Governor Terry Branstad says he may endorse a presidential candidate, after Wisconsin’s primary on Tuesday, April 3, 2012.  Branstad told reporters this morning he’s concnered about some of the “personal attