Radio Iowa

Romney backer/legislator gets anti-Romney "push poll"

State Representative Ralph Watts, a Republican from Adel, Iowa, who is also a Mormon, received one of the anti-Romney/anti-Mormon "push poll" phone calls that have been in the news lately. Watts got the call on his land line at home. Listen to Watts describe the call here (mp3 runs just over 4 minutes). Watts is backing Romney's bid for the White House and Romney appeared at a fundraiser for Watts in 2006.

UPDATE:  Here's the Radio Iowa story.

Mud slinging

During a debate in Las Vegas, Nevada, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton this evening accused her chief rivals of "throwing mud" at her. 

Are Democrats averse to mud slinging?  Perhaps they draw the line at flame throwing (Howard Dean circa Dec 2003-Jan 2004), but it seems to me I've heard a lot of Democrats in Iowa say they hope to nominate a candidate who will fire back at the Republicans in 2008 in a way that John Kerry didn't in 2004.

Republicans were in this same mindset in 2000.  They nominated a plain-talking, cowboy-boots-wearing Texas governor who repeatedly promised to restore dignity to the Oval Office.  Quite the parting shot at Bill Clinton, wouldn't you say?

I'm remembering a conversation I had at the Harkin Steak Fry this fall with two 79-year-old men who'd driven up from Witchita, Kansas, to get a glimpse of their favorite candidate.  "She's one tough cookie and we need that right now," Al Polczinski said of Hillary Clinton.  His pal, Donald E. Hopkins, told he me liked Hillary's toughness, too.  "I can't think of any candidate that will stir up the Republican Party more than Hillary -- it'll drive 'em right up the wall," Hopkins said, giggling about the prospect of a good General Election fight.

Seems to me those two "seasoned citizens" were itching for a good fight.  Whether they and other Democrats want it now when the fight is among their Democratic candidates is the question.

Obama's "in this" a contrast to Clinton's "in it to win it"

I'd like to take a quick "look" back at Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's speech this past Saturday night at the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner.  The reason?  Obama repeatedly offered an almost direct response/comparison to Hillary Clinton's "I'm in it to win it" declaration back in January.  I have transcribed the end of Obama's speech, highlighting segments where his contrast is obvious.  This mp3 is a 3 minute compilation of all the highlighted references below.

"...a party that doesn't just offer change as a slogan but real, meaningful change -- change that America can believe in.  That's why I'm in this race.  That's why I'm running for the presidency of the United States of America -- to offer change that we can believe in," Obama said, to cheers.  "I am in this race to tell the corporate lobbyists that their days of setting the agenda in Washington are over.  I have done more than any other candidate in this race to take on the lobbyists and I have won.  They have not funded my campaign.  They will not work in my White House and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I am president."  The crowd cheered again.

"I'm in this race to take those tax breaks away from companies that are moving jobs overseas and put them in the pockets of hard-working Americans who deserve it and I won't raise the minimum wage every 10 years.  I will raise it to keep pace so that workers don't fall behind.  That is why I am in it, to protect the American worker, to fight for the American worker," Obama said, his voice raised, with a slight pause after he said "in it."

"I am in this race because I want to stop talking about the outrage of 47 million Americans without health care and start actually doing something about it," Obama continued.  "I expanded health care in Illinois by bring Democrats and Republicasn together, by taking on the insurance industry and that is how I will make certain that every single American in this country has health care that they can count on and I won't do it 20 years from now.  I won't do it 10 years from now.  I will do it by the end of my first term as president of the United States of America."

Fred Thompson to get "Right to Life" backing

According to reports, the National Right to Life Committee is going to endorse Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson tomorrow.  Thompson just called into the Radio Iowa newsroom and I asked him about it -- listen here (runs just over a minute).

Thompson said he didn't "want to be presumptuous.  That's their endorsement to make.and if they've not made an endorsement, I don't want to prejudge that.  I would say I would certainly welcome it.  I have been a supporter of pro-life causes.  I have had a 100 percent pro-life voting record when I was in the senate on all kinds of different issues that would come before the United States Congress and so I can understand why they would endorse me.  They've supported me in times past and I would appreciate it.

"In terms of signals, I just think that it would mean that those who look at these matters the most and consider them the most carefully know my record and know me and would be supportive of me."

