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Iowa primary precinct caucus and caucuses news, reports
and information on 2004 Democrat and Republican candidates, campaigns
and issues
IOWA
DAILY REPORT Holding
the Democrats accountable today, tomorrow...forever.
PAGE 1
Thursday,
Aug. 14, 2003
Quotable:
“Leave it to a
politician to distort the memory of his own
dead father for political gain.”
– Union Leader editorial on Gephardt
getting teary-eyed – and invoking deceased
father’s name – at Teamsters endorsement event
Quotable:
“There are signs of
trouble for the candidate once presumed to be
a prohibitive favorite in Iowa.”
– Des Moines Register’s Thomas Beaumont,
delivering more bad news for Gephardt
in report on “doubts” about his candidacy
Quotable:
“Appearing out of
touch with the common man can be deadly for a
candidate.”
– Washington Post report on Kerry’s
“steak mistake” in Philly
Quotable:
“The cyberskirmishing prompted an online plea
from Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi
urging supporters not to post messages on
rival blogs.”
– Andrew Miga report in Boston Herald about
Internet battle between Dean and
Kerry fans
Quotable:
“Republicans
believe the worst thing the president could do
at this early stage is utter Mr. Dean's name
in public.”
– Bill Sammon in Washington Times,
reporting on Dean dragging the Dem
wannabes leftward
Quotable:
“John Edwards is
in the fight of his life: either he will
become the next Vice-President of the United
States or his political career will be over.”
– RealClearPolitics.com commentary
Quotable:
“I am the one Democrat
who can take Bush on where he's supposed to be
strong -- security and mainstream values.”
– Lieberman, who was booed at Oklahoma
forum for his Iraq war and gay marriage
comments. Iowa State Fair:
This
is Iowa Park and Recreation Day at the
fair, featuring activities for kids and
families. The bubble gum blowing and pie
eating contests were scheduled on the Riley
Stage. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assn.
will be in the grandstand tonight.
GENERAL
NEWS:
Among
the offerings in today's update:
Under the
headline “Teamster tears,” the Union
Leader criticizes Gephardt in
yesterday’s editorial, says he “fibs” about
dead father
The
Dean-Kerry Feud moves on to Internet battle
as Deanies attack new Kerry blog site – but
both sides suspect some GOP mischief
Lieberman
booed in Oklahoma
Even the
Des Moines Register is now writing about
“doubts” Gephardt will repeat his 1988
success in the IA caucuses
Washington
Post Poll indicates that “opinion on Bush
stabilizes”
At
Waterloo union convention, Edwards and
Gephardt brag about their fight against
trade deals
RealClearPolitics.com commentary says
Edwards in the fight of his political life
Kerry
makes steak mistake in Philly by skipping
the Cheez Whiz – and is then caught
“nibbling daintily at his sandwich”
Washington
Times: GOP sees Dean pulling Democrats to
the left
Issues:
Chicago Trib reports that Vatican will issue
biotech policy statement
Rove –
identifying Florida as “Ground Zero” for ‘04
– says it will take a combination of
“brotherly love” and voter turnout to carry
the state
State – Law
Enforcement Academy rules appear to negate
legislation allowing civilians to enroll in
police training programs All these stories below and more.
Morning reports:
Gambling
fever strikes Mason City-Clear Lake area.
Morning news reports indicate the Cerro Gordo
County Board of Supervisors yesterday set
9/16 as the date for referendum on casino
gaming. Petitions bearing more than 1,800
signatures – more than necessary – requesting
a vote were presented to the board
The story
every IA media outlet – especially those in
western IA – has this morning: Warren
Buffet will serve as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s
“senior financial and economic adviser.”
WOWT-TV (Omaha) notes that he’s donated
to Graham – and he’s “also a Democrat.”
The Sioux City
Journal reports this morning that two Sioux
Center men – Jared Kenneth Ehrp, 24, and
Bradley James Emerson, 23 – have been charged
with arson in connection with last month’s
fire at the Sioux Center Public Library.
Authorities alleged that they caused the fire
by placing an explosive device in the
library’s drop box
WHO Radio (Des Moines) reports that
a fourth Iowa National Guardsman – Pfc. David
Kirchhoff, 31, of Anamosa -- has been injured
in Iraq. He has been airlifted to Germany,
but details of how he was injured and his
condition have not been released.
