May 2007 Archives

It is alive!

Those who were around Iowa in 2004 may remember the First in the Nation web site put together by the Iowa Department of Economic Development: IowaCaucus.org

Yup, someone took the old girl into the back room, fluffed up her dress, applied some new war paint and sent her back out to the greeting line.

This morning Gov. Chet Culver's office announced the launch of the site, now dubbed "Iowa Caucus 2008: First in the Nation." It will once again serve as a statewide, non-partisan resource for news media, campaign staff and the public on the caucus, Iowa quality of life and something called "Iowa's new economy."

Iowa ranks 'first in the nation' in the production of ethanol, E-85 and biodiesel fuels, and is third in wind energy production. The state was also ranked first by Forbes Magazine in overall quality of life.

"The Iowa Caucuses give us an opportunity to showcase the state's strengths on a world stage," Culver said in a released statement. "Most Americans know that the state is 'first in the nation' in the presidential campaign, but may not be aware of Iowa's leadership role in renewable energy or our top ranking in quality of life. It's time for Americans to learn what 21st century Iowa has to offer."

The change to the informational site has taken place within the past two weeks. Google's cached version from May 18, while missing graphics, shows the 2004 text.

Content has been updated to reflect present-day information, but the types of content offered haven't changed much. Caucus facts, major employers, candidate information, links to caucus experts and state fact sheets remain a part of the offerings.

A broad coalition of social-action groups and ministries will sponsor a forum Friday in Des Moines to urge U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell to stand up against a presidential veto of domestic-spending increases. Then, members of the coalition will sit down to a 98-cent lunch to show how little is left on the plate of food-stamp recipients.

Social-action and religious groups have joined together as a part of this coalition. The social-action groups are Iowa Citizen Action Network; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO; Food Bank of Iowa; RESULTS; the Iowa Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers; Every Child Matters; Working Families Win; Iowa Community Action Association; Child and Family Policy Center; and Iowans for Sensible Priorities. The religious community is being represented by Social Witness Advocacy and Education Ministry for the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church, United Methodist Conference, and National Catholic Rural Life Conference.

"New leadership in Congress has meant a change in thinking and passage of a budget that is fair for all Americans," said Charlie Wishman, organizer for ICAN. "However, the president promises to veto any proposal that exceeds the levels he set out earlier this year -- levels that contained many cuts to vital discretionary programs. Once again, this president will use his veto power to subvert the needs and the will of Americans, only to stay the course on dangerous budget cuts that will affect millions of Americans.

"Our message to Congressman Boswell is that he needs to stand by this budget, and vote to override this president’s veto,” Wishman said.

Boswell, a Democrat representing the 3rd District, has been invited to attend the event; however, it is not known at this time if he will be there or if members of his staff will be available.

Speakers at the meeting include Wishman, who will present a budget overview; Carrie Fitzgerald, senior health policy associate with Child and Family Policy Center, will speak about the State Children's Health Insurance Program and children's health care; Lana Ross, executive director for Iowa Community Action Association, will speak about ICAA's programs; Jos Linn of RESULTS and Karen Ford of the Food Bank of Iowa will speak about food stamps and providing for the hungry in our communities; and Matt Tapscott of AFSCME will discuss the issues of child-care providers.

A "food stamp lunch" is being planned during the forum. The meal will be provided at no cost to event participants and will match as closely as possible the 98 cent per meal average benefit of food stamp recipients.

"While many members of Congress have been taking the 'Food Stamp Challenge' and living on a food-stamp budget for a week, our attendees will be asked to participate in just one meal," Wishman said.

Iowa Citizen Action Network is also encouraging those who live in Iowa's other congressional districts to contact appropriate members of Congress. Residents can find out who represents their districts by visiting Yahoo! News for an interactive form and map.

"We need Iowans to encourage their representatives to override any veto," Wishman added. "These programs -- like Head Start, food stamps and children's health care -- help kids learn and stay healthy. They've suffered deep cuts in past years and we need a budget that reflects are values of caring for all of our families and that will help communities thrive."

The forum will begin at noon in Meeting Room 3 at the Des Moines downtown public library, 1000 Grand Ave.

I'm not sure if you had time to scan the news yesterday or this morning to see what's being said about the presidential hopefuls as they move into and out of Iowa. For lack of something better to do (summer flu and all that), I searched for you.

One of my favorites comes from the Chicago Sun-Times and lets readers know how much Hillary Clinton likes to eat pie while campaigning in Iowa. This is somehow, I think, an attempt to paint our retail politics as unhealthy.

The best line from the story?

"We always serve pie at our events," acknowledges Clinton's good-humored Iowa press secretary, Mark Daley. Pie is, after all, an Iowan tradition. "The cherry pie has been a really big hit," he says. Rhubarb and mixed berry are also popular.

The only way that line could have been better would have been if it was delivered by Mike Henry, the author of the infamous memo! I mean, at least then we Iowans could have just wrote him off as a general idiot (instead of one who specializes). As it stands now, however, we're left to wonder if Clinton's Iowa Press Secretary really thinks the secret of a good Hawkeye rally is in the pie.

The Boston Globe, obviously picking up on the "thin/fat" meme, informs us: "Obama's wife no mere coat holder."

I mean, of course, she is a coat holder because... as you know... all spouses... well, all spouses except Bill Clinton... are coat holders on the campaign trail.

In other news, the Obama girls must be supporting Clinton since they only attended a rally in New Hampshire for the ice cream.

Of course, we've heard all about the Edwards' hygiene habits and the feelings Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney have toward their wives (and in some cases ex-wives).

Quite frankly, I think Bill Richardson, Mike Huckabee, Chris Dodd, Ron Paul, Joe Biden and Mike Gravel can just thank their lucky stars they aren't so-called 'frontrunners' in this election. I mean, who needs the stress of having your underwear color preference or midnight snacking choice reported to the nation?

At least two of the individuals listed on Campaigns & Elections magazine's list of 2007 Rising Stars have direct ties to Iowa.

Former deputy coordinated campaign director for the Iowa Democratic Party Jessica VandenBerg was instrumental in the successful elections of U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin and then-Gov. Tom Vilsack. She is currently a partner at Maverick One, a Democratic strategy and direct-mail firm, and is campaign manager for the ONE Campaign's ONE Vote '08 initiative. She is best known nationally for her role as campaign manager in U.S. Sen. Jim Webb's upset victory over former Sen. George "Macaca" Allen in Virginia. She was also campaign manager for Sen. Amy Klobuchar's primary campaign in Minnesota and Oklahoma campaign manager for Gen. Wesley Clark's presidential bid in 2004.

Mammen Group Vice President Josh Grossfeld helped start Democratic GAIN and develop a 6,000-person training at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. During the course of his career he has worked with the AFL-CIO, the Iowa House Democratic Caucus and AARP.

The list compiled by Campaigns & Elections includes individuals age 35 or younger who have already made a significant mark in political consulting or advocacy. This list includes 10 Democrats, 10 Republicans and five nonpartisan leaders. Several hundred people were nominated, according to the magazine.

Iowa lawmakers will be honored for helping to prevent discrimination against gays and lesbians as well as mandating that the state's school districts establish anti-bullying policies.

The awards will be presented Friday during Iowa's Matthew Shepard Scholarship Awards Dinner at this Friday at the Hotel Fort Des Moines.

"I am extremely honored to have been a part of this legislation being passed," said Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, who served as floor manager of the anti-discrimination measure (SF 427) during House debate this session. "It has been such a good feeling to work on this and to watch all the individuals who fought for its passage truly celebrate each step in the process. I did work hard and I did my part, but I was just doing my job."

Although Wessel-Kroeschell doesn't have a personal story behind her work on the bill, she has spent a number of years studying the issue and working for its passage.

"This is a measure which has been around for a number of years," she said. "It passed the Iowa House in the 1980s and then passed the Iowa Senate in the 1990s. This year marked the first time it gained approval from both houses and made its way to the governor's desk."

During the 1990s fight for the bill, Wessel-Kroeschell was a clerk for former state legislator Ralph Rosenberg. As proof that all things come full circle, Rosenberg will be enforcing the legislative changes as director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.

Despite 18 states -- including Iowa neighbors Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin -- having similar laws and Democratic majorities in both chambers of the Iowa Legislature, even this session the bill did not come without compromise. In the final days, Minority Leader Chris Rants of Sioux City put forth an amendment, which limited the scope of "gender identity" and inserted a provision to prevent any claims against Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act.

Speaking last week on Iowa Public Television's "Iowa Press," former legislator Chuck Hurley, president of the Iowa Family Policy Center, continued to denounce the new law despite the addition of the amendments. He contends the measure -- which he dubs as "legislative and cultural malpractice" -- gives gays and lesbians special rights.

"All the historians are in agreement that when a culture finally adopts acceptance of this behavior," he told Associated Press senior political writer Mike Glover in an exchange on Iowa Press, "it's one step away from the end of that culture."

"This isn't about special rights," Wessel-Kroeschell said Wednesday. "It is about -- and has always been about -- ending discrimination and providing equality for everyone."

Joining Wessel-Kroeschell at the awards dinner will be Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs, Speaker of the House Pat Murphy of Dubuque and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines. They are all mentioned in the event program along with Senate President Jack Kibbie of Emmetsburg, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Mike Connolly of Dubuque, Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, and Rep. Roger Wendt, D-Sioux City.

Iowa's Matthew Shepard Scholarship Program also will award 18 scholarships to openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender high school students at the dinner. Recent graduates from high schools in Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Johnston and Cedar Falls will receive full scholarships (worth roughly $30,000 each), and 14 others will receive smaller awards.

The scholarships are named in memory of Matthew Shepard, a University of Wyoming student who was kidnapped, beaten and left to die in freezing temperatures in 1998 because he was gay. The program honors Iowa high school students who work to promote tolerance and non-discrimination in their schools and communities. Many of the scholarship recipients are teens who worked for both the anti-bullying and anti-discrimination legislation that passed this session.

In addition to awarding the scholarships and honoring the lawmakers, the program includes recognition of the best high school Gay-Straight Alliance and best college LGBT group in Iowa. Entertainment will be provided by the Des Moines Gay Men's Chorus under the direction of Rebecca Gruber.

For those who haven't heard: This presidential election season is different.

For those Iowans who haven't heard: Roughly 25 million Americans will be able to cast votes in 2008 Presidential preference primaries without consideration of which candidates earn Iowa bragging rights.

In 2008, two caucus states will go first - Iowa and Nevada - on Jan. 14 and Jan 19, respectively. They will be closely followed by New Hampshire with the nation's first primary Jan. 22 and a Democrats-only primary in South Carolina on Jan. 29. Only recently, the legislature in Florida moved its primary to Jan. 29, although there is still discussion about whether the Democrats will remain on that date or they'll move further back into the field and switch to a caucus. While no date has been set for the South Carolina Republican primary, state party leaders have indicated they will schedule the vote prior to any other southern contest (including Florida).

The first Tuesday in February, the fifth, became the first date all remaining states (which did originally include Florida) could schedule their Presidential Preference contests. It didn't take long for many states to decide they wanted to be first out of the gate. The entire state of Idaho and Democrats in New Mexico will be holding caucuses on Feb. 5. Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah are the 11 states holding their primaries on that date.

The work-in-progress calendar of primaries and caucuses maintained by the National Association of Secretaries of State shows Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas as states with primaries that are considering a move to Feb. 5. In addition, caucus state Colorado is also considering a move to Feb. 5, according to NASS.

Compared to the first Tuesday, the remainder of February is quiet. Louisiana will hold primaries on Feb. 9. Democrats in Maine will caucus on Feb. 10. Maryland and Virginia will host primaries on Feb. 12 and Wisconsin will follow suit on Feb. 19. Democrats in Hawaii and Idaho finish off the month with their caucuses on Feb. 26.

So where are all these million of votes which might be cast prior to the Iowa caucus? As the saying goes, timing is everything.

While votes may have not been counted in other states, there will have most definitely been votes cast prior to Iowa's current caucus date of Jan. 14. Voters in five of the Feb. 5 primary states -- California, Illinois, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Utah - will be able to cast ballots well before Iowans begin lining up at their caucus locations through the advent of early and absentee voting.

According to one Iowa political insider, all the Presidential campaigns are aware -- or at least should be aware -- of the absentee ballots that will be cast prior to the Iowa caucus. "This dynamic, however, is so new and untested," the source said, "no campaign is going to discuss its particular strategy in dealing with it."

California, in particular, poses a unique opportunity to presidential hopefuls. As of November 2006, the state had nearly 4 million voters signed up to be permanent absentee voters. That is, nearly 4 million California voters will have an absentee ballot automatically placed in the mail to them on Jan. 7, 2008. According to an official in the California Secretary of State's office, military and overseas ballots are to be mailed beginning Dec. 7, and California plans to do "as much as possible" to boost its primary into the national spotlight.

It's difficult to know exactly what the impact will be, especially since two of the states -- Illinois and New Jersey -- will be hosting their first presidential preference where early voting is allowed without excuse. New Jersey has just under 5 million voters registered. Of those, just over 2 million, or 48 percent, participated in the Nov. 2006 general election. While the Division of Elections does not maintain statewide totals of the percentage of population to vote absentee, the clerk's office in Bergen County (the county with the largest population) reports roughly 6 percent of the county voted by absentee in 2006 -- only one year after the legislature allowed "no excuse" absentee voting.

While Illinois allows those with a valid excuse to vote by mail or in person 40 days prior to an election, in 2005 the state also began offering unqualified early voting 22 days prior to an election. This means that the state's 7 million registered voters will have an opportunity to cast an early ballot prior to the start of the Iowa caucus and, because of the newness of the program, there is no historical indicator of how many will vote early.

Given California's permanent absentee voters and traditional percentages of individuals who cast "no excuse" absentee votes; however, it would not be unlikely to see 5 million absentee votes in the can prior to the start of the Iowa caucus.

Carrie Giddins, communications director for the Iowa Democratic Party, agrees there will be absentee ballots cast prior to the Iowa caucus; however, she takes offense to the 25 million figure. "You're looking at total registered voters across those five states," she said. "Not everyone is going to vote. And of those who do vote, not everyone is going to vote absentee -- and not everyone who votes absentee is going to do so prior to the Iowa caucus. There's one line of thinking which says many of the absentee voters will hang on to their ballots to see what happens in Iowa.

"No matter how many absentee votes are cast," she added, "the results of those ballots will not be announced prior to the Iowa caucus."

Former U.S. Congressman and state party chair Dave Nagle says he isn't sure what dynamic will play out in the 2008 elections.

"Of course having the calendar so front loaded is a major disadvantage to candidates who are without major funding," he said in a phone interview on Tuesday. "Coming in fourth in Iowa caucuses is no longer good enough. If a lesser candidate wants to continue, the campaign will have to climb into Iowa's top three.

"The fear for both sides of the aisle is that you end up a year out from the actual contest with a 'wounded duck' who has not been throughly tested. That could actually intensify late state activity although historically those types of late rallies haven't been successful as some of the later voters may view the early front runner as inevitable."

Nagle finished by saying what could really be "devastating to Iowa" would be if those front states begin releasing their absentee ballot return totals prior to the caucus.

Of those states considering a jump to Feb. 5 (or earlier), five could have additional influence due to their absentee balloting and/or early voting practices. Arizona, Kansas (which has only held two presidential preference primaries -- 1980 and 1992), North Carolina, Oregon and Texas all will potentially play a larger role if their contests move forward.

Since all the crystal balls seem to be malfunctioning when it comes to Iowa and the 2008 elections, no one can say for sure if the current and possible calendars will push Iowa to a position of more importance or bring to a close the state's leading role in presidential politics. There is one thing, however, of which all Iowans can be sure: No one can vote absentee in our caucus.

Former northwest Iowa Congressman and Sioux City lawyer Wiley Mayne, 90, died Sunday. Visitation has been set for 6 to 8 p.m. tomorrow at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel in Sioux City. The funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at First Presbyterian Church, also in Sioux City, where the family attended.

The Sioux City Journal has an excellent write-up for those who are interested in learning more about Mayne and his life.

Our deepest condolences to the family.

Some readers asked for us to be sure to list when funeral services would be for Tipton soldier David Behrle. They will be held today at the Tipton Middle school gymnasium, beginning at 2 p.m.

T.M. Lindsey has excellent post at Iowa Independent which relates not just with Behrle but with all of Iowa's war dead.

Today We Remember Those We Couldn't Welcome Home

Our personal thanks to all of our military families today. We appreciate your sacrifice and will always fight for your best interests.

From our own families we cherish and remember the following veterans:
E.W. (WWII), Troy (WWII), Charles (WWII), Jimmy Lee (Vietnam), Phillip (Vietnam)

We also pause to honor those family members currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Our hearts swell with pride and we wait patiently for the opportunity to welcome you home. Be safe.

For those who enjoy getting out and viewing summer tourism campaigns put together in Iowa's cities and towns, I invite you to come to Marion and visit "Art in the Pots." You won't be disappointed with the art or with the town.

As a part of the Marion Arts Festival earlier this month Marion unveiled abstract sculptures created by local artists (sponsored by local businesses). The dozen or so displays will remain available for public viewing throughout the summer and into the early fall. Self-guided tour brochures are available at downtown merchants.

