Sunday, March 16, 2003

GENERAL: Air Force One wheels up from Andrews AFB for Azores summit…Things turned a bit nasty yesterday at California Dem state convention as Dean names opponents by name. L. A. Times coverage this morning reports Dean criticized Edwards and Kerry – by name – for supporting Congressional resolution authorizing military force against Iraq. Quotes Dean as saying, “I don’t think we can win the White House if we vote for the president’s unilateral attack on Iraq and then come to California and say we’re against the war.” Never fear, however, cuz Dean pledged to support Edwards or Kerry if either gets the Dem nomination (More on CA Dem confab below)… Slow – and slow news – Sunday after Iowans enjoyed a touch of summer yesterday, featuring several 80-degee temperatures – primarily in SW IA -- including record-breaking highs in a few communities and return of “heat indexes” in the 70- to 80-degree range. Des Moines set new 77-degree record yesterday, topping old record 75 in 1935. Mason City (71), Atlantic (79) also had record highs… The weather not only attracted joggers and golfers to the outdoors, but the Des Moines Sunday Register reports about 200 “peace activists” held a candlelight march and vigil in downtown DSM last night…As if having the Dem presidential contingent around wasn’t already enough to keep eastern Iowans amused and laughing, the Quad-City Times reports two more visitors coming to the area next month – comedian Jerry Seinfeld will appear at the Adler Theatre 4/18 in Davenport and Evan Marriott (“Joe Millionaire” for those without TVs) will be at Penguins Comedy Club for two shows 4/5 in Bettendorf.  Seinfeld tickets going for $46.50 to $76.50 – online www.ticketmaster.com, tickets on sale at 10 a.m. 3/22 -- but seeing “Joe Millionaire” costs only $25, although the Times notes he’s “not a comedian” and will basically answer questions from audience. (Iowa Pres Watch Note: “Joe Millionaire” sounds like he might even qualify as a Dem presidential candidate while in Iowa.) …It’s still early in the morning, but it appears all participants in the nation’s only bi-state St. Patrick’s parade survived. Parade started yesterday in Rock Island (Ill.), crossed over Mississippi River on the Centennial Bridge and ended in downtown Davenport. Speaking of St. Patrick’s Day events, Radio Iowa reports a member of Ireland’s parliament, Dennis O’Donovan, was scheduled to participate in events in Emmetsburg – “The Emerald Isle of Iowa.” One reason for O’Donovan’s visit, the report said, was to thank Americans for supporting the peace process in Northern Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day parade kicks off in DSM at noon tomorrow.

CANDIDATES/CAUCUSES: Headline on Thomas Beaumont article in today’s Des Moines Sunday Register: “Getting past Iraq…Presidential candidates on Iowa’s campaign trail struggle to focus on issues other than war” Reports the Dem candidates are “finding, despite their best efforts in some cases, only one issue matters on the caucus campaign trail right now – the potential war with Iraq.”…Presidential wannabe caravan moves westward for CA Dem state convention in Sacramento. Kerry, especially with other star wannabes Gephardt and Lieberman skipping the event, dominates coverage and nominations for most irresponsible rhetoric. Kerry continued his relentless – albeit inaccurate, inexcusable  – criticisms of the president, continuing to blame GWB (rather than Gov. Gray Davis) for state’s multiple woes. He charged GWB treats California as “foreign territory,” adding: “Over and over again he [Bush] has stood in the way of this state’s progress, choosing special interests over California’s interests.” Kerry said GWB’s economic policies have increased unemployment and kept incomes down…Edwards drew boos from the party faithful at the CA Dem convention when he said: “I believe that Saddam Hussein is a serious threat, and I believe he must be disarmed including the use of military force if necessary.” He criticized the president, however, for failing to attract more world support for the Iraq-Saddam opposition. Edwards said: “It is a test of presidential leadership to lead in a way that rallies others to our cause. This president has not done that.” …Leftovers: From John McCaslin’s “Inside the Beltway” column in the Washington Times this week, “Despite President Bush’s charitable efforts, Democrats should once again be able to bank on union support in 2004. Stefan Gleason, vice president of the National Right to Work Foundation (NRWF), says his sources reveal that former James P. Hoffa campaign chief and Teamsters union national field director Todd Thompson will be tasked with ‘tripling’ contributions to the Teamsters political action committee to defeat ‘all GOP candidates.’…In the 2002 election cycle, the Teamster’s PAC, known as DRIVE, spent $2.3 million on behalf of federal candidates, 86 percent of which went to Democratic candidates, according to the NRWF.”

