IOWA MORNING REPORT Holding
Democrats accountable today">
IOWA
MORNING REPORT Holding
Democrats accountable today, tomorrow...forever.
Saturday,
March 8, 2003 GENERAL:
From overnight – Daily Express of London
reports British troops have been informed Iraq
invasion will begin March 17 --
basically echoing numerous U. S. media reports
yesterday of a St. Patrick’s Day timetable for
launching attacks…Could be a tough campaign day in
Iowa for Dem candidates – possible snow in some
northern sections, icy conditions with sleet
possible in central and southern Iowa. The Weather
Channel also reporting possible flight delays in
Minneapolis today and through Chicago later today…
Kerry, Dean, Kucinich and Gephardt
in state this weekend… U. S. Census Bureau report
this week says more Iowans now face long-distance
commutes – but it has nothing to do with the
growing Washington-Iowa commuter class (otherwise
known as the Dem presidential aspirants). The report
says almost 22% of state’s residents commute to
jobs outside counties where they live – up from
14% two decades ago. Eight counties send more than
half of their working residents to other
counties…Iowans hoping for an early spring,
especially warmer weather soon, after WHO Radio
reports natural gas prices will
be going up. Complaint in
blue-collar bars: With pump prices increasing, it
costs too much to drive anywhere, but with natural
gas prices also going up it costs too much to stay
warm at home. State Utility Board reports March
household natural gas bills could be about $130, up
from $87 in December. CANDIDATES/CAUCUS:
Candidates invade today: Kerry in Des Moines,
including Drake Supreme Court Day keynote…Dean and
Kucinich in eastern Iowa – Dean stops
include Dyersville, Kucinich in Iowa
City and Mount Vernon…Gephardt
scheduled in for western Iowa swing tomorrow…Dean
and Kucinich arrived yesterday and lost little time
stressing their central – although misguided
– themes. Both basically are single-issue
candidates – against any Iraq military
action. Quad-City Times report this morning says
Dean’s efforts to comment on other issues were
unsuccessful. (He’s painted himself into the one-issue,
anti-war corner – starting to
look like another McGovern.) Dean and Kucinich told
reporters North Korea is a greater threat than Iraq.
Des Moines Register headline this morning:
“Democrats: Korea poses more serious
threat to the U. S.” – commenting on Dean
and Kucinich visits to central Iowa. Radio Iowa’s
O. Kay Henderson reports Dean said the North Korea
represents a nuclear threat that could become a
“full-blown crisis.” Henderson report quotes
Dean as saying Iraq is a “third-rate
military power” that poses no threat
to the U. S. … From yesterday’s 2-cents worth --
an anonymous, phone-in column in the Des Moines
Register: “Do we have to sacrifice one
of our cities to prove to the
world that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction? –
Des Moines man”…Quad-City Times
reports today Kucinich, during central Iowa
appearances yesterday, said he would challenge
Americans to achieve full energy independence
– calling for a “space race” commitment on the
energy front… Several media outlets indicate five
Dem presidential candidates –
the five low-rung candidates: Dean, Edwards,
Kucinich, Moseley (no hyphen) Braun and Sharpton –
will accept public campaign financing (taxpayer
dollars) for their campaigns. John Kerry, the
richest Dem prospect, will delay decision on public
funding for a couple months – or possibly tap into
wife Teresa Heinz Kerry’s fortune. QUESTIONS
FOR WABBITS: A 3/7/03 headline in the Des
Moines Register --
“Harkin: I was fooled on Bush
Iraq plans” Jane Norman of the
Register’s Washington Bureau reported Harkin feels
he was misled last fall when he voted for the
resolution authorizing military force against Iraq.
Harkin was quoted as saying he supported the
resolution because he believed the resolution’s
language required the administration to
seek diplomatic solutions and
to make full reports to Congress on the progress of
negotiations, but he said the Iraq situation was
“with the exception of Vietnam…the biggest
failure of diplomacy we’ve
had.”