The display featured at the top right of this post was created by Karen Hoyt and Francis Marion Intermediate's fourth grade students. This past Wednesday the art, "Honeycomb, Woncha Be My Baby," sponsored by Irwin's Clothing and J.D. Schlotterback Iowa Realty won "Best in Pot."

Special thanks is extended to the Marion Chamber's Special Events Committee who organized the street art and the Marion Arts Festival jurors for judging "Best in Pot."

Here are a few more of the beautiful pots currently available for viewing in downtown Marion:

"B and B"
Artist: Gary Bolden
Sponsored by Marion Brush MFG

"Diversity of Culture"
Artist: Tom Newport
Sponsored by Diversity Focus

Republican entrepreneur Steve Rathje has been busy gathering female supporters since early March when he announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Tom Harkin.

Bonnie Hall, member of the State Central Committee, has agreed to support the contender, who will likely face opposition in a Republican primary. Her support joins that of State Co-Chair Leon Mosley and fellow SCC members Karl Gilbertson, Dan Nicholson, John Ortega, Loras Schulte and Larry Smith.

Kathy Pearson, president of the Iowa Federation of Republican Women, was also announced as having endorsed Rathje and joined the campaign.

Finally, the campaign announced an endorsement from Iowa state Rep. Carmine Boal. Male legislative supporters are Sen. Mark Zieman, Sen. James Seymour, Sen. Dave Mulder, Sen. David Hartsuch, Rep. Rich Anderson, Rep. Steve Lukan, Rep. Clel Baudler and Rep. Dan Rasmussen.

According to a press release from the campaign yesterday, there are "several other Republican women statewide who openly support Rathje's candidacy." Inquiries as to the names of the other women have, thus far, gone without response.

It doesn't take much reading of the national media to determine which candidate is most often credited with having the most efficient, precise and dynamic campaign. Having been to events hosted by each candidate, my vote goes to Sen. John Edwards and his staff.

His current tour through Eastern Iowa was billed as an opportunity for Edwards to discuss the military and his plans in that area. Without fail, he did discuss plans for the current military, our veterans and military families. Also without fail, he continued to allow some of the state's and nation's strongest women to shape his public appearances.

In Vinton on Saturday afternoon, the show began with a well-known local woman, Rosemary Schwartz. She is the current vice-chair and former chair for the Benton County Democratic Party. Schwartz is one of 31 women recently named to a Women's Leadership Team for the campaign.

Following her quick welcome, a second member of the Leadership Team began introductions not for Sen. Edwards, but for Elizabeth Edwards.

Civil rights attorney, former gubernatorial candidate and long-time Edwards supporter Roxanne Conlin was a fixture of this Iowa circuit, lending her knowledge of both local politics and people to the campaign... not to mention re-enforcing the campaigns first strides into women's circles. She was only a few moments into her introductions when a commotion began in the back of the Vinton Library. John Edwards, family and staff were headed up the stairs and into the main lobby.

The VIPs were obviously intended to stay in the glass-enclosed stairwell and somewhat out of sight of those waiting in the library. A young girl with a blue cast, however, prevented Elizabeth Edwards from following the agenda and left Sen. Edwards smiling with overt appreciation for his wife.

Elizabeth first entered the room and whispered a few words with the girl and a younger boy sitting beside her. Soon, however, Elizabeth had pen in hand and was adding a memory to the cast. Once finished, she turned to her husband and motioned him to add his own signature. He did to the delight of the young girl and her family.

As the Edwards children - Jack and Emma Claire - entered the room, Conlin called the family to the front and the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd erupted in applause. Elizabeth held the microphone first, tongue-in-cheek pointing out to the crowd how Jack was not particularly happy to be at yet another campaign speech. (The kids didn't have to stay for the entire event and were soon whisked off to a more fun location.)

While Elizabeth immediately began to turn the audience's attention toward the upcoming Memorial Day, the war in Iraq and our veterans, the all girl line-up didn't go without notice.

"It's a good thing," said Helen Miller (no relation to the state legislator by the same name). "I don't know if women are getting more attention because Hillary is running or because we are finally demanding it. I do know that we are the majority of voters and that if we want this trend to continue, we're going to have to take responsibility for it."

Her friend, who would only identify herself as Beth, said she agreed and would take it one step further.

"It's past time that we women finally started working together in a way that benefits us all," she said. "If we can successfully pull together and not let the small stuff pull us apart, there's nothing we can't accomplish."

John Edwards spoke briefly in relation to his plan for the military and veterans, issuing another call for our troops to be brought home from Iraq and then took several questions from the audience. Questions covered the gamut of healthcare to the national debt to environmental issues.

When the event ended, the former senator made his way out the door and onto the lawn with members of the press. Elizabeth remained inside the library where she received well-wishes, exchanged hugs and conversed with many.

This Sunday, the CBS news program 60 Minutes will dedicate its entire one-hour show to Iowa National Guard soldiers and their families.

The program, "Fathers, Sons, and Brothers" will air at 6 p.m. (Iowa time) on CBS affiliates. The Iowa Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry (The Ironman Battalion) -- the unit that includes Iowa state Rep. Ray Zirkelbach -- and their families here in Iowa are followed from initial alert to the present, nearly 24 total months.

The relationship between the TV news program and the Iowa Guard was formed, according to Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood, in summer 2004 when 60 Minutes did a report on three of the nation's fallen, who included Iowa National Guard member Bruce Smith. The helicopter pilot and instructor had lost his life the previous November when his Chinook, which carried roughly 40 soldiers, was hit by enemy fire. In the subsequent crash-landing, 16 soldiers lost their lives, but 20 survived.

"We worked with them as they put together the piece with Bruce Smith and had a good relationship," Hapgood said. "We were pleased with how the final piece came out, feeling it was very balanced, and that paved the way for us to be more comfortable about this more long-term piece."

CBS, knowing it wanted to follow a battalion-sized unit and family back home, approached the National Guard in several states to see what might be available and who might be willing.

"It was approximately two years ago when they first came to us to see if we had units of a certain size and if we could work together on something like this," Hapgood said. "After learning of the 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry they met with a number of soldiers and families to make a rough decision as to which story lines would be followed."

Given the title of the piece, the focus isn't difficult to figure out.

"There are probably 18 different families that have multiple family members serving," he explained. "You have lots of relationships there -- fathers and sons, brothers, nephews, cousins. We also have the very unusual circumstance of having one husband-and-wife couple serving."

In general, it is unusual to have women serving in the infantry since federal law and internal policies limit the roles women can play in combat situations.

The unit was alerted in July 2005 to serve as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the global war on terrorism. They reported to Camp Shelby, Miss., in September 2005 before leaving for Iraq the following April. In January 2007, the Department of Defense extended their deployment for up to 125 days, or through August 2007.

There have been two major items of note about the unit in the local press: Zirkelbach's service and two fallen soldiers. While Hapgood admits he has not seen the final product, he says, because of the focus of the piece and based on questions asked of him, he does not believe either will be a big presence in the news report.

Because of the deployment and extension of duty, Zirkelbach - who was first elected in 2004 and won re-election in 2006 (unopposed) - has missed the 2006 and 2007 legislative sessions. He was the ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee from 2004 to 2006. He is the only state representative deployed to Iraq. A corrections officer at Anamosa State Penitentiary and a member of AFSCME Local 2994, he represents Jones County and a portion of Dubuque County.

In September 2006, two members of the group - Staff Sgt. Scott E. Nisely, 48, of Marshalltown and Spc. Kampha B. Sourivong, 20, of Iowa City - lost their lives during combat operations near Al Asad, Iraq.

"We were honored by 60 Minutes - one of the preeminent news organizations in the world - wanting to follow our Iowa National Guard soldiers," said Hapgood. "We hope it will help provide an understanding of how deployment affects our soldiers and their families and even our communities. We hope that will lead to greater support for our military and their families."

The 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry includes units located in Waterloo (Headquarters and Headquarters Company as well as Detachment 1 of Company B), Dubuque (Companies A and D), Oelwein (Company B), Iowa Falls (Company C), and Charles City (Detachment 1 of Headquarters and Headquarters Company). Approximately 560 soldiers from 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry are on this deployment, with an additional 130 soldiers from Company E, 334th Brigade Support Battalion (Waterloo and Dubuque) providing logistical support.

The Ironmen Battalion's core mission is to conduct close combat with enemy forces and provide security of key terrain, facilities and installations.

To: Interested Parties

From: A. Voter

Date: May 24, 2007

Re: An alternative candidate strategy

Issue: Big money wants to make the 2008 Democratic nomination unlike any other election in history. In past presidential campaigns smaller states with a highly politically educated base, like Iowa and New Hampshire, played a more prominent role in securing the nomination. That process was based on meeting one-on-one with citizens, shaking hands, attending picnics, serving pancakes and strolling through the local diners. Such activities would then lead to momentum created from winning Iowa or New Hampshire. As evidence, 13 of the last 14 major-party nominees have won Iowa, New Hampshire or both. But I think this old system, which has served a successful winnowing process for many years, is about to collapse because of the impact of primary elections that are being held on Feb. 5.

Proposal: I believe we need a new approach to interaction with the Democratic candidates.

This approach involves shifting the focus away from big money and toward in-depth issues which can be discussed in smaller groups. More specifically, I propose skipping any candidate event where an individual cannot have at least 60 seconds of one-on-one time with a candidate and dedicating more of our time and human resources on candidates who both understand and respect the importance of allowing the American people to have more than a 15-second video clip or sound byte.

I assessed this proposal across three key dimensions:

Cost: What is the exact cost to our nation when voters are only allowed a digital introduction and relationship with their highest officials?

Scheduling: What is the benefit to our nation and our country when candidates must be in a different state each night? What is the benefit to those who must vote or caucus as knowledgeable citizens? Are candidates who place more emphasis on our richest citizens truly serving the public? Do we want leaders who only listen to marketing firms, talking heads and walking checkbooks or do we want leaders who aren't afraid to sit in a mobile home 50 miles off the interstate and have coffee with 50 average workers?

Impact of Feb. 5: Candidates, most of them who have been in and out of Iowa for months on end, should be chosen based on their beliefs, thoughts on the issues, character and personal presence. Candidates should not be chosen based on their ability to hire a good marketing firm.

After assessing this proposal against the best interest of our nation, my recommendation is to avoid candidates who pull completely out of Iowa; who spend money only in our nation's largest states; and who avoid one-on-one interaction with voters of all walks of life. I believe that the changes to and the volatile nature of setting the Democratic nomination calendar has changed the way the candidates believe they can view and treat average citizens - the very people they one day hope to represent. I believe the "small state first" approach that we are familiar with, that requires candidates to interact with voters is about to become more important than it ever believed it could, but only if we demand our candidates campaign on the people's terms. The party has no leverage to maintain fiscal conservative campaigns and now we face a national primary on Feb. 5 with 20 states choosing their nominee on the same day.

Key Points and Take Aways:

1) Candidates now believe they cannot compete in Iowa without spending millions of dollars. This is because candidates, flush with money, believe their time is better spent making commercials and doing interviews than actually speaking to constituents. Speaking to the lowly caucus goers is a duty now regulated to inexperienced field staff who often do not represent a candidate well or understand the caucus process. The answer to such inefficiency is to run better commercials.
2) Forgetting that each state makes up the entire nation, candidates have turned to their checkbooks in an attempt to divide our citizenry. While walking around larger, richer states with their hands out, candidates have devalued smaller states which can guide the process back to a conversation about the important issues facing our society.
3) Afraid to take the more difficult road of one-on-one interaction, candidates and their campaigns have effectively taken scrutiny from themselves by suggesting that citizens in Iowa and New Hampshire are somehow unqualified to narrow the field to candidates with the most value to our entire nation.
4) Recent interest in absentee ballots in larger states has proven candidates or their political advisers do not wish to have conversations on the issues, but wish to rely on easily swayed and mostly uninformed citizenry to elect our next national leaders.
5) Candidates believe they should only be competing with each other and not planning the future of our nation.
a. Remember campaigns like to use the phrase "you eat what you kill"
6) The game is no longer one of strengthening our nation or connecting with the voters, it has become one of generating a winning map based on gathering the most delegates, regardless of how ill-informed they might be.

Action items if we choose to proceed:

1) Press Strategy - If this direction is chosen, no real press strategy is needed. It will be very important to require candidates to come to us, our communities, our workplaces and our homes. Candidates who refuse to allow citizens to play a vital role in the selection process should be left to run advertisements, visit with talking heads and otherwise spend all the money they've gathered from sources who don't necessarily have the best interests of our nation at heart.
2) We need more opportunities - we need to have homes, churches, community centers, union halls, and local diners opened to candidates who are willing to spend time talking to caucus goers and voters
3) Support Iowa Strategy - Iowans, specifically, need to make sure we articulate to the candidates that we expect interaction on the issues and will accept nothing less
4) Party Building Strategy - We must have weeks upon weeks of candidates being recorded by news crews and citizen journalists as they are asked real questions by real constituents. We are responsible for the part we play in this process and we are responsible for providing an understanding to the rest of the nation as to our responsibility and how seriously we take it.
5) We have to put in a message point that we are doing this so more people of all walks of life - rich and poor, young and old, black and white, buttered and unbuttered, purple and green, tall and short - can have a voice in the process and help to make our leaders accountable to us and not to big money.
6) If we implement this strategy, we need to immediately expect the candidates and their campaigns to get real and be real. No more phony faces. No more digital reenactments. No more politics as usual.
7) We are going to have to demand politicians step up their trips to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, senior citizen centers, VA hospitals, childcare facilities and community centers - and that they lighten their heavy checkbooks while there.
8) The Internet is allowing us - as individual citizens -- to show the entire nation how candidates react in small groups and when they are asked the hard questions.

In closing, we have the opportunity to change the focus of all the campaigns from big money to American citizenry first. Candidates who walk away from this time-tested process of winnowing the field do so at the peril of devaluing America and her citizens. While we cannot be assured all candidates can successfully fight the temptation of big money, we can draw national attention to those who prefer sound bytes to human interaction.

This is a better, smarter and more efficient way for the American voter and caucus goer to be assured his or her voice isn't drowned out by large political machines.

*sigh* My pick for Dancing With the Stars is officially out. (Don't click to the previous post if you don't want the spoiler.)

Sen. John Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards will be zipping around Eastern Iowa this weekend. Today, the campaign has released the details of the stops on the upcoming trips.

Edwards is expected to discuss his plan to support our current military men and women, veterans and military families. He will highlight veteran's health care, jobs, education and military family support.

Friday, May 25

• 8:15 a.m. - Comfort Inn, 6169 Reve Court, Fort Madison
• 10:30 a.m. - Hotel Manning, 100 Van Buren St., Keosauqua
• 12:15 p.m. - Fairfield Public Library, 104 W Adams Ave., Fairfield *
• 2:00 p.m. - Midwest Old Threshers Museum, 405 E Threshers Rd, Mt. Pleasant *
• 5:45 p.m. - Washington County Fair Building, 2223 250th St., Washington *

Saturday, May 26

• 9:15 a.m. - Marengo Public Library, 1020 Marengo Ave., Marengo *
• 11:45 a.m. - Vinton Public Library, 510 2nd Ave., Vinton *
• 1:45 p.m. - Independence Middle School, 1301 1st St. West, Independence *
• 5:15 p.m. - Wartburg College Saemann Student Center, 100 Wartburg Blvd., Waverly *

Sunday, May 27

• 11:00 a.m. - New Hampton Community Center, 112 E Spring St., New Hampton *
• 1:00 p.m. - Hotel Winneshiek/Steyer Opera House, 104 Water St., Decorah *
• 3:30 p.m. - The Dancing Lion, 110 S. Federick Ave., Oelwein *
• 5:15 p.m. Delaware County Fairgrounds Community Center, 200 E. Acers St., Manchester *

All events marked with an asterisk will feature both the Senator and Elizabeth.

The Bill Richardson campaign, which is working to strengthen its ground game here in Iowa with additional field staff, has endured a bittersweet weekend.

On Saturday, a New Mexico Gold Star Mom, De'on Miller of Lovington, NM, accused Richardson of misrepresenting interaction between them at her son's memorial service in May 2004. Lance Cpl. Aaron Austin served in the U.S. Marines and lost his life in Anbar province, Iraq.

On Sunday, a Des Moines Register poll showed the Governor at 10 percent when likely Democratic caucus goers were asked to identify their first choice for president.

On Monday, using both English and Spanish, Richardson officially entered the presidential race at a press conference held in Los Angeles. In Spanish he told supporters, "With pride, I hope to be the first Latino president of the United States." The declaration prompted cheers from the Spanish-speaking attendees.

Later that same day, however, the Republican Party of New Mexico issued a press release in reference to the mother's statements.

"Gov. Richardson's lack of respect for Aaron's sacrifice is absurd, and I emphatically join Aaron's mother in demanding an apology from him for the way he has treated this family and this fallen marine," Chairman Allen Weh said in the release.

Richardson's Iowa Communications Director Tom Reynolds, who had not read the GOP release, responded to a paraphrase of the above quote that he was "disgusted" the Republican Party would use another person's grief for political gain.

"It is horrible what was happening to our National Guard members," he said. "The Governor - and most Americans - thought it was horrible when National Guard members gave their lives for our country the families they left behind were receiving $11,000. Gov. Richardson was the first governor to act to change that - first boosting the death benefit to $250,000. It now sits at $400,000. That's nearly a 40-fold increase.