MORNING SUMMARY: BBC News headline: “Bush counts down to war” Reports on GWB’s weekly radio address, noting: “US President George W. Bush has moved closer to putting his country on a full war footing, saying there is ‘little reason to hope that Saddam Hussein will disarm.’” A somewhat related article from yesterday’s Washington Post online edition – headline “Bush’s Political Future Hinges on Quick War” -- reports: “President Bush, firmly resisting entreaties from U. N. Security Council members to expand weapons inspections in Iraq, is under political pressure to finish the looming war quickly, strategists in both parties said.”…Iowa’s most bizarre story of week – arrest of family of junior college president on marijuana-related charges – returned to Des Moines Sunday Register front page this morning. Headline: “Officials had watched England home for days” Dr. David England, president of Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), along with wife, daughter and son were arrested Wednesday and Thursday for marijuana violations…Several media outlets this morning report Saddam has moved to a “war posture” by dividing Iraq into four regions, names own son to oversee war efforts the Baghdad-central Iraq area. (Iowa Pres Watch Note: Like father, like son.)…Morning headlines: Omaha World-Herald: Iraq preps for talks and for war” – invites U. N.  weapons inspectors back to meeting while also putting country on a “war footing.” QCTimes.com (Quad-City Times): “U. S. pulls aid offer to Turkey” Chicago Tribune: “Iraq Invites Top Inspectors to Baghdad” Sioux City Journal: “Bush and two top allies make a show of unity despite diplomatic setback” Des Moines Sunday Register: “An Iowa Marine on the front line” – excerpts from journal Marine Sgt. Jess Horsley, 23, who arrived in Kuwait in early February, has been e-mailing back to his mother in Emmetsburg…Register notes four weekend deaths – two girls, boy die in house fire near Pulaski in southeast IA, man dies after being shot during fight in a south DSM bar early yesterday morning.

WAR/TERRORISM: Overnight: Reports indicate U. N. debate on Iraq situation – and vote on a second resolution -- at stalemate, including introduction of new proposals, while GWB, Blair, Aznar meeting in Azores summit. Saddam urges prompt meeting with U. N. inspectors…Vilsack joins other governors in sending letter to D. C. wanting more homeland security money for states, noting Iowa needs about $42M -- six times more than $7 million state is getting. Vilsack contends state’s homeland security efforts will be slowed by inadequate fed funding…BBC News headline reports: “Mid-East peace plan welcomed.” BBC coverage: “The latest moves by the United States to seek an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been broadly welcomed around the world…The European Union’s foreign policy chief Javier Solana hailed Mr. Bush’s statement and said: ‘The road map which is going to be released is a road map we approve.’”…CNN reports anti-war protestors have a plan in place for “every city” if war against Iraq launched.

FEDERAL ISSUES: Iowa girls high school basketball fans may know more than most Americans today about priorities the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee has set for coming months. During a televised halftime interview – on statewide coverage of the tournament -- last night, IA Sen. Grassley indicated his top goals into the summer are: 1) a tax package to “stimulate the economy,” 2) prescription drug relief for senior Americans, as well as addressing reimbursement Medicare inequities facing Iowa hospitals, and 3) welfare reform. (See below for more about Grassley attendance record at girls tourney.)

(MOST IGNORED) CONCERN OF THE WEEKEND: If the potential for an Iraqi invasion and related coverage weren’t dominating headlines, the major story this weekend would probably be about the “mystery illness” that’s already sweeping through a handful of nations. BBC News – under the headline, “Alert Issued as flu fears grow” – reported: “The World Health Organization has taken the rare step of issuing an emergency travel advisory amid fears that a mystery virus which has infected scores of people in Asia may be spreading.” The WHO reports it has received reports about more than 150 suspected new cases of the illness – now called “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome” (SARS) – during the past week. It has been found in eight countries, including Canada, in recent days and yesterday passengers were taken off a plane in Germany after concern they may have contracted SARS. Overnight:  New York area hospitals put on alert status to watch for symptoms of illness – now described as a “mysterious pneumonia” – because a Singapore doctor, who was taken off the plane in Frankfort (see above), had been visiting NY. The doctor was the first suspected case in Europe; no cases have been identified in U. S. Overnight: This morning, classified as “a worldwide health threat.”

