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Sarah Palin has entered the building

December 6, 2009 By

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin entered the Barnes & Noble book store here in Sioux City at about 1:30 p.m this Sunday afternoon, an hour and a half after her scheduled arrival. 

A small group of adults and children stood huddling across the street from the door, hoping to get a glimpse, maybe even a handshake.  The S.U.V. in which Palin was riding pulled up to the door, Palin got out, waved to the crowd and the cameras, and said (according to people in the crowd, as my recording from 30 feet away does not offer conclusive proof of this quote): “Hi.  See you inside.”  It took about seven seconds from the time the vehicle pulled up to the time she entered the bookstore. 

The crowd of onlookers — once they got their brief look at Palin — rushed into the warmth of the mall, many stopping just inside the mall’s doors to see if they were able to snap a frame with Palin in it.  

A woman who works in the mall was briefing her friends and family about Palin’s attire:  “She was wearing really nice, pretty purple boots and black tights,” she said.  “She was very fashionable.”

Another woman was describing Palin to a man:  “She was very vibrant, very beautiful.”

Todd Sargeant, the Ohio man who arrived here in Sioux City 24 hours ago so he could be at the front of the line to get his two books signed, walked out of the Barnes & Noble smiling.  “She said, ‘I hope you didn’t have to wait long,’” Sargeant recounted, with a laugh.  The crowd cheered when Palin entered the store.  “There was excitement,” Sargeant said. “Everybody was ready after a long time.”

Palin is scheduled to autograph copies of her book ’til 3 p.m. here in Sioux City, with another event scheduled to start in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at 5 p.m.  Barnes & Noble officials say 500 people showed they had copies of Palin’s book and received a wrist band, which entitled them to wait in the line and get Palin’s autograph here in Sioux City.

Michael Thompson of Council Bluffs, Iowa – a member of the 9/12 group who attended the State Tea Party Convention in Des Moines last month, stood in line today to get an autograph — and to hand Palin a couple of letters.  “With suggestions, that we hopefully can get in her hands…It would be nice to have, say, a small arena or stadium where she could answer questions and people could spend a little bit more time (with Palin) than 30 seconds getting a book signed,” Thompson said.

As I sit in the middle of the mall typing on my laptop, a man dressed in white jeans and a long-sleeved white t-shirt stands, hovering around people waiting in line.  He has “Palin 2012″ stamped in red on his t-shirt.  The ”racing stripe” area on his white jeans says, “RUN BABY RUN” in red ink.

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Camping out all night for Palin

December 5, 2009 By

At 7 o’clock on Saturday night, I drove into the parking lot of the Barnes and Noble store in Sioux City and discovered a small group of hardy souls, ready to camp out all night in order to be first in line to get former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s autograph on her new book.

Cindy Rilling and Leisa Stapp of Moville, Iowa, arrived at 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and snagged the closest parking spot to the store’s front door.  They’re equipped with layer upon layer of clothing, “sub-zero” sleeping bags, a propane heater and a small tent.  “We’re so excited.  We’re a little crazy anyway.” Rilling told me four hours later, when I arrived at 7 p.m.  “We’re always up for a good time, an excuse to go out and do something.”

Why do this for Sarah Palin?

“She is me.  Everything that she stands for.  Standing up, being honest, no matter what anyone else thinks. I admire that.  I always say, ‘When I grow up, I want to be like Sarah Palin,’” Rilling said, with a laugh. “Plus, we’re setting a really good example for our kids.  We did not force them out tonight.”

Rilling’s 14-year-old son and Stapp’s 13-year-old son were standing nearby, but were bashful about speaking on tape.  Rilling’s son described the night ahead as “something to do.”  When I asked the other young man why he was there, he said, “Same,” and shrugged his shoulders as all four (mothers and sons) giggled.  The boys, er, young men are destined to spend part of the night in the small tent that’s already set up in the parking space, surrounded by camp chairs.

Stapp hopes Palin runs for president in 2012.  “Sarah Palin represents a movement,” she said, calling Palin “a grassroots, good conservative and she also represents to me going against a government that no longer represents its people…She is standing up and representing people whose voices have not been heard for a decade or more.”

Both women have been planning this literal night out for about six weeks, ever since they heard Palin would be signing books at this Sioux City bookstore.

The two women and their sons were not the first in line, however.  That distinction was earned by 22-year-old Todd Sargeant of Lebanon, Ohio.  That is not a typo.  He is from Ohio, not Iowa, and he arrived in Sioux City, Iowa at 1 p.m. Saturday.

