Saturday, March 15, 2003

GENERAL: Ides of March… A good Saturday morning for three Dem wannabes – Gephardt, Kerry, Lieberman – as they separate from rest of field in Iowa with double-digit showings in KCCI-TV (Des Moines) poll. (Numbers and more below)… KCCI also interviewed 600 likely voters – 312 women and 288 men – about support for war with Iraq: In response to question – “Would you support military force against Iraq, or not?” – 55% answered “yes” while 41% opposed war and 4% not sure. Both men (60%-37%) and women (50%-45%) indicated they would support military action (Numbers and more below)… Reports of possible U. S. counterattack on Iraq forces intensify after Iraq moved closer to U. S. units, getting into position to attack American military units and Israel. Even CNN reports Saddam may attack liberating forces first – meaning the anti-Iraq attacks could start before the real war begins. (Latest from blue-collar bar: Saddam better not play this game or he’ll be toast, but we’d better get him before he gets us. Most expect domestic terrorism to increase, but will go with the trade-off to erase Saddam threats.) …It could be a tough fall hunting season ahead for Canadian geese flying through selected sections of Iowa. DNR, noting that geese populations are escalating in urban areas, is considering proposal to expand hunting season by two weeks – into September – in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Des Moines areas…Most Iowans – probably with exception of million-dollar university coaches -- want to work for Maytag in Newton this morning. Top headline in Des Moines Register’s business section – “Maytag pays CEO Hake $1.7 million…Salary, bonus, incentive total is ‘rather low,” experts say” Report says Maytag Corp. leader’s package represents nearly 13% hike over 2001; chart shows Hake’s $1.7M vs. Vilsack’s $106,000 to be Iowa’s chief executive. In some interesting story placement, the headline next to Hake headline: “’Living wage’ plan causes an uproar”

CANDIDATES/CAUCUSES: Survey conducted by Research 2000 for KCCI-TV 3/10-3/12 indicates Gephardt (22%), Kerry (20%) and Lieberman (16%) are bunched together at head of Dem presidential pack. Edwards was fourth with 8%, followed by Dean (6%) and Sharpton (1%). KCCI said Graham, Clark, Moseley Braun and Kucinich all registered less than 1%. Twenty-seven percent were undecided. According to the KCCI website – www.TheIowaChannel.com -- 400 Democratic caucus voters were surveyed for presidential preferences…Legislation approved by the House this week to limit jury awards in medical malpractice suits drew opposition from the usual Dem presidential suspects. Both House Dem wannabes – Gephardt and Kucinich – cast “no” votes as the proposal, which would set limit of $250,000 on non-economic damages, was adopted and sent to the Senate by a 229-196 margin. Democrats said the bill was unfair to thousands of victims of medical care, but proponents argued the limits are needed to curb skyrocketing malpractice insurance rates. The Iowa Five split along predictable party lines with the GOP contingent -- King. Latham, Leach, Nussle -- supporting the limits and Dem Boswell opposing them… They haven’t been in Iowa for a week, but Kerry and Dean haven’t lost their touch for irresponsible, reckless rhetoric. They are probably feeling more at home on the Left Coast, however, since – according to the San Francisco Chronicle – they both “ramped up criticism” of GWB and called “the president an inept diplomat who has bungled the nation’s foreign policy” during California appearances. Edwards was also in the state for fundraising events with – whom else? – trial lawyers in San Francisco and L. A. …Kerry, Dean and Edwards were expecting company -- Sharpton, Moseley Braun and Kucinich -- at this weekend’s CA Dem state convention. A scheduling conflict allegedly kept Lieberman in Washington, Gephardt had previously scheduled events – house parties in New Hampshire. Graham reportedly was still awaiting medical clearance to campaign – which means all nine wannabes are now accounted for this weekend…A Los Angeles Times online headline: “State Supporters Line Democratic War Chests” Times report says “none of the candidates has established a firm advantage in California” – but that “Kerry staked his ground Thursday with a tough speech in San Francisco defending [CA] Gov. Gray Davis and blaming President Bush for California’s hard economic times.” The Times report said, however, the main goal is money – not for their CA efforts yet, but to fuel campaign operations in New Hampshire and Iowa. Times also reports on Dem Hollywood derby: Dean has Rob Reiner and Martin Sheen. Gephardt has Michael Douglas… The KCCI-TV poll also asked the 600 respondents about GWB’s job performance: On “handling of foreign policy,” 65% rated the President as excellent-good while 24% said “fair-poor” with 11% not sure. On “handling of the American economy, 41% responded “excellent-good,” 54% rated it as “fair-poor” and 5% were not sure. The overall KCCI-TV poll had a margin of error of +/-4, included 32% (192) Democrats, 33% (198) GOPs, and 35% (210) independents.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: During a fundraising visit to New York during the week, Kerry picked up early endorsement from former NYC mayoral candidate Mark Green. Green, according to Boston Globe, said of Kerry, “He’s among the top Jewish candidates running for president,” jokingly referring to the senator’s recently discovered Jewish roots. On a more serious note, Green said: “To beat a team as ruthless as Bush and Rove requires someone of his [Kerry’s] toughness.”

