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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.
THE DAILY REPORT
for Tuesday, October 7, 2003
... QUOTABLE: "I felt the best prepared and most able Democratic
candidate to be elected president. I have
concluded that is not to be. A combination
of factors has convinced me, reluctantly, that my
dreams for the presidency are not attainable."
– Bob Graham "I did not vote for George W. Bush. I voted for Al
Gore," – Dem wannabe Wesley Clark, getting
grilled at the Harkin Forum in Iowa yesterday. "I don't think he gave us a lot of specifics tonight.
He's going to have to be more specific to get my
support." – Fort Dodge lawyer Neven Mulholland,
after quizzing Clark at the Harkin Forum : “If we came and played at your speech, you’d be
pretty upset.” – Manchester, NH band leader to
campaigning John Edwards for apparently breaking
the band’s ‘no handshaking while the band is
playing’ rule. “Howard Dean has proven once again he lacks the
knowledge and understanding of the critical
national security matters facing America. Not only
does he fail to understand these matters, but he
blatantly ignores the facts.” – NH Republican
party spokeman Julie Teer, responding to Dean’s
latest Bush Bash. "He's a great friend of mine and brought a sober,
no-frills approach to his campaign, kind of a
Harry Truman approach. I think anyone who wins the
nomination will be looking very seriously at Bob
Graham for vice president." – Iowa Senator Tom
Harkin, on Bob Graham. "I thought he had, does have, a terrific personality
that would be helpful to be successful in Iowa,
where it's so retail. But obviously, he's made a
decision this is not his time, this is not his
race, and I've got to respect that," – Iowa
Democratic Party Chairman Gordon Fischer, reacting
to news that Bob Graham dropped out of the 2004
race.
… Among the offerings in today’s update:
IPW’s Presidential Candidates Schedule for today Bob Graham withdraws from the presidential race John Kerry’s statement on Graham’s withdrawal John Edward’s statement on Graham’s withdrawal Joe Lieberman’s statement on Graham’s withdrawal Iowa leaders weigh in on Graham withdrawal Clark gets grilled at Harkin Forum in Iowa yesterday Kerry uses Iowa visit to rub more salt Dean’s
Medicare sore Edwards gets a public scolding in Manchester, NH, by…
the BAND leader??? Dean taps into the other end of the age spectrum in
NH Edwards calls for better job retraining in visit to
tech college in Stratham, NH Pentagon: shift 10,000 military jobs to civilians
Hillary’s dishing out payback House Republicans throw out garbage trucks and postal
zones from Bush’s Iraq budget Bush toughens support of leak investigation Feminists praise Moseley Braun’s presidential run *
CANDIDATES/CAUCUSES: Here is today’s IPW Presidential Candidates Schedule:
·
John Kerry in Iowa.
·
Dennis Kucinich Democracy Rising Rally with Ralph Nader, 6:00 pm.
Location: Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal
Church, 1518 M Street NW . Performances by DC hip
hop artist Head-Roc featuring Noyeek the Grizzly
Bear. Tickets $10 in advance, $15 at the door.
·
Wesley Clark
in Oklahoma. Details TBA
·
John Edwards in Iowa … Bob Graham announced his withdrawal from
the 2004 presidential race in a statement late last
night on CNN’s “Larry King Live”. Leaving a
still-crowded pack of nine behind him, Graham’s
future options include another run for the Senate
and the ever-tested – and priorly contested –
shot at a vice presidential run, should he be
tapped. In an article today,
Des Moines Register, by AP’s Nedra
Pickler, excerpts: “Graham… became the first
Democrat to drop out of the 10-way competition.
