Radio Iowa

King lone Iowa "no" on "Cash for Clunkers" extension

Four of Iowa's five congressmen -- Bruce Braley, a Democrat from Waterloo; Leonard Boswell, a Democrat from Des Moines; Tom Latham, a Republican from Ames; and Dave Loebsack, a Democrat from Mount Vernon -- all voted today in favor of extending $2 billion more for the "Cash for Clunkers" program.  Iowa's other congressman -- Steve King, a Republican from Kiron -- voted against the bill.  The final tally was 316 to109.

Braley was an original co-sponsor of the concept, back in March.  Braley talked for about five minutes with Iowa reporters over the noon-hour, and you can listen to it here.  As Braley mentioned, congress stipulated the program would get $4 billion of the federal stimulus package approved early this year and put an initial $1 billion into the pipeline.  Braley told reporters the expectation was that $1 billion would last until November. The $1 billion lasted about a week instead, and Braley says that's partly because automakers and dealers offered incentives on top of the $3500 to $4500 you can get from the government for a clunker.  According to Braley, a dealer in the Quad Cities had 127 "clunkers" turned in this week for deals on new cars.

UPDATE:  Here's the letter Braley mentioned in the phone call.

Two ex-Democratic lawmakers join concerned chorus

Republican legislators and Republican candidates for governor have been calling on Governor Chet Culver and his fellow Democrats to hold a special legislative session now to fix the state budget.  Now, former State Senator Charlie Bruner, a Democrat who represented the Ames area, has put in his two-cents worth. While Republicans advocate cuts in the budget and Bruner and his pals suggest cuts in tax credits rather than spending cuts, both agree action should be taken sooner rather than later. 

Read Bruner's remarks below, as released by the Iowa Fiscal Partnership.  David Osterberg, who is quoted at the end of the news release, is also a former Democratic legislator.  Osterberg was a member of the Iowa House, representing the Mount Vernon area.  Osterberg also ran against Senator Chuck Grassley in 1998.

Getting a Grip on Revenues
Iowa Leaders Need Updated Information, to View All Options

DES MOINES, Iowa (July 31, 2009) — Deteriorating revenues demand a fresh review of Iowa’s fiscal situation so policy makers can make budget decisions with the best information available.

Grassley gets more criticism from conservatives

First-term State Representative Kent Sorenson has written an "open letter" to Senator Grassley and posted it on the Iowa Defense Alliance website.

"Many of us back home here in Iowa are troubled with some of your decisions as of late," Sorenson wrote before listing five Grassley actions, including his vote to confirm U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and two of Grassley's statements about gay marriage.

Surf's up

Republican gubernatorial candidate Christian Fong of Cedar Rapids unveiled a campaign website today. (Supporters can upload video endorsements of their own on the site.)  A few days ago, GOP candidate Chris Rants of Sioux City unveiled his retooled website. Bob Vander Plaats of Sioux City, a 2002 & 2006 gubernatorial candidate who intends to seek the Iowa GOP's 2010 nomination for governor, has had this site up for months.  Rod Roberts of Carroll, a candidate who entered the race this month, does not have a website.put this website up this month.

Paul McKinley of Chariton, another Republican mulling a bid for governor, has a website that was created after he became Senate Minority Leader but before he announced he was thinking about running for governor.  Another potential GOP gubernatorial candidate, Jerry Behn of Boone, does not have a website.

This website was last updated in April, 2009, and it has a "make a contribution" tab, so it appears to be the official website of Governor Chet Culver's campaign.  Culver, a Democrat, has made it clear he intends to seek reelection.

Harkin asked to weigh in on Gates-gate

This morning during a conference call with Iowa radio reporters, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) was asked to weigh in on Skip Gates-gate.

Kerry Lee Cathcart of KCOG-AM & KMGO-FM in Centerville, Iowa:  "Senator, what did you think of the president involving himself in what was basically a local law enforcement matter up in Cambridge with professor Gates and the white policeman?"

Harkin: "Well, if I'm not mistaken -- I haven't followed it all that closely -- if I'm not mistaken didn't Barack Obama call the policeman and apologize to him?"

Cathcart:  "Well, I think he's called both of them and they're both coming to the White House today to have a beer with him..."

Harkin:  "A beer or coffee? What is this, huh?"

Harkin and Cathcart laugh. 

Cathcart: "I think they're coming for a beer." 