"I believe the Republican Party is missing the forest for the trees."

While no one contradicts the fact that Richardson attended the service, the mom does disagree with Richardson's account of their private meeting on that day. The mom contends that she only spoke a few words to Richardson during the service when the Governor presented her with the flag and never mentioned money.

Richardson, who has often provided accounts of the meeting during campaign speeches, contends she thanked him for the initial death benefits she had received. While campaign staff and the Governor have publicly acknowledged sometimes confusing details of the story -- for instance, mis-stating the soldier's name -- they stand by the overall statement of events. Those events, according to Richardson, inspired him to push for legislation that made New Mexico the first state to underwrite $250,000 in life insurance for National Guard members.

"That's really the big picture," Reynolds said. "The governor has never had anything but praise and admiration for Lance Cpl. Austin's family. He doesn't want to take anything away from the sacrifice Austin and his family have made on behalf of this country."

Miller, despite subsequent reports of her showing Richardson an envelope during their conversation at the memorial service, has issued a forceful request that the Governor refrain from using her or her son's name in future speeches.

"The increased death benefit is one of the Governor's key accomplishments," Reynolds said. "He is very proud of his work on that and we're not going to shy away from his record of accomplishments."

His accomplishments, Reynolds said, are just one of the reasons the Governor's campaign is beginning to resonate with Iowans.

"We were extremely pleased with the poll results," Reynolds said. "We expected a push following his visits to the state and we expect him to continue to increase as more people get to know him and his record. We firmly believe he is best suited to lead our country.

"The ads have also been important because they have reflected the Governor's personality and have themes to which most people can relate. I mean, we've all been in those types of situations.

"Finally, we are gaining more traction as we are placing more staff in the field across the state."

Richardson, 59, has been New Mexico's governor since 2003. He also represented the state in Congress (eight times), was U.N. ambassador and served as President Bill Clinton's energy secretary and ambassador to the United Nations. Richardson was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize four times. His next trip into Iowa is scheduled for the weekend of June 2 when Richardson is scheduled to speak at the Iowa Democratic Party's Hall of Fame dinner.

Family members and friends have announced a soldier who lost his life in Iraq over the weekend is David Behrle, 20, a senior class president and 2005 graduate of Tipton Community High School.

Fr. David Hitch of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tipton (where the family attended) made the announcement during Sunday Mass that the soldier's mother was informed by officers Saturday evening. Further details were not available and would be delivered by other officers as soon as possible. While the military has not released official information concerning his death, it is believed Behrle was one of six soldiers killed in a roadside bombing in Baghdad on Saturday. A part of the U.S. Army, Behrle joined the military right after high school.

It was only six weeks ago, according to school officials, that he visited the school while home on leave. Friends and loved ones have been offering their remembrances on Behrle's MySpace page.

His death follows that of fellow Tipton graduate Aaron Sissel, 22, by three and a half years. Sissel was serving in Iraq on Nov. 29, 2003 when his truck was hit by enemy fire. He had been assigned to the 2133rd Transportation Company, Army National Guard, based in Muscatine.

Behrle's death is the second in Iraq for the community of Tipton, population roughly 3,200. Funeral arrangements are pending.

As always, we send the family our deepest condolences and heartfelt thanks.

Iowa Sen. Rob Hogg will set off on his annual bike tour of District 19 on Saturday, June 2, with a few friends joining the fun. State Representatives Tyler Olson and Art Staed and Cedar Rapids City Councilman Tom Podzimek will travel the length of the tour. Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran plans to join the group for at least a portion of the ride.

The bike tour will take place between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. with the riders making the following scheduled stops:

• 10:00 a.m. - Fox Trail Park (off of Council St. NE north of 74th St. NE)
• 10:30 a.m. - Noelridge Park (along Council St. NE north of 42nd St. NE)
• 11:00 a.m. - Pierce Park (off of Wenig Road NE north of 42nd St. NE)
• 11:45 a.m. - Tomahawk Park (off of E Avenue NE south of 20th St. NE)
• 12:30 p.m. - Bever Park (along Bever Ave. SE east of Memorial Dr. SE)
• 1:15 p.m. - Cottage Grove Parkway Park (at Sac and Fox Trail off of East Post Road SE)
• 2:30 p.m. - Cedar Valley Park (south of Memorial Dr. SE and Otis Road SE)

Participants are welcome to ride along or meet the group at any of the above stops.

Earlier this month Sen. Hogg spoke to a Linn County Kiwanis Club and shared a list of "70 Accomplishments for 2007" (copied in full below).

"Overall, I was pleased with our accomplishments," he said. "We had some headline successes - like raising the minimum wage, raising teacher pay, creating the Iowa Power Fund, and protecting public health by raising the tobacco tax. And, overall, we made steady progress on key issues including education, public safety, health care, energy, and economic development. "I was also particularly pleased that we were able to finish the year with the state's best fiscal condition in my five years in the Legislature - a full Cash Reserve Fund, $444 million; restoration of the Economic Emergency Fund, $138 million; and a significant repayment to the Senior Living Trust Fund, $146 million. We still have more to do to improve financial security, but 2007 provided significant steps in the right direction."

When looking forward to 2008, Hogg says some of the issues on his list include improving math and science education, further expanding health care coverage, adopting "green building" standards and incentives, encouraging better energy efficiency and conservation, promoting property tax reform to help Iowa businesses and seniors living on a fixed income in their own homes, and supporting downtown and riverfront revitalization efforts in Cedar Rapids.

70 ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2007

EDUCATION

1. Preschool ($15 million per year) (HF877)
2. 4% allowable growth for schools ($108 million) (SF109)
3. Teacher pay (approximately $4,000 per teacher) (SF277)
4. Grants for "supplemental strategies" to reach grade level ($2.5 million) (SF588)
5. More aid for private school students and school tuition organizations (SF588/SF601)
6. Math and science initiative ($200,000 grant) (HF829)
7. Before and after school programs ($1 million) (HF907/SF588/SF601)
8. Record level of support for community colleges
   A. $12.4 million general aid increase (SF588)
   B. $2 million dedicated for community college faculty salaries (SF601)
   C. $4.5 million dedicated for renewable energy workforce (HF927/HF911)
9. New biorenewable research facility at Iowa State (HF911)
10. New institute for biomedical discovery at University of Iowa (HF911)
11. Bonding for new chemistry building at Iowa State (HF920)
12. Bonding for new college of public health building at Iowa (HF920)
13. Additional $25 million for university operations and tuition control (SF588)
14. Increase in Iowa Tuition Grant Program ($1.8 million increase) (SF588)
15. Create All-Iowa Opportunity Grants for college aid (SF588/SF601)

HEALTH CARE

16. Raise tobacco tax (SF128)
17. Funding and outreach to add 10,750 children for health coverage (HF909)
18. Funding to add nearly 6,000 low-income parents under Medicaid (HF909)
19. More funding for tobacco prevention & cessation (~$12 million) (HF907/HF909)
20. Allow additional stem cell research (SF162)
21. Authorize small business health insurance pooling (HF790)
22. Require insurers to accept uniform health insurance applications (SF346)
23. $17 million in new funding for county mental health/disability programs (HF909)
24. 3% provider increase for all child welfare providers ($3.2 million) (HF909)
25. Lead testing for students by age 6 (HF158/HF909)

ENERGY AND ECONOMY

26. Create Iowa Power Fund ($25 million for four years) (HF927/HF918)
   A. State energy plan including policy recommendations (HF918)
   B. Climate change advisory council (SF485)
   C. Renewable energy workforce programs ($2.5 million) (HF927)
27. New transportation funding formula (HF932)
28. Expand historic preservation tax credits from $6.4 million to $20 million (SF566)
29. Create Iowa film industry incentives (HF892)
30. Targeted industries expansion, including workforce, lean manufacturing (HF829)
31. Fund state and local housing trust funds ($2.5 million) (HF911)
32. Extend the community attraction and tourism program to 2013 (SF601)
33. Additional funding for tourism ($250,000) and Main Street ($400,000) (SF562)
34. Additional funding for small business development centers ($250,000) (SF562)
35. Recreational Trails - $2 million (HF911)
36. REAP funding - $4 million increase (SF551)
37. Expand civil rights protections (SF427)
38. "Generation Iowa" Commission (HF617)

PUBLIC SAFETY

39. Keg registration (HF650)
40. Expand child abuse prevention programming ($200,000) (HF909)
41. Trooper overtime pay (SF601)
42. Opened new Oakdale prison facility and added 37 correctional officers (SF575)
43. Create drug court in Linn and Johnson Counties (SF575)
44. Community corrections mental health facility in Cedar Rapids (HF911)
45. Hire additional OSHA inspectors to comply with federal guidelines (SF562)

"ZERO POVERTY" INITIATIVES

46. Raise the minimum wage (HF1)
47. Cap interest rates for car title loans (HF5)
48. Authorized new short-term, small-dollar loans by credit unions (SF347)
49. Fully funded legal aid ($2 million) (SF575/SF601)
50. Expanded the earned income tax credit ($10 million) (SF590)
51. Assessment and resolution program for energy assistance ($400,000) (HF909)
52. Fully fund child care assistance to avoid waiting list ($16.4 million increase) (HF909)

FAMILY AND SENIOR ISSUES

53. Fund office of substitute decision-maker (HF909)
54. Alzheimer's training and task force and dementia care training (SF489/HF909)
55. Continue funding for case management for the frail elderly (HF909)
56. Continue phase out tax on social security and increase in filing threshold
57. Grandparent and great-grandparent visitation (HF909)
58. Foster care sibling visitation (SF480)
59. Funding for the Chief Justice's Children's Justice Initiative (SF563/SF575)

VETERAN ISSUES

60. Veterans homeowner assistance program (SF95/SF601)
61. Injured veterans grant program (SF95)
62. Vietnam Veterans Bonus (June 30, 1973 to May 7, 1975) (SF578)
63. Expand charitable bingo and raffles (SF414)

ELECTION ISSUES

64. Same day election voter registration (HF653)
65. Voter verified paper trails (SF369/HF911)

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

66. Fill the cash reserve fund ($444 million projected)
67. Restore the economic emergency fund ($138 million projected)
68. Repay the senior living trust fund ($144 million projected)
69. Fully funded the state Medicaid program (HF909)
70. School sharing and reorganization incentives (SF447)

Not too long ago I sent an email to Lyn which read:

Lyn, Carter's making waves. You should blog about it.

To which I received the following reply:

Still busy with Scouts. You do it. :-)

So... you get the non-hard-news-writer today. My apologies up front.

There's an article on Yahoo! News from Reuters which discusses former Pres. Jimmy Carter "blasting" George W. Bush's presidency as "the worst in history" in international relations.. AND denouncing British Prime Minister Tony Blair as little more than a Bush lap dog.

You know, outside of the fact that it's former Pres. Jimmy Carter saying it, I'm not really sure what's so news-worthy here. Carter says nothing I haven't overheard in the check-out line at the Hy-Vee for well over a year. (And I can tell you that you DO NOT want to know what the fellows at the corner donut shop are saying if this little piece of Carter news upsets you.)

The funniest part? The White House has nothing to say. Instead, they let the RNC take pokes at Carter. Once again I'm reminded of that Steve Martin movie, "Leap of Faith." It's obvious the White House doesn't wish to provoke a man of real faith and prefers to allow the 'underlings' do the job.

...

"I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history," Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, said in a telephone interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette from the Carter Center in Atlanta.

"The overt reversal of America's basic values as expressed by previous administrations, including (those of) George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon and others, has been the most disturbing to me," Carter told the newspaper.

...

"Abominable. Loyal, blind, apparently subservient," Carter said when asked how he would characterize Blair's relationship with Bush.

And that's only a taste.

As you might have expected, there were several posts (including ours) about the passing of Jerry Falwell:

• Cathy Haustein starts her discussion with a great quote from Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run with the Wolves.
• Babblemur & Akaoni took mostly the same approach as we did: Let Falwell's words speak for themselves.
• culturekitchen just opened a thread for comments

There's a very nice post at Blue man in a Red district about Wake Up Wright County.

Popular Progressive believes former Rep. Jim Leach is on the short list to replace Paul Wolfowitz at head of the World Bank. Deeth has info on this subject too.

Century of the Common Iowan reports Sen. John McCain has lasted five weeks without voting in the Senate. Also, be sure to check the Mother's Day post for information on Julia Ward Howe's first Mother's Day Proclamation. Good stuff.

Recent University of Iowa graduate and Iowa native Dylan Lampe has signed on to Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign.

Blog for Iowa has the skinny on the proposed Progressive Iowa Network (PIN) and the upcoming meeting in Iowa City on Saturday, June 9. One or both of the EE women plan to attend, so see you there!

Gordon has a nice post on Daschle's visit to the Iowa Chapter of the National Security Network.

So, it's not a blog, but I still very much enjoy waltzing through the pages of KingWatch.

Gov. Mitt Romney is launching a new ad in NH and Iowa this weekend says Watching Washington.

The South of Iowa talks about the discussion and debate over raising taxes to build a new jail.

Freemasonry Resources has a (very) brief write-up about the twice-yearly meeting of Iowa Research Lodge No. 2.

Senior Amy Servantez and Junior Courtney McGarry were speakers at a Philosophy Tea entitled "Jihad and Human Rights." The event was covered by Jennifer Yeske for Buena Vista University's The Tack Online. The entire article summing up the discussion has been placed in the Freedom's Zone crosshairs.

In what has to be one of the oddest news articles of the week, the Associated Press broke information about nude photos of nursing home residents. Police are still investigating why four residents at Greenwood Manor in Iowa City were photographed without clothing (although not an a sexually explicit way).

Let me introduce you to one of my newest favorite blogs: Brain Based Biz. I know, it doesn't sound all that great, but where else can you learn (well besides here) that the height of one's ceiling can affect creativity and focus? As a side note, we have 14-foot ceilings in our bedrooms. No wonder my daughter can't ever crack down on homework when I send her to her room!

I've got to look back through the campaign lit I picked up at a recent event to see if I have the piece from Mitt Romney touting his "sensational good looks" and how we women have a word for him, "hot." Just for the record here, I do have a word for Romney after reading the text on his promo lit: creepy.

And, while I'm confessing... I too have spent several hundred dollars at the hair salon in one sitting. Nope, I was not in California or New York. It happened just a few blocks from my home here in Eastern Iowa -- and I still have my hair done there.

There's a great piece on Her Daily News about radio women. Go. Read.

A friend who knows how much I adore Tiramisu sent me over to the Travel New Mexico blog for a recipe. (BTW, there are lots of great recipes there.) What else do I find? A link to the Waterloo-Cedar Fall's Courier's report of Richardson. Small world.

Oh boy. There are times when you read things and you just have to shake your head at the stupidity of it all. And, no, it isn't the Power Liberal's post I'm referring to. It's what she's referring to in her post. Ladies, go forth and read (if you're able).

We know some of the men (and a few of the women) have been keeping one eye averted while reading here out of fear there would be, without notice, something tear-jerking or overly sentimental posted. Well, today is the day your worst fears come true. Read on...

Family friends who have been on several missionary trips to the Ukraine have been hoping to adopt. We learned this week that they have been introduced to two boys, Nick and Denis whom they hope to make permanent members of their family. It's a long post and one made even longer as tears welled up, blurring the words on the screen. We're so happy for your both and can't wait to meet the boys. Come home soon!

From a press release to supporters that arrived just minutes ago:
The John Edwards for President Campaign today announced that Senator Edwards will make his 24th trip to Iowa from Friday, May 25 to Sunday, May 27, 2007. Senator John Edwards will discuss his commitment to honoring the sacrifice America's veterans have made defending our freedom. Edwards believes that America must improve veteran's health care, including mental health, and invest more to ensure our troops and their families are not living in poverty.

Elizabeth Edwards will accompany her husband during a three-day campaign swing that includes stops in towns both big and small throughout eastern Iowa.

The trip comes in the wake of the Edwards' major announcement that more than 1,500 women in Iowa, representing more than 800 precincts and all 99 counties, have formed "Women for Edwards" and committed to caucusing for Senator Edwards in January.

The trip includes visits to the following communities:

FRIDAY, MAY 25
Fort Madison John Edwards
Keosauqua John Edwards
Fairfield John and Elizabeth Edwards
Mount Pleasant John and Elizabeth Edwards
Washington John and Elizabeth Edwards

SATURDAY, MAY 26
Marengo John and Elizabeth Edwards
Vinton John and Elizabeth Edwards
Independence John and Elizabeth Edwards
Waverly John and Elizabeth Edwards

SUNDAY, MAY 27
New Hampton John and Elizabeth Edwards
Decorah John and Elizabeth Edwards
Oelwein John and Elizabeth Edwards
Manchester John and Elizabeth Edwards

Further details about the events will be announced in the coming days.

At noon today, Sen. Chris Dodd will be participating in a question and answer session about Iraq at Drake University. You do not, however, need to travel to Des Moines to hear and see it live.

Interested people will be gathering in five satellite locations - Iowa City, Burlington, Charles City, Sioux City and Decatur - to join in the conversation via either conference call or live internet feed.

While the feed below does not provide any interactivity, it will allow our readers to watch live. (Please note that this feed is not expected to become active until noon. We posted ahead of time so that readers could plan ahead.)

While you're waiting, the campaign has made available Sen. Dodd's speech from the Dubuque Hall of Fame dinner last night. This video includes question and answer from the parking lot. More information is available on the campaign site.

The Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University and the League of Women Voters of Ames, Iowa, are sponsoring Ready to Run: Campaign Training for Women on Friday, June 1. The workshop -- which is designed for anyone considering seeking public office or working on a campaign -- will take place from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Scheman Center at Iowa State Center in Ames.

"The workshop presents a unique opportunity for potential candidates to hear directly from prominent elected and appointed women leaders, campaign consultants and party officials about how to literally get ready to run," said Dianne Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at ISU. "It offers two tracks -- one for those who have made the decision to run for office and one for those who want to learn more about getting involved politically -- as well as joint sessions on media training and fund raising."

Bystrom reports that the following political figures will participate in the workshop: State Representatives Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D-Ames) and Carmine Boal (R-Ankeny); former State Sen. Maggie Tinsman (R-Davenport); Ames Mayor Ann Campbell; Des Moines City Councilwoman Christine Hensley; Story County Supervisor Jane Halliburton (D-Ames); Mary Ann Spicer of the Iowa Employment Appeal Board; Diane Crookham-Johnson, former Finance Chair for the Republican Party of Iowa; JoDee Winterhof, Democratic campaign strategist and Iowa Political Director for Sen Hillary Clinton's campaign; and Karen Slifka (senior advisor with Sen. John McCain) and Joe Shannahan (former press secretary for Gov. Tom Vilsack), principals with the Lincoln Strategies public affairs firm in Des Moines.

Some topics that will be covered include positioning yourself for public office, developing a campaign plan, fund raising, interactive media training, and navigating political parties.

Registration forms and scholarship applications are available through download online at: www.las.iastate.edu/CattCenter. Registration is $75 before May 21 and $100 after that date. There is a $25 non-refundable deposit due at the time of registration. Checks should be made payable to the Carrie Chapman Catt Center.

Ready to Run was established by the Center for American Women and Politics at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. The Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics and the League of Women Voters of Ames have adapted this program to encourage women in Iowa to seek public office.

It's difficult to know the exact number of personal contacts that translate into vested interest and, eventually, into caucus goers. At least one Presidential campaign, however, is betting more is always better.

Presidential hopeful and U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd will address a group at Drake University in Des Moines tomorrow on ending the War in Iraq. Throughout the state, however, individuals at satellite stations will use technology to interact with him in real time.

"What we are doing tomorrow is special, but that doesn't mean it will be unique," said Matthew Browner-Hamlin, recently hired as the campaign's official blogger and key member of the online communications staff. "We plan on putting together this type of interactive event as often as possible as the campaign moves forward."

The campaign has set up five community satellite locations. Conference calls will connect participants located in Sioux City, Charles City, Decatur and Burlington with the Drake event. Participants in Iowa City will be connected via a live internet feed. The internet connection, made possible through the beta Internet application UStream, has roughly a one second delay.

"It is such an unfiltered way of allowing a candidate to communicate with - not just at - potential voters and caucus goers," said Browner-Hamlin.

With so many eyes and ears directed toward a single event and the potential of instant digital recording, there is little doubt of the possible risk involved and, historically speaking, that's a change for candidates in Iowa. The Hawkeye state has been the place politicians have come to shake hands, meet people in small groups and "test run" policy positions and even a few jokes.

"This really isn't about Iowa," said Browner-Hamlin when asked about the historical shift. "This is about the campaign having an open door policy and a true belief that the more people who have an opportunity to meet our candidate and hear our candidate, the more people will want to see and hear more from our candidate. This is Sen. Chris Dodd putting himself out there for public inspection."

State Director Marc Beltrame agrees.

"Chris Dodd's campaign is about bringing people together to get this country back on the right track," Beltrame said in a phone interview Thursday evening. "Just like the family kitchen table, the internet has become a place where folks can come together to share their concerns and ideas."

The event begins at noon. For those who cannot make it to either Drake or to one of the satellite stations, the live stream will be broadcast here as well (although there will be no opportunity for our viewers to interact with the Senator).

Progressive Action for the Common Good, Iowans for Sensible Priorities, and Democracy for America-Quad Cities will come together tomorrow night for a showing of the film "Why We Fight."

The documentary, directed by Eugene Jarecki, was released in Jan. 2005 and won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. It explores the military industrial complex and, according to most critics, offers an even-handed approach to the topic. A trailer is available from Sony Pictures in QuickTime format. (There are also many clips available on YouTube for those willing to search.)

Ice cream and refreshments will be served during the free evening. The Davenport Unitarian Church, 3707 Eastern Ave., has opened its doors for the event. Those interested in attending are encouraged to visit the DFA site and RSVP.

Obama '08 has sent out an email to supporters signed by former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle and announcing an upcoming appearance on behalf of Sen. Barack Obama.

The affiliation between the two senators comes as little surprise to those who have taken time to sit and considering the connections. Still, this will mark the first time Daschle has served as such an overt surrogate in Iowa for Obama.

Daschle will appear at the Obama for America state headquarters, 323 E. Locust St. in Des Moines, this Saturday at noon.

"While Barack has been working hard in the Hawkeye state for awhile now, Saturday's event marks the official opening of the Iowa HQ," Daschle wrote in the letter to supporters. "We will have music, refreshments and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Saturday marks the beginning of what promises to be a grueling and inspiring eight-month sprint to the caucuses in January."

Not a single day passes when we aren't amazed by our readership. You never really know... and often are scared to dream... how many people will be willing to give you a few moments of their time each day. We honestly had no idea so many would come and sit around the campfire with us so soon. We are... well... flabbergasted. Thank you.

Many of our readers -- 47 last I checked -- are not site visitors. They have chosen to utilize the 'subscribe' option on the top right of page one to have posts emailed to them. While this may not be the quickest way possible to get information, some really like it. Nearly all information is distributed in the email; however, your email client may refuse to allow processing of some items which use DirectX or Flash (such as YouTube videos). If you see a message warning of those things, feel free to visit the site to look at the more interactive components.

Others are pulling the information through RSS/ATOM feeds into My Yahoo! and iGoogle/Google Reader. Text comes through without problem on all readers. Other content, however, like photographs, audio and video may or may not make it to your desktop. It's going to depend on your reader and how you've configured it.

If you ever need to reach us, please use the collective email address: webmaster*at*essentialestrogen*dot*com. This address automatically forward to all of our writers.

There have been many questions posed to us lately. One of these days, we will make a Q&A post so everyone can enjoy.

Once again, thank you. We very much enjoying learning new things while serving all of you. If you have ideas, comments or suggestions... well, you know what to do.

John Zogby conducted polls May 14 and 15 that included 511 likely participants in the Democratic caucus (margin of error is +/-4.4) and 478 likely participants in the Republican caucus (margin of error is +/- 4.6).

On the Republican side of things "I Dunno" continues to hold the lead at a steady 22 percent. While down a point in this poll (well within the margin of error), Sen. John Edwards continues to hold the lead.

The full results are:

The first thing which jumps out is the continued increase of confidence in Gov. Mitt Romney. Polling at just five percent four months ago, he has now worked his way into 19 percent of the respondent's hearts and has morphed the GOP contest into more of a three-way race.

The way the numbers are distributed for the Republican candidates, it appears that most of the support Romney gained came from his opponent Rudy Giuliani. If that is the case, it will be interesting to see if this a temporary bounce due to Giuliani's own press issues these past few days.

Not much has changed for the Iowa Democrats. Most notable in the numbers is the three percent increase for Gov. Bill Richardson, although this -- and all the pluses and minuses up and down the board -- fall well within the margin of error.

On both sides of the aisle there seem to be many individuals who have yet to make up their minds.

The last of VoteVets.org's trilogy of ads has been released today.

This ad features retired Gen. Wes Clark and Army artillery officer Mike Breen and highlights the Bush administration's failed foreign policy.

"The helicopters, the equipment and the troops are stuck fighting George Bush's war in Iraq," said Gen. Clark in a prepared statement. "As I said before the invasion, military action against Iraq would distract us from fighting those who attacked us on 9/11: Al Qaeda. George Bush and Dick Cheney constantly trumpet their capture of Saddam Hussein, but where is Osama bin Laden?

"The President did not listen when I went before House Armed Services Committee in 2002, discouraging an invasion of Iraq. The President did not listen to General Batiste and General Eaton, as they called for a new strategy in Iraq. And the President is still not listening."

As referenced by Clark above, Maj. Gen. John Batiste and Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton were featured in the first and second VoteVets.org 'Generals' ads, respectively.

Here is the Eaton ad:

And here is the Batiste ad:

I have never watched reality television. While conversations around me swirled with gossip from Survivor or The Bachelor or American Idol, I'd be forced to sit silently. I had no idea what the tribes were named or who cried after what date or the name of the curly-headed guy everyone discussed a few weeks ago.

I don't think my lack of interest was because I thought I was somehow better than such programming. I tried watching almost every reality show out there and just didn't find them appealing. I don't like watching people humiliate themselves. I think placing a group of people in a position of intimacy with a single person of the opposite sex and then making them fight for attention is repulsive. I did have hopes the strategy quality of Survivor would hold my attention. Even when a friend was one of the contestants, I couldn't get overly excited.

While my experiences with those particular shows and scenarios haven't changed, I have found a reality show this season which has captivated me. Dancing With The Stars has been an addictive albeit guilty pleasure. The reason I'm still watching, however, has no connection to the reason I first tuned in.

I was out to lunch with a friend who asked if I was going to watch the show. Without much thought I told her I wouldn't be watching, that I wasn't much of a television watcher. To her credit, she began to tell me about the show and why she was going to watch. She told me about Heather Mills, a social activist, who was going to be the first person with an artificial limb to compete.

"She's got an artificial arm?" I asked.

"No, she has an artificial leg."

Call it morbidity or rubber-necking or curiosity, I had to watch. I wanted to see how well someone with an artificial leg could dance. As the first few weeks passed, however, I found myself not watching Mills (although she was an excellent competitor) but looking forward to seeing Laila Ali.

Ali is not only the daughter of boxing legend Muhammed Ali (Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee.), but an athletic champion in her own right. She is an undefeated world champion female boxer ... an incredibly beautiful woman... and an author. If you haven't taken time to read her autobiography Reach! you really should. It is worth every moment you spend with it.

In my mind's eye, there are very few strong, intelligent, comfortable-in-their-own-skin women on the television. (Hey, maybe that's why I don't watch much tv?) Ali isn't a glamor girl, but she is glamorous. She hasn't lived a life of privilege, but she carries herself with class, dignity and grace.

That is why I was so extremely pleased tonight when Ali was chosen to be one of three in the finals. Next week she and her partner (the very hot Maksim Chmerkovskiy) will compete for the very last time. The two other couples entering the finals will be Apolo Anton Ohno/Julianne Hough and Joey Fatone/Kym Johnson.

If Ali is able to battle forward and take the title (which I really hope she does) she will become the first female to do so since the first season when Sam McCall... errr... Kelly Monaco was handed the trophy. Season two winner was actor Drew Lachey and he was followed by NFL superstar Emmitt Smith in season three.

In any event, now you know my hidden pleasure... and you know when I won't be answering the phone next week. (Check your local listings.)

Today, Rev. Jerry Falwell, the television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority, died shortly after being found in his office at Liberty University. He was 73.

Everyone has a story or belief which came from their family. For me the one thing I was taught... the thing that probably existed before I did... was "you never speak ill of the dead." I'm not sure why this was one of the primary rules my mother and father lived by and taught to their children, but it has served us all well.

The consideration then of writing a scathing post about this man's death was short lived. I will not utter or type one word against the man. It is better, I think, at the end of our days that we are allowed to stand not on other's opinions, but on our own words.

Rev. Falwell Quotations

"Christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions."

"The whole (global warming) thing is created to destroy America's free enterprise system and our economic stability."

"AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals."

(Speaking about 9/11)"And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say, 'You helped this happen.'"

"Billy Graham is the chief servant of Satan in America."

"The idea that religion and politics don't mix was invited by the Devil to keep Christians from running their own country."

"I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!"

"Grown men should not be having sex with prostitutes unless they are married to them."

"If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being."

"Textbooks are Soviet propaganda."

"The ACLU is to Christians what the American Nazi party is to Jews."

"It appears that America's anti-Biblical feminist movement is at last dying, thank God, and is possibly being replaced by a Christ-centered men's movement which may become the foundation for a desperately needed national spiritual awakening."

More than 1,500 Iowa women caucus goers have agreed to make public their support of former Sen. John Edwards.

The list of women, which represents all 99 counties and more than 800 precincts, was made public today during a Town Hall event in Des Moines. The campaign also announced a statewide leadership team of 31 business, education, law government and community leaders who will advise Edwards and the campaign on issues of concern to women.

"This is a major sign of support for us," Sen. Edwards said in an exclusive following the event. "To have a women's organization with more than 1,500 caucus goers from every county and more than 800 precincts shows that we're getting traction here. More importantly, it shows that the issues I'm focused on -- from universal health care to ending poverty to raising the minimum wage -- are important to people in Iowa.

"These women are from every corner of this state and every walk of life, but they share a commitment to changing America and setting a new direction for our country."

Members of the leadership team are:

• Roxanne Conlin, Civil Rights Attorney and former Iowa Gubernatorial Nominee, Des Moines
• Laura Foell, Former Sac County Supervisor, Schaller
• Celia Rangel, President Quad City Mexican American Organization, Davenport
• Connie Smith, Teacher, Sioux City
• Georgia Robertson, Boone County Democratic Party Chair, Boone
• Beverly Strayhall, Healthcare Activist, Davenport
• Tena Hinkel, Monona County Recorder, Mapleton
• Lena Avila Robison, Investigator for Iowa Civil Rights Commission, President & Founder of Latinos Unidos of Iowa, Des Moines
• Jeannette Kline, President of Burlington Iowa State Education Association Chapter, Burlington
• Tammy Kesterson, Iowa Democratic Party State Central Committee Member, Marengo
• Joy Lowe, Community Activist, Waterloo
• Patricia Schaefer, Mayor, Morning Sun
• Rosemary Schwartz, Former Benton County Democratic Party Chair, Vinton
• Jan Horton, Webster County Treasurer, Fort Dodge
• Rebecca Cole, Former Hamilton County Supervisor, Jewell
• Jody Ewing, Iowa Democratic Party State Central Committee Member, Onawa
• Janet Adams, Former State Representative, Webster City
• Sally Steffen, Former County Wapello County Supervisor, Ottumwa
• Denise Hocraffer, Wright County Democratic Party Chair, Clarion
• Dori Rammelsberg-Dvorak, Democratic Party Activist, Clutier
• Melva Lewis, Retired Teacher, Former Iowa State Education Association Executive Board Member, Bettendorf
• Anne Travis, Iowa State Education Association Executive Board Member, Sidney
• Ruth Moorberg, Iowa State Education Association Executive Board Member, Esterville
• Pat Steinfort, Community Activist, Mason City
• Joan Amos, Chariton City Council, Chariton
• Peg Dunbar, Former Bremer County Democratic Party Chair, Waverly
• Allison Schultz, President, Clarke College Democrats, Earlville
• Sara Hansen, Iowa State Education Association Executive Board Member, Marshalltown
• Kas Kelly, Muscatine County Supervisor, Muscatine
• Laurie Schipper, Executive Director, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Ankeny
• Kathleen Graves, Emmet County Democratic Party Vice-Chair, Estherville

"John is a thoughtful, compassionate and strong leader who will make it his mission to see that women have the same opportunities as men - from education to health care to employment," Roxanne Conlin, a member of the leadership team and a former Democratic nominee for Governor, said in a press release. "He will stand up to Republican attacks against a woman's right to choose. He will end the war in Iraq, start bringing our troops home, and most importantly, bring our nation together to make progress for all Americans."

During the Town Hall, Sen. Edwards detailed his plan to improve the lives of women at work and at home. In doing so he called for:

• Guaranteeing health care for 95,000 Iowa women who lack insurance.
• Ending poverty - helping the 179,000 Iowa women who now live in poverty. John Edwards has called for an end to poverty within 30 years, with policies rooted in the core American values of work, opportunity and responsibility.
• Supporting strong families by expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act, investing in child care for working moms and increasing long-term care options available to families.
• Raising the minimum wage. In Iowa, women account for 61 percent of minimum wage workers.
• Passing pay equity legislation and providing additional funding for women-owned businesses. Today in Iowa, women earn 75 cents for every dollar earned by men.
• Protecting a woman's right to choose and codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law.

There are only two days before the Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa garage sale!

The sale, scheduled for this Thursday, Friday and Saturday, will be held at Jackqueline Blank Book Works in Des Moines.

Proceeds from the sale will be used to support and expand education and community outreach programs. Any used items (except clothing) can be taken to the facility for donation.

For more information, call the office at 515.235.0406.

Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd's Presidential campaign rolled out a web site change Monday and announced the hiring of Matt Browner-Hamlin as chief blogger.

Browner-Hamlin is an experienced blogger who has contributed to The Huffington Post, My Left Nutmeg and The Right's Field. He plans to travel with Sen. Dodd and offer updates from the campaign trail.

The Dodd campaign, under the direction of internet strategist Tim Tagaris, has been innovative in their implementation of web-based tech tools. They initiated a live two-way conversation between viewers of the first Presidential debate and staff. The technology used for that was, at the time, a month old.