"I felt the best prepared and most able Democratic
candidate to be elected president," he said in a
statement Monday night. "I have concluded that is
not to be. A combination of factors has
convinced me, reluctantly, that my dreams for the
presidency are not attainable." … Graham said
he has not decided whether he would run for
re-election to his Senate seat, which he has held
since 1987. He declined to endorse any of the
remaining Democratic presidential candidates, saying
any would be preferable to President Bush, even if
they supported the war in Iraq. He would not rule
out accepting a vice presidential nomination.” [IPW
NOTE: AP’s Pickler observed, interestingly,
that within an hour of Graham’s Larry King Live
announcement, wannabe Dennis Kucinich was hawking
Graham’s anti-war supporters to join up with his
fight for the 2004 nomination…] … John Kerry reacts to Graham’s withdrawal
from the 2004 race: In a statement posted on Kerry’s
campaign website,
JohnKerry.com, he says:
“I am disappointed that Bob Graham has decided to
end his campaign for the Presidency. Bob has been a
friend and a colleague for 17 years. His dedication
to public service, his tireless commitment to those
he represents and his values and love of family
brought an important perspective to this campaign
that will be missed. As a Governor, he created jobs
while protecting Florida’s environment. In the
Senate, he has worked tirelessly to help seniors
afford the medicine they need and been a leader on
national security issues. He will continue to be an
important voice on national and international issues
and I know he has many more contributions to make
for our party and for our country. Teresa and I wish
Bob, Adele and his entire family the very best.” … John Edwards reacts to Graham’s
withdrawal from the 2004 race: In a statement posted
on Edwards’s campaign website,
JohnEdwards2004.com, he says:
“Senator
Bob Graham is one of our nation's most dedicated and
respected leaders. He has offered a voice of
strength, intelligence, and patriotism throughout
this Democratic primary. For more than two decades,
he has devoted his life to public service.
Floridians adore him. America admires him. And the
Senate applauds his work and the stature he brings
to that chamber every time he steps onto the floor.
I am grateful for his friendship, proud that he is a
Democrat, and hope that he continues to offer his
insights and ideas as we debate the future of the
country we all love, and move forward in our
pursuits to win the White House in 2004."
… Joe Lieberman reacts to Graham’s
withdrawal from the 2004 race: In a statement posted
on Lieberman’s campaign website,
Joe2004.com, he says:
"Bob Graham is a patriot and a great Democrat. His
voice made this contest richer and more thoughtful.
His expertise on security issues and his gift for
seeing life through others' eyes make him one of the
best that our party has to offer. I'm proud to call
him a friend, and am grateful that he'll continue to
be a leading voice for Florida and our party in the
Senate." … Newbie candidate Wesley Clark took his
turn in Iowa’s Sen. Tom Harkin’s “Hear it from the
Heartland” presidential forum yesterday in Fort
Dodge, Iowa. The
Des Moines Register’s Thomas Beaumont
covered the forum. Excerpts: “Democratic
presidential candidate Wesley Clark defended his
allegiance to the party Monday under pointed
questioning. "I made a recent decision," Clark
said. "I was either going to be the loneliest
Republican in America, or I was going to be a heck
of a Democrat." But Fort Dodge lawyer Neven
Mulholland pressed Clark on recent revelations that
he was the keynote speaker at an Arkansas Republican
fund-raiser in May 2001 and that he voted for Ronald
Reagan for president in 1980. "I did not vote for
George W. Bush. I voted for Al Gore," Clark told
the 50-year-old lawyer. But Mulholland said Clark's
response about his political affiliation was
cursory. "I don't think he really answered the
question," said Mulholland, "I don't think he
gave us a lot of specifics tonight. He's going to
have to be more specific to get my support."
Clark, who has not said whether he will compete in
the Iowa caucuses, was quizzed about health care,
jobs, taxes, abortion, education and foreign policy
issues by members of the audience of roughly 300
central Iowa Democratic activists. Harkin has held
out the possibility of an endorsing a candidate but
said he would not decide until next month. Clark
must decide soon whether to organize a campaign for
the Iowa caucuses or bypass the leadoff nominating
event, party leaders said Monday. Clark met with
Gov. Tom Vilsack and labor groups in Des Moines, but
he remained tight-lipped about whether he would
mount an aggressive caucus campaign. Iowa
Democratic Party Chairman Gordon Fischer said
Clark's two trips [to Iowa] have been productive,
but he urged the former NATO commander to commit to
Iowa soon. "There's time for him to do that, but I
would think he would want to make a decision fairly
soon," Fischer said … Iowa leaders weigh in the withdrawal of
Bob Graham from the 2004 race: (Des
Moines Register article) HARKIN: "He's a great friend of mine and brought a
sober, no-frills approach to his campaign, kind of a
Harry Truman approach," U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin said
Monday. "I think anyone who wins the nomination will
be looking very seriously at Bob Graham for vice
president." FISCHER: Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Gordon Fischer
said Graham had the right personality for the
caucuses. "I thought he had, does have, a terrific
personality that would be helpful to be successful
in Iowa, where it's so retail. But obviously, he's
made a decision this is not his time, this is not
his race, and I've got to respect that," he said. WHO GETS SUPPORT? Fischer said it would be interesting
to see where Graham's supporters - and particularly
his campaign staff - end up. He said it was
difficult to predict the impact on the caucus race.