Harkin:  (Harkin laughs) "Well, you know, again, I think it shows the measure of the kind of person Barack Obama is -- not to big to understand he made a mistake.  He admitted that, called them both up and apologized and (he's) having them in to talk to them.  And I think someone said that this is, what is it, Obama keeps talking about this as a teachable moment.  I think he sees this as a teachable moment on all sides, that to try to get people to calm down and to improve our relations, our race relations, so I think something good actually may come out of all of this, really."

At this point in the recording, it sounds as if a Harkin staff member hands Harkin an article and he begins reading aloud "Oh, tonight at a picnic table. Oh, I'm told that they're meeting tonight at a picnic table outside the Oval Office." Harkin laughs 

"OK," Harkin seems to be talking to a staffer in the room. "Oh, it is a beer and Obama's having a Bud, a Bud Light."  Harkin laughs again. "I don't know whether that it," Harkin stops mid-sentence as he continues to laugh, and continues to have a conversation with the stafer in the room: "You probably know more about that than I do."

Harkin then seems to direct his comments back to the radio reporters hanging on the phone line: All kidding aside, Kerry Lee, I do think that this is a good, teachable moment. I  think everyone's got a lot to learn from this, from this one."

Listen to Harkin conversation with Cathcart about "Gatesgate"; the entire mp3 runs under two minutes.

A GOP candidate for SOS

A Republican emerges as potential 2010 challenger of Iowa Secretary of State Michael Mauro, a Democrat who was first elected in 2006.  According to his bio on Twitter, Matt Schultz of Council Bluffs is a Republican, though his news release does not mention his party affiliation. Read the news release below.

Councilman Explores Run for Secretary of State

Council Bluffs, Iowa – July 30, 2009 – Councilman Matt Schultz announced today on Facebook and Twitter a Potential Run for Iowa Secretary of State.

Vilsack stumping for Obama on health care

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, the former Iowa governor who briefly ran for president before endorsing Hillary Clinton (in March of 2007), then Barack Obama (in June of 2008), is in Nashville this morning, hosting a health care forum. The event is being held in a hospital and Nashville's mayor, a Democrat, is participating.  The governor of Tennessee is a Democrat, too, but he's not participating; he's sent his Health Commissioner to the forum.

The USDA release about the event is below.

Must-read Dorman. It's magic.

If you've been following the saga of Representative Kerry Burt (D-Waterloo), you will not want to miss Todd Dorman's column in today's Cedar Rapids Gazette.

She did the math...$14 per drink?

Jennifer Jacobs of The Des Moines Register has an article about the Iowa Pharmacy Association event in Des Moines which Rep. Kerry Burt (D-Waterloo) attended on the early evening of February 10, 2009 before his drunk driving arrest in Ankeny on February 11 at 2 a.m.

Jacobs talked with Thomas Temple, the CEO of the Iowa Pharmacy Association  Here's the math part, taking the $2,438 the association spent on beverages for its reception:

Temple said about 175 to 200 people attended the reception, including as many as 20 lawmakers. Each guest was given one ticket for a beverage of their choice - wine, beer or soft drinks, Temple said.

That means the lobbyists spent between $12 and $14 per person for drinks.

Pleasantries were exchanged

This morning Governor Chet Culver handed out 15 "Iowa Environmental Excellence Awards" to businesses and groups. The Pella-based Vermeer Corporation was among the recipients, honored (as were two others) with the "Governor's Environmental Excellence Award."  Mary Vermeer Andringa is the company's president and CEO and she was present in the governor's office for the award ceremony.

Culver had been shaking hands with each group of recipients, telling them, "Good job" and "Congratuations."  However, Culver had more to say to Andringa, a woman some Republicans tried to convince to run for governor in 2010.  Andringa said in May she would not run.  Culver, a Democrat, is seeking reelection in 2010.

"It's nice to see you," Culver said as he shook Andringa's hand. She expressed similar sentiments, then the two posed with the award (some sort of glass hardware) and the photographer snapped a picture.  The emcee of the event continued to talk about Vermeer; Andringa said something to Culver (I was on the other side of the room and couldn't hear what the two were saying at this time) and Culver said something back.

As Andringa and her Vermeer colleagues walked away to make way for the next honorees, Culver concluded the brief exchange -- which lasted about 30 seconds -- by saying, "Good job." (Good job" was the governor's parting comment to each award recipient.)