Iowa Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, tonight's emcee, was introduced to the crowd at 7:40 p.m. and then a few moments later the candidates walked into the hall.  John Edwards was first.  His backers clanged their noise-makers and made a ruckus.  Bill Richardson walked out -- and was seen on the screen -- but there was no announcement over the loud speakers to indicate his entrance as there had been for Edwards.  Joe Biden came next, followed by Dodd.  Dodd's supporters chanted the letters of his name in a rolling cadence which sounded like D-D-D-OHHHH-D-D-D.  Next, Hillary Clinton strolled in and her supporters waved their signs and cheered.  But it was the entrance of Barack Obama which drew the loudest and most organized response from the crowd.  Obama backers on one side of the hall chanted "Fired up" and then his backers on the other side yelled "Ready to go."  It appears clear Obama has the most supporters in the hall.  Obama aides claim to have at least 3000 here; Clinton aides put their tally at 2000.

The candidates and (most of) their spouses stood together on stage as the Pledge was said and the National Anthem was sung, followed by a rendition of God Bless America.  Both songs were sung by Simon Estes, the Iowa-born opera singer.  Then, United Methodist minister Barbara Dinnen took the mic, told a story and offered the invocation.    

Scott Brennan, the chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, was the first to have an extended time on the stage, which is set up in a sort of theater-in-the-round way.

Nancy Pelosi was next:  "All of the eyes of the world are on this dinner tonight because they know they're going to hear from the next president of the United States."

Prelude to the Iowa Democratic Party's JJ Dinner

Five of the six candidates who are to speak this evening in Des Moines at the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner have planned events in the late afternoon to rally supporters. (The exception: Hillary Clinton.)  Barack Obama's wife, Michelle, greeted a crowd of her husband's supporters shortly after four o'clock -- and shortly after they'd been entertained by musician John Legend.

"He's decent.  He's honest and he tells the truth," M. Obama told the crowd (she was describing her husband, not John Legend, although he may indeed share those attributes) moments before introducing her husband who took so long making his way to the stage that his wife, who still had the microphone, lead the crowd in chanting "OH-BAHM-UH!" as Aretha Franklin's "Freedom" was pumped over the loud speakers.. 

"How's it going Iowa?" Obama yelled to the jubilant crowd.  "Aaaaaaaaaauh," he said over their cheers.  "Are ya fired up?  Are ya ready to go?"  (That is the Obama camp's main chant.)  "Aaaaaaaauh, look at this.  I am excited. (Obama laughs; crowd cheers)  I'm excited.  First of all, I'm excited because I haven't seen my wife in a couple of days.  (Crowd laughs.)  Seeing Michelle always gets me excited...."

Edwards @ John Mellencamp concert

It was 7 p.m. on a Friday night in Des Moines and I was driving to meet friends L, M and S at Wells Fargo Arena where I would see one of my favorite bands, Los Lobos, open for John Mellencamp.  The sound of my phone ringing pierced the interior of my car.  It was the Edwards campaign.  I was advised that John Edwards might appear on stage with Mellencamp. So, after my brief interlude of enjoyment of all that is Los Lobos, it was back to work typing on the blackberry.  Here is what transpired, according to my notes:

Mellencamp came on stage at 8:55 p.m.  The woman standing in front of me raised her beer in salute as Mellencamp opened with "Ain't that America" to open.  The second song, Paper & Fire, featured (mostly) women in the audience screaming as Mellencamp slung his guitar over his back and danced.  It was during the third song -- I'm on My Way -- that Mellencamp shed his jacket and many of the women screamed again.  In the midst of the fourth number, Understanding, Mellencamp caught a white bra in his left hand as it was thrown onto the stage.

McCain & Brownback hit the road together

Kansas Senator Sam Brownback today endorsed GOP presidential candidate/Arizona Senator John McCain.  Here's the Radio Iowa story (including a 14 minute mp3 of conversation with the two men).

Brownback has said he will not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate.  Speculation is that he'll run for governor in his home state.

"That rumor got out there," Brownback said during the interview.  "...I'll look at options down the road....I'm not ruling it out or in."

The reason for the delay in Obama's arrival

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's latest campaign swing through Iowa began last night -- much later than planned.  Jeff Zeleny of the New York Times had the story. 

Turns out the reason for the flight delay wasn't the windy weather -- although the winds have been strong in Iowa lately.  Seems the pilot flew over Cedar Rapids -- the intended destination -- and took the Obama campaign plane to Des Moines instead.

"The story's leaking out, huh?" Obama said a few moments ago when he called into the Radio Iowa newsroom.  "Well, what can I tell you.  Apparently our pilot's been logging in a lot of miles."

Obama had something to say about the "politics of hope" and the Clinton camp's allegation he's abandoning it.

Pat Robertson endorses Giuliani

Reverend Pat Robertson -- the second-place finisher in the 1988 Iowa Caucuses -- endorsed former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani this morning. Giuliani just spoke with me about the endorsement.  Hear it here --  Download robertsonendorse.mp3.

UPDATE:  After the jump, read the statement issued by the Iowa Christian Alliance just before 6 p.m.