Harkin said, “I’m not going to be fooled
twice.”…All of the Dem presidential candidates
in the Senate and House, including Hillary,
supported the Iraq resolution except Graham
and Kucinich. With two Dem candidates
who supported the resolution, Kerry and Gephardt, in
Iowa this weekend – not to mention the others
coming through in the weeks ahead – ask
them: Do
they agree with Harkin’s comments about being
“fooled on Bush’s Iraq plans” when they voted
for the resolution? Do they agree with Harkin that
the Iraq situation has been a “failure of
diplomacy?” Would they retract their vote for the
Iraq resolution? Would they vote again to support an
Iraq resolution that’s identical – not a
revised, different or amended version -- to the one
they voted for last fall? MORNING
SUMMARY:
Top front page headline in today’s Des
Moines Register: “U. S. Britain want Iraq to
disarm by March 17”…Omaha World-Herald online
top story: “U. N. pressed to vote on
Iraq”…Sioux City Journal online top headline:
“U. S., allies propose March 17 deadline for
Iraq”…Quad-City Times online top story, “March
17th deadline proposed” QUOTE
OF WEEK:
“Every Senate voice and every Senate vote could
make a difference in the coming days. I have come to
the conclusion that I can best serve the state and
the country by focusing on my work in the United
States Senate.” – Sen. (and former aspiring
Wabbit) Christopher Dodd, explaining why he
decided against seeking the Dem presidential
nomination – and conveniently ignoring that four
fellow senators (and two Congressmen) are in the
field. Does that mean Lieberman, Kerry,
Edwards and Graham don’t recognize
how important “every Senate voice and every Senate
vote” will be while they’re on the campaign
circuit in Iowa City, Willey, Burlington,
Colesburg and What Cheer? WAR/TERRORISM:
Harkin continues his personal anti-war,
anti-Bush campaign, claiming last
evening GWB “didn’t live up to his end of the
bargain” when Harkin supported the resolution last
fall authorizing military action against Iraq.
Harkin, who on Thursday told the Des Moines Register
he’d been “fooled” by Bush (See above
Questions item), said the U. S. has “not reached
the time to go”
against Saddam Hussein and Iraq. During a live
interview with WHO-TV anchor John Bachman on the 6
p.m. newscast, Harkin said the U. S. will become
“a colonial power” if Bush
launches a war against Iraq. He added it was
“cheaper in money and lives” to pursue further
inspections than go to war…This morning’s
QCTtimes.com (Quad-City Times) reports seven protestors
arrested as they attempted to block entrance
to the Rock Island Viaduct that leads to Arsenal
Island in Quad-Cities yesterday. In related story,
Des Moines Register front page headline, “Rock
Island Arsenal a ‘hub’
for planning” Reports the arsenal is home to more
than 40 DOD operations and is “an increasingly
busy place as the United States prepares for
war.”…WHO-TV (Des Moines) reports
portrait photographers doing brisk business as Iowa
Guard members and reservists
being activated for Iraq buildup have family photos
taken with spouses, children, parents, brothers and
sisters…Several news organizations report North
Korea may be prepping for another missile
test after declaring a maritime exclusion
zone, starting today through Tuesday.
The exclusion covers about the same area off the
Korean coast in the Sea of Japan
where an anti-ship missile was tested late last
month…NewsMax.com reports Sergei Rogov, director
of Moscow’s Institute of U. S. and Canadian
Studies, “thinks that the U. S. will begin a
military operation against Iraq in about two
weeks.”
(American TV viewers who only watch
“Cheers” reruns on Nick-at-Nite have come to the
same conclusion.) STATE
ISSUES:
Iowa GOP Senate leader Stewart Iverson calls for
changes in the state’s collective bargaining
procedures and would restore the right of
state employees to go out
on strike. In the Mason City
Globe-Gazette, Charlotte Eby reports Iverson
believes the current bargaining law has led to excessive
union contracts. Iverson said the law
– which requires binding arbitration and prohibits
strikes – is not working and should be
repealed...Des Moines Register headline today:
“Vilsack is open to wider gambling…He would
accept expansion to solve revenue
problems”…Radio Iowa’s Darwin Danielson
reports a record number of students
are enrolled for the spring semester at the
state’s three Regents universities. The total
enrollment at Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa for
the current semester is 60,040.
