Saturday, March 22, 2003

GENERAL: This morning – sirens sounding again in Baghdad, smoke on horizon again… Double successes – Iraq invasion going well, Dow average best week since ’82 as investor confidence grows expecting quick, successful war. Analysts say stocks would skyrocket if it can be confirmed Saddam has checked out…Overnight: Morning reports indicate U. S. troops encountering more resistance as they move deeper into Iraq, some commanders tell CNN they’re moving slower than expected, most of the units have been rolling – without sleep – for some 60 hours, anti-war protestors to hold a “die-in” today at Rumsfeld residence in New Mexico. Gen. Franks to give first war briefing today as Pentagon begins investigating reports a wayward Tomahawk missile has hit southwest Iran – not Iraq. American troops tossing MREs – Meals, Ready to Eat – to children along Iraqi roadsides…Good news for Iowa drivers: State DNR officials say gasoline prices in Iowa could drop 20 cents a gallon in the not-too-distant future, a reflection of the barrel-price drop…Central Iowa news outlets report eight Iowa State students, along with their guide, were safe and “fine” after being stranded by a blizzard in Rocky Mountain National Park. A helicopter dropped snowshoes to the group – which had planned to return Wednesday – after locating the party Thursday morning. Park was shut down after getting 8’ snow and the danger of avalvanches increased…War or no war, the gophers go on: City officials in West Union, in northeast Iowa, are trying to keep lights on at the local airport. WHO Radio report says officials have delayed planned improvements until they can solve an on-going problem – gophers digging up the electrical wires to airport lights.

CANDIDATES/CAUCUSES:

A late arrival -- Kucinich -- now scheduled to join Dean and Gephardt in addressing UAW meeting in DSM this weekend

…When he surfaces before UAW members, Dean will be buoyed by latest New Hampshire survey showing he’s virtually tied with Kerry in battle of regional favorite sons. American Research Survey poll, conducted 3/16-3/19, indicates Dean gained 6 points over past month – although Kerry still leads with 23% to Dean’s 22%. Gephardt third (15%), Lieberman fourth (12%), 20% still undecided. Other Dem candidates in low – very low – single digits with Edwards leading that group with 3%. (That’s right 3% -- but it’s better than the 0% received by Kucinich, Sharpton and Clark, who’s doubtlessly getting better numbers for his current gig as CNN military analyst.) Interesting sidebar: 99% of respondents were “aware” of Hart, but he received only 2% on the ballot support question

 …Graham’s doctors expected to make announcement next week re his ability – after heart surgery on 1/31 – to proceed with active campaign for Dem nomination. He’s now expected to announce candidacy in mid-April – after the war but before Easter

…It’s not reality TV – or even reality politics – but let’s call him “Joe Millionaire” anyway. Drudge Report yesterday – under headline, “NO WAR PAUSE FOR LIEBERMAN: THE FUNDRAISING MUST GO ON” – featured a “Dear Friend” fundraising letter (dated yesterday) from Lieberman. Among the best lines: “Your support for my campaign has helped me gather strength all across the country. (Iowa Pres Watch Note: He apparently hadn’t seen the New Hampshire poll – above -- before he sent the solicitation.)…every dollar my campaign collects today means so much more than a dollar down the road…Time is of the essence…You know as well as I that we can do better than our current leadership.”

 …Edwards has more problems than his New Hampshire (3%) poll numbers, especially in his home state North Carolina. The News & Observer of Raleigh reported yesterday: “Nearly three months after U. S. Sen. John Edwards entered the presidential race, more North Carolina voters continue to disapprove of his White House bid than approve…” A poll by the newspaper – margin of error +/- 4% -- indicated 43% of “regular voters” approve of Edwards’ presidential bid, while 49% disapprove and 8% not sure. Ironically, as News & Observer Washington Correspondent John Wagner wrote, “Those numbers have improved only slightly since January, when 39 percent approved, 47 percent disapproved and 14 percent were unsure.”

 …When the House voted 215-212 early Friday (2:54 a. m. EST) for the $2.2 trillion budget that includes President Bush’s tax cut proposal -- $726 billion over the next decade – Gephardt and Kucinich were present and voting “nay.” The Iowa Five split along party lines: Boswell voting against resolution. GOPs King, Latham and Leach supporting the proposal pushed by Nussle, the IA congressman who chairs the House Budget Committee…The vote on the budget resolution, however, wasn’t the only bad decision Kucinich made early yesterday morning. Eight minutes after the budget proposal vote, the House considered legislation to express “support and appreciation of the Nation for the President and the Members of the Armed Forces who are participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom.” Gephardt supported the appreciation resolution – which was approved 392-11 -- but Kucinich was one of 22 to vote “present.” All five Iowans voted “yea.” Opponents – and probably those who voted “present” – resisted because GWB was included in the resolution language, not just the troops…Speaking of resolutions, over in the Senate where a different version of the budget resolution was being debated, Harkin said GOP proposal would cut funding for conservation, crop insurance and other ag programs. He says Republicans are going to “ram them [program cuts, tax cuts] through” – but Grassley says the impact won’t be as severe as Harkin predicts. Grassley, chairman of Senate Finance Committee, said spending reductions won’t be as deep or as damaging as Harkin predicts because eventual tax cuts will be smaller than White House sought – and probably smaller than House-approved version.