The updated campaign site uses the regular suspects of social networking - facebook, flickr, MySpace and YouTube. The campaign is also trying a fewer of the newer technologies. Browner-Hamlin says he'll be utilizing Twitter to post updates directly to the site's front page. In addition, the campaign plans experimentation with UStream. When the beta web app is working properly, it enables embedding of live video streams.

Iowa Sen. Amanda Ragan will keynote the Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony this Thursday in Mason City.

This will be the fourth year for the event hosted by the Hamilton College Criminal Justice Club and held in Music Man Square. Additional special guests include Clear Lake Police Chief Greg Peterson and the Mason City Police Department Honor Guard.

Gov. Chet Culver declared this week as Peace Officer Memorial Week. The special events held in conjunction with his proclamation honor the 133 Iowa peace officers who have given their lives during the course of duty.

I'm with Linn County DFA, ICAN and Working Families Win at the Java Creek Cafe as we begin the "Our Common Values" discussion. We're about 10 minutes away from the start of the meeting, which I plan to live blog.

For those who need it, some background is available.

We are now going around the table doing introductions. Organizations represented include ICAN, DFA, Linn County Democrats and Working Families Win.

The goal, says Phillip Cryan, program director of ICAN, is to figure out where we want to be in 10 years. "Tonight we need to step outside of this urgency of this campaign, this issue and take the luxury of taking time to think about the future."

Cryan has asked the group to close their eyes while he speaks out a scenario of hope and optimism to get everyone in the mood of looking to the future.

"It's 2015 and we are at a victory party for some issue that you've wanted for years and years and years," he says toward the end. "Look around and see who is celebrating with you and what you are celebrating."

The group began to talk about where they went in their mind and how they got there. Universal healthcare, clean elections and an end to the dependency on fossil fuels were three of the major 'dreams' people had.

Next there was discussion on why these things haven't come to pass. What has society said about why these things cannot happen? Lots of ideas tossed out -- such as "government is bad" and "it just can't be done" and "it steps on individuals rights of choice" and more.

Bring the groups together -- begin the process -- use the excitement of the caucuses to bring everyone together to start to develop the long-term focus and values to be interjected into the community.

We do not want to get divided up -- all these progressive groups -- into "issue silos." We want to work together for the whole of progressive values.

We can still focus on our values, but we can do so in such a way as to change the conversation.

Pieces of paper with issues/positions are being passed around for us to discuss to see if these are on or off the national agenda, based on time-tables. (It's a bit difficult to understand without a visual, but we've got spaces on the wall devoted to certain time frames. We have issues - 2 of each one - which we are placing into either "on the agenda" or "off the agenda" categories.)

The issues include:

• Expanding Voting Rights
• Undermine Public School System
• End Fossil Fuel Dependence
• Fighting a "War on Poverty"
• Cut Welfare
• Privatize Social Security

Now there is a round-table to discuss the placement of the issues. "Is that on the agenda? Is it off the agenda?"

Something is noticed pretty quickly by the group: The early 1970s were quite progressive -- even with Richard Nixon at the helm. Did you know that Nixon supported universal healthcare?

Where did those values from the 1970s come from? How did we get to where we are now?

The group has begun to discuss how the conversation changed from the 1970s and a mostly progressive agenda to today and an extremely conservative agenda. One thing to remember, the conversation changes over time -- it isn't set in stone.

We not only need to be thinking about what is the correct policy position, but also how do we frame our positions so that we can compliment each other. But you can't frame an issue without working on core issues.

So, what are our core issues? Equality, fairness, responsibility, community, the common good and more. How do we change the conversation back to our values? How do we inject what we believe?

Now we need to develop themes and learn how to use them in the work we're already doing. There will be a gathering Saturday, June 16, in Iowa City at the library to go over all the tools. For more information on that, visit the ICAN site.

Author's Note: This morning Media Matters for America announced the results of a gender and ethnic diversity study focusing on the Sunday morning talk shows. The breakdown of guests who appeared on the shows in 2005 and 2006 shows that men outnumber women by a 4-to-1 ratio.

For at least this moment in time, television news in Iowa is a man's game.

Overall, the employees who produce Iowa's televised newscasts are divided 58 percent male and 42 percent female. Of a total of 219 persons (news, weather and sports) throughout the state, 126 are male while 93 are female.

Of the 219 total, there are 63 individuals serving as primaries or anchors throughout the state. When we look at these individuals the gender gap widens to 70 percent male and 30 percent female.

The picture looks more balanced in the lower levels of the newsroom where 53 percent of workers are male and 47 percent are female.

At the various networks, most females work in the news department: 87 percent at ABC; 90 percent at CBS; 82 percent at FOX; and 77 percent at NBC. Overall, only 15 percent of women who work for television news organization do not work in the general news department. Further, only two percent statewide work in the sports department as compared to 25 percent of males in the field.

Libby Allison of Davenport's KLJB FOX affiliate and Heidi Soliday of Des Moines' KCCI CBS affiliate are the only two primary sports anchors/directors who are female in the state of Iowa. No female chief meteorologists could be found in Iowa.

Of the 16 television stations across the state examined for these statistics, most had primary anchor crews of one female and three males or two females and three males. Only one station featured a single-sex anchor team. The KWWL, Waterloo's NBC affiliate, has a team of three men - News Anchor Ron Steele, Meteorologist Jeff Kennedy and Sports Anchor Rick Coleman. This team also holds the distinction of being the only anchor desk in the state of Iowa that includes a person of color. Coleman, a black man, more or less grew up both watching and working for KWWL, beginning his career there while still in high school.

Looking at the big three of ABC, CBS and NBC, the prize for lowest gender gap goes to the state's ABC affiliates which have 45 percent women in their news crews. CBS and NBC tie with 41 percent. FOX has a gender gap of 44 percent; however, many of these stations "borrow" staff from others in the area.

Statistical data gathered from information on station web sites. Gender and ethnic backgrounds determined solely by sight. Stations examined were KCAU, KCCI, KCRG, KDSM, KFXA, KGAN, KIMT, KLJB, KMEG, KPTH, KTIV, WHO, WOI, KWQC, KWWL and PBS (state-created news content only).

If you like to play in the dirt, you may want to take part in blogswarm of sorts which began in June 2006 called "Green Thumb Sunday". Genie, the inadvertent gardener in Iowa City, has posted a great photo.

Last year I planted a bleeding heart in the back garden. It didn't do anything all year long. Quite frankly, I did not expect the plant to make it through the winter, much less be a thriving member of the garden. This just goes to show how much I know about plants and gardening. The bleeding heart was one of the first to take off this spring and it's now sporting several heavy branches with the delicate, reddish-pink blooms.

I must admit here that I'm crazy jealous about the arisaemas Don over at an iowa garden featured in his blog. It's beautiful, Don... and now I must go figure out if I can grow one or two and where.

Drop by According to D for her impressions of Cinco de Mayo in Iowa City. It's worth the time you'll spend reading (this post and many of her others).

It appears that Tara at Aetiology will be moderating the science caucus at YearlyKos and she'd like your thoughts. Congratulations, Tara!

Blonde Chick Bloggin' brings back from blasts from the past with her post about driving, her daughter and the Zeph. In my life, it was a dark blue Impala with an ashtray which stretched the full length of the dash.

The Reform Network picked up the May 9 article in the Daily Iowan about former Iowa City Catholic priest Lawrence David Soens who faces civil claims brought by 14 former students.

Ray, a conservative Chiagoan, took exception to a quote in the Des Moines Register attributed to Mary Arenas where she took exception to Rep. Tom Tancredo using the term "illegal alien" at the Iowa Preventing Abuse Conference on Friday.

George Archibald says the 2008 presidential campaign is already a "doozy" and lists Clinton and Giuliani at the folks to beat.

GetReligion.org has a piece about "Romney's unexplained stumbling block" where is ink is given to the campaign's hiring of Mark DeMoss to court evangelical voters in South Carolina and Iowa. (If you're keeping score, we we posted about this last week.)

Staying with Romney for a minute, the Elect Romney in 2008 Blog has a post contrasting the viewpoints of Chuck Todd and Howard Fineman about the importance (or lack of importance) early states like Iowa will play in the Presidential nominations.

ongopongo.com is almost as excited as we are about the RAGBRAI bike route. (July 22-28, 2007)

Want an inside perspective on the new U.S. Courthouse planned for Cedar Rapids?

Caroline Vernon of Blog for Iowa reports five area groups came together for a press conference urging Sen. Chuck Grassley to reconsider his vote on repealing a medicare provision.

Century of the Common Iowan has a post about attending an event with Sen. Mike Gronstal and Rep. Kevin McCarthy where the two discuss clean elections.

Don McDowell of Cyclone Conservatives has written a novella on Tommy Thompson's visit to LeMars on Thursday for the LeMars Daily Sentinel.

Does anyone really care about the spat between Sen. Obama and Sen. Grassley?

Hawkeye GOP thought Krusty was king. It was just one of many local blogs to acknowledge the Krusty Konservative anonymous blog was ceasing publication.

KL Snow at Diary of a Political Madman has accepted a new job (congratulations!) and doesn't know exactly where that will leave the blog.

And, last but not least, I couldn't agree more with Side Notes and Detours about this -- although i could have happily gone my whole life without seeing it.

“The world taught women nothing skillful and then said her work was valueless. It permitted her no opinions and said she did not know how to think. It forbade her to speak in public and said the sex had no orators. It denied her the schools, and said the sex had no genius. It robbed her of every vestige of responsibility, and then called her weak. It taught her that every pleasure must come as a favor from men and when, to gain it, she decked herself in paint and fine feathers, as she had been taught to do, it called her vain.”
~Carrie Chapman Catt, 1902, in a speech before the the National American Woman Suffrage Association

Women are the original multi-taskers. By either design or necessity, we have learned not only to balance the various aspects of our lives, but to take information from two seemingly unrelated aspects and make them compliment one another. That is, we've taken experiences from the playground and applied them to our first job. We've taken experience from grade school and applied them to our marriage. We've taken experiences from church and applied them to work. There isn't a single part of our life which has stood without impacting another.

It is impossible to celebrate our mothers or our lives as mothers without taking a moment to consider how that very important life role has helped to shape who we are and what we do.

"My mother was hard working, had a great sense of humor, enjoyed life, always tried to fix what was wrong, and loved herself," said Iowa Rep. Helen Miller. "I work hard for my constituents, do my work with humor -- makes it easier for everyone, allow no one to steal of compromise my 'joy,' do my best to put and keep things 'right,' and take care of myself physically, emotionally and psychologically. These are not bad traits for any line of work including, but not limited to, parenting and legislating.

"I see my legislative role much like that of a parent working to do her best for individuals and groups who may be needy, confident, pushy, sensitive, unreasonable, helpful, angry, and more. It helps to call upon memories, analogies and quotes from my child-rearing days -- those child-rearing days are not unlike my work now. It was necessary then and it is necessary now to constantly maneuver through unfamiliar territory in terms of attitudes, beliefs, personalities, situations, people and places. All my children, by the way, turned out just fine."

Her follow legislator Rep. Vicki Lensing agrees.

"Becoming a mother is life-changing and the only training we have is what we know – from our own mothers and women in our lives that have taught, modeled and influenced us," she said. "It brings us skills, strengths and weaknesses. It releases within us feelings that we have never felt before in quite the same way as motherhood brings to us.

"As a mother, I found new depths of patience and understanding, of hope and pride, of vulnerability and acceptance that I do not have all the answers and that I cannot be there always and a bottomless sense of responsibility and accomplishment for this person before me."

Lensing also agrees there are many roles women hold -- the exact "list is unique and endless for each of us" -- and each role impacts our decision making and forces us to look beyond ourselves.

"As mothers, we are obliged to role-model, to make rules and to see each child as an individual – and sometimes these duties are in conflict with one another," she added. "Decisions that are clear cut and easy in the office become blurred at home – priorities take on a new ranking after motherhood – and emotions run under the surface as we view the world as a mother, wanting to protect and nurture our children in a place that is not always safe, certain, secure or predictable. Unconditional love and acceptance become second nature as a mother."

She summed it up by saying, "As a legislator, I have to study, question, understand and make policy that impacts all Iowans. This job includes many of the skills I have learned as a mother. As for my personal identity, I see myself as being more than a mother – but the impact of this role adds to who I am. I think it adds depth to who I have become – because my role as a mother continues to change as my children grow up and that forces me to continue to grow and learn as a person. I may stumble along the way but it brings a sense of accomplishment of which I never dreamed."

We wish all the women out there -- mothers or not -- the happiest of days. In the coming years, may we learn to live and lift our voices in sweet harmony.

I've been out of the loop with a nasty cold and then a day-long conference, but I was still shocked when I read at ThinkProgress that Maj. Gen. Batiste was fired by CBS for work with VoteVets.org and their new ad campaign.

He was interviewed by Keith Olbermann on Countdown just one day after we (and the rest of the blogosphere) announced the new ad and plea for donations. Here's the YouTube clip:

While this could be due to contract constraints or other such legalities, it still begs the question of what would have happened if he had appeared in an ad praising the current Iraq strategy.

Although two Republican Presidential hopefuls spoke at a conference on human trafficking and child abuse Friday, they carried very different messages.

Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback was an expected guest and listed on the conference program. Remarks regarding his sponsorship of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and hearings of women and children involved in such abuse were on topic with the event. Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo, in contrast, was not listed on the program (although there was a 'subject to change' notice on the agenda) and provided attendees a speech loosely-knitted to the conference topic.

"I'm pro-life and whole-life," Brownback began as the audience applauded. This, he said, expressed his commitment to both the unborn as well as children and women involved in abusive situations and/or trafficking.

Brownback went on to discuss his version of how to get things done in Washington.

"You have people who say 'I'm with you on the children and women part, but I'm not so sure about the unborn portion' and that's alright," he said. "The idea is to take the shared beliefs and put them together to make legislation which everyone can agree upon."

To prove his point, Brownback invoked the memory of liberal protagonist Sen. Paul Wellstone and their cooperation in 2000 to introduce bills and pass legislation combating the trafficking of women and children for sex trade. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, sponsored by both Wellstone and Brownback, was unanimously passed in the Senate on July 27, 2000. Just this past year it was reauthorized.

Here is a brief audio clip of Brownback discussing he and Wellstone's work on the issue of human trafficking:

Tancredo's speech focused on what he dubbed "psychological pollution" and quickly moved toward a current headline topic: Don Imus.

"Imus," he said. "I think it's a good thing he's gone... although I couldn't care less about his specific case."

Tancredo said the Imus-type conversation and method of targeting advertisers should be used against "people like Howard Stern" so we can be "gone with that piece of garbage." This thought process meandered to his announcement of our country being "at war with radical Islam."

"It has to do with the impression of our country that the rest of the world has," he said. "We send out a skewed picture and they feel they are being invaded.

"Wouldn't it be great to show that the people of this country are people of faith?" he asked and received hearty applause as a response and a few "amens" from the audience.

If there was one common thread between the two speeches it was prayer.

"People ask what they can do [about the perceptions of our nation]," Tancredo said. "I tell them: 'You can pray.'"

Brownback listed three things audience members could do about human trafficking. Number three was "go."

"Once you go and see it [the end results of trafficking and abuse], you'll never be the same," he said.

His second thing was "get involved" and his first was "pray." To finish up his time at the microphone, Brownback led the group in prayer.

Participants in the Iowa Preventing Abuse Conference collectively gasped and a few openly sobbed when fellow Iowan Noreen Gosch stood quietly beside a ceiling to floor image of her abducted son, Johnny Gosch, at age 12, clad in only his under clothes, lying on his stomach and tied with his feet and hands behind his back.

Although the conference, hosted by Cedar Cultural and Educational Foundation and sponsored by local businesses and agencies, was rarely without overt proclamations of shock or grief, the time Gosch spent at the podium was by far the most intense of the day.

"Last September I received a packet of photographs," Gosch said after describing in painful detail the days and weeks following Johnny's kidnapping. The first image of a young boy hog-tied while wearing only his underpants and socks filled the wall. "This is my son Johnny sometime near the time when he was kidnapped. He is still 12 years old in this picture," she added once the sobs had calmed. "I knew immediately it was my son and it has also been confirmed by forensic specialists at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who have examined and compared them with existing pictures."

Tony Nassif, president and founder of Cedar Cultural and Educational Foundation, says he believes "Noreen discovered domestic human trafficking before it even had a name."

The conference, which brought together such strange bedfellows as the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce, The Gazette and the Linn County Association of Evangelicals as sponsors, was not political, according to Nassif. It was,he said, about raising awareness of "an insidious cancer devouring the mind, soul and body of its victims, their families and even their community and nation." According to Nassif, human trafficking and child abduction testifies to the reality of evil.

Roughly 200 people, about 70 percent of them women, sat in Cedar Rapids conference rooms Friday to learn more about human trafficking and child abduction. Throughout the day they heard from both local, state and national speakers including Board Chairman Ric Lumbard of the Center to Restore Trafficked and Exploited Children; U.S. Department of State Deputy Senior Advisor Dr. Laura Lederer; U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement Victim-Witness Coordinator Susan Shriner; Web Wise Kids Executive Vice President Monique Nelson; and Law Enforcement Policy and Support Division Program Manager Linda K. Daniels.

Although some spoke with a secular bent while others spoke from a religious perspective, all - save Gosch - spoke to the faith-based community frequently and by name.

