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Iowa 2004 presidential primary precinct caucus and caucuses news">
Iowa 2004 presidential primary precinct caucus and caucuses news, reports
and information on 2004 Democrat and Republican candidates, campaigns
and issues Iowa
Presidential Watch's
IOWA DAILY REPORT Holding
the Democrats accountable today, tomorrow...forever.
... QUOTABLE: "After 60 years of trying
to find stability through regimes that were not
devoted to political liberty for their people,
what we found is that we did not buy security and
stability."--
U.S. national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.
"First we must end the
American monopoly on the occupation and
reconstruction. Then we must develop the right
force mix to fight and win guerrilla war. Finally,
we must give Iraqis a rising stake in our
success…" --
excerpt from Wesley Clark’s speech on Iraq and
foreign policy scheduled for delivery today.
Braun noted she
was the only mother on stage, to which Dean
replied: "Unlike ambassador Braun I did not
nurse my children."
From last
night’s 'Presidential Candidates Forum on Women's
Issues' in Manchester, New Hampshire. “Not since Bill Clinton
drove around Arkansas with Wes Clark wingman Bruce
Lindsey has a politician so synthetically turned
to the public to validate a decision already
made.” -- from
ABC’s The Note.
A woman asked
Wesley Clark if he's really an Outkast fan, like
his 30-second spot on Rock the Vote suggested. His
answer? "I can shake it like a Polaroid
picture."
Bill Burton,
Dick Gephardt’s Iowa press secretary, said,
"I know Dean is running in the Democratic race but
it's beginning to sound like he's running in a
Republican one. The next thing we know, he's going
to be campaigning at Bob Jones University." “I know it disappoints
all of our friends in the state. But that seems to
be the way the party rules go.”
Joe Lieberman’s
comment in the Manchester Union Leader about
staying out of Florida’s straw poll. "You have a better chance
of being called back for a job interview if you
are white with a criminal record than you do if
you are black with a clean record, never having
been arrested or convicted,"
said Howard
Dean. “I resent it when some
people say just because I am strong on defense and
am willing to talk about values in public life
that somehow I am not a good Democrat. To me being
strong on defense and talking about values is all
about being a good Democrat in the tradition of
Kennedy and Clinton and Gore.”
-- Joe
Lieberman.
Partial
Birth Abortion ban: "Today, at last, the
American people and our government have confronted
the violence." –
President Bush. "I am deeply disappointed
that President Bush has chosen to make a political
statement by signing an anti-choice bill which
contains no exception for the life and health of
the mother. This bill is unconstitutional, and it
sacrifices the health and safety of American
women.” --
Wesley Clark. “President Bush has
signed legislation that takes a step backwards for
women as his stealth agenda to roll back the right
to choose is pushed forward. Women and doctors –
not politicians – must be able to choose the best
and safest medical treatment.”
– John Kerry. "With the stroke of a
pen, President Bush just let every woman in
America know that his political ideology comes
first, and her health comes last. And I am
saddened by the president's action.”
-- John Edwards. "Today, the President
signs into law a bill that lets the political
agenda of right-wing Republicans override the
rights and health of American women.”
-- Joe
Lieberman.
… TODAY’S
OFFERINGS:
Winning the prize
How do we know?
Shocking
The word
Gephardt fury rises
Clark Marshall(s) Congress
Kerry on Dean
Personals:
Debate coverage
Ranking health care proposals
Democracy’s march
Campaign Financing Debate
Missouri River flow
Was there a deal?
* CANDIDATES &
CAUCUSES: The Associated Press is running
a story that Dean will receive the Service
Employees International Union’s endorsement. This
is a severe blow to Dick Gephardt’s campaign, and
a big boost to Dean’s. SEIU is the largest union
in the federation of the AFL-CIO. The union
spokeswoman Sara Howard in the
AP article implies that the deal may not be
done:
"Tomorrow, the local leaders who comprise SEIU's
executive board will come together to decide
whether the union should endorse," she said.
"Until they vote on that question, any speculation
as to the result of that vote is just that —
speculation." The AP
is also reporting that the endorsement is setting
off further possible endorsement by the
influential American Federation of State, County
and Municipal Employees union. The story indicates
that only Wesley Clark, John Kerry and Dean are
under consideration. AFSCME is the 800-pound
guerrilla of union endorsement because of the
large amount of money it spends on elections. The
union also has 1.5 million members. The SEIU is
planning an aggressive campaign in 2004 according
to AP: SEIU
has mapped an aggressive, intensive voter
mobilization effort for 2004 that includes making
7 million phone calls, distributing 6 million
fliers, visiting 10 million homes and running six
mobile action centers in converted
tractor-trailers. Union officials also plan for
500,000 members to donate to the effort, totaling
$20 million. Howard Dean made an apology for
his flag comments at New York's Cooper Union. The
reason we know it was an apology is that he
said it was, according to the Associated
Press: "That
was an apology," Dean told The Associated Press.