… Wannabes
still torment Iowans: Most of the wannabes
are scheduled to surface today at a Vilsack-sponsored
health care forum in Des Moines.
Otherwise – Dean also has appearances
set in Newton, Des Moines and Nevada…Edwards
continues his “Main Street” tours with
stops in Mason City, Iowa Falls and
Webster City… Gephardt’s in Des Moines…Graham
concludes weeklong eastern IA tour in
Marshalltown and Des Moines,
attends Iowa Cubs game with former MLB pitcher
Fergie Jenkins…Kerry’s in Des Moines too…Kucinich
attends the state fair. Tomorrow – In
Iowa, Kucinich with actor/activist Ed Asner
in Cedar Rapids, Lieberman at fair,
Dean has stops between Marshalltown
and Cedar Rapids… Edwards at
state fair and ends day in Cedar Rapids
and Iowa City.
…
The Union
Leader editorialists take on Gephardt this
time – for weepy comments about his deceased
father at Teamsters endorsement event.
Headline
on editorial from yesterday’s UL: “Teamster
tears: Gephardt fibs about his father again”
Editorial excerpt: “Dick
Gephardt
got teary-eyed on Saturday when the Teamsters
endorsed him for President. ‘How proud my
dad would be to see me here today getting the
endorsement of his union that fought for him,’
he said. Yeah, right. Gephardt’s
own brother refuted the myth of Gephardt’s
union-proud father months ago when he told the
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, ‘My father was in the
Teamsters, but that’s because he had to be to
get the job. I don’t recall him talking much
about the union, how great it was. He
prided himself on being a Republican.’
Leave it to a politician to distort the memory
of his own dead father for political gain.”
… Article of the
day. Cyberattacks fuel latest
chapter of the Dean-Kerry rivalry as Deanies
raid the Mass Sen’s new Internet venture.
Headline from yesterday’s Boston Herald: “Dean
fans flog blog, rip Kerry to threads”
Excerpt from report by the Herald’s Andrew
Miga: “The testy rivalry between
presidential hopefuls John F. Kerry and Howard
Dean has spilled over to Kerry's new campaign
Web log, which has been swamped with mocking
messages from Dean backers. ‘Kerry
a real Democrat???!!!’ taunted one Dean
supporter with ‘Sam’ as an online name.
‘That's a laugh.’ Desperate to capture
some of the cybermagic that propelled the
former Vermont governor to the top tier of the
2004 Democratic pack, Kerry on Saturday
launched a web log, or ‘blog,’ to chronicle
his travels and rally supporters. But the
Bay State senator's online journal - patterned
after Dean's hugely successful
BlogforAmerica.com - was soon invaded by
swarms of taunting Dean supporters, turning
cyberspace into the latest Kerry-Dean rift.
‘Right after GWBush, I want to beat John
Kerry the most,’ wrote one blogger.
Several pro-Dean bloggers lashed
Kerry for stealing the former Vermont
governor's Internet-savvy campaign tactics.
‘When (Kerry) finds out that Dean
has got momentum, he's copying everything from
him,’ wrote a blogger identified as ‘copycatkerry.’
The Kerry camp, while dismissing such
Internet sparring as campaign pranksterism,
insisted the online rants have badly misfired.
‘The Dean trolls have actually fired up
Kerry supporters, and increased their energy
and excitement to organize for John Kerry,’
said Kerry spokeswoman Kelley Benander.
‘Troll’ is web slang for people who post
harassing comments. Some bloggers posted a
list of Kerry's missed Senate votes.
Others ripped Kerry for backing the
Iraq war, for not being liberal enough and for
attacking Dean. ‘Kerry and his
campaign manager Jim Jordan have been saying
nasty things about Dean all along. They
attack Dean, we speak back on their
blog. Seems fair to me,’ wrote blogger
‘Dave.’ A blogger named ‘Trey Phish Head’
claimed he was a Dean backer and a
‘shallow lonely stoner that lives to spam my
enemy.’ Such comments irked Kerry
supporters, who responded with a volley of
blistering blog entries. ‘Until this stops,
I am going to raise hell on the Dean boards,
and I encourage all Kerry people to join me,’
ranted a blogger known as ‘Pocki,’ who added
angrily, ‘(Dean) is a traitor anyway.’