Regents spokesperson Barb Boose says officials saw a
“big increase” in off-campus courses offered
over the Internet, Iowa Communications Network (ICN)
and in correspondence courses, noting it’s easier
for many Iowans to go to an ICN site than drive to Iowa
City, Ames or Cedar Falls…A
related story: Despite numerous media reports
indicating room-and-board will cost more at the
state universities next year, the proposal still
must be considered – and approved – by the Board
of Regents at their meeting in Ames next
week. Regents also will hear request for a planned
$70 million to $80 million renovation of Kinnick
Stadium in Iowa City. OPINION:
Des Moines Register editorial: “Iowa schools at
risk…Teachers, classes are being lost in third
year of pinched budgets” Cites planned cutbacks in
West Des Moines, Des Moines
and Corwith-Wesley…An “Iowa
View” op-ed by Burns H. Weston, director of the
University if Iowa Center for Human Rights,
“George Bush, war criminal?…Our duty: Condemn
Iraq, oppose headstrong action by U. S.” SPORTS:
Iowa women’s basketball team survives again –
nursing a three-point halftime lead for 80-77 win
over nationally-ranked (No. 14) Minnesota at the Big
Ten tournament in Indianapolis. Hawkeyes, after a
first-round win Thursday evening over Northwestern,
are now 16-13 for the year and play Purdue in
semi-final round tomorrow…Conference coaches vote
Iowa State guard Lindsey Wilson to all-Big 12
women’s basketball first team… Season over
for Drake and Northern Iowa
men after both suffer one-point losses at
Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Louis.
Drake loses 63-62 to Illinois State, UNI misses
61-60 vs. Indiana State…Men’s basketball today:
Iowa hosts Northwestern 1:30 this afternoon, ISU at
K-State 7 p.m. tonight in final regular season games
of season…Women’s games: Afternoon games
today– Creighton at UNI in Cedar Falls,
Drake at Bradley…Iowa State women’s basketball
team will face Kansas next Tuesday in opening round
of Big 12 Conference Tournament in Dallas. WEATHER:
Unfortunately, despite previous forecasts, it
doesn’t appear many Iowans will see 50-degree
temperatures over the next few days. Morning
forecasters report some icy conditions
possible in central and southern sections
today. NW corner getting some snow this morning as
system sweeps through, already 1”-3” inches of
snow in western MN.
Arctic cold system coming in tonight…5 a.m.
DSM 21 with mist. Temps across Iowa in 20s and
teens, most wind chills teens to single digits with
some subzero chills…High today 25 with chance of
sleet. Low tonight 6. High Sunday 22…Midwest temps
this morning range from 6 below in Bismarck to 38 in
St. Louis. IOWAISMS:
For boomers and bow hunters – rock-and-roll legend
(and accomplished bow-hunter) Ted Nugent in Des
Moines this weekend to swap hunting stories
with Iowans at the Iowa Deer Classic. Nugent told
Radio Iowa he’s considering a run for governor of
Michigan …Caucus contingent golfers take note: An
Iowa course – The Harvester Golf Club (Rhodes,
between Des Moines and Marshalltown)
-- has been named as one of the Top 100 modern
courses in the country by Golfweek. The Harvester,
the home course for Iowa State’s golf programs,
was 84th. Other top-flight courses,
though not in the Top 100, named by Golfweek on
their Iowa list are in Amana, Ames, Spencer
and Burlington
…Let them (not) eat cake, but venison. GOP
state Sen. Hubert Houser of Carson, citing
Iowa’s deer overpopulation problem,
is proposing to feed the state’s prison population
with ground venison. It solves two problems –
reducing the state’s deer herd while lowering
costs of feeding inmates at Iowa’s
nine prisons…
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