"You heard it from me. It was a remark that
inflicted a lot of pain on people for whom the
flag of the Confederacy is a painful symbol of
racism and slavery." Dean’s
apology during the speech took the following form: "Many
people in the African-American community have
supported what I said in the past few days because
they understand what this is about," the former
Vermont governor said. "But some have not, and to
those I deeply regret the pain that I may have
caused."
However, being Dean he went on to say that he
would not back off from discussions on race and
that feelings would be hurt. If this ambiguity was
not enough, in his affirming that the statement
was an apology to the AP he equivocated again: Even
as he apologized, Dean said he stood by his
broader point that Democrats must court Southern
whites who have voted for Republicans and received
nothing in return. "My remarks were misunderstood,
of course, with the help of my colleagues" in the
race, he told the AP. While
Dean does not seem to know how to put this flag
flap away, his opponents seem to know how to keep
it going. The larger question is how will Dean do
in the South after the New Hampshire Primary. The
first check for Dean will be South Carolina on Feb
3. Al Sharpton called for Democrats
to not block California Supreme Court Justice
Janice Rogers Brown to the Washington appeals
court, according to the
Washington Times: "We've
got to stop this monolith in black America because
it impedes the freedom of expression for all of
us," Mr. Sharpton said in a television interview
conducted by Sinclair Broadcasting yesterday. "I
don't think she should be opposed because she
doesn't come from some assumed club." Mr. Sharpton
compared the filibusters to the same sort of
"pocket vetoes" used for so long against blacks.
Sharpton’s comments shocked fellow blacks, who
have opposed the nomination. Wade Henderson,
director of the Leadership Conference on Civil
Rights when asked about it effused his shock and
disbelief about the development. Sharpton’s
statement will cause Blacks and other liberals to
have an even greater time in opposing Brown’s
nomination that Democrat Senators have been
threatening to filibuster. NAACP Chairman Julian
Bond was having a hard time defending that Brown
was a right wing nut already. When Brown was asked
how Brown was a right wing ideologue after winning
reelection with 76 percent of the vote, he
responded according to the Washington Times: "It's
inexplicable to me," Mr. Bond said. "I cannot
think of a response. But nonetheless, that
election does not invalidate any of the things
[we] have said." Americans will receive the
definitive word on how to win the peace in Iraq
today in a speech by Wesley Clark at South
Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South
Carolina. Clark calls for the United States to
appoint an allied high representative to guide
Iraq's reconstruction while shifting the military
operation to NATO forces under U.S. command. He
also urges that the interim government should be
given gradual authority over oil revenues and
other domestic issues to give civilians a stake in
stemming the violence. Clark will also call for a new
Atlantic Charter to help define the common threats
faced with European allies. He suggests that this
will enable the U.S. to demand more action from
its allies providing the U.S. offer a promise to
act together as a first choice, not a last choice.
Clark has been critical of the Bush
administration’s going it alone. In the speech,
Clark alleges that 500,000 tons of ammunition
remains unguarded. Clark will demand an effort to
secure weapons dumps throughout the country.
However, Clark does not call for an early exit:
"Early exit means retreat or defeat. There can be
neither." Dick Gephardt has opted out of
debates in order to campaign in Iowa and New
Hampshire. In his appearance in Iowa he is
expressing a rising fury over Bush’s handling of
Iraq. The Des Moines Register headline covering
Gephardt’s visit with 75 Democrats in Boone ran
under the headline, Gephardt 'furious' at Bush
over lack of support in Iraq. The Register
offers the following Gephardt quote as evidence: "We're
getting people hurt every day, killed every day.
It's costing a billion dollars a week, four
billion dollars a month. And he still can't figure
out how to get to the U.N., how to get to NATO to
get the help that we need."
Gephardt handled the fact he voted for the war and
funding recently in the following way: "I
voted for it unashamedly," Gephardt said. "I knew
I'd take flak out here for doing it, but I did it.
I'm going to stand up for what I believe in. I'm
not going to tell those kids over there that are
taking bullets that I don't have the courage to
vote for the money to keep them safe… I'm going to
point out differences I have with all the
candidates," Gephardt said. "I've got my
differences with Gov. Dean and I've stated those
clearly," said Dick Gephardt in response to
question about skipping debates. General Wesley Clark welcomed
Thurgood Marshall, Jr. aboard his campaign for
president. Marshall will serve without salary as
the Senior Director for Congressional and Public
Liaison for Clark04. "Thurgood is going to be the
point person for my campaign's dealings with
Congress," Clark said. "The breadth and depth of
his experience in this area will be invaluable."