Dr. Lederer during her lunch keynote speech called for a raising of the awareness of the issue of human trafficking within the faith-based community and stated how the government would continue to work with such groups in fighting against it.

In the program, Nassif wrote, "God gave us everything we need to fight this fight, and to win it. He calls us to set the captive free."

Lumbard provided the most direct call to the faith-based community when he pointed to the many problems of children who had been repeatedly raped, molested and abused and asked, "Is it fair to the secular community?"

This type of extended abuse, according to Lumbard, imparts "a level of evil" where care and well-being aren't nearly enough. He added those who wished to help in this battle would need to "pull out the tools we have in the body of Christ."

As a final illustration of his belief about what could and would help those under age 15 who had suffered from sexual trafficking he added, "Some have asked about those who might be victims but who believe in different gods than my God. They ask me about 'What if this person has a Hindu god?' Well, if he [the Hindu god] will get the job done, knock yourself out. But I don't think so."

Nassif, who plans to continue what he calls "the Tony Nassif Road Show," in other communities throughout the U.S.

"We don't have an option," he told conference goers, "we have an obligation."

Former Gov. Tom Vilsack will be presented with the 2007 Interfaith Award during an annual awards dinner next week.

The award is being presented by The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in honor of his efforts to protect all children with anti-bullying legislation, to expand the Iowa Civil Rights Code to include sexual orientation and gender identity, and his commitment to maintain the separation of church and state during his two terms as Governor.

Vilsack made unsuccessful attempts during each of the past three years to get the Iowa legislature to pass a law requiring schools to establish anti-bullying policies, forbidding harassment against gay and lesbian students. In October of last year, Vilsack wrote a letter to school superintendents and principals, asking them to adopt no-tolerance policies in relation to bullying in their schools. In the letter he cited the results of a 2005 Iowa Youth Survey which found 43 percent of the kids questioned said students in their schools "do not treat each other with respect."

Vilsack continued to pound this issue throughout his final days at Terrace Hill, even while building his own Presidential campaign and drawing the ire of House Minority Leader Chris Rants who told the Quad City Times, "The thing I thought was inappropriate was trying to tie the memory of our fallen soldiers to this notion of providing special rights to gays and lesbians in our schools. I don't think that's how our soldiers necessarily want their sacrifice to be remembered."

Despite Vilsack's urging, however, he was never allowed to sign his 2004 initiative into law. Current Gov. Chet Culver signed the measuring this past March.

The keynote speaker for the dinner will be Rabbi Jack Moline, a national leader in the Conservative Jewish tradition. He is the current chairperson of The Interfaith Alliance (national) and has been the rabbi at the Agudas Achim Congregation in Alexandria, VA since 1987. He was formerly co-chair of the Social Action Committee of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and is currently chair of the Social Action Committee of the Rabbinical Assembly. Moline served as president of the Washington Board of Rabbis and is past chair of the Alexandria Interfaith Association.

Rabbi Moline has advised and written for many public figures, including President Bill Clinton, for who he composed much of President Clinton's memorable eulogy for Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He has also written two books, Growing Up Jewish, a book of humor, and Jewish Leadership and Heroism.

Reservations are required to attend the dinner which will be held at the Olmsted Center at Drake University this Thursday, May 17. Contact the office of The Interfaith Alliance of Iowa at (515) 279-8715 or tiaiowa@dwx.com to make reservations or for more information.

Iowa's first female Supreme Court Chief Justice will return to her alma mater tonight.

Chief Justice Marsha K. Ternus has been asked to provide the address as Drake University Law School holds its 126th commencement ceremony at 7 p.m. in the Drake Knapp Center. Her address, "A Life That's Full," will highlight the evening as 160 students are honored.

Ternus was appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad to the Iowa Supreme Court in July 1993. Over a decade later, in September 2006, she was elected by her fellow members of the court to succeed another Drake Law School alumnus Louis A. Lavorato as the next (and Iowa's first female) chief justice.

A native of Vinton and an undergraduate Hawkeye, Ternus received her Juris Doctor degree in 1977, with honors, from Drake Law School and was elected to The Order of the Coif, the national law school scholastic honor society.

While at Drake, she was a member of and served as president of the Law School's advisory board, the Board of Counselors. She also was a member of the Task Force on the Law School for the National Commission on the Future of Drake University in 1987-88 and chaired the Task Force of the Law School for the National Commission II during 1993-94. In 1996, the Law School Board of Counselors selected her to receive the Law School Alumni of the Year award.

Prior to joining the Court, she practiced law and was a partner in the firm of Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor and Fairgrave in Des Moines. She specialized in trail and appellate practice. She served as president of the Polk County Bar Association and was a member of the Board of Governors of the Iowa State Bar Association, the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society of Polk County and the Iowa Supreme Court Jury Instructions Committee.

A reception at the Marriott Hotel will follow the commencement ceremony.

Sen. John Edwards has both scheduled a town hall meeting for next Tuesday and announced the opening of an Iowa campaign site.

The trip for the town hall meeting - his 23rd to Iowa since 2005 - comes less than a week after the campaign released its first ad in the state. The event is scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. at the Des Moines Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave, on Tuesday, May 15.

The new website is geared specifically for Iowa's caucus goers, according to Dan Leistikow, Iowa Communications Director, and contains information on how to get involved with the Edwards' campaign as well as details on plans and issues. The site will also act as both a graphic and text-based blog, allowing Iowans to track both John and Elizabeth as they move across the Hawkeye State.

"Iowa is the first stop in our drive to change America - and success here is going to be critical," said Edwards in a prepared statement. "Elizabeth and I have had many opportunities to visit with Iowans over the past few years, but this web site will give Iowans the chance to learn more about my plans for bold change. Most importantly, it is a tool that will help Iowans get involved in the important challenges facing our country today."

If you haven't already, hop over to Smoky Hollow and have a peek at the newest member of Lt. Gov. Patty Judge's family.

We send congratulations to Papa Dien and Mama Steva, as well as to all the extended family here in Iowa and beyond. Quite frankly, we're having trouble fighting the urge of driving for hours just for the pleasure of kissing those chubby cheeks.

Securing America is announcing today a "massive,half-million dollar ad blitz, featuring - for the first time on the paid airwaves - George Bush's former commanders on the ground in Iraq" developed by VoteVets.org.

Take a look at the first in a series of three:

This ad features VoteVets.org Advisory Board Member Maj. Gen. (ret.) John Batiste, who was commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division from Aug. 2002 to June 2005. During that time, he conducted combat operations in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Batiste twice voted for Pres. Bush and is a lifelong Republican, according to Jon Soltz, Iraq War Veteran and Chairman of VoteVets.org.

Next week the group plans to announce an ad with Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton and finish with an ad featuring Gen. Wesley Clark.

Soltz is seeking donations from individuals interested in helping air the ads nationally.

Gov. Bill Richardson's campaign will begin airing a new crop of ads in Iowa and New Hampshire showing Richardson participating in mock interviews. Here's the ad:

According to the email sent out to supporters, the spots make "crucial points to key primary voters that Bill Richardson, a four-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, is the experienced leader that America needs."

The Richardson campaign is also echoing Iowa's additional importance now that so many states have moved their primaries and caucuses to the first available dates.

I've been invited to join a conference call with Sen. John Edwards to discuss the launch of his campaign's first ad in Iowa -- "We the people."

The call will begin in about five minutes. Before we get started, here's what we know so far:

• On May 2, we posted "We Don't Have Time For Normal" about the email which asked supporters to help him both create and air the "We the people" advertisement.
• The next day, we posted how the campaign wanted to bring the ad to Iowa after raising enough money to put it on the D.C. airwaves
• Today, the Edwards campaign sent out a press release announcing the ad would begin running across the entire state of Iowa today.

Here's a peek at the ad:

Was the fourth to join the conference call. There are a few names online that I recognize such as Charlotte Eby. Lots of local press and also lots of national press. So far, we just have a lot of folks joining the call -- no real action.

Dan Leistikow from the Edwards campaign is on the call now as well as the operator... waiting... there seems to be a technical issue the operator is working to resolve.

Announcements -- Edwards will come on and make comments and then we'll move to a question and answer. Everyone asked to mute lines. OUCH! Massive beeping as everyone moved to mute their lines.

The ad is going up statewide on both cable and network, says Leistikow. Questions about logistics of the ad will be discussed after the Senator comes on the line. He should be with us in about 60 seconds.

Senator Edwards signed on -- announcing our first state-wide advertising in Iowa. Unique because it uses the voices of Iowans to ask Congress not to back down on the issue of Iraq. We are also asking others to log on to YouTube and add their voices.

Have seen some discussion of a compromise, but he says the people have spoken -- they want this war to end. "The people are going to be speaking out loudly and clearly."

Heading into questions.

Ken Black -- Marshalltown paper: If this campaign is successful, do you think we'll be perceived as weak for cutting and running in Iraq?

Senator -- First need to deal with the bleeding sore which is Iraq... need to do so in a thoughtful way. Bring all the Iraqi parties into the discussion and work with them. We need to be a leader and stabilizing force and be a moral authority in the world.

Kay Henderson -- Do you admit to having an advantage in this debate because you do not have to cast a vote in the Senate while your colleague do?

Senator -- No. I'm a candidate for the President of the U.S. and I'll be held responsible for every stance I take. Our we doing everything in our power to bring this conflict to an end.

Charlotte Eby -- Is the average voter paying attention to the legislative strategy for ending the war?

Senator -- I think that Iowa caucus goers pay attention to everything and I believe they know the difference between the Congress using its powers to bring this war to an end and not.

Jim Boyd from WHO -- Not present

Robin from Omaha World Herald -- You voted for the resolution giving the Pres. authority to go to war. Do we have any moral obligation to the Iraqis?

Senator -- First of all we have a moral obligation to our selves and to the world. We have spent years and many American lives... many American men and women severely injured both physically and emotionally... we have worn our military down... we have made ourselves more vulnerable.... time for Iraq to take more responsibility for their own country. More American troops on the ground will not make the forces in Iraq to work with each other.

No choices are good -- George Bush has created a mess in Iraq and now we have to deal with it.

CJ Jackson with the AP -- Talks about Senator's wealth... is it fair?

Senator -- What matters at the end of the day is where you come from, what you stand for and what you believe.

Mary Ray from Dubuque Telegraph Herald -- Republican candidates coming through Iowa have said the November election was not about war... how can you or other Dems specifically point to something which says those elections were about the war.

Senator -- This isn't a guess... I was campaigning and heard it. People are very frustrated with a bull-headed president who refused to change course. It wasn't just Iraq, but it was a significant part of it. Also wanted bold changes in other areas -- healthcare, Katrina, globla warming -- but Iraq was at the top of the list.

David ??? with ABC -- This sounds like an extension of the ad campaign started in the beltway. Who are the people who will be profiled?

Senator -- people who are participating are regular Iowans --He laughed at that "when are they not?" -- from lots of places around Iowa. I wanted to make it clear to caucus goers where I stand on this issue. I also wanted to allow the voices of Iowa to be heard on this issue.

Emily Gibbons from KCCI -- (didn't answer call for her question)

Chris Dorsey from Iowa Politics -- (didn't hear question)

Senator -- Want to see forums and debates pay less attention to the trivial and more attention to things of substance.

That's it... press are asked to phone staff with any follow-up questions.

I considered going back through this and fixing typos and so-forth, but I thought it would be better to let it stand as-is.

People make history. Phillip Cryan, program director for Iowa Citizen Action Network, says that's the basic message he hopes participants in values workshops take home with them.

"The mainstream political agenda is shaped by organized people," he expanded, "and by the coherence of the values and vision they put forward."

In recent years, according to Cryan, the forces of the political right have done a very good job shaping the national political conversation around their values and beliefs and also organizing people around those values. He points to the progressive positions in the mainstream political agenda in the 1970s as an example of what happens when people organize effectively.

"Richard Nixon supported all kinds of progressive policy positions," he said. "This was a product of the movements of the 1960s, especially the civil rights movement and its powerfully clear values and political vision of equality and justice.

"In other words, our elected leaders operate within the political agenda of their times, and that political agenda is not something they control. People do. It's up to us to figure out what core values, and what political vision, we want at the heart of the mainstream political conversation, and then it's up to us to put them there."

It's a process of moving beyond individual issues and policy positions, to a broader vision and the values which form it. That process has been the driving force behind ICAN's "Our Common Values" initiative. Phase one has been one-hour introductory workshops with interested groups throughout the state. The workshops explore how the "rightwing worldview" works and offer discussion of the themes most central to a progressive worldview.

Workshops have been completed on the western half of the state and now those groups will come together on Saturday, May 12, for a regional summit in Urbandale (PDF registration form) to determine which two or three themes will become the overall focus. A strategy for implementation will also be developed.

Groups continue to meet on the eastern half of the state with the next workshop scheduled for Monday evening, May 14, in Cedar Rapids with Working Families Win. Individuals interested in participating in that workshop should meet in The Java Creek Cafe on Boyson Rd. at 7 p.m. The regional summit for Eastern Iowa is scheduled for Saturday, June 16, in Iowa City. (PDF registration form)

"One of the main goals of 'Our Common Values' is to help all the energy and activism leading up to the caucuses to articulate a clear political vision," Cryan said. "We want to help the public see that progressives aren't just a bunch of groups that care about specific issues -- in isolation from others -- but that the various issues we care about and work on are rooted in a shared set of values and vision."

Because ICAN wants to work with many different groups who are themselves targeting candidates directly, the public should not expect to see ICAN taking an active role with the candidates.

"We think it will be most effective for us to stay out of the arena of taking issues directly to the candidates," he said. "Otherwise groups running caucus projects might have a harder time seeing us as a facilitator of this collaboration if we were 'right in there' with them trying to get the candidates attention."

Once the workshops and regional summits are complete, the initiative will move into a more hands-on phase which will provide tools and training to help groups use the selected themes in messaging, campaigns and other public relations work. This process continues to build on three years of work ICAN has led with unions and organization around the state, exploring the role of rightwing and progressive worldviews in setting the terms of political discourse. It is open to every organization, community group, union, church and individual in Iowa committed to building bedrock themes to be amplified by all the varied campaigns, caucus projects and political struggles.

A story out today on CNN discusses the arrest of five volunteers who are suspected of looting from Greensburg, Kansas.

No matter how "icky" we find the actions of these individuals, we must ask ourselves if this is the type of individuals we are attracting to serve in our armed forces now that we've lowered standards?

On Oct. 1, 2004, the New York Times reported the Army had lowered recruiting standards for the first time since 1998, when a strong economy was hurting recruiting efforts. Previously only eight percent of new recruits were allowed to have not graduated high school. The new standards allowed 10 percent to have skipped graduation. Also, more individuals who scored in the lowest acceptable range on service aptitude tests were to be allowed as new recruits.

In 2004 the Army National Guard missed its recruiting target of 56,000 soldiers by 5,000, according to the NY Times article. This marked the first shortfall in the Guard since 1994.

Deferred enlistments which typically account for 35 percent of the Army's recruiting goal each cycle, only amounted to 18 percent for 2005.

In June of 2005, the Guardian wrote about an internal memo sent to senior commanders about the growing dropout rate. The memo ordered battalion commanders to refer problem soldiers (drug abuse, poor fitness and pregnancy) up to brigade level before immediate dismissal.

This news followed an Army announcement that it was 6,659 soldiers short of its recruitment targets for year so far.

Then, in October of 2006, an Associated Press article ran in USA Today which announced the Army recruited more than 2,600 soldiers under new lower aptitude standards. The Army, under pressure for missing recruitment targets by the widest margin since 1979, lowered standards in an effort to ensure yearly totals for 2006 would have a better outcome. In addition to the lowered standards, the Army increased its number of recruiters and bonuses.

During the year, the Army recruited 7,000 more soldiers than in the previous year. Of the 80,635 total, roughly 70,000 were first time recruits who had never served previously. Of those new recruits, 3.8 percent scored below certain aptitude levels, according to the AP. Originally, the Army had only allowed 1.5 percent of recruits to score below those same levels. After the first standards lowering, this increased to 2 percent. After the recruitment shortfallings, however, this was increased to 4 percent.

An article which appeared this past February in International Herald Tribune brings it all home by announcing Defense Department records showed waivers granted to Army recruits with criminal backgrounds grew nearly 65 percent in the last three years, increasing to 8,129 in 2006 from 4,918 in 2003

During that time the Army offered larger enlistment cash bonuses, allowed more high school dropouts and applicants with lower aptitude scores to join. In addition, weight and age restrictions were loosened.

According to the article, the sharpest increase in waivers were those for serious misdemeanors, which make up the bulk of all the Army's moral waivers. These include waivers for aggravated assault, burglary, robbery and vehicular homicide. The number of waivers issued for felony convictions also increased, however, from 8 to 11 percent of the waivers granted in 2006.

It is of little wonder then why four volunteer soldiers would consider looting or other crimes. Chances are, it isn't the first time these individuals have broken the law in such a manner. The difference is this time they were able to use their military status and wardrobe to aid in the commission of the crime.

Perhaps more than anything else, the current state of our military speaks volumes on the status of our nation's foreign policy.

Delaware Sen. Joe Biden is proud of the fact that he hasn't changed much since 1994.

"If I could wave a magic wand," he told the standing room only crowd in Cedar Rapids Sunday night, "the one thing in world politics I would do would be the empowerment of women."