MORNING SUMMARY: Media eyes – and headlines – move from the bickering in the United Nations to Bush meeting with British, Spanish leaders in the Azores. Meanwhile, BBC’s Jon Leyne in Washington reports “it is increasingly likely that attempts to secure a [U. N.] resolution will soon be abandoned.”…Morning headlines – Local-interest news dominates Des Moines Register front page, Iraq coverage drops below the fold: “Summit set for last attempt at diplomacy”, Top national headline Omaha World-Herald online “Summit seen as endgame”, Top head on QCTimes.com (Quad-City Times online): “Summit to redraft resolution on Sunday”, From Sioux City Journal online, “Bush will endorse plan for Palestine statehood”, Second headline from Chicago Tribune online: “Bush, Blair, Aznar to Meet About Iraq” …Grassley on Mickelson talk show on WHO Radio yesterday and said if Saddam “does not have his airplane revved up when we cross the border he’s not going to get away.” Grassley, who voted against the Persian Gulf war a decade ago but supported the Iraq authorizing resolution last fall, said there are “always second thoughts about going to war” – but he has “no second thoughts this time.” The difference, he said, was that he favored diplomatic efforts a decade ago, but since then Saddam has ignored the U. N. resolutions and continued unacceptable conduct. On the Estrada judicial filibuster: He said Senate Republicans will “vote every week this year” if necessary to end the filibuster, but “we’re not giving up on Estrada.” …Leftover from yesterday: Headline in DSM Register Business section – “Ethanol goes on the defensive…Californians blame additive for higher gas prices” Philip Brasher, Register’s Washington Bureau, reports ethanol industry officials deny their product is responsible for CA’s price increases, but adds the charge “comes at a bad time…Next week, the [House] Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to begin writing an energy bill that corn farmers hope will include a mandated increase in ethanol usage.”

WAR/TERRORISM: Baghdad weather: High Sunday 76, High Monday 79…In the KCCI-TV poll (see above), Republicans and Democrats were widely divided over support for military action in Iraq. Asked whether “you would support using military force,” Republicans supported by a 79%-19% margin while Democrats opposed 62%-36%. Among independents, 50% would support military action, 42% opposed and 8% not sure (Iowa Pres Watch Note: Yes, it is a bit strange – given the Dems opposition to war – that the three top presidential candidates in Iowa supported the Iraq resolution.) …VOANews (Voice of America) reports Japan is “increasing sea and satellite surveillance” of North Korea based on concern the Koreans are preparing to test-fire a ballistic missile for the first time since ’98. VOA reports that Japan’s most widely-read newspaper, the Yomiuri, indicated the missile could have a range of 1,300 kilometers – which could hit Japan. VOA writer Amy Bickers says Japan is moving on several fronts to improve missile-defense system and a warship has been deployed off the Korean Peninsula, equipped with an Aegis radar system that can track missiles…DSM Register report – with an Iowa City dateline – says students at state universities still going on spring break despite war possibilities. Headline: “Despite Iraq, it’s ‘party on’ for spring breakers” …DSM Register assembles “taste team” to sample MRE – Meals, Ready-to-Eat – selections American soldiers will be issued in Iraq war zone. World War II vet Bob Sherer, 81, of Des Moines says, “The pork chop has got to be No. 1.”

FEDERAL ISSUES: The anticipated political “civil war” between northern farmers and southern producers – rice and cotton growers – has developed over a proposal by Grassley to place a “hard cap” on farm payments. Grassley, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, is pushing a $300,000 per farm limit on payments – but the National Cotton Council (NCC) warns passage would “seriously undermine” confidence in farm policy and “cause hardships to U. S. cotton producers and their counterparts in grain and oilseed production.” In a release, the NCC “expressed its disappointment with a payment limit bills introduced by Sen. Charles Grassley.”