“I missed her in Cincinnati and this was the closest spot I could come to meet her,” Sargeant told me.  Sargeant was sitting in a camp chair, clutching a green Barnes and Noble bag.  Inside were two copies of “Going Rogue.”

“I think she’s an inspiration to so many people and it’s just an honor to be here to get to meet her,” Sargeant said.  He, too, hopes Palin runs for president in 2012.

Sargeant may have to run in place himself this evening.  He was not equipped with the kind of outdoor gear the team from Moville had.  Sargeant is hoping he can stay warm with two coats and a blanket from his car.

Right now, at 8 p.m., the air temperature in Sioux City is 19 degrees, but a wind is blowing, so it feels like 10 degrees.  That’s fairly close to the weather conditions in Wasilla, Alaska right now.  According to The Weather Channel it’s 16 degrees and, with the wind, it feels like nine degrees in Wasilla — but it is 5 p.m. there.

As I left the crew of Palin fans to headed back to my heated hotel room nearby, Stapp was putting “D” batteries in her socks.  “I wear these to football games,” she explained, gesturing to her heated socks.

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House speaker on “Iowa Press”

December 4, 2009 By

House Speaker Pat Murphy, discussing GOP attacks on Governor Culver: “They’re trying to say the emperor has no clothes when he’s fully clothed — and he has a hat on.” 

House Speaker Pat Murphy (D-Dubuque, Iowa) is the guest on this weekend’s “Iowa Press” program on Iowa Public Television.  Murphy talked about a wide variety of issues, from the state budget situation to his endorsement of Roxanne Conlin.  After the show, Murphy talked about shutting down one of the state’s Mental Health Institutes.  (Read about that here.)

During the show, Murphy said there was no “quid pro quo” with the labor unions (AFSCME & the State Police Officers Council) that agreed to wage and benefit concessions in order to avoid layoffs in the executive branch of state government.

Here are key Murphy statements on other topics:

  • “I would agree at this time with the governor that we should rule out a tax increase,” Murphy said.
  • Those who get state tax credits will have to “prove” there’s a return on the state’s investment, according to Murphy.  “I think some may have a problem,” Murphy said, adding one likely outcome may be more “caps” on tax credits — essentially limiting the amount the state pays out for different tax credits.  “I think that’s the kind of stuff we’ll end up doing.”
  • Will legislators authorize video lottery games?  “I think if you polled legislators, I think you would find out that there’s probably not enough votes to do that, but once we get into the legislative process and people have to make tough decisions, you may have that discussion come up…Come March, we might look at that program.”
  • Murphy says legislators will likely pass a bill that forces school districts that have healthy cash reserves to dip into those cash reserves rather than raise property taxes. 
  • Murphy on a couple of occasions offered an argument on an issue which was a veiled hit at former Governor Terry Branstad. 
  • Murphy said if he can get the 51 votes he needs, he’ll bring up any of the labor-related bills that unions had hoped would clear the 2009 Iowa Legislature.  “I think it’s a possibility,” Murphy said.  Which one might be top of his list?  Murphy said: “Tune in in 2010 and see what we do.”
  • As for whether the bill that would have changed Iowa’s income tax system will be resurrected, Murphy said:  ”I don’t know yet.”
  • Murphy said he will support the reelection of the six conservative Democrats who refused to support the labor bills and that tax bill.  If any of those six get a primary opponent, Murphy said he would support the incumbents, not the challengers in a Democratic primary — for any House seat.  “I support our incumbents and I always will. Period,” Murphy said.
  • Murphy was asked about the potential match-up of Representative McKinley Bailey, a Democrat from Webster City, who may face former Senate Republican Leader Stewawt Iverson of Clarion (a former Iowa GOP chairman), in 2010.  “I expect (Bailey) to get reelected, but I will say this about Senator Iverson — and no disrespect to Senator Mike Gronstal — I don’t think Senator Iverson had tough opponents.  He’ll find out that he has his hands full with a guy who has served his country in Iraq and Afghanistan and has done an excellent job as a legislator for Hamilton and Wright. I  think (Iverson) will find his hands more full than he has ever had them in his political life and I hope (Iverson) doesn’t mind defeat.” 
  • Murphy recently spoke by phone with Roxanne Conlin, one of three Democrats who are seeking the party’s US Senate nomination and the chance to face-off against Republican Senator Chuck Grassley in November, 2010.  During the IPTV program taping, Murphy revealed he’s told Conlin during that conversation in the primary.  “I think Roxanne Conlin brings some unique skills.  She has always fought for the underdog.  She’s always fought for middle class families.  She’s helped the state in the Microsoft case.  She is the best example of a private citizen that has done more for public causes in Iowa than anybody and quite frankly, she has delivered a lot more than Senator Grassley has in the state.”  Murphy predicted Conlin would give Grassley the “best race he’s had in 30 years.”  
  • Murphy said Governor Culver is well-positioned for reelection, despite polls which show Culver may be in trouble.  ”Part of the reason his numbers are down is he’s having to make tough decisions but if you take a look at where Tom Vilsack was at this same time seven years ago, his numbers weren’t particularly good either…I think it’s pretty hard for Republicans to argue (Culver’s) mismanaging the state budget….They’re trying to say the emperor has no clothes when he’s fully clothed — and he has a hat on.” 
Filed Under: Congress, Legislature, Politics, State Government Tagged With: , , ,