"Undecided really leads the pack," he said of the
race in Iowa. "It's a very fluid situation. This
makes it even more fluid, I suppose." … John Kerry was in Iowa yesterday, in a
long day of campaigning that included visits to
Council Bluffs, Dunlap and Buena Vista College in
Storm Lake. (article in today’s
Des Moines Register, by staff writer
Jonathan Roos) Taking aim at his No. 1 Rival,
Howard Dean, Kerry rubbed still more salt in the
Dean-Medicare sore. Dean’s sore spot is, as has
been infinitely reported by the nation’s
media, the ‘Dean is a Newt [Gingrich]’
taunt. For Howard Dean, that’s tantamount to calling
him a, well, traitor. Kerry’s Dean-esque scare
tactics were tossed at Iowa’s seniors yesterday. And
there’ll be more today – Kerry is campaigning in
Sioux City, Le Mars, Cherokee and Sheldon. Iowa’s
population is overwhelming elderly. And they hold
great sway in the nominating process, turning
out in the highest percentage to attend the caucuses
and vote. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Kerry is touting
his "Compact with America's Seniors" -- where he
outlines his stance on Medicare (he says he'll get
'real' RX prescription coverage, among other claims
aimed at making seniors take note and vote), Social
Security (he says the usual stuff to that pleases
any retiree), and extending long term healthcare
benefits. Sounds rosy, but when the rubber meets the
road... how will he deliver this Fairytale for
Seniors?] … EDWARDS I: John Edwards got a public
scolding Sunday in Manchester, NH, by the leader of
the town band. According to an article in the
CharlotteObserver yesterday, Edwards was
schmoozing the public while the band played on. That
didn’t set well with the band leader, who said
publically to Edwards: “If we came and played at
your speech, you’d be pretty upset.” The article
says Edwards ‘nodded an apology and made a quick
exit.’ [EDITOR’S NOTE: this isn’t the first time
Edwards has drawn public chastisement. On a campaign
visit to Waukee, Iowa
last July local farmer Jerry Burger showed up on
his John Deere tractor, hopped off and gave Edwards
a piece of his mind, “I think you need to go back
to North Carolina. All you want is more regulations
on livestock.” ] … EDWARDS II: John Edwards returned to New
Hampshire, no doubt hoping to avoid any more angry
band leaders, visiting the New Hampshire Community
Technical College in Stratham. An article in
today’s
CharlotteObserver recaps Edwards agenda as
focused on retooling job retraining programs ‘that
often fail to teach laid-off workers the skills that
are in demand.’ Edwards is quoted as saying,
“we’re training people for jobs that aren’t out
there.” … Well, it wasn’t ALL about the youth in
the Generation Dean Tour. While in Claremont, NH
yesterday, Howard Dean stepped away from the
college campus-thing and met with some seniors at a
senior center – the same senior center where
then-president Clinton and then-Speaker of the House
Newt Gingrich shook hands, many years prior, to
form a bipartisan commission for campaign finance
reform. Coincidence? Hardly -- more like
damage-control. Over in Iowa, John Kerry was
digging in fertile soil, speaking to Iowa’s seniors
about, gee, Medicare and planting some more
Dean-is-a-Newt-Gingrich seeds in the minds of Iowas.
An AP article, carried in today’s
UnionLeader, revealed that the folks at the
Earl Bourdon Senior Center were more interested in
foreign policy than the Newt Gingrich comparisons
regarding Medicare. It also attributes Dean as
saying that President Bush ‘lacks the backbone to
confront Saudi Arabia and is allowing North Korea to
become a nuclear power.’ To which Julie Teer,
spokesman for the NH Republican Party, said
“Howard Dean has proven once again he lacks the
knowledge and understanding of the critical national
security matters facing America. Not only does he
fail to understand these matters, but he blatantly
ignores the facts.” [EDITOR’S NOTE: is it time
to resurrect the
Dean Gaffe Gauge?] …
Feminists are applauding Carol Moseley Braun’s
presidential bid, the first woman to seek the
nation’s highest office. But according to
FoxNews.com today, not everyone feels that way
about it. And the differences in opinion seem to
hinge on just how one measures women-have-arrived
progress. Excerpt: “Some say it is a positive
by-product of feminism that women feel more inclined
to consider a candidate’s resume and party
affiliation, rather than the battle of the sexes,
when they vote. “At the height of the movement,
women were still fighting for rights,” said Kimberly
Schuld, author of “The Guide to Feminist
Organizations.” A woman president then would have
promised the entire package – an Equal Rights
Amendment included. “But by and large we have gotten
the entire ERA passed through other laws,” she said.