MORNING SUMMARY: Morning headlines -- Top Des Moines Register headline: “Bombs rain on Baghdad…Troops take key sites, penetrate 100 miles” Omaha World-Herald: “U. S., British forces push through southern Iraq” QCTimes.com (Quad-City Times online): “Iraq regime weakens; thousands surrender” Chicago Tribune online headlines: “Allied Forces Close in on Basra” & “Loop protest ends peacefully” Sioux City Journal online headline: “Air barrage begins in Baghdad”

WAR/TERRORISM: A possible (unintended) tribute to GWB, Rummy, Pentagon and American troops: Independent News report from Phil Reeves in Peshawar – “The Americans have always said their army is designed to fight wars on two fronts. And yesterday that was what it was doing. Minutes after the first missiles slammed into Baghdad, the skies of southern Afghanistan were filled with the din of American combat helicopters hunting in the mountains for al-Qa’ida fighters and other armed opponents of Hamid Karzai’s frail American-backed government…The operation – one of the biggest offensives of the past year – was an attempt by the Americans to send a signal that its armed forces in Afghanistan did not intend to slacken.”…British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told BBC full-scale “Shock and Awe” campaign in Iraq may not be necessary and will not be unleashed if it can be avoided – but continues criticism of French veto threat. Says France’s threatened veto of a second UN Iraq resolution prevented a peaceful settlement. Straw: “I very much hope it will not be necessary to use any kind of massive bombardment but it remains to be seen whether it will be.” Update: Within hours of Straw’s comments, U. S. media outlets announced the Pentagon indicated “Shock and Awe” phase of war would begin with a major air assault against Iraq. Actually, several media organizations reported “Shock and Awe” approach was delayed until after forces secured Iraq oil wells – out of concern Saddam would torch them at first sign of major invasion and assault …Chicago Tribune reports U. S. Army and the Marines are preparing to launch new advertising campaign with patriotic themes in attempt to build up support for returning troops after Iraq war. Other reported goals: To avoid being tied to the political fight over merits of Iraq military action and counter possible negative impact on recruiting…Radio Iowa reports just a “few” of the 3,300 Iowa Guard and reservists activated over recent weeks are in the war zone. O. Kay Henderson reports most still at “mobilization stations” – but quotes Guard spokesman Col. Robert King as saying most of their equipment has been shipped to overseas posts. King told Radio Iowa the soldiers are still training – and waiting for future assignments. King, noting units not activated and still in IA remain on regular training schedules, said National Guard HQ in Johnston is as busy as he’s ever seen it.

FEDERAL ISSUES: Harkin expresses reservations about any immediate efforts to consider legislation imposing farm payment limits – a proposal that’s been introduced by Grassley. Harkin, who chaired Senate Ag Committee when farm bill passed last year, said he supports limiting payments, but he is concerned about reopening the payment issue – as well as farm bill – to further congressional debate in the near future. He warned reopening bill could result in even lower limits than Grassley proposed ($300,000 per farm) and Congress could “take even more money from agriculture.” Harkin says the farm bill is only year old and should be implemented as is, but Grassley staffers noted it already has been reopened twice for revisions.

STATE ISSUES: In most states this would probably be a “federal issue,” but in Iowa – because of Vilsack’s continuing complaints about inadequate fed funding for homeland security – it’s also a state issue. GOP Congressman Latham indicates there is help on the way for states and local communities. Radio Iowa reports Latham said the Republican-controlled Congress will exceed President Bush’s recommendations to assist state and local governments with homeland security, especially for “first responder” needs. Latham, a member of the House Homeland Security Appropriations subcommittee, said fed funs will be sent to help pay costs of extra security required by higher national terrorism alerts. Vilsack has said Iowa, which was scheduled to get $7 million from the feds, needs another $41 million for homeland security…In response to legislative initiatives that could force more school mergers – primarily in less-populated rural areas – a rally for rural schools will be held at the State Capitol on Tuesday.