OPINION:  Des Moines Sunday Register editorial: “How to educate ‘a country left behind’ Key quote: “The federal No Child Left Behind Act actually undercuts national interests. Forcing schools to focus so much attention on students who lag behind will divert resources from their classmates who promise to become the next generation of leaders and innovators.”…Four letters to editor in Sunday Register under headline, “Harkin’s awakening…Was he fooled by Bush or just playing politics?” -- about Harkin’s comments last week he was “fooled” by Bush administration when he supported Iraq resolution last fall…In today’s “Roses & Thistles” column, the Sunday Register awards a “rose to Senator Tom Harkin for focusing attention on national health care.” …Columnist Rekha Basu writes about Hooters Air, “Orange hot pants in the skies”…No column by political columnist David Yepsen, but he will “return soon.” …Letter to editor on Sioux City Journal online: “I hope that Highway 60 [in northwest Iowa] doesn’t have the same fate as Highway 20 becoming four lanes through Iowa. It seems that the Iowa DOT has a history of not finishing projects. Nothing worse than nonfinishers. If Highway 20 went through Des Moines, it would probably be done.” – Kevin Small, Sioux City.

SPORTS:  Girls state basketball champions: Class 3-A: No. 2 Cedar Rapids Xavier has to come from behind for 53-37 win over No. 3 Atlantic, Class 2-A: No. 1 Underwood rolls 58-36 over No. 4 Maquoketa Valley of Delhi. Deb Remmerde – the state all-time girls scoring leader with 2,756 points, including a record 353 three-pointers -- of Class 1-A Rock Valley picks up $1,000 college scholarship as best player in tournament. Girls tournament ends, but boys arrive 36 hours later…Boys state basketball tournament opens in Des Moines tomorrow with small school – Class 1-A – action. Game between 25-0 North Mahaska (New Sharon) and Hubbard-Radcliffe (16-7) opens play at 10:30 a.m. with three more 1-A contests to follow tomorrow afternoon. Class 2-A starts tonight: Wapsie Valley (Fairbank) vs. Williamsburg, Grundy Center vs. Northeast (Goose Lake)…Top headline in Sunday Register sports section: “Tourney crown eludes Iowans…Collison, Hinrich turn focus to NCAAs” Kansas stars Nick Collison (Iowa Falls) and Kirk Hinrich (Sioux City) denied Big 12 championship as Missouri stops Jayhawks 68-63 in semifinals yesterday in Dallas.

WEATHER: 5 a.m. DSM 53 overcast. High today 75, partly sunny. Low tonight 52, chance of thunderstorms. High St. Patrick’s Day: 65, T-storms likely. T-storms and/or rain in forecast through Thursday…Morning temps mostly in 40s and 50s – from 59 in Council Bluffs to 38 in Dubuque.

IOWAISMS: One of Iowa’s most established traditions is to have tuxedo-clad guys – normally high school students – sweep the Vets Auditorium court between games of the girls state tournament, complete with spotlights and musical accompaniment. Last night, the between-game broom-pushers included former guv Bob Ray and Casey’s convenience stores founder Don Lamberti, both heavily involved in a keep Iowa clean project. Grassley – described this week by WHO Radio talk show host Jan Mickelson as possibly the most powerful Iowan due to his status as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee – was at the Saturday night championship games, making his annual trek to the tournaments. During halftime interview, Grassley noted this is the 24^th consecutive girls tournament he has attended – and his wife Barbara also attends most of the games with him. Grassley said he’d been to earlier tournaments, but he’s been to the past 24 straight – dating back to the days he was a mere Congressman.  (Iowa Pres Watch Note: Non-Iowans should know Chuck and Barbara would attend the games even if he weren’t a U. S. senator – or very likely to seek re-election to a fifth term in 2004.)…Astronaut – and native Iowan – Peggy Whitson, who spent six months on the International Space Station last year, is scheduled to be at the Des Moines Science Center next weekend to discuss living in space and related topics...Political dynasty? Radio Iowa reports two brothers – Larry and Terry Wedo – will fill two vacancies on the city council in Elgin in NE Iowa. They won the seats in a five-candidate special election this week after one city council member resigned – over a dispute about town firefighters keeping beer in the firehouse fridge – and another moved out of town, creating the two vacancies…From yesterday’s “Your 2-cents Worth” – an anonymous, call-in column in the DSM Register –  “’The city of Grimes is being run like a dictatorship. Too bad the elected officials don’t have the courage to see that.’ – Concerned resident” 

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