“You’re not going to rush over to Carol Moseley
Braun just because she is a woman.” Nancy
Pfotenhauer, president of the Independent Women's
Forum, “I don’t think anybody needs to be
wearing a dress to speak to our needs,” she said.
“Give me the person who is best for the job.” * ON THE BUSH BEAT: … President Bush toughened his stance on
his support of the investigation of a White House
leak allegedly done by a ‘senior administration
official(s).’ An article in today’s
New York Times reports Bush as saying it was
a “very serious matter” and “a criminal action”.
According to the article, the White House announced
yesterday that at least 500 of its 2,000 employees
had responded to the Justice Dept demand for
documents. Excerpts: “Mr. Bush, in his most
extensive comments about the leak to date, urged the
person who disclosed the information to come
forward. “If anybody has got any information inside
our government or outside our government who leaked,
you ought to take it to the Justice Department so we
can find the leaker,” he said. The White House has
given its employees until 5 p.m. on Tuesday to
comply with a Justice Department demand that they
turn over ‘all documents that relate in any way’ to
the disclosure of the officer’s identity.” *
THE CLINTON COMEDIES: … It looks like Hillary Clinton has
declared it’s Payback Time.
USNEWS.com’s article by Gloria Borger, “Payback,
thy name is politics!” is timely. Borger
recounts how the then-first-lady Hillary Clinton
protested LOUDLY when her – I mean, Bill’s – fluff
was in the fire. Excerpt: “You can't make this
stuff up. Hillary Rodham Clinton, then a first lady
under fire, argues against the appointment of an
independent counsel in the Whitewater case. It would
"set a terrible precedent," she writes in her
bestseller Living History. She loses
the fight--and goes on to say that the decision to
request an independent counsel was a bad idea that
"sapped the administration's energy . . . unfairly
invaded the lives of innocent people, and diverted
America's attention from the challenges we faced at
home and abroad." But that was then. Today,
Senator Clinton is blessed by new revelations about
the usefulness of special counsels. The
controversy over the leaking of the name of a CIA
agent has "reached a level where there needs to be a
thorough, nonpartisan, professional investigation,"
she says. "The best way to assure the general
public, as well as interested parties, that this is
going to be conducted in a totally aboveboard way
with no conflict of interest entering into it is to
appoint a special counsel." O, Irony!” [EDITOR’S
NOTE: well said, Ms. Borger.] *
NATIONAL POLITICS: … Republicans in the House of Representatives are
reducing Bush’s $20.3 billion ticket price for Iraq
reconstruction help by $1.7 billion. In today’s
New York Times article by Carl Hulse,
Rep. Bill Young (R-Fla.) is quoted as saying, “I
have scrubbed the president’s request and made some
improvements.” Tossing out requests for new
garbage trucks and ZIP-like postal zones, the U.S.
House ‘scrubbed’ away at the Bush Administration’s
list. Excerpt: “Among the items eliminated by Mr.
Young were $50 million for support of Iraq's traffic
police, $100 million for seven new housing
communities, $150 million to start building a
children's hospital in Basra and $10 million to
modernize the Iraqi television and radio industries.
The plan reduced the administration's request for
prison construction by $300 million, eliminating
construction of two new prisons.” *
FEDERAL POLITICS: … The Pentagon is hoping to shift 10,000 jobs from
military personnel to civilians. A
WashingtonPost article by Stephen Barr
today says Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
told Congress the job shift would ‘free up
military personnel for the war against terrorism and
the reconstruction of Iraq.’
Excerpt: “The
proposal to replace military personnel with
civilians is part of the Pentagon's plan to revamp
the pay and personnel rules for about 746,000 civil
service employees at the Defense Department. The
Pentagon plan, called the "national security
personnel system," was included by the House in the
fiscal 2004 defense authorization bill. The measure
has stalled, primarily because of contentious
provisions unrelated to job conversions.”
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