“Much to do about nothing”

December 2, 2009 By

Governor Chet Culver spoke to the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation this morning and after his speech Culver spoke with reporters.  The first question was about the departure of his campaign manager.  The second question was from a reporter who asked the following: “Why shouldn’t opponents seize on that as rats leaving a sinking ship?”

Here’s the Radio Iowa story about the whole exchange.

Culver, by the way, was wearing a “cardinal and gold” colored tie and he told reporters it was, indeed, an homage to the Iowa State Cyclones as Iowa Farm Bureau president Craig Lang is an ISU graduate.

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Holy Cow! Grassley uses “that word” again

December 2, 2009 By

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-New Hartford, Iowa) was on C-SPAN yesterday.  A caller asked Grassley about his tenure as an elected official.  Here’s the video.  (UPDATE:  here’s another video – a little Grassley’s Greatest Hits remix, but I give you this link with the advice that this is not family friendly and might be frowned upon in some workplaces.) 

Below is a transcript of the exchange on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal.

“I’m noticing from your biography that you’ve been working since 1952 in some form of government capacity both in Iowa and in the House of Representatives and the congress,” the caller began.

Grassley interjected: “Does that biography say I’ve spent 50 years as a farmer as well?”

“Well, I was going to ask that as well, whether you’re getting any subsidies, or whether you have been getting any government subsidies…”

Grassley interrupts again: “Yes, I participate in the farm program.”

Caller:  “Oh, you do, OK…”

Grassley continues to talk over the caller:  “Because I farm 50/50 with my son and you divide things 50/50, yes.”

The caller’s voice sort of fades up: “…offs for over half a century in some form or another….”

Grassley continues talking over the man:  “And I made, for the first 16 years, I made $3000 every other year as a state legislator. Now, do you expect me to live on $3000 every other year?  No, I was a factory worker for 10 years and I was a farmer for that period of time and farm with my son now, so if you’re trying to make a case that I’ve lived off the public tit all these years, I think you’re saying correctly the years I’ve been in the congress but not for the years before I came to congress.”

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Iowa delegation reacts to Obama’s Afghan plan

December 2, 2009 By

Both of Iowa’s U.S. Senators and four of the five Iowans who serve in the U.S. House issued statements Tuesday night following the president’s speech outlining his plan for Afghanistan.  Over the past two months, Radio Iowa has done a series of stories with the Iowa congressional delegation to check their views about the Afghan war.   You can read those here:  a story with Grassley posted yesterday; a story here with Grassley and Harkin based on comments they made during telephone conference calls with reporters in mid-November; a story here with House Armed Services Committee member Loebsack after he returned from a trip overseas to visit the troops; a story here with Braley with thoughts about Afghanistan he aired during a discussion on IPTV’s Iowa Press;  a story here from a Radio Iowa interview of Boswell, and here for a story with Latham from comments he made recently on IPTV’s Iowa Press. 

Read the statements issued Tuesday night, following the president’s speech, below:

Senator Chuck Grassley released the following statement after President Barack Obama tonight outlined his strategy for the war in Afghanistan.
 
“President Obama campaigned on the importance of Afghanistan over Iraq and in March announced a strategy for the U.S. efforts in Afghanistan.  He fired the General who was in charge and put General McChrystal in place to move his strategy forward.  So, one could only assume that he would follow through on his own promises made over the last year.

“There is a lot of anxiety from the American people about the president’s plan.  Before September 11, I had strong reservations about any large scale involvement in this region of the world.  I think my vote against the first Gulf War indicates that.  But, September 11 and incidents since then such as Najibullah Zazi and Fort Hood have taught us that we are not immune.  What’s going on in the Middle East is an indication as to what can happen in our own backyard.   

