of $145,634. They paid $29,242 in federal income taxes on taxable income of $110,141. The total personal holdings for the Deans has been established at more than $4 million.  

… In his regular Monday column, Los Angeles Times political analyst Ron Brownstein writes from Charleston, SC: “Although obscured by the war in Iraq, the pace is accelerating in the 2004 Democratic presidential race. The candidates laid down an important marker this month when they announced their fund-raising totals for the year’s first quarter. Last week, most appeared twice together at cattle calls before influential party constituencies. And they are fanning out across the early primary states – including here, where three of the nine contenders appeared this weekend.”

He adds “it’s clear that when the contenders decide the time is right, they will have plenty to argue about.” Among the “early flash points” that are emerging, Brownstein said, are: The war in Iraq, health care, guns, other social issues, taxes, education and trade.  He concluded: “Democrats could start to draw these lines as soon as early May, when they meet in South Carolina for their first formal debate; more likely, they’ll wait until fall. But whenever the Democrats are ready to rumble, they won’t lack for ammunition.”

IOWA POLITICS: 

… Several county auditors are expected to meet with a group of state legislators today to discuss sweeping changes in the way state property taxes are calculated. Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson reports that GOP legislators have crafted a bill that bases property taxes on market value and square footage of a home, business or farm, so property taxpayers aren’t penalized for improvements. GOP Rep. Danny Carroll said, however, the working group of Republican legislators is willing to consider other options and ideas. 

MORNING SUMMARY:  

… Morning headlines – 

Des Moines Register top front page headline: “Last stronghold falls to Marines”

QCTimes.com (Quad-City Times) top online story: “Q-C firm to run venture-capital fund” Gov Vilsack predicted after recent German trip that a partnership was near – and yesterday announced formation of Great River Capital, a join venture between German bank and Iowa banks, corporations and private investors. 

Headline from Sioux City Journal online: “Pentagon says major combat done in Iraq”

Omaha World-Herald top online story: “Major combat likely over in Iraq, Pentagon says”

Daily Iowan (University of Iowa) top national headline: “Marines seize last Iraqi stronghold”

Chicago Tribune online head: “Iraqi Factions, U. S. to Plot Future”

… Two convicts who escaped over weekend from Oakdale corrections facility near Iowa City still at large this morning – still considered armed and dangerous. Register story today reports the men went over a fence – where the alarms were shutoff due to a construction project. The Sioux City Journal – since one of the men, Omar Wilkins, is a convicted murderer from Sioux City – reports this morning witnesses that testified against him at trial are worried.

… WHO Radio talk show host Mickelson yesterday lamented wasting “wonderful” Iowa spring weekend by watching C-SPAN coverage of “peace rally” in California – and comes to conclusion protestors are not just antiwar, but are really un-American. He said, however, C-SPAN was doing a public service because the antiwar movement will “die from over-exposure” if enough Americans see their antics – which he described as “obscene and illiterate.” Mickelson said the CA participants aren’t like “the people who gather in churches here in Des Moines” – “They are not pacifists – not even antiwar…They are anti-American.” He added that he’d “never seen so many knuckle-dragging wasteoids…It was not a peace rally – just anti-American…They are America haters and they were rooting for Saddam.” 

… A rural Fairbank family is homeless this morning after sparks from burning leaves set their house on fire. Radio Iowa reports that sparks from leaves Dan and Wendy Hedges were burning floated up under the eves and ignited the roof of the house. The fire – which occurred just days after a county no-burning ban was lifted – gutted the structure, although there were no injuries. Acres burned yesterday in several major grass fires – including one near Saylorville Lake, northwest of DSM, and in Wapello County between Ottumwa and Bloomfield in southeast IA

WAR & TERRORISM: 

…From BBC News – under headline “Syria not ‘next on list’ says Straw” – report that “UK Foreign Minister Jack Straw has insisted Syria is not the US and UK’s next target in their campaign against weapons of mass destruction. American rhetoric against Syria has become increasingly hostile, with President George Bush saying he believed it had chemical weapons. Mr. Straw said there were important questions for Syria to answer, arguing there was much evidence it had been cooperating with Saddam Hussein’s regime.” 

…From the Korean front, VOANews (Voice of America) reports “South Korean officials say the fall of Iraq’s Saddam Hussein might have prompted North Korea to shift position regarding talks about its nuclear programs…North Korea indicated Saturday it might take part in multilateral talks to resolve the standoff, if it saw a change in U. S. attitude. Previously, Pyongyang had said it would talk only with Washington.”

