Thursday, February 20, 2003

CANDIDATES/CAUCUSES:

On CNN’s “Inside Politics” yesterday, veteran DMR political columnist David Yepsen said Gephardt is in “tough shape here in Iowa.” Yepsen said there was “affection” for Gephardt during his union visit Wednesday, but “just not a lot of enthusiasm”

In Quad-City Times – www.QCTimes.com -- headline: “Gephardt banks on experience in Iowa” Kathie Obradovich reports Gephardt said during DSM stops “his experience – including mistakes – will help him as he tries again to win the Democratic presidential nomination”

DMR headline: “Gephardt positive about caucuses…The Missouri Democrat touts his health care plan and defends supporting Bush on Iraq”.

MORNING SUMMARY:

DMR top front page story: Copyrighted DMR story, efforts to find private funds to pay Michael Blouin’s salary as state’s new director of the Department of Economic development scrapped. State funds will pay all $181,125.

WAR:

Stella Shaffer of Radio Iowa/Learfield Communications reports that public service announcements are airing on some eastern Iowa radio stations urging people to consider alternatives to war – not from students or anti-war activists, but from eastern Iowa’s Catholic sisters. Shaffer report says sisters in abbeys in eastern Iowa, western Illinois, northeast Missouri and southwestern Wisconsin are praying for peace. Says that while they pray for peace they also pray for the well-being of US troops. (Stella Shaffer, Radio Iowa/Learfield Communications, www.radioiowa.com, posted 2/19)…Current Iowa Guard call-up: WHO-TV reports 1,800 Iowa Guardsmen on duty, 700 on standby. Units called up Tuesday from Iowa City, Centerville and Muscatine. Guard spokesman says he expects 2,500 Iowa Guard personnel on active duty by next week.

STATE ISSUES:

Republican state Sen. (and former Congressional candidate) Larry McKibben (Marshalltown) proposes state “flat tax.” McKibben, chair of Senate Ways and Means Committee, would set rate at 3 ½ percent…

OPINION:

DMR editorial: “Don’t blame malpractice suits…Reforming health care takes a lot more than caps on liability awards”…Yepsen column: Roundup on several topics, including a guide of restaurants for visiting politicos, noting a couple that are “within staggering distance” of DSM downtown hotels…DMR’s Marc Hansen column, “France’s disdain befuddles historian” Drake University’s Julian Archer is “a major Francophile” wondering what France is up to

SPORTS:

Men’s basketball teams have tough night: Indiana 79, Iowa 63; Texas A&M 66, ISU 54; Wichita State 80, Drake 70…but UNI men win, 84-80, over Bradley and Iowa State women beat Texas A&M in Ames, 58-46. Games tonight: Iowa women vs. Minnesota in Iowa City, UNI women vs. Southwest Missouri State in Cedar Falls.

WEATHER:

6 a.m. temperatures range from mid-20s to mid-30s across Iowa, 31 in DSM…High today 47. Low tonight 30. High Friday 44. Snow, probably a dusting, possible over weekend with heavier snows south of Iowa. Colder early next week with lows possibly a couple degrees below zero.

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