OPINION:  Des Moines Register editorials: “Merciful horror…Let us hope the ‘shock and awe’ bring a swift capitulation.” & “The war’s other front…In the battle for public opinion, feelings are surprisingly intense.” Quote: “The protests seem directed not so much at the war itself as at the idea of the United States asserting the right to attack any country.” …Syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer, headline from yesterday’s DSM Register: “Leave U. N. out of postwar plans”…Headline from political columnist David Yepsen’s commentary in yesterday’s Register, “ ‘Freedom fee,’ so all contribute…Finance war with sacrifice; recall FDR’s words in our prayers” Yepsen writes that “lots of thoughts come to mind” during opening stages of Iraq war – Family, Patriotism, Sacrifice, Prayer – and added, “Mostly, we can just pray today. There’s no better prayer for a time like this than the one President Franklin Roosevelt offered June 6, 1944, as Allied troops began the D-Day invasion of Europe.” (The FDR prayer is reprinted in Yepsen’s column.) Key quote: “America has raised taxes in other wars and should do so now. We learned in Vietnam we can’t have guns and butter without running up huge deficits that hamper growth for years.”

COLUMNISTS SHINE:  From Bill Wundram’s column in yesterday’s Quad-City Times: Headline – “On the day of war, a cemetery’s armistice” Excerpt: “Yesterday, on a murky morning, I wandered the long white lines of gravestones marking the 26,000 dead at National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal. It was a cheerless day to wonder, ‘Will there always be war?’ I could see manhood beneath these markers – a lieutenant on D-Day, lifting a hand to signal; a patrol rushing forward into oblivion. Yesterday was a strangely silent armistice at National Cemetery. By grim coincidence, as America was fighting a war in Iraq, there were no scheduled burials in the cemetery. That was highly unusual, said Lolly Weihler, the Veterans Administration representative at the cemetery. ‘We average three burials a day, mostly World War II veterans. Last Monday, we had five burials. Yesterday, none.’”…From John Carlson’s column in yesterday’s Des Moines Register: Headline – “We’re indeed at war, and it isn’t routine at all” Excerpt: “Maybe war is becoming routine. Which, for lots of reasons, is a terrible thought. I saw exactly one American flag flying from a car antenna Thursday. The noon news showed a huge string of people snaking around a couple of campus buildings at Iowa State University. Protestors? A prayer vigil? War supporters? Nope. People in line to buy tickets to tonight’s Iowa-Iowa State basketball game…It took me a while to decide this war was necessary. I wasn’t so sure a month ago, even a couple of weeks ago…Now that it has started, I’m more concerned about our military and America’s future than anybody else. I am not a citizen of the world, nor am I neutral in this fight. I am an American…We’re despised because we exist. So we’ll gather in churches, synagogues, temples and mosques these next days. We’ll pray for the safe return of our troops – and that we will never allow war to become routine.”

SPORTS:  Iowa State done, but Iowa continues on in NIT post-season basketball action. Hawks take 7-point halftime lead, trail by 11 in second half – being outscored 13-1 during one stretch -- but come back for 54-53 win. Iowa (17-13) now faces Ga. Tech Monday night in Iowa City…Champions from last night’s boys state basketball tournament: Class 2-A: Sioux Center (74-60 to hand Wapsie Valley-Fairbank first loss of season). Class 1-A: Boyden-Hull (49-35 over Newell-Fonda). Third place finishers -- Class 2-A: Council Bluffs St. Albert (74-50 wins vs. Grundy Center). Class 1-A: North Mahaska-New Sharon (76-73 over Bellevue-Marquette). Yesterday’s Class 4-A semifinal winners: North Scott-Eldridge (68-66 vs. Marshalltown), Waterloo East (60-44 over Des Moines Hoover). Championship games in Class 4-A (North Scott-Eldridge vs. Waterloo East) and Class 3-A (Harlan vs. Pella for championship) at Vets Auditorium today…Iowa teams fade at NCAA wrestling championships. Hawkeyes in sixth, UNI 11^th and ISU 20^th going into final rounds.

WEATHER: DSM 5 a.m. 32 fair. Temps across IA in upper 20s and 30s. Warmest – Davenport 40…High today 60, mostly sunny. Low tonight: 38. High Sunday: 70, partly sunny. Highs from upper 40s to upper 50 through next Thursday.

IOWAISMS: It’s probably about the last place to expect layoffs with the U. S. military discharging tons upon tons of munitions in the Iraq region, but the Burlington Hawk Eye reported this week that up to 10 workers are being laid off at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAP) in Middleton. American Ordinance, the operating contactor for the facility, said the layoffs were due to completion of a major contract for production of the modular artillery charge system (MACS) – a propelling charge used with the 155 mm artillery shells also produced at the plant. A company spokesman said the Iraq situation has not resulted in increased production at IAAP.

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