Marshall has lined up an all-star Congressional
relations team for Clark04, including: Peter Goelz
of APCO Worldwide, Steven Palmer of Van Skoyoc
Associates, Daniel C. Tate of Capitol Solutions
and Tracey Thornton of Farragut Consulting. Each
has extensive experience in senior government
positions and in the private sector. “Howard Dean has finally
admitted that his words have caused pain but I am
puzzled as to why he does not seem to regret the
words that caused the pain. Rather than politics
as usual, Howard Dean should have taken
responsibility for his rhetoric and simply said ‘I
was wrong.’ We should not forget that the
insensitive and offensive remarks Howard Dean made
five days ago were not in a discussion about race
in this country but instead as a way of explaining
why he told the NRA, in an effort to get their
endorsement, that he opposed a federal ban on
assault weapons.” Dennis Kucinich took last
night’s 'Presidential Candidates Forum on Women's
Issues' in Manchester, New Hampshire as an
opportunity to offer his personal want ad for a
possible future wife in response to the question,
“Describe the role of first lady, first man or
first friend.” "As a bachelor, I can just
fantasize about my first lady," Kucinich said.
"Maybe Fox wants to sponsor a national contest
or something ... for a working partner, a
dynamic outspoken woman who is fearless in her
desire for peace in the world and single payer
health care system and, oh, don't forget the
economy." The best debate coverage from
last night is at the Manchester
Union Leader. Here are some of the points:
·
The candidates agreed on a need for
stem cell research, a need to fully fund special
education and any education mandates from the
federal government, equal pay for women and
mandated paid medical leave.
·
Clark favored the death penalty for
severe crimes as long as it is applied fairly,
regardless of race or class.”
·
Dean said there was no Bush
middle-class tax cut because it is being consumed
by higher property taxes and college tuition.
·
Braun said her proposed single-payer
national health care system “will not cost
American taxpayers one dime more than the current
dysfunctional delivery system.”
·
Kerry said poor women should not be
forced to work in order to collect welfare without
adequate, government-funded childcare and more
effective job training programs.
·
Edwards said, “Men should not be
able to get Viagra and have insurance pay for it
while women can’t get birth control and have
insurance pay for it.” The advocacy group Iowa for
Health Care has ranked the Democrat Presidential
candidates health care proposals, and Kucinich’s
is the best. Gephardt came in second. You can
visit their website at
http://www.iowaforhealthcare.com.
* ON THE BUSH
BEAT: President Bush will give a
speech to the National Endowment for Democracy in
which he will outline that America’s interest in
the Middle East is for democratic gains that are
not incompatible with the region’s religions.
National security adviser Condoleezza Rice,
briefing the press, reported Bush will tell those
suspicious of U.S. motives in countries like Iraq
that the political and economic freedoms America
wants to see in the region are not synonymous with
Westernization. According to
Associated Press Rice stated, "If you look at
democratic development in the world, it makes its
peace with local traditions and local and
religious and ideological views," she said. "It's
not a one-size-fits-all approach."
*NATIONAL: Howard Dean’s putting to a vote
on whether to accept federal campaign financing is
causing a debate about the program. The
Associated Press has a story on the subject:
Wertheimer is among those who believe a decision
by two or more major-party candidates to skip
public funding could spur Congress to address the
program's flaws. If they do not, "we face the
prospects of losing it in the future and putting
the presidency on the permanent special-interest
auction block," he said. Fred Wertheimer is a
campaign finance watchdog who fought for the
program's creation. The
Associated Press is reporting new moves in the
Missouri River flow controversy: In a move that may block changes
to the Missouri River's flow, the Bush
administration yanked the government scientists
who had ordered the switch off the years-long
river project and is bringing in a new team. The
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has resisted
making changes to how it manages the river, is
under a December deadline to come up with a new
operations plan that follows the Endangered
Species Act. Now, a different team of scientists
at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will say
whether the corps can avoid major changes -- such
as a previously ordered switch to a more natural
spring rise and low summer flow -- and still
comply with the act. The NY Times story tells of an
American businessman who was a back channel for
Iraq trying to set up a meeting. The details of
the proposal in the Times are: On
Feb. 19, Mr. Hage faxed a three-page report on his
trip to Baghdad to Mr. Maloof in Washington. The
Iraqis, he wrote, "understand the days of
manipulating the United States are over." He said
top Iraqi officials, including Mr. Habbush and
Tariq Aziz, the deputy prime minister, wanted to
meet with American officials. The
report also listed five areas of concessions the
Iraqis said they would make to avoid a war,
including cooperation in fighting terrorism and
"full support for any U.S. plan" in the
Arab-Israeli peace process. In addition, the
report said that "the U.S. will be given first
priority as it relates to Iraq oil, mining
rights," and that Iraq would cooperate with United
States strategic interests in the region. Finally,
under the heading "Disarmament," the report said,
"Direct U.S. involvement on the ground in
disarming Iraq."
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