Another Kerry backer blasted Dean
supporters for ‘attacking like trust fund
babies.’ The cyberskirmishing prompted an
online plea from Dean campaign manager Joe
Trippi urging supporters not to post messages
on rival blogs. Other pro-Dean bloggers
apologized for the vitriolic messages from
fellow Dean backers. ‘I am truly
embarrassed that some alleged Dean
supporters have posted nasty messages,’ wrote
blogger ‘Passing Shot.’ Some were frustrated
by both sides. ‘All I found on one side are
potty-mouthed Deanies - and on the other,
snooty Kerryites,’ wrote ‘Lilly James.’
Aides to both Kerry and Dean suggested
mischievous Republicans could also be behind
some of the anti-Kerry entries allegedly from
Dean supporters. ‘Who knows who is
actually writing this stuff?,’ asked Benander,
noting the difficulty of confirming identities
online. Dean spokeswoman Dorie Clark
had no comment.”
… Washington Times
report says Bush team has no desire to be
drawn into Dem prez contest – and no intention
of mentioning Dean’s name. Headline from
yesterday’s Times: “GOP sees Democrats
lurching left” Excerpt from report by
Times political ace Bill Sammon: “President
Bush's re-election campaign views Howard
Dean as pulling fellow Democratic
presidential hopefuls leftward and prompting
them to contradict themselves on the Iraq
war. ‘The entire Democratic field is
playing follow the leader with Dean,’ said
a source close to the Bush campaign. ‘I don't
think that's a healthy thing for a party.’ Bush
backers are confident the leftward lurch and
resulting policy contradictions will hurt
Democratic candidates like Sen. John Kerry of
Massachusetts, who has been criticizing the
Iraq war even though he voted for it. ‘Now
they've changed their position because Howard
Dean has raised so much money,’ the
Bush source said. ‘If you're willing to change
your position on that, what aren't you willing
to change your position on? There's a huge
credibility issue.’ By making credibility
an issue, the Bush campaign is trying to
counter efforts by Democrats who have gone
after what they see as the president's
greatest strength — his veracity. Earlier this
summer, Democrats pounced on Mr. Bush for a
questionable claim in his State of the Union
address. Bush supporters acknowledge that
one of the Democratic candidates, Connecticut
Sen. Joe Lieberman, has consistently supported
the war effort. At a Democratic debate on
Monday, Mr. Lieberman said ‘some of my
opponents have been ambivalent’ on the war and
even singled out Mr. Kerry. But Mr.
Lieberman is trailing Mr. Dean, who
recently emerged as the front-runner in both
Iowa and New Hampshire, sites of the nation's
first caucuses and primary. The former Vermont
governor has also been consistent in his
position on Iraq — he vehemently opposed the
war. And even the president's supporters
concede that Mr. Dean has the gutsy,
straight-shooting style that has served Mr.
Bush well since the terrorist attacks of
September 11. Dean spokesman Eric
Schmeltzer said that is one trait that his
boss admires in Mr. Bush. ‘Governor Dean
has been very, very honest about what he
thinks the appeal of President Bush is — and
it's not that people agree with his policies,’
he said. ‘But they do absolutely see him as
somebody who never wavers in what he says.’…
’They tend to believe what he says because
he's perceived as a straight shooter,’ he
added. ‘And the only way you're going to
beat President Bush is to run a campaign where
you're equally straight and honest with the
American people.’ Instead of attacking Mr.
Dean on credibility or style, Bush
supporters plan to criticize the substance of
his platform. For example, they are
prepared to make the argument that Mr. Dean's
call to repeal the Bush tax cuts amounts to a
huge tax increase just when many Americans are
trying to find jobs. But for now, the Bush
campaign plans to avoid getting drawn into
reacting to Democratic developments like the
recent Dean surge. Republicans believe
the worst thing the president could do at this
early stage is utter Mr. Dean's name in
public.”