“There’s no question that, at this time, we need to give our troops the resources to succeed.  They have sacrificed time and time again in the name of freedom.  But, it’s time the president rethink the 12.5 percent increase in domestic spending during this time of war.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) released the following statement this evening in reaction to President Obama’s speech on Afghanistan:

“Faced with an incredibly complex problem, tonight the President laid out a strategy for an endgame that unites our civilian, military, economic and humanitarian capabilities. President Obama laid out a timeline of eighteen months, which I hope gives the Afghan government and people a chance to take control of their destiny.

“This Administration inherited not one but two dangerous, difficult wars, and I appreciate the careful thinking and planning that went into this decision. There remain a number of questions, however, one of the most important being how we pay for this. I wish I had heard the President take a firm stand on raising the necessary revenues to pay for this endeavor.”

Washington, DC – Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) released the following statement tonight in response to President Obama’s speech on Afghanistan.

“In September, I sent a bipartisan letter to President Obama outlining many of my concerns about the situation in Afghanistan and stating my strong belief that we should not commit more troops to Afghanistan without a clearly defined exit strategy. As the Iowa National Guard prepares to deploy more than 3,000 soldiers to Afghanistan, we owe it to them and their families to have a comprehensive strategy that addresses fundamental military, political and economic challenges in Afghanistan and the surrounding region.

“I look forward to reading the specific details of the proposal laid out by President Obama in order to work with my colleagues to determine the best way forward for the people of the United States and Afghanistan.”

Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA) issued the following statement in response to the President’s unveiling of the new Afghanistan strategy.

“The President has unveiled an outline for his Afghanistan strategy and I plan to review the President’s decision carefully in the coming days and weeks. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I look forward to speaking with our military leaders and experts, including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, General Stanley McChrystal, and Ambassador Karl Eikenberry.”

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Leonard Boswell released this statement following the President’s address on the war in Afghanistan.

“Tonight, President Obama announced a recommitment to Afghanistan and the global fight on terrorism. The President’s plan to immediately deploy up to 30,000 troops to serve the dual purpose of stopping the momentum of the Taliban and degrade their capacities, while also training Afghan national security troops to take over the lead security role in Afghanistan.”

“I am pleased that the President has made it clear that U.S. involvement in Afghanistan will not be an open-ended nation building exercise. The 18-month timeline is targeted to allow U.S. and NATO forces to expand and better train the Afghan armed forces to deal with insurgents and Al Qaeda and require the Afghan government to meet benchmarks along the way. The President has also promised a larger civilian training component to target corruption and improve governance in the Afghan government.”

“I am proud of the troops who have served and continue to serve abroad and at home, and my heart goes out to their loved ones. There are no easy solutions in war, but President Obama’s plan provides a clear strategy to transfer control to Afghan forces and to bring our men and women home.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Iowa Congressman Tom Latham issued the following statement on Tuesday night following President Obama’s address regarding American involvement in Afghanistan:

“Tonight, more than three months after receiving an assessment and set of urgent recommendations from his top general in Afghanistan, President Obama has finally announced his strategy on how to proceed. It is my hope that, as this new strategy is carried out and the situation in Afghanistan evolves, future requests from our generals on the ground will be met in a responsive fashion.

“I visited Afghanistan once again this February, and I listened to the frank evaluations of our generals and soldiers there.  I understand the difficulty of the mission and the sacrifice our country is asking of our men and women in uniform, including the 3,500 members of the Iowa National Guard currently preparing for deployments in Afghanistan.  But I also understand the danger of allowing the country to become a safe haven for the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

“I applaud President Obama’s increased commitment to training Afghan forces to provide peace and security for the country’s population.  The Afghan national army will have to play an increasingly prominent role to ensure the long-term stability of the country.  Additionally, I remain opposed to setting an arbitrary withdrawal date that would allow the enemy to simply wait for us to go home before reasserting its presence in the region.

“Our armed forces continue to perform heroically, and I thank them and their families for their incredible sacrifice.  I urge my colleagues in Congress to join me in an effort to make sure our troops have everything they need to achieve victory and come home safely.” 

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Latest report on state tax receipts

December 1, 2009 By

The Legislative Services Bureau has released its latest report on state tax receipts.  It includes tax collections through November 30, 2009.  The three-member Revenue Estimating Conference will meet in mid-December to review this report (and other data) and establish an official prediction of state tax revenue for the 2011 state budgeting year (FY 2011 runs from 7-1-10 through 6-30-11).  In early 2010, state lawmakers will begin crafting a budget for FY 2011 and state law requires that “prediction of state tax revenue” from the three-member Revenue Estimating Conference to be the basis (bottom line figure) for those budget plans.

