Friday, February 21, 2003

CANDIDATES/CAUCUS: Without Democratic Wabbits – who should be descending on the DNC meeting this weekend – in the state it is a fairly calm and quite (not to mention rational and sane) period on the Iowa Presidential Watch, after a flurry hare-raising activity early in the week. The last Wabbit sighting was Kucinich leaving. Read on…In this morning’s Quad-City Times, Ed Tibbetts writes that Edwards will be first Democratic candidate to kickoff a series of forums being sponsored across Iowa by Sen.  Harkin. The forum order was determined yesterday: April, Edwards in Polk County (Des Moines); May, Dean in Scott County (Davenport); June, Kerry in Cerro Gordo County (Mason City); July, Gephardt in Dubuque County (Dubuque); August, Sharpton in Woodbury County (Sioux City); September, Lieberman in Linn County (Cedar Rapids). Slots remain for additional June, July and August forums. Harkin spokesman says another drawing will be held to determine dates for two newcomers – Kucinich and Moseley-Braun…According to yesterday’s (Thursday) Fairfield Daily Ledger, Kucinich “the self-described ‘candidate for peace’ addressed a crowd of 300 people at the Best Western Fairfield Inn conference room Wednesday. He spoke against Bush’s position on Iraq and called for America to ‘reclaim its rightful role as the peacemaker of the world.’” Ledger Staff Writers Matt Mullenneaux and Erik Gable reported: “Kucinich appeared comfortable with the crowd, and spent little of his speech behind the podium. At one point, the candidate held up the United States flag next to the lectern. ‘There are idealists all over this country who need a chance to remember the ideals this flag represents,’ Kucinich said.” The appearance was billed as a “Creating Peace” event for Jefferson County Democrats and the Natural Law Party, which has considerable support in the Fairfield area.

IOWA POLITICS: DMR sidebar reports that Iowa Republican chairman (and State Rep.) Chuck Larson has expressed interest in becoming U. S. attorney for Iowa’s Southern District, Sen. Grassley said Thursday. Larson’s father is the U. S. attorney for the state’s Northern District. Grassley said Larson and others have visited with him about the job.

MORNING SUMMARY: Top front page headline in this morning’s DMR: “War could last longer if Turkish bases lost…Costs, risks also could increase”…Top headline from DMR Metro & Iowa section: “Leaders calmly heed alert…Despite terror threat, it’s life as usual for Iowans in D. C.” Washington Bureau’s Jane Norman writes that state’s senators and congressmen calmly coping. None has sent family members back to Iowa.

WAR: Vilsack to ring Liberty Bell on east side of Statehouse at noon today to launch a statewide effort to urge Iowa communities to ring bells to support Guard members and reservists called to active duty…Republican state senators have introduced a resolution supporting GWB and military action against Iraq.

STATE ISSUES: “Patty Judge, agricultural secretary for the U. S. state of Iowa, considered in Havana that the U. S. -Cuba Businesspeople Conference that began in Cancun, Mexico on February 17 and ended in Havana on February 19 was a great success and contributed to normalizing bilateral trade…The agriculture secretary from Iowa – she referred to it as a small agricultural state – was one of the more active participants at the press conference to publicize what had occurred during the Cancun talks…Judge affirmed that it was a pleasure for her to be in Havana, something that at one time would have not have been possible, adding that in Iowa, people think that in the future, Cuba is going to be an important trading partner.” 160 businesspeople from 11 U. S. states attended. (Mireya Cataneda, Granma International)

OPINION: DMR editorial about inequities in Medicare reimbursement, “Iowa is still cheated…One state shouldn’t be penalized for its good-sense practice of medicine” … Columnist Basu: “Turning clock back won’t stop abuse” Writes about state legislative proposals, saying “What these lawmakers really want to do is turn the clock back on social developments.” The legislators: Republican Reps. Ken Veenstra and Dan Boddicker.

SPORTS:  Iowa women lose to Minnesota, 77-60. Hawks now 5-8, 13-11…UNI women beat SW Missouri St., 91-81

WEATHER: 6 a.m. temperature: 34…High today 43, Low 21, High tomorrow, 30. Chance of scattered freezing drizzle tonight. Chance of snow Sunday, cooler over next few days with highs in low 20s from Sunday through Tuesday. Below zero wind chills expected early next week.

IOWAISMS: Grandmother of Columbia space shuttle victim dies in Ames. Mary Haviland, 96, was grandmother of both shuttle astronaut Dr. Laurel Clark and 9/11 World Trade Center victim Timothy Haviland.

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