… Kerry –
in an apparent competition with Dean on farm
policy announcements – outlined his proposal
a day before Dean yesterday detailed his
proposal just a couple counties away. (See
yesterday’s Daily Report for more on Dean’s
proposal.) Headline on Kerry’s
announcement from yesterday’s Mason City Globe
Gazette: “Kerry touts farm reform”
Excerpt from John Skipper’s coverage –
datelined Klemme: “Standing in
front of a hog confinement operation owned by
the DeCoster family, U.S. Sen. John Kerry said
Tuesday the ‘corporatization’ of agriculture
is destroying the family farm and pledged that
as president he would press for reforms.
‘Corporate farmers ought to be regulated like
the big-time industries they are,’ he said.
Kerry, D-Mass., one of nine Democrats
seeking the party’s 2004 presidential
nomination, offered a five-point program of
reforms. ‘Corporations have an unacceptable
concentration of power. We need to restructure
environmental laws and we need an attorney
general who understands anti-trust laws and
enforces them,’ he said. Kerry’s
reform plan calls for: Banning the
corporate packer ownership of livestock,
restructuring the Environmental Quality
Incentive Program to ensure it benefits family
farmers, requires a comprehensive nutrient
management plan and ensures its funds are used
as intended, enforcing antitrust laws if a
merger reduces competition to the degree that
if affects prices to hog producers, protecting
independent farmers from discriminatory
pricing, and insisting the EPA and USDA work
together to work with states to set and
enforce environmental protection rules and
laws. Kerry met with supporters at the
Rose Bowl in Mason City and then headed
for Klemme, stopping once to view from
the roadside a hog confinement operation south
of Ventura. He then went to the site of
the DeCoster hog operation about 300 yards
from the property of Gloria Goll of Klemme.”
…
Another bad
day – and more unfavorable commentary – for
Edwards as his chances for Dem nod fade and
reports say GOP “smells blood” in the NC
political water.
Under the
headline “The
Fight Of John Edwards’ Life,”
a RealClearPolitics.com commentary noted that
things aren’t looking up for the NC wannabe.
Excerpt: “The way things are shaping up,
John Edwards could really be screwed.
Despite raising tons of trial lawyer money
he's been unable to make any headway in the
polls over the last few months. In national
surveys he's averaging about 5% (slightly
behind Al Sharpton), and running sixth out
of the nine candidates in the field. In key
primary states Edwards is fairing even worse,
running a distant fourth in Iowa (5%) and
almost off the radar screen in New Hampshire
(2%). The only bit of good news Edwards
has gotten recently came from an
ARG poll of South Carolina released
this week showing him moving into second place
at 10%, even though
Zogby's last SC poll in late July
had him generating a paltry 5% support and
running behind Lieberman, Gephardt,
and Sharpton. Meanwhile, back in
North Carolina things aren't any better. State
Democrats have become
increasingly nervous and frustrated
by Edwards' unwillingness to commit to either
running for reelection to the Senate (by
pulling the plug on his Presidential run or
running concurrent campaigns) or to stepping
aside and clearing the way for somebody else.
They have good reason to be nervous.
Edwards
poll numbers in his home state are
atrocious: he's sporting a 32% reelect, a
41% unfavorable, and a majority of voters
(51%) disapprove of his running for president.
Oh, and by the way, in a hypothetical matchup
Edwards loses his home state to Bush by
18 points...An inability to hold on to a
vast majority of the African-American vote in
North Carolina spells certain doom for
Democrats. It doesn't help matters that the
party's lone Senator is off campaigning around
the country instead of mending fences at home.
On the other side, the GOP smells blood in the
water.
Republican Congressman Richard Burr
already has $3 million in the bank and trails
Edwards by only 11 points in the latest
polls. Edwards knows he's in dire
straits. This past week he
launched ads in both Iowa and New Hampshire
to try and boost his sagging numbers. But
if he can't turn around his campaign for
president, or if he hangs on too long trying
and does irreparable harm to his Senate
reelection bid, the best Edwards can hope for
is that a Northeastern liberal like Dean or
Kerry wins the nomination and picks up the
phone to round out the ticket. John Edwards is
in the fight of his life: either he will
become the next Vice-President of the United
States or his political career will be over.”
… Under the
subhead “Spamming Bushies,” John
McCaslin reported in his “Inside the Beltway”
column in yesterday’s Washington Times: “Bryan
Wilkes, a member of the Bush administration,
was surprised to get ‘spammed’ yesterday by
Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean.
