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 17^th 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 84^th. 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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