Radio Iowa

Fallon sings "Don't..."

Ed Fallon, the third place finisher in this past June's primary, sent out an email today, saying he's written a song.  You can hear it here.  You can read the lyrics below. 

Don’t Write Me In (to the tune of Don’t Fence Me In, by Cole Porter)
by Ed Fallon, with help from Kyle Lobner, Jeff Balch and Lynn Heuss

Oh let me thank those of you who supported me in June,
But don’t write me in.
When an ad makes you mad as a howling baboon,
Don’t write me in.
Let us think for ourselves and ignore the sleaze,
We’d like a clean election law, if you please,
But voting for me is just like spitting in the breeze,
So, don’t write me in.

Just vote for Chet, it is clearer than a mirror
You don’t need to make a fuss.
And you can bet, Mr. Nussle will be hustlin'
And he won’t do much for us.

Well I’ve been riding from the ridge where the West commences,
From the Loess Hills to Dubuque past miles of fences,
So when you go to vote, unless you’ve lost your senses.
Don’t write me in.
That’s right:  Don’t write me in.
Mama, don’t you write me in.

Alex P. Keaton

The Chet Culver campaign let it be known late last week that Michael J. Fox, the fellow who used to portray conservative Republican Alex P. Keaton in the t.v. sitcom "Family Ties," would be campaigning on Culver's behalf in Des Moines today.  (For you political people, you already know it's all about stem cell research.  For the curious, here's the Radio Iowa story on the Fox visit.)  .

Bush talks about Pelosi, but not by name

President Bush made a campaign speech in Des Moines mid-day today, and began with the customary recognition of GOP dignitaries in the audience.  Bush picked one statewide elected official who is running for re-election this year -- and has no Democratic opponent.

"I ran into State Auditor Dave Vaudt.  I said 'How's your campaign going?'" Bush told the crowd, as many in the audience laughed.  Bush continued with the story:  "(Vaudt) said 'Pretty good.'"  A few more hearty laughs.  "What's it like to run unopposed?" Bush asked.  Bush laughed along with the crowd.  "Thanks for coming out," Bush told Vaudt.  "But I'm proud of you Dave, here with your wife Jeanie, and now that you've got a little spare time on your hands, why don't you help our man get elected here in the third district?" The audience applauded.   

Today's TouchPlay episode

Shall we call it gambling-gate?  Or TouchPlay touche?   

There were more "developments" today in the on-going political discussion about who wants to do what, and when they'd go to bat for which gambling interest.  For those of you just tuning in, during Saturday's "debate" with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver, Jim Nussle -- the Republican gubernatorial candidate -- charged that Culver must have a "secret plan" to benefit the TouchPlay industry because Culver has received over $100,000 from TouchPlay owners and operators.

Today, Lieutenant Governor Sally Pederson held a news conference at Iowa Democratic Party headquarters to "reveal" that Jim Nussle has accepted over $260,000 from casino owners in Iowa, and in tongue-in-cheek fashion suggested that must mean Nussle has a "secret plan" for the casino industry.  The two top Republicans in the Iowa Legislature then held a news conference at the statehouse to denounce the TouchPlay industry for bankrolling Democrats.  Read the story about today's developments here. 

Craig Cohoon, the vice president of Moss Distributing – one of the companies that invested in TouchPlay. spoke with the media today, too.  He said there is “positively no secret plan.”  Cohoon said it is “very clear politically” that TouchPlay cannot return, and to suggest there is some secret plan to reinstate TouchPlay is "fantasy.”

TouchPlay in governor's race

The final debate of the 2006 Iowa governor's race is history.  If you liked the "all TouchPlay, all the time" nature of the 2006 Iowa legislative session, you loved this debate.  All the exchanges about this issue, both before and after the debate, are included in the story I just wrote for Radio Iowa. 

US Ag Secretary says Johans name well-known in home area

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns met up with GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle in the parking lot of the Lincolnway Energy ethanol plant near Ames on Thursday afternoon.  Johanns is an Iowa native and Nussle asked if he gets back up to the Osage area to visit relatives.  Johanns, who has a sister still living in Iowa, says he gets back infrequently.  Then, Johanns launched into this story:

Vilsack and Virgin Records founder on "Prop 87"

Iowa's jet-setting governor, Tom Vilsack, appeared at a news conference in San Francisco, California, this morning -- with the city's mayor, Gavin Newsom -- to speak in support of one of the propositions on California's November ballot.  Proposition 87 seeks to impose a tax on oil production and funnel the money to produce "alternative" forms of energy.  Former President Bill Clinton appeared in California last Friday to speak in favor of the move.  Actress Geena Davis of "Thelma and Louise" fame was at that news event with Clinton.   Former Vice President Al Gore has cut a commercial for "Yes on Prop 87" campaign.  Actress Julia Roberts appeared at an event on Monday to laud the initiative. 

