Kim Lehman’s tweet

Kim Lehman, the Republican National Comitteewoman from Iowa, has sparked a big debate with a tweet she sent last Thursday in which she said President Obama was a Muslim.  (Here’s a 2007 Radio Iowa story about Obama’s speech to the United Church of Christ state convention.  Here’s the blog post about his speech, in which Obama talked about his “born again” experience.)

• This is today’s story in The Des Moines Register. 
• Democrats are using the episode to raise money. 
• Publications ranging from The Huffington Post to The Weekly Standard have weighed in this week. 
• An anonymous Iowa Republican blogger lambasted Lehman.  Another Iowa blog, Caffeinated Thoughts which is edited (and mostly written) by Shane Vander Hart, wrote a post.  On the other side of the Iowa political spectrum, the blog Bleeding Heartland written by desmoinesdem has posted on Lehman’s remarks.

Sherrod says no thanks, she won’t take new USDA job

U.S. Ag Secretary met for 90 minutes yesterday with Shirley Sherrod, the Ag Department official he fired after an on-line controversy about statements she’d made in a videotaped speech.  She and Vilsack held a news conference after the meeting.

Zaun’s answer to question about farm subsidies

The campaign of Congressman Leonard Boswell (D-Des Moines) is running an ad against Boswell’s Republican opponent, blasting GOP congressional nominee Brad Zaun for saying during a debate that he would do “nothing” for biofuels if he’s elected to congress.

I did a story about what Zaun said about biofuels during an appearance at the Iowa State Fair.  (Short answer: Zaun supports the tax break for ethanol; hasn’t decided whether he supports the tax credit for biodiesel.)

Now, here’s more background on what Zaun said this spring at a Tea Party debate in Des Moines that featured the slew of Republican candidates competing for the GOP’s third district congressional nomination.  First, the question that was posed did not mention biofuels.  Neither ethanol or biodiesel were mentioned.  The questioner asked about farm subsidies:

“I know you’ve touched on ear marks, Medicare, Social Security. You’d cut constitutional spending, as far as limited government, you guys had kind of had all similar things. But let’s talk about hard things to cut: farm subsidies, government pensions, tax reform, things like that. What are you going to do to get the hard things done? I mean, the easy things are simple. I mean, the things that people are going to push back, you got constituents that are going to push back on issues.”

The question went first to Scott Batcher.  When it was Zaun’s turn to speak, this is what he said in response to that question:

“Well, I’ll tell you what.  This is something that I’ve had experience.  This is what separates me from everybody that’s running in this race is because I’ve had to make tough decisions.  I’ve had to. 

“I just went up to Grundy Center here not too long ago and a farmer said to me, ‘What are you going to do for me and the biofuels industry?’ And I said, ‘Nothing.’

“I have been in a position in the Iowa Senate and as mayor I’ve been pressured to make those tough decisions.  And you know what, I’m a market-driven person. I’ve told, ‘Listen, your business — I hope you’re successful.  Thank you. Hopefully we’re using less foreign oils, but the fact of the matter is is your business like every business out there has to stand on its own two feet.  When government gets involved and tries to make a business successful, it never works out.

“I try to make a decision and it is tough. You asked it about pensions. I intend to fix pensions. It’s the defined benefit that’s killing us.  That’s what’s killing al of us as taxpayers. You talk about governmental employees paid, in Iowa, it’s 38 percent compared to what it is in the private sector.  Government should always be reflective of what’s going on in the private sector.

“How I make tough decisions?  I try to learn as much as I can. I did it when I was mayor.  Listen, I don’t know everything.  None of us know everything about this, but you go and you research as much as you can, but you’ve always got to go back to the people you represent.

“I make my decisions not based on reelection.  Never have.  I’ve been controversial and what I do is I do what I think is best for everyone that I represent.  You are the people that I work for and I’m not going to change the way I do that.

“Of course there’s times when it’s something that’s morally unacceptable and I want everybody to check me out, find out where I’m at on those issues. But I’m always going to do what I think is right and it’s not going to stop and I’m not going to worry about reelection.  Thank you.”

Boswell sends message to Christie Vilsack

I’ve been swamped and unable to blog for a few days.  I’ll point you to two Radio Iowa stories which may be of interest.

First, former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack visited the Iowa State Fair last week with her husband and had some things to say about perhaps running for congress in 2012.

Congressman Leonard Boswell had some things to say about the potential of a Boswell versus Vilsack primary in 2012.  Here’s the key passage:

“Christie is a smart person. I’m planning on doing this for a while, so I hope that she has got other things she likes to do for a while because I’m going to continue to do this,” Boswell said last week at the Iowa State Fair.

A reporter followed up with this question: “Does that mean you’re announcing for 2012?”

Boswell replied: “Well, it’s not far from it.”

As you may recall, the party establishment rallied around Boswell in 2008 when Ed Fallon of Des Moines challenged Boswell in a Democratic Primary.  What would happen if Vilsack runs against Boswell in a Primary in 2012?  And what would happen if Boswell’s defeated in 2010?  Would he try to recapture a seat in congress in 2012?

Romney to campaign in Iowa for Branstad

Ben Smith of The Politico asked former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s staff why Romney isn’t making a swing through the 2010 Iowa State Fair.  In his answer, Romney’s spokesman revealed Romney will be here this fall to campaign for Republican gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad.