STATE ISSUES: Although several high-profile proposals – raising the minimum wage, reviving the state’s death penalty, expanding rights for gays and lesbians, requiring that schoolchildren recite the Pledge of Allegiance – were shelved this week as Iowa legislators focused on the adjournment process, the bill to feed venison to the state’s prison inmates advanced and remains alive. The Senate Human Resources Committee approved the bill, which was proposed to achieve twin goals of thinning the state’s deer herd and providing an inexpensive food source for Iowa prisons. Also surviving for further legislative consideration this year: A bill to end Iowa’s no-fault divorce law in favor of a system where a spouse would have to prove grounds for seeking divorce, such as adultery or abuse.

OPINION: Des Moines Register editorials – “Who really runs D. C.? …Crackdown on drugs from Canada shows who is in charge – industry.”…”Goodbye to good jobs” comments on ironic situation, while state promoting economic development trying to attract new jobs to state, a number of teaching positions being cut in Iowa schools due to budget woes. Editorial quote: “…eliminating jobs that pay an average $38,230 a year hurts Iowa’s economy. And it drives away some people who would have been nice to keep around.”…Headline on Register letter to editor: “Congress should not practice medicine” Barbara Aszman Stone, Grinnell, writes, “Do we really want our doctors looking over their shoulders at Congress before determining how best to treat women?”

SPORTS:  Champions from girls state basketball tournament: In Class 4-A: Defending champ Ankeny over Muscatine 37-25, In Class 1-A: Rock Valley wins third straight championship 71-55 over Rockwell City-Lytton…Winners in yesterday’s Class 2-A semifinals (and playing tonight for championship): Maquoketa Valley of Delhi moves on 44-41 over Hudson, Underwood 59-41 over Iowa City Regina. Other championship game tonight in 3-A: Cedar Rapids Xavier vs. Atlantic…The Iowa State men’s basketball team, after losing 89-74 to No. 4 Kansas in the Big 12 conference tournament in Dallas yesterday, now joins the Iowa Hawkeyes in waiting to see if they get NIT bid. Some wishful-thinking Iowans speculated during past week that Hawks and Cyclones could be matched up in opening NIT round. (Those same “thinkers” also were hoping for a Drake, Iowa or UNI match in the Woman’s NIT. … Northern Iowa women eliminated 83-54 by Indiana State last night in Missouri Valley tournament at Knapp Center in Des Moines…Grand View College (Des Moines) also eliminated from NAIA Division II women’s national tournament in Sioux City, losing 66-50 to defending champ Hastings (Neb.).

WEATHER: DSM 5 a.m. 39, fog. Most temps across state in 30s and lower 40s – ranging from 46 in LeMars to 30 in Clinton and Muscatine…High today 72. Low tonight 48, chance of T-storms. High Sunday 65, cloudy. Morning team on The Weather Channel warns Iowans, Midwesterners – enjoy weekend weather because it could get cooler with “rough and tumble” conditions early next week, report a big storm now in CA moving east. Weather Channel map already shows severe weather forecast for SW Iowa on Monday. Thunderstorms and/or rain in forecast Sunday night thru Wednesday.

IOWAISMS: Iowa Farm Bureau cites USDA figures indicating state lost 1,000 farms in 2002 – down from 93,500 in 2001 to 92,500. Iowa lost 100,000 acres of farmland in 2002, dropping to 32.6 million acres – with average farm size in Iowa increasing to 352 acres, up two acres from 2001 and up seven acres from 2000. The report says 28,000 farms had less than $9,999 in sales, another 36,000 with sales between $10,000 and $99,000 – while only 11,500 with sales over $250,000…About 110,000 Iowans will be getting checks for $12.50 per person – a total of more than $1.3 million -- as part of the settlement from a compact disc antitrust case. Attorney General Tom Miller Iowans filed for the refunds “at a faster clip than anywhere else in the nation” – noting that 3.2% of all online claims were from the state, which makes up only 1% of the population. …Vision Iowa board grants requests in four Iowa communities: Multiple projects in Sidney, theater restoration at Hoyt Sherman place in Des Moines, Lewis and Clark visitor center in Onawa, and aquatic center in Tipton.

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