Vilsack, however, did not share the stage with any actress.  Vilsack gets second-billing status in the news release issued today by the "Yes on 87" campaign, behind Sir Richard Branson, the Brit who founded Virgin Records and other business enterprises such as Virgin Airlines.  Branson is among the world's richest men.  Below you will see the news release featuring Branson's comments on the California proposition.  Oh, and prepared comments from Governor Vilsack, too.

Fiesty debate in Davenport

Tonight's gubernatorial debate featured a feisty Jim Nussle (the Republican in the race).  Nussle opened by directly questioning whether rival Chet Culver (the Democrat) has what it takes to be governor.  Culver, in turn, repeatedly mentioned that Nussle was a Republican congressman.  (Nussle himself asked the organizers of their last debate NOT to refer to him as congressman.  It made for a really awkward opening introduction in which Culver was introduced as "Secretary of State Chet Culver" and Nussle was simply introduced as "Jim Nussle.")

What follows is a wrap-up of my notes (you will see as you scroll down that there are more direct quotes as the exchanges grew sharper and sharper -- and the candidates' closing statements are transcribed in their entirety):

Potpourri

Here's a potpourri of things:

Iowa Democrats gathered for their annual Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner on Saturday night.  It was interesting to guage the audience reactions to each of the big-name Democrats as they were introduced to the crowd (as "We Are Family" blared over the loud speakers).  Harkin received the loudest response.  The crowd response to Vilsack may have been muted by the video display problems when he and his wife reached the stage.  The video display actually went to "bars" (the color block pattern) and then went black before someone re-booted -- all during the Vilsack opening "moment" at center stage.

Culver 46, Nussle 39

The latest Des Moines Register “Iowa Poll” on the gubernatorial race came out this morning (read the details here). The Nussle campaign issued the following response at about 9:30 Sunday morning:

DES MOINES, IA – Iowans for Nussle Campaign Manager Nick Ryan issued the following statement today regarding The Des Moines Register survey:

“As we’ve been saying from the beginning, the race for Governor is going to continue to be tight from now until Election Day.  Every recent poll from Rasmussen to The Wall Street Journal/John Zogby is showing Jim Nussle and Chet Culver in a dead heat.  It is important to keep in mind The Des Moines Register poll is only a snapshot in a close race for Governor and not a reliable snapshot at that. This is the same Iowa Poll that showed Jim Ross Lightfoot as Governor of Iowa, Howard Dean as the 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee and John Kerry as the next President of the United States. What’s more interesting is that the current Democrat Governor had knowledge of these questionable numbers to announce before partisans at a Democrat fundraiser before they were made available to the public in print or online. 

“While polls will go up and down, Iowans will see the clear choice for Governor in the experienced, principled leadership of Jim Nussle to Energize Iowa’s Future.  As Iowans witnessed this past week at candidate forums and debates, Jim Nussle’s command of the issues, innovative ideas and positive vision stands out in contrast to Chet Culver’s liberal, out-of-touch values, inexperience and negative attacks.  We urge Iowans to see this clear choice in the last live primetime debate on Monday.”   

The Culver campaign issued this response at about three o’clock Sunday afternoon:

(Des Moines) Today’s Des Moines Register reported that its new Iowa Poll shows Secretary of State Chet Culver has opened up a 7-point lead over Congressman Jim Nussle.  The poll also showed that Culver’s support is “more solid than Nussle’s” and that “independents now prefer Culver over Nussle, 43 percent to 33 percent.”  [Des Moines Register, 10/15/06]

Faced with evidence that their overwhelmingly negative attack campaign against Culver is failing, the Nussle campaign turned to its last resort – more attacks, this time against the Des Moines Register:

“It is important to keep in mind The Des Moines Register poll is only a snapshot in a close race for Governor and not a reliable snapshot at that…What's more interesting is that the current Democrat Governor had knowledge of these questionable numbers to announce before partisans at a Democrat fundraiser before they were made available to the public in print or online.”
- Nussle campaign manager Nick Ryan
Campaign release, 10/15/06

“Voters in Iowa know that Chet Culver shares their priorities, their values, and their desire for commonsense solutions,” said Culver spokeswoman Taylor West.  “Like Chet Culver and Patty Judge, Iowans from all sides of the political spectrum want to continue Iowa’s progress and move the state forward – not turn it over to Washington-style mismanagement and partisanship. 

“It says a lot about the flailing Nussle campaign that, after losing ground by attacking Chet Culver with misleading smears, they lash out at the next target they can find – the Des Moines Register.

“The Culver campaign will continue working tirelessly to reach out and inspire voters, including people like the volunteer who waited at the Des Moines Register print shop last night to get the first copy of Sunday’s paper off the press and report the poll numbers back to a fired-up Jefferson-Jackson Dinner crowd.

“We are proud of the momentum and enthusiasm Chet Culver’s positive vision for Iowa is creating across this state, and we will keep working hard to earn every vote.”