FEDERAL ISSUES: 

…Grassley conducted a hearing yesterday in IA on Medicare concerns – and got blasted by Dem chairman Fischer for failing to proceed with action to erase state’s Medicare reimbursement inequities. Grassley, as chair of the Senate Finance Committee has considerable impact on Medicare proposals – but Fischer says Iowans don’t need another hearing and added, “What we really need is action.” He also criticized Grassley for not advancing a Harkin bill to provide $25 billion to address the Medicare reimbursement issue. The Iowa Dem Party website also highlights a Fischer criticism of Grassley on the Medicare reimbursement issue – although it appears that the attack release was posted when IA was still experiencing subzero wind chills.

… At the Grassley hearing, two former top Medicare administrators drop minor bombshell on Iowans. Register reports that – after Iowans have been told for years the state ranked last in Medicare reimbursement payments – Iowa actually is 35^th among the states. Iowa is last when only funds spent at state hospitals are included in figures, but don’t include money Iowans spend out of the state such as at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota or at hospitals to treat Iowans who winter in the South. Grassley said, “To me, it doesn’t make much difference” and indicated he will continue to work to equalize reimbursements paid to the states.  

IOWA ISSUES: 

… Speaking of property taxes, WHO Radio reported yesterday that “several thousand” Polk County (Des Moines) taxpayers expected to file protests after getting just-mailed property tax statements. County officials report that the average property taxpayer will see an increase of “over 10 percent.” On top of the tax hikes for Polk County property owners, KCCI-TV (Des Moines) reported yesterday that homeowners insurance in Iowa is expected to increase between 9% and 52% -- that’s right, 52% -- this year. The reason: The rates – which increased an average of 33% last year – are going up again due to the increasing number of severe storms in state over the past five years and rising construction-repair replacement costs.

OPINIONS:  

…This morning Des Moines Register editorial headlines – Top editorial, local issue about increased property tax bills, “Tax valuations: The good news…Your stock portfolio probably hasn’t performed as well as your real estate.”…”Follow through with N. Korea…The display of power in Iraq may have created an opening.”…”Avoid yet another Band-Aid” debates need for special benefits for National Guard members.

… David Yepsen political column, headline: “Anti-war crowd can sniff over jingoism, but I’m proud” writes about Dean, Harkin and other comments about Iraq war operations…and concludes, “But this is one American who has never been more proud of his country.”  

IOWA SPORTS: 

… Iowa jockey Terry Thompson waiting for a phone call that could give him a ride in the Kentucky Derby. Thompson – a three-time riding champion at Prairie Meadows in Altoona – rode 55-1 (very) long-shot Sir Cherokee to victory in last Saturday’s Arkansas Derby, which qualified the horse for the 5/3 Derby. He’s now waiting to see if he gets the Derby assignment.

… The University of Iowa women’s gymnastics team – ranked 13th in the nation at the end of the regular season – has qualified for the NCAA championships for the first time in school history. The team moves on to the national competition in Lincoln, Neb., on 4/24-26.

…Register sports writer John Naughton continues Cleveland tour to send reports home about native Iowans in the pros – former one-year (before going pro) Hawkeye basketball standout Ricky Davis of Davenport, who plays for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavs, and Indianola native Casey Blake, the first-year third baseman for the Cleveland Indians.

…Ames junior forward Alex Thompson – 6-foot-8, averaged 14.2 points a game last season – has committed to play at Iowa after turning down offers from Kansas, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

IOWA WEATHER: 

5 a.m. DSM 65 fair. Temps across IA this morning 54 in Estherville to 66 in Ottumwa and Davenport. High today 85, sunny. Low tonight 58, chance T-storms. Highs Wednesday 72, Showers & T-storms.

IOWAISMS: 

… Midwest news media consumed with sidebar reports about two South Dakotans planning to restore boyhood home of Tonight Show legend Johnny Carson in Norfolk, NE – but as all Iowans know Carson was born in Corning 10/23/25 to “Kit” and Ruth Carson. He’s really from the town with a slogan: “Little Town that could.” If this keeps up, California will want to claim John Wayne – but everybody also knows he’s really Marion Morrison from Winterset. 

… New WHO Radio new self-promo says the 50,000-watt clear channel station specializes in “speaking fluent Iowan.” 

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