Filed Under: Politics

UPDATED: Fong suspends campaign

December 1, 2009 By

UPDATE:  Republican gubernatorial candidate Christian Fong exited the race this morning.  Read the Radio Iowa story here.  Fong’s last blog post on his campaign website was interesting, in the context of today’s news, as he reflects on the people he spent a lot of time with over the past five months. 

So, here’s Fong’s last campaign blog post, dated November 30, 2009 and copied below:

Just past Thanksgiving, and I am 56 counties into my tour of Iowa.

County GOP fundraisers are a great way to do well by doing good.  Some competitors of mine skip these events.  On one hand, it’s hard to blame them.  It is much easier to sit down over a steak lunch in Des Moines and ask for a $5000 donation than to spend six hours on the road, speak 10 minutes, and roll quietly into the driveway past midnight.  But that’s just not the way to meet the activists of the party, understand what Iowans are concerned about, sense the subtle regional differences and (for what it is worth), learn to really nail the laugh lines in a stump speech.  The audiences are generally friendly, even the Democrat operative who consistently follows us around to videotape, hoping one of the candidates will make an embarrassing, sleep-deprived mistake.  The venues are nearly always cramped, with organizers scrambling to find extra chairs, thus reminding me that politics is, in a way, Iowa’s state sport.  The food?  Not surprisingly, it is consistently pork.

Since June, I have been joined by Rod Roberts, Bob Vander Plaats and Chris Rants at nearly every event.  We sometimes refer to ourselves as The Faithful Four.  We know each other’s stump speeches, applause lines, hand motions and respective willingness to stretch time limits.  Each has a great sense of humor – Rod telegraphs his punch lines with suddenly smiling eyes, Bob has a Dutch joke for nearly every topic and Chris’ keen sense of the ironic can be hilarious with his dry deliver.  We ask after each other’s families, and I suspect I am not the only one that keeps them in my prayers.  So as the fall speaking circuit ends, I thank those that put the work into these county fundraiser events and those that came to listen to the GOP candidates.  I’ll look forward to another pork chop next time!

Fong called into the Radio Iowa newsroom at about 11 o’clock this morning and I asked Fong if his decision to exit the race (and forego some pork chop dinner) was popular with the “non-voting age members of (his) household.” Fong has three young children.  He laughed.

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Filed Under: Politics, State Government Tagged With: , , ,

AFSCME 11-30-09 news conference

November 30, 2009 By

AFSCME Council 61 president Danny Homan will be stepping behind a lectern in a few minutes to announce the results of voting among AFSCME members who work in the executive branch of state government.  The vote, held from November 19 through the 25, was whether AFSCME members would approve or reject an “understanding.”  The deal:  workers would agree to taking five unpaid days off and agree to give up some deferred compensation for their retirement accounts and, in return, state executive branch managers will not layoff 479 union members.

UPDATE:  “understanding” is ratified by a 59 to 41 percent margin. Click here to listen to Homan’s news conference.

The event is to start at 9 a.m. and I plan to “live blog” it.  Homan begins promptly at 9 a.m. 

“Today we will announce the results of the understanding vote…I also want to say today…the press is the last person to be notified, not the first.  Over the past day and a half, we have been doing an intensive notification of our membership…

“…We have determined that the state membership of this union has agreed to the understanding.”

Homan discusses the voting that was held at 31 different voting sites:  66 percent of AFSCME state membership voted on this understanding.  Homan believes this is the largest turn-out ever for any vote the union has held in Iowa.

Homan announced 59 percent of AFSCME state membership voted yes and 41 percent oted no.

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Filed Under: Legislature, Politics Tagged With:

Thanksgiving week left-overs

November 27, 2009 By

Read below for tidbits about John Carlson, Swati Dandekar, Ali Glisson, Michael Kiernan, (former Governor) Terry Branstad, (current Governor) Chet Culver, and others. 

The Legislative Services Agency issued a financial analysis on Wednesday, outling the depth of the budget problems legislators and the governor face.  Read the story Rod Boshardt of The Cedar Rapids Gazette wrote here  and/or read the story Jason Clayworth of The Des Moines Register wrote.

A flurry of written statements were issued via email on Wednesday afternoon.  Read them below.

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Filed Under: Iowa Caucuses, Politics, State Government Tagged With: , , , , ,
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