Branstad: dump DED, create new public/private group

Republican gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad is proposing something new.  Read about it below.

Branstad proposes replacing dysfunctional Department of Economic Development with the Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress

(URBANDALE) – Former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad today proposed scrapping the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) and replacing it with a new public/private partnership tasked with promoting and marketing Iowa to attract new investment and jobs, called the “Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress.”

The policy proposal can be found here: http://governorbranstad2010.com/assets/ready-to-innovate.pdf

Branstad says the IDED is dysfunctional and scandal-ridden.

“Our economic development professionals must think and act like customer service representatives who aggressively and proactively solve problems so Iowa can make the ‘sale’ to keep or create jobs,” said Branstad. “By converting IDED into a public-private partnership, the customer service mentality will permeate the system and we can offer prospective investors with a simple and efficient system. With nearly 114,000 Iowans out of work and an unemployment rate at a 24-year high, there is no greater priority for our chief executive than job creation.”

Branstad made the announcement as part of reaching his goal of creating 200,000 new jobs in Iowa. Previously, Branstad has stated that he will cut the corporate income tax in half, and reduce commercial property taxes, to help achieve this goal as well.

The new body will be led by a chief executive officer with a record of real world economic development success, will be governed by an independent board of directors, and chaired by the lieutenant governor.

“Only by reworking the bureaucratic structure of state government will we be able to eliminate redundancies and road blocks in our regulatory and economic development efforts,” Branstad continued. “To attract and retain business we must change the mindset of those charged with economic development and job creation.” 

In addition to the new program, Branstad says we must reexamine the state’s “tool box” and review every current economic development program and incentive to determine what works, what is wasted and what new is needed.

“Our current tool box is an alphabet soup of programs that many find confusing and complex,” Branstad said.

He noted that the state lags behind in its online efforts, and this would be a major tool used to attract employers and to encourage expansion by existing businesses.

“Once we implement these major restructuring components, job creators will recognize that Iowa once again is, ‘Open for Business.’”

Iowa Farm Bureau endorses five Republicans

The Iowa Farm Bureau’s political action committee has made its endorsements for the fall election.  Read the release below.

IOWA FARM BUREAU ANNOUNCES 2010 FRIENDS OF AG, RECORD STATEWIDE MEMBER PARTICIPATION
 
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – Aug. 17, 2010 – The Iowa Farm Bureau Political Action Committee (PAC) has named its selections for the 2010 Friends of Agriculture endorsement. Candidates seeking state and national offices this fall have earned endorsement by the state’s largest grassroots farm organization based on their support of agriculture, voting record and support for Iowa’s rural communities.
 
“Friends of Agriculture designations are carefully chosen for demonstrating support for our farmers and issues that directly impact their families, businesses and communities. It comes down to more than words; it’s their actions that are also examined,” said Mary Heintz, PAC Chair and a farmer from Marengo. “This year, 95 out of 100 Farm Bureau counties participated in the designation process. That record participation shows our farmers are motivated to support candidates that support farmers and rural Iowa during this very crucial election period. The candidates chosen must have a clear understanding and voting record of support for Farm Bureau policy,” said Heintz.
 
In the Iowa Governor’s race, the Iowa Farm Bureau PAC has chosen Terry Branstad and for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey. Chuck Grassley was identified as a Friend of Agriculture in the U.S. Senate race.
 
Tom Latham (District 4) and Steve King (District 5) were also recognized as Friends of Agriculture in the congressional races. The Farm Bureau PAC also gave the designation to candidates in 11 Iowa Senate and 51 Iowa House districts.
 
The grassroots effort to designate Friends of Agriculture is guided by members and begins in July when county committees start evaluating candidates. The nine-member PAC committee carefully reviews evaluations and questionnaires, while also considering candidates’ positions on issues of importance to members, leadership on Farm Bureau priorities and past voting records.

Here is the list of all the candidates who are “friends” of the Farm Bureau’s PAC.

Read more

Tom Vilsack on David Broder

US Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, the former Iowa governor, is visiting the Iowa State Fair today.  During a brief news conference, Vilsack was asked for his reaction to Washington Post columnist David Broder’s Sunday column. 

Vilsack told about his first experience with Broder, in early 1999.  Listen to it here.  It involves a farm tragedy, a Broder column and a $10,000 check that helped a widow send her child to college.

“David Broder and I have always been good friends,” Vilsack said to conclude the story.

IowaRepublican.com poll on ’12 presidential race

Click here to read the details on the IowaRepublican.com poll released today.   Here’s how the Iowans surveyed ranked the field of potential 2012 Republican presidential candidates:  Mike Huckabee at 22 percent, Mitt Romney at 18 percent, Newt Gingrich at 14 percent, Sarah Palin at 11 percent, Ron Paul at 5 percent. The poll has a 4.5 percent margin of error, so take that into account.  It means there’s a statistical tie for first and third in this poll.

David Broder on Vilsack

It looks like the venerable David Broder of The Washington Post had an hour-long conversation with U.S. Secretary Tom Vilsack, the former Iowa governor.  Broder wrote a column in Sunday’s Washington Post.  If you have access to the Post website, you can read it.  I’m not going to link, because it requires registration if you aren’t part of the Post network.