Biden was responding to an audience member who questioned what could be done about the declining status of women in Iraq.

"I don't want to empower women because they are sweet and nice," he added. "It needs to be done because that's 51 percent of the world's population and because it would better us all."

Although the primary topic for Sunday's stump speech was the Iraq War, the U.S. Senator and author of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act often answers audience questions or follows a train of thought which leads him to discuss women and/or women's issues. On his campaign site he states that writing the VAWA was the most proud moment of his entire career. The legislation helped set up shelters and a national hotline where women who are abused can get help. In addition, the courts were empowered to protect women being stalked.

Following his public remarks, Biden spoke privately about the recent Supreme Court ruling. Pointing to his opposition of Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John G. Roberts (not to mention Robert Bork), he said, "As president I would be prepared to nominate individuals who would respect a woman's right to privacy."

Biden, during his speech, said the one thing that needs to happen in the coming months was the "pricking of the consciousness of the nation."

He walked into the audience and placed a coffee cup in the middle of a round table. "That's what we have to do," he explained. "A leader has to be able to listen to all of these people at this table, each of them with their own opinions and find that one common thread they all agree on."

He pointed to the coffee cup and added, "Once you have the thing they can agree upon, you start building around that to bring them together."

He agreed to expand on this thinking as well after the event.

"We need to stop saying 'red' and 'blue' and thinking in those terms," he said. "We also need to stop buying into the false divisions which have been put out there. We have to reach out to one another and work together."

I was able to go hear Sen. Joe Biden speak to the Linn County Democrats this evening in Cedar Rapids. I'll be making a report soon, but wanted to go ahead and share some video.

Here's part 1:

I will post another section of video as soon as it uploads.

Part 2:

I will add in the final part once it is uploaded.

And, finally, Part 3:

You don't want to miss the interesting post at Century of the Common Iowan about the child custody disputes our soldiers are having to deal with as they serve overseas. It was also picked up by JHoward at Protein Wisdom.

Check out desmoinesdem's viewpoint about moving the Iowa Caucuses on Bleeding Heartland.

The folks at Donkey Rising believe Democrats have a mandate to help the poor.

Woodbury Democrat wants to know: Have we lost the war?

Did you notice Pres. George W. Bush's approval rating hit 28%?

If you haven't learned anything new in the last day, head over to Cathy's blog where you'll get an education on soap.

Lance Lange guest blogged Sen. Chris Dodd at the 21st Century Forum on Iowa True Blue.

Popular Progressive covered the NAMI Walk in Iowa City.

Former Iowan Dorothy laments growing up without diversity in a post over at Blogher. She also offers resources for parents who want to help their children be more comfortable with diversity.

Click over to Durham-In-Wonderland for commentary about the latest in the Duke/Nifong case. He links over to an article about the police chief in Durham which quotes Iowa State psychology professor Gary Wells.

Davenport is seeking a $453,000 refund from traffic camera companies.

Blogger News Network has a quote from Rudy Giuliani while he campaigned in Iowa about how history will view Bush.

Check out the photo memories of Greensburg, Kansas over at The Lope.

There are also lots of aerial photos showing tornado damage at Kansas.com.

And there's a post at Just Bee-Cause about the tornado and area too.

Reuters Blog has a speculative piece on the weather and corn futures.

Looks like Romney is working on the evangelical vote and will be sending a representative into Iowa.

In case you were wondering no tractor parts have been used to make music at the U of I (no matter what you received in email).

There's a very disturbing piece about the Iowa City VA at Alternet (which was originally posted as dKos dairy.

Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid received letters from Pres. George W. Bush stating his intent to veto any legislation produced by Congress designed to protect a woman's right to medical treatment.

The letter comes just days after pro-choice members of the U.S. Congress responded to the Supreme Court's decision to uphold a federal law restricting abortion without an exception to protect a woman's health by reintroducing the Freedom of Choice Act. If passed, the legislation would permanently establish the tenets of Roe v. Wade in federal law.

The passage of this law would effectively prevent any level of government from passing laws that would outlaw abortion before the fetus is viable or if the woman's health or life is endangered. The bill would also help protect women from new restrictions on reproductive rights passed at the state or local level that are likely to result from the Supreme Court's ruling.

Bills have been introduced in both the Senate and the House, with both being referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

This bill was originally written over a decade ago and was most recently introduced into Congress Jan. 22, 2004 when Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) did so in recognition of the 31st anniversary of Roe v. Wade. This reincarnation of the bill was also introduced into Congress by Boxer and Nadler.

According to the Washington Post, House and Senate Republicans have urged the president to warn the majority Democrats not to add abortion amendments to spending bills and other legislation.

"I will veto any legislation that weakens current federal policies and laws on abortion, or that encourages the destruction of human life at any stage," Bush wrote in the letter.

I completely forgot my promise to post the final details of this weekend's Biden event. Sorry & here's the skinny:

The Linn County Democrats plan to launch a new program series entitled "Conversations With The Candidates" on Sunday evening, May 6. U.S. Senator and Presidential hopeful Joe Biden has agreed to be the group's first guest. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Best Western Longbranch Convention Center on Twixt Town Rd. NE in Cedar Rapids.

Admission is free and hors d'oevres will be served. A cash bar will also be available.

Weeks ago when I heard someone say it, a shiver ran up my spine. The phrases were so close to what I remember hearing while lying on the floor of my bedroom and listening to my sisters -- except my sisters spoke in the past tense.

"You have to go see him!"
"Did you see the crowds at his announcement?"
"I've never felt so inspired as I did after hearing him speak."

Hotline On Call posted early Secret Service protection has been extended to Sen. Barack Obama.

The former first lady, Sen. Hillary Clinton, is also a protectee. When Sen. Joseph Lieberman was on the campaign trail in '04, he was guarded by several U.S. Capitol Police officers. John Kerry and John Edwards both received details after Iowa.

After Iowa -- yes, that means that Obama's protective cocoon is being spun early -- perhaps the earliest the government has decided to start protecting a candidate.

I've little doubt my more conservative counterparts will be seeing dollar signs. Me? Historical video clips play in my mind.

The Book Depository... "I have been to the mountain top" ... "I dream of things that never were and say, 'Why not?'"

It often seems that the very best in our society -- the ones who bring out and inspire our young people; the ones who seem to understand and communicate beyond their present lifetime -- are the ones who are the most at risk. To me, it appears that some of us cannot stomach the beauty of intelligence and must crush it be fore it impedes on our own inner beliefs of what is and should be.

Of course there are many theories out there on why arguably the best and most inspiring people within our own society are killed. Some believe it is because they threatened religion. Others say its because the words (or perhaps more aptly, the actions resulting from their words) threatened corporations. Still others will tell you it is because these people threatened the powerful political process which actually runs everything. The common thread throughout them is is that these individuals with their lofty ideals about peace, race, freedom, compassion and life threaten they way things are.

I think some will write today that the threats against Obama are because of his race. If there are direct threats against him (as there must be for the Secret Service protection to have already begun) it would be a mistake, I think, for them to be placed on solely the color of his skin. It would be the equivalent of saying Martin Luther King Jr. was shot down because he was black.

Obama, despite concerns for a lack of a plan and despite stigma of political inexperience, inspires. He inspires to the extent that people who traditionally have not shown up for political events are now requesting event tickets. He inspires to the extent that previously unregistered voters are asking how they can be involved. In inspires in a way which, I believe, could change the face of politics.

No doubt some are reading this post and writing it off as some sort of endorsement. It isn't. Obama is in my top five, but he isn't my number one... and the list shuffles quite often. I can say with 100 percent truthfulness that if the caucuses were held today, I would not be sitting at Obama's table.

We the people cannot allow those who inspire... indeed, those who incite... to be silenced. While such an ending might fit with the hero described by Joseph Campbell's philosophy on myth, we would be better to keep such individuals around. They lift us up.

Be safe, Sen. Obama.

Numerous news sources are reporting the loss of Iowa's third female soldier in the Iraq War.

According to reports, 19-year-old U.S. Army Pfc. Katie Soenksen graduated only two years ago from Davenport North High School. Press announcements are being made by her father, Ronald Soenksen, who says Army officials delivered news to him yesterday.

She was part of the 410 Military Police based in Fort Hood, Texas and, according to her father, died while conducting a security mission in Baghdad when her convey was attacked.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Soenksen's death follows that of Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jaime Jaenke on June 5, 2006 and Sergeant Major Marilyn Gabbard on Jan. 20.

As always, our deepest condolences and heartfelt thanks to the family.

Although I watched the GOP debates tonight, there was only one moment on which I care to comment: Did Sen. John McCain really hesitate when asked if he believed in evolution? And, after the slight waffling, did he then interrupt the conversation to "qualify" his answer?

Bah. That just makes my head hurt.

So, in lieu of hearing from me on this event, I'm putting together some links which readers might find interesting:

• Anti-War Blog live-blogged the proceedings
• Goofyblog dubs it a Republican smooch fest
• Confederate Yankee covers it all in 10 words
• Alphecca thought it was all about Chris Matthews
• New Pairodimes also gets a bit stuck on Chris Matthews (strange because I've never found him to be much to write home about)
• Point Five Blog pretty much sums up some of my feelings... but I'd take it one step further: "When the dead guy is all you got, you roll out the coffin."
• Axis of Right has a thoughtful write up

I need to go have a look at the Iowa blogs. I'll hopefully come up with some more links to post soon.

Iowa Blogs

• Bleeding Heartland has an open thread
• Likewise at Krusty Konservative
• Iowa Independent's T.M.Lindsey is searching for the real conservative
• Shoulda guessed that Gordon at Iowa True Blue would have some thoughts
• Here's a shocker... the folks at Iowans for Romney think Mitt won
• Just saw an update from Century of the Common Iowan about Tommy Thompson's debate comments

I refuse to type out all the details here, so you'll need to click over to Bachelor Guy for the full story. Let's just say that you only need to bring yourself and you can leave more than your heart in San Francisco.

Because it's the type of ovary-related thing we do here, I hurried over to Rachel Sklar's post at Arianna's place with every intent to grab the list of Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people and let our readers know the ratio of females to males.

Now some may consider multiculturalism the most wonderful thing ever. For the most part, I'm on that diverse bandwagon. Others take exception to foreign languages, thick accents or unusual foods. My pet peeve? Sexless names.

I ran into my pet peeve while looking down the list. It's fairly easy for me to sort the Davids, Peters, Johns, Tinas and Elizabeths. I begin a third pile when I venture across the Thierys, Yossous, Hus and Zengs. I finally decide it just isn't worth it while looking over the Youks, Svantes, T.C.s and Tzipis.

Does the fact that I'd like to know a person's gender just by looking at a name make me a bad person? Does the fact that I'm not personally multicultural enough or world-traveled enough to know if a "Tzipi" is traditionally a man or a woman make me look bad? In some circles, I imagine it will.

In an email to supporters Joe Trippi, writing on behalf of the Edwards for President campaign, said the goal of $100,000 in 24 hours had been met. The money will be used to put an ad on the air in Washington, D.C., urging Congress to stand up to Pres. George W. Bush and end the Iraq War.

With the immediate goal of the beltway markets met, the campaign is turning its eyes toward Iowa. The campaign is requesting supporters "continue the fight" by both adding their voices to the video on YouTube and donating money so the ad can be placed on the Iowa airwaves.

Just because Iowa staff in Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign is celebrating the opening of six new offices this weekend, doesn't mean they want to talk about it.

"Of course we are getting keys and leases in other locations," said Iowa Deputy Communications Director Stephanie Bjornsen when asked how many offices the campaign planned to open in Iowa. "We will be doing office openings as the campaign expands. Since that is a part of our campaign strategy, however, plans could change."

Bjornsen did say that the campaign hopes to have some type of influence and/or presence in all 99 counties.

Five out of the six office openings this weekend will be attended by a guest dignitary and we're happy to say that two of the guest dignitaries are strong women. Look for Christie Vilsack in Dubuque; Andy McGuire in Davenport and Iowa City; and former Gov. Tom Vilsack in Ames and Mason City.

• Ames – Saturday, May 5, 9:30 a.m. – 215 Stanton Dr., Suite 1 – RSVP by phoning (515) 268-3176
• Davenport – Saturday, May 5, 11 a.m. – 1416 W. 16th St. – RSVP by phoning (563) 322-8715
• Dubuque – Saturday, May 5, noon – 2255 JFK Rd. – RSVP by phoning (563) 556-1063
• Mason City – Saturday, May 5, noon – 636 S. Monroe St. – RSVP by phoning (319) 610-0880
• Iowa City – Saturday, May 5, 2 p.m. – 353 College St. – RSVP by phoning (319) 213-7422
• Waterloo – Sunday, May 6, 1 p.m. – 10 W. Fourth St., Suite 162 – RSVP by phoning (319) 232-1380

A press release went out yesterday from the Iowa Department of Public Health "celebrating" May as "Asthma Awareness Month."

I commend both Gov. Chet Culver and Lt. Gov. Patty Judge for their interest in this chronic disease and their quest to educate the Iowa public about it. While reading the press release, however, I noticed something odd. Viruses, often a trigger for asthma in both children and adults, was not on the list.

The first time my daughter had an attack, I had absolutely no idea what was going on. She had a bit of a runny nose the night before, but I didn't think much of it. The next morning, she began to cough a little and was obviously not feeling up to par. After a few sips of juice, she stretched out on the couch and fell asleep again. I woke her up an hour or so later because she had developed a fever and I wanted to give her some medicine for it.

Within a half an hour, she was having a very difficult time breathing. I called our pediatrician and headed to her office. The drive is maybe 20 minutes in heavy traffic, but it felt like a five hours. My sweet baby sounded like Darth Vader after running the Boston Marathon (or at least how I imagine he'd sound). I could see the skin being pulled in around certain parts of her neck when she would try to breathe. There were large dark spots under her eyes and her complextion was thin and pale.

As I carried her into the doctor's office, the nurse picked up the phone and called an ambulance. My daughter's lips and fingertips had a light blue look to them.

To my credit, I do very well under pressure -- especially when I think my children need me. I'm solid and tough for as long as I'm the one in charge during a crisis. Once I'm relieved of duty, however, I crumble like a day-old donut.

That's exactly what happened in the ambulance on the way to the emergency room... once my daughter passed out and the paramedics began working on her, my composure was shot.

It was late the next day before I began to relax again because it took that long to see improvement. Little by little, she began to breathe easier and her color returned. (It was days later before the dark circles disappeared.)

That was the first time she had an asthma attack, although no one was willing to actually call it that. The entire event took less than 16 hours. The obvious downhill failing of her breathing happened in under three hours. Still, it was considered like a fluke and we went back to life as usual. I don't remember how long it was until the next virus came along and the next asthma attack followed.

Soon we became the proud owners of a nebulizer and carried it everywhere. She had a standing prescription for oral steroids at the pharmacy.I began to learn how to recognize and run first defense against the attacks. Although that winter, she was admitted to the hospital six times. (At one point that winter I had one child in a half-body cast, another in the pediatrics unit and the third being prepped for out-patient surgery.)

Today -- and I write that literally meaning "these past 24 hours" -- we seem to have the asthma under control. Twice during the winter she developed a cold and was able to fight it and the asthma off without using oral steriods (although the nebulizer is still her friend). She is getting to the age when we'll soon know if this is something which will improve as she grows.

Nearly half of the sixteen young adults named by the Romney for President campaign as leaders of a grassroots campaigns on Iowa's college campuses are female.

The announcement is the first since March when the formation of the the first chapter of "Iowa Students for Romney" was announced at the University of Northern Iowa. It also comes nearly six weeks after the formation and announcement of the "New Hampshire Students for Romney."

"The hard work of these college and university students will play a pivotal role in the success of our grassroots organization," Gentry Collins, Iowa Romney for President Campaign Manager, stated in email.