‘I think it's interesting that Howard
Dean is spamming people to try to get
support, especially since he's touting his
online grass-roots efforts,’ Mr. Wilkes said
of the candidate's mass computer e-mailing.
The former governor of Vermont brags in his
generic spam message that he's attracted more
than 250,000 supporters via the Internet in
recent months — raising a whopping $7.6
million during one eight-day period in June. Mr.
Dean told Mr. Wilkes that, with his financial
help, he can defeat his boss in 2004.”
… In Iowa –
where pro-trade policies are pushed by farmers
and commodity groups – Edwards and Gephardt
brag about leading the fight against trade.
Headline from this morning’s The Union
Leader: “Democrats court key labor vote”
Excerpts of coverage from Iowa Federation of
Labor convention in Waterloo by AP’s
Mike Glover: “Six Democratic
presidential candidates sketched out
differences on health care and trade Wednesday
as they competed for the backing of organized
labor, which is key to securing the party's
nomination. North Carolina Sen. John
Edwards and Missouri Rep. Richard
Gephardt bragged that they've led the
fight against trade deals, saying the deals
resulted in American jobs being shipped
overseas and declining wages. The two men
criticized their rivals who have supported
trade pacts in the past. ‘Most of them
were for those treaties when they were before
Congress,’ said Gephardt, wagging his
finger. Added Edwards: ‘There are a lot
of Democrats have never seen a trade agreement
they didn't like.’ Trade is a key issue for
organized labor because an effort to expand
the North American Free Trade Agreement is
pending before Congress. Massachusetts Sen.
John Kerry conceded that he had voted for
trade agreements during the Clinton
administration, but argued that he now
opposes expansion of those agreements. ‘During
the Clinton years I voted for trade, but we
have seen a sea change over those years,’
Kerry said. Florida Sen. Bob Graham
said he would push for protections in any
trade agreements negotiated with other
countries. ‘If we have a level playing field,
we can win,’ he said. Kerry, Graham and
Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman all voted in
favor of the original NAFTA, but Kerry and
Graham argued that it is now time for
additional protections. Former Vermont
Gov. Howard Dean said he supported
NAFTA because it was good for his state.
Dean now wants labor and environmental
standards added to it. Ohio Rep. Dennis
Kucinich said he would pull out of the World
Trade Organization and cancel NAFTA altogether.
‘Anyone who talks about changing it doesn't
know what he's talking about,’ he said.
Kerry and Graham argued that Gephardt's $200
billion-plus plan to expand the nation's
health care system was too expensive,
although all of the candidates have their own
plans to fix the system.”
…
“Independent-minded” Lieberman draws boos –
again – for efforts to promote a centrist
agenda, says his war position and opposition
to gay marriages will make him the best
wannabe for Oklahomans. Headline from
yesterday’s The Union Leader: “Lieberman
says war stand makes him best candidate”
Excerpts of report by the AP’s Ron Jenkins
from Stillwater: “Aiming his rhetoric at
the American heartland, Sen. Joe Lieberman
said Tuesday that his support for the war in
Iraq and his opposition to gay marriage make
him the best Democrat to pry Oklahoma's voters
away from President Bush. It's been 40
years since a Democrat won this state, and its
new prominence in the primaries brought six of
the party's nine candidates to Oklahoma State
University. Lieberman strived to separate
himself from the others, despite occasional
boos from the youthful crowd, numbering nearly
6,000. On Iraq, the Connecticut senator
said some of his opponents ‘run the risk of
sending a message that they don't know a just
war when they see one.’ That drew boos, as
did his opposition to same-sex marriages.
In response, Lieberman suggested that
that his moderation would play well off
campus. ‘These Oklahomans and people all over
America should vote for me because I am an
independent-minded Democrat,’ he said. ‘I
am the one Democrat who can take Bush on where
he's supposed to be strong -- security and
mainstream values.’ That would better
position him to take on Bush's ‘right-wing
agenda,’ Lieberman said.
Lieberman said his traditional values would
make him stand out as the other candidates
moved left. ‘To not be willing to speak
from the core of mainstream values and
occasionally mention God's name as a source of
inspiration for our country, that's a
mistake,’ he said.”
… Could a “dollop of
Cheez Whiz” – or absence of “a dollop of Cheez
Whiz” – be costly to Kerry’s presidential
aspirations? Headline from yesterday’s
Washington Post: “Steak Raises Stakes for
Kerry in Philly” Excerpt from coverage by
the Post’s Dana Milback: “If Sen. John F.
Kerry's presidential aspirations melt like a
dollop of Cheez Whiz in the sun, the trouble
may well be traced to an incident in South
Philadelphia on Monday. There, the
Massachusetts Democrat went to Pat's Steaks
and ordered a cheesesteak -- with Swiss
cheese. If that weren't bad enough,
the candidate asked photographers not to take
his picture while he ate the sandwich;
shutters clicked anyway, and Kerry was
caught nibbling daintily at his sandwich
-- another serious faux pas. ‘It will doom
his candidacy in Philadelphia,’ predicted
Craig LaBan, food critic for the Philadelphia
Inquirer, which broke the Sandwich Scandal.
After all, Philly cheesesteaks come with Cheez
Whiz, or occasionally American or provolone.
But Swiss cheese? ‘In Philadelphia, that's
an alternative lifestyle,’ LaBan
explained. And don't even mention Kerry's
dainty bites. ‘Obviously, Kerry's a
high-class candidate, and he misread the
etiquette,’ LaBan said. ‘Throwing fistfuls
of steak into the gaping maw, fingers dripping
-- that's the proper way.’ For Kerry,
a Boston Brahmin, this is something of a sore
spot. As he seeks to lose his reputation
for $75 Salon Cristophe haircuts, Turnbull &
Asser shirts and long fingernails to play
classical guitar, he has been seen riding a
motorcycle and doing other regular-guy things.
Appearing out of touch with the common man
can be deadly for a candidate. Recall
George H.W. Bush's wonderment in the 1992
campaign upon coming across a supermarket
scanner, and Sargent Shriver's legendary
request for a Courvoisier while visiting a
milltown bar in 1972. Kerry spokesman
Robert Gibbs insisted that the candidate was
‘not taking a dainty nibble’ of the steak.
‘I suspect that Kerry was thinking
about provolone cheese but became distracted
by thinking of the more than 3 million jobs
that have slipped through the holes of George
W. Bush's economic plan.’ The owner of Pat's
Steaks, Frank Olivieri, was forgiving, though
he points out that Bill Clinton and Al Gore
knew to ask for Whiz. ‘It happens,’ he
said. ‘I swayed him to the Cheez Whiz. If
you're eating in Philadelphia, you eat what I
serve you.’ At least Kerry didn't ask
for Camembert.”
… “Doubts prevail in
Iowa on Gephardt victory” – headline from
front page of yesterday’s Des Moines Register.
Excerpt from report by the Register’s caucus
watcher, Thomas Beaumont: “Iowa Democrats,
like their peers around the country, seem
drawn this summer to fresh faces in their hope
of finding a candidate who can defeat
President Bush. That's bad news for
Rep. Dick Gephardt. The Missouri
congressman who ran for president 16 years ago
lacks the newcomer mantle of former Vermont
Gov. Howard Dean, and several
Democratic supporters interviewed doubt he can
return their party to the White House. ‘I
just don't know what he's done since he ran
last time to convince me he has that extra
kind of thing that might propel him to be
president,’ said Windsor Heights
Democrat Gloria Lintner, a retired human
resources manager who said she favors Dean.
‘He's a good man, just maybe not in
fighting trim.’ Such doubts are a familiar
refrain on the campaign trail in Iowa, where
Gephardt's 1988 caucus victory put him
in the unenviable role of favorite in 2004.
There are signs of trouble for the
candidate once presumed to be a prohibitive
favorite in Iowa: A second-place
finish to Dean in the latest Des Moines
Register Iowa Poll, questions about whether
all the local officials listed by the campaign
as supporters actually are on board, and
unexpectedly low fund-raising during the
second quarter of 2003. Gephardt campaign
workers said that simply shows that Iowa isn't
runaway Gephardt country. Such troubles
are bumps that are to be expected along the
long road toward the nomination, Gephardt
said last week.”
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