Those serving as chairs include:

• Donald Bladt (Cornell College, Chair): Bladt grew up on a firm outside of Shelby. He is a sophomore chemistry major, a member of the football team and a member of the Health Professions Society.
• Tristan Cook (Cornell College, Co-Chair) Cook is a senior from Madison, WI. He is a double major in history and psychology with a minor in American politics. Prior to his involvement with "Students for Romney," he worked on Congressman Jim Leach's re-election campaign in 2006.
• Phil Jeneary (Central College) Jeneary is a senior at Central College majoring in political science, and is from Le Mars. He has interned with Sen. Chuck Grassley in Washington, D.C., and has previously campaigned for Pres. George W. Bush, Grassley, Rep. Steve King and gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle.
• Ashton Schmidt (Drake University) Schmidt is a sophomore at Drake University majoring in marketing and minoring in theatre. She is a graduate of Denison High School. Schmidt is currently the publicity chair for the Drake Chapter of College Republicans.
• Luke Martz (Iowa State University) Martz is from Muscatine. He is 20 years old and studying political science. He is an active member of the College Republicans and the Solar Car Team. He is also an FAA certified pilot.
• Geoff Gustitus (Loras College) Gustitus is a junior at Loras College majoring in political science and Business. He is the chapter chair of the Loras College Republicans as well as the Dubuque Regional Coordinator for the Iowa Federation of College Republicans.
• Colton Long (Luther College) Long is a sophomore majoring in both political science and communications. Colton has been involved in Iowa politics since he was a young child, and is a strong supporter of personal responsibility, fiscal conservatism, and national security at home and abroad.
• Casandra Young (Morningside College, Chair) Young is a native of San Luis Obispo, CA and is a political science and mass communication major at Morningside College. Young was recently elected president of the Morningside College Republicans for the 2007-08 year. She has participated in volunteer work with the King for Congress Campaign, Nussle for Governor and President Bush's visit in Le Mars in 2006.
• Kathryn Kotlik (Morningside College, Co-Chair) Kotlik is a native of Bellevue, NE and a junior political science and Spanish major. Kotlik was elected as the Vice President of the Morningside College Republicans for the 2007-2008 year. Kotlik worked on the King for Congress and Nussle for Governor campaigns this past year.
• Amanda Allen (Northwestern College) Allen is a junior majoring in political science, with a French minor. Originally from Lebanon, OR, Allen became active with the College Republicans and volunteered for Bush's reelection campaign in 2004. During her time at Northwestern, she has also been active in Sioux County Republican politics, as well as campaigning for King and Nussle in 2006.
• Matt O'Brien (University of Dubuque) O'Brien was born and raised in Dubuque. He is currently a sophomore, majoring in environmental science. O'Brien plans to go to graduate school for soil science.
• Ben Johnson (University of Iowa) Johnson started three Young Republicans clubs in his and surrounding high schools. He is the past-chairman of the Kirkwood College Republicans and the current chairman of the statewide Iowa Federation of College Republicans. Johnson has worked for Grassley, Leach and Mayor Paul Pate.
• Carrie Janura (University of Iowa) Carrie is a sophomore from Geneva, IL, majoring in business and pursuing a minor in law. Janura also volunteers with the Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City.
• Melissa Mozingo (University of Northern Iowa) Mozingo is a junior, majoring in international marketing. She is a member of the American Marketing Association (AMA). Mozingo has been active in politics since high school.
• Janna Carson (William Penn University) Carson is a freshman involved in the following campus programs: women's soccer, student ambassador, resident assistant, William Penn University College Republican-Public Relations Director, and is the 2007-2008 Student Government Public Relations Director.
• Michael Bahr (Ellsworth Community College) Bahr was born in Iowa Falls and is a 2005 graduate of Iowa Falls-Alden High School. He is currently a sophomore majoring in political science. Bahr ran for City Council at age 18 and lost to the incumbent by nine votes. Bahr is currently a 2007 City Council candidate.

Former Sen. John Edwards wants your dollars and your voice.

Edwards sent out an email to supporters today asking them to raise $100,000 in 24 hours. The money will be used to air an "emergency television ad" his staff created in the aftermath of Pres. George W. Bush's veto.

The Edwards Campaign wants to send a message to Congress not to "cave in to Bush and extend the war" and to "send back [to Bush] a binding plan to end it." The ad has been designed so supporters can add themselves. Interested supporters need to record a video of themselves saying "We the people." This will be used, according to the email, to enhance the overall message of the ad: "We the people" are asking Congress to stand up to Bush.

From the email:

Is it normal for a presidential campaign to drop everything and focus on pushing Congress to end a war? Maybe not.

Is it normal for you to contribute money online towards running emergency ads in Washington, D.C.? Maybe not.

But we don't have time for normal. We've got a few days--maybe less--to do absolutely everything we can to ensure this Congress responds to Bush's veto by sending another binding plan to end the war.

This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. I need you to pitch in $5, $50, $500 or whatever you can manage to rush this ad on the D.C. airwaves in the next 24 hours.

Ever do anything you regretted in Linn County, Iowa? If so, the past may have just come back to haunt you.

Tuesday morning the Linn County Sheriff's Office and Gazette Communications watched a collaborative project come to fruition. Over 2,000 arrest warrants - the oldest dating back to 1965 - have been massaged into a database, searchable via the internet.

"We had so many outstanding warrants," Sheriff Don Zeller explained, "that they filled two large filing cabinets. Our office attempted to serve these warrants, but addresses were bad. We followed up on leads, but have reached dead ends."

Under Iowa law, an arrest warrant is confidential until it is served. The only exception to that rule is when a law enforcement officer, county attorney office official, magistrate or other official court employee releases the information. Even then, the official must act within the realm of her public role. These rules allowed law enforcement to work cases without fear of alerting suspects.

Zeller says there was a great deal of discussion before the data was released. "I personally spoke with the County Attorney and others on the subject of public record and confidentiality," he said. "It was the consensus that this was an appropriate interpretation of the law."

Ben Stone, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, agrees with the Sheriff, but remains cautious.

"If you have an arrest warrant out on you, that's something law enforcement can release as public record," he said. "The concern is the potential for harassment and the potential for vigilantism. Accuracy is also very important and the public needs to be assured that steps have been taken to ensure the information is accurate."

According to information on the site, inactive warrants will be purged from the database weekly and the new arrest warrants added every three months. Warrants appearing in the database are at least 30 days old. Warrants on the site, according to Zeller, represent the vast majority of arrest warrants in Linn County.

In addition, users are specifically asked (in text under the database search form) not to confront people they believe to be in the database. Instead, users are asked to contact the Sherriff's Office by either phone or an email address listed on the page.

Stone said he hoped this initiative would lead to further discussion and debate. "It's important to look not only at the short term, but also at the long term to determine if the system is causing more good than harm."

When asked to evaluate the first two days of the venture, Zeller stated the response had been "tremendous."

"A number of users are checking on people they are dating, engaged to or people they employ," he said, noting that on an average day the Gazette would receive 18,000 hits. At 10 p.m. on the first day of this launch, the site had jumped to over 106,000 hits, according to Zeller.

On that first day, he added, two individuals called and wanted to turn themselves in after finding their names on the list. Both the email and phone had been used by other various tipsters yesterday and today.

At this time only the warrants from Linn County are available on line, but that could soon change.

"We've found such great success with this - and I can't emphasize that enough - we've had nothing but good comments about it," Zeller said. "It's my understanding that Johnson County, Iowa City and Coralville have also been approached and are considering use of the same system."

Iowa Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D-Ames) has earned a legislative leadership award, presented by the Iowa Citizen Action Network.

The award praises Wessel-Kroeschell's advocacy for social, economic and environmental justice. In particular the group, which has long-fought for same day voter registration (PDF file), praises the lawmaker for her efforts on the bill.

ICAN claims to be Iowa's largest grassroots consumer and environmental watchdog organization. It boasts more than 13,000 members across the state. In addition, the group serves as an alliance of community, religious, labor, senior, farm, environmental and civil rights organizations - all working to the benefit of progressive causes.

Wessel-Kroeschell is serving her second term in the Iowa House. During this past session, she served as Vice Chair of the State Government Committee and Vice-Chair of the Justice System Appropriations Subcommittee. In addition she was a part of the Environmental Protection, Human Resources and Judiciary standing committees.

She guided the Civil Rights Bill through debate and didn't flinch when asked what the bill was and did. "Iowans have a right to their personal beliefs. Iowans also have a right to housing, a job based on their abilities and education free of discrimination," she told Radio Iowa.

Yesterday we posted details of Sen. Joe Biden's visit to Cedar Rapids this weekend. Unfortunately, the event plans are changing and have not been finalized.

As soon as it is all ironed out... although we really did think it was ironed out... we'll post the updated details. Sorry for any inconvenience.

It seems an almost classic case of cutting off your nose to spite your face. Yesterday Rep. Dawn Pettengill jumped directly from the Iowa Democratic Party to the Iowa Republican Party. She cited a desire to represent her district and be more independent.

As Pettengill herself noted in a Des Moines Register article a month ago, "I don't fit in either place, really." At that time she indicated if she switched it would probably be to independent. If her voting record in the state legislature is any indication, she's wrong about not fitting with the Democratic Party. Her record shows her squarely in the middle on many key issues as outlined in the party's platform (and in direct opposition of many on the other side of the aisle).

In looking at Pettengill's 2006 voting record on issues key to labor, she scores high. Seventy-five percent of the time she and the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO took the same position. (Voting record comparison at end of post)

There were 49 Democratic members of the Iowa House of Representatives during the 81st General Assembly. Rep. Ray Zirkelbach was excused for active military duty which left 48 on the Democratic side of the aisle.

If the 48 representatives were lined up, those with the highest percentage of votes aligning with labor to the lowest, Pettengill would be tied for number 19. Fourteen other members of the Democratic caucus had lower percentages than Pettengill. In contrast, four Republicans tied for their caucus's highest percentage of labor agreement with 25 percent.

Likewise, when looking at GLBT issues this session, Pettengill received a grade of B (Pro-Gay). She voted with this constituency on three out of five issues.

Again, in contrast, 33 members (72 percent) of the Republican Caucus received an F- as their grade.

Pettengill voted with the Iowa ACLU 50 percent of the time this session while the best a member of the Republican Caucus could muster was 30 percent. The votes were on such issues as the separation of church and state; employee rights; voting rights; and due process.

The Association of Business and Industry shows during this session Pettengill only agreed with business interests 25 percent of the time. Eleven other Democratic representatives scored higher than she did. The lowest any Republican scored was 83 percent.

If we backtrack to the previous session, she scores a bit better with 33 percent. Still 24 other Democratic representatives scored that or better. The lowest score grabbed by a member of the GOP? Sixty-six percent.

During the 81st General Assembly, Pettengill sponsored 66 pieces of legislation. They ranged from mandated coverage for mental health conditions to increasing the state minimum wage to restriction of the viewing and sale of sexual devices.

Her 44 pieces of sponsored legislation in the 82nd have included a minimum wage hike and Sudan divestment.

In addition, her web site lists several items she dubs "accomplishments." In addition to her appointment to the Elder Affairs Commission in 2005, she lists being named as "2006 Legislator of the Year" by the Heritage Agency on Aging and her 2006 endorsements from AFSCME, AFL/CIO, ISEA, Hawkeye Labor Foundation, Iowa Farm Bureau, Agribusiness Association and Iowa PACE. We could locate no members of the GOP Caucus who touted endorsements from these major labor organizations.

It is unclear if Pettengill's switch indicates these votes, or a portion of these votes, are out of sync with the wishes of her constituents back home. It is also unclear at this time how the Republican Caucus, which has not had a member of the same ilk as Pettengill, is going to react to her more liberal leanings. Attempts were made to reach Pettengill for comment on these discrepancies without success.

Pettengill Votes vs Labor Initiatives 2006

• HF 2045 (Social Security/Pension Tax Cut) - would have eliminated state tax on social security and pension income and exempted incomes under $48,000 per year for persons over age 65 from income tax.
  • Pettengill voted yes
  • Labor was against
    • House vote was 81 to 18 in favor of the bill. It later died in Senate Committee
• SF 2408 (Senior Tax Cut) - phased out state tax on social security over eight years and eliminated income tax for seniors over age 65 who made less than $24,000 (singles) or $32,000 (other), cut state revenues by $120 million when fully implemented.
  • Pettengill voted yes
  • Labor was against
    • House vote was 89 to 6, passing the bill
• SF 2409 (Tax Credit for Tuition Donations) - allowed a tax credit for donations to mostly private school tuition organizations to fund scholarships or vouchers.
  • Pettengill voted yes
  • Labor was against
    • House vote was 75 to 19, passing the bill
• Amendment H 8128 to HF 2459 (Minimum Wage) - Would have increased Iowa's minimum wage by $1 per hour to $6.15.
  • Pettengill voted yes
  • Labor was in favor
    • House vote was 55 to 43 in favor of the bill. It later died in the House due to a procedural ruling
• HF 2770 (Wage Thresholds) - Would have lowered Values Fund wage thresholds in rural counties by allowing new hire wages to be the determining factor in calculating wage requirements
  • Pettengill voted no
  • Labor was against
    • House vote was 54 to 43 in favor of the bill. It later died in Senate committee.
• Amendment H 8649 to HF 2459 (Funding for Workforce Centers) - Provided $4 million in additional funding to keep rural workforce centers open.
  • Pettengill voted yes
  • Labor was in favor
    • House vote was 48 to 46, passing the bill
• HF 2597 (Voter ID) - Would have required all voters to show a photo identification before casting a ballot, and required a photocopy of identification when casting an absentee ballot.
  • Pettengill voted no
  • Labor was against
    • House vote was 51 to 48 in favor of the bill. It later died in the Senate
• Amendment H 8347A to HF 2597 (Electronic Voting Machines) - Would have required electronic voting machines to produce voter verified paper trails.
  • Pettengill voted yes
  • Labor was in favor
    • House vote was 48 to 51, killing the amendment
• HF 2648 (Drug Testing) - Would have allowed employers to treat an inconclusive test as though it was a positive test.
  • Pettengill voted no
  • Labor was against
    • House vote was 58 to 41 in favor of the bill. It later died in Senate Committee
• Amendment H 8535 to HF 2790 (Health Insurance Pooling) - Would have allowed certain business associations to pick those with lower risk, disrupting the small group insurance market and making health insurance even more costly for non-member small business.
  • Pettengill voted no
  • Labor was against
    • House vote was 44 to 55 and the measure failed
• Amendment H 8655 to SF 2410 (Whistleblower Protection) - Would have prohibited retaliation against state workers for disclosing information regarding violation of professional standards or unsafe practices
  • Pettengill voted yes
  • Labor was in favor
    • House vote was 42 to 49, killing the amendment
• HF 729 (IPERS) - Increased IPERS contribution rates for both employers and employees at the same 60/40 ratio.
  • Pettengill voted yes
  • Labor was in favor
    • House vote was 97 to 0, passing the measure

A reader passed along the following Pittsburgh obituary with a note: "Sounds like you would have loved Alice."

It's quite shocking how well our readers already know us! Nonetheless, it is so true. We would have adored Alice and forced her to go on long shopping trips and use her noisy laugh in mom and pop diners... during lunchtime rush.

While we'd like to send our best wishes to Alice's family, we're fairly sure they don't need them. After all, they had a lifetime with Alice and we know they come from good stock.

Rest in peace, Alice. Next time we go out, we're buying a round of whiskey sours in your honor.

Alice M. Jessell

Alice Jessell, 88, of Swissvale, died peacefully on April 23, 2007, at West Penn Hospital surrounded by her children.

Friends and family are invited to celebrate her long and happy life this Saturday (April 29) at 2 p.m. at St. James Roman Catholic Church in Wilkinsburg and at a reception to follow at her home. In lieu of flowers, please overtip a waitress. Or donations may be made to Hosanna House in Wilkinsburg www.hosannahouse.org or mailed directly to Hosanna House, 807 Wallace Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15221.

Alice was raised in Wilkinsburg, the fifth of seven children of James R. and Mary Snyder. She attended elementary school at St. James Catholic School and graduated from Wilkinsburg High School in 1936, despite a legendary contentious relationship with Sister Mary Koska.

She may have been the most competitive and outgoing of the Snyder seven. She usually won the games of hopscotch on the sidewalk or jacks at the top of the porch steps. She lined up the Snyders before the radio so Arthur Murray could teach then to dance, and was invariably the first to master the steps. She introduced Eugene, a cocker spaniel, into the household.

In the 1940s, when the men were off to war, she and her sister, Harriet, ran Snyder's Beauty Shop at the corner of Franklin and Ardmore in Wilkinsburg. Harriet or Hat, at 90, is still going strong, living in Edgewood and looking forward to the next sale at Macy's and lunch at the Tick Tock Room.

Alice owned a convertible and a two-piece bathing suit--Wilkinsburg's first, she claimed. They accompanied her on a road trip to Florida in 1942. Alice took details of that adventure with her to the grave.

In 1948, she settled down, marrying Harry A. Jessell of Swissvale, whom she admired for his dancing and his determination to use the GI Bill to get a college education. They built a home on Cascade Road in Forest Hills and raised a family of six. In 1962, for the sake of Harry's career, they moved to Silver Spring, Md., but, upon Harry's retirement in 1980, they returned to Pittsburgh, to Regent Square, to be near family and old friends. Harry died in 1986 at 66.

Alice's great avocation was bridge. She organized bridge clubs wherever she lived and was able to play well up until her final days. Her children remember that things were always quieter around the house when Harry and Alice had not been bridge partners the night before.

She also loved dogs, whiskey sours, chocolate, Nelson Eddy, and cigarettes. She often said she was "cursed to be a life-long liberal", by which she meant she would tolerate no prejudice or discrimination. Many felt her sting after using a racial or religious epithet in her presence. She wrote passionate letters to the editors of several newspapers, which she later collected and published as "The Magic of the Pen".

For a self-described liberal, she was not much of a feminist, however. She felt women should stay at home to raise their children as she had done. In her mind, "having it all" wasn't possible.

Alice had ready advice for what life brings, including boredom ("Pull down your pants and slide on the ice"), happiness ("You only have problems when you stop to think about them"), compassion ("Always root for the underdog"), and her own impending death ("Sing no sad songs for me").

Alice is survived by all six children: Jane Jessell, of Swissvale; Mark Jessell (Shari) of Charlotte, NC; Harry Jessell (Rosemary) of Chatham, NJ; Hugh Jessell (Margie) of Columbia, MD; Susan Jessell of Edgewood and Tim Jessell (Leslie) of Bethesda, MD. And 17 grandchildren: Zachary, Matthew, Anne, Douglas, Robert, Daniel, Lauren, Mary, Harry, Thomas, Bridget, Sarah, Katherine, Timothy, Eric, Pamela and Adam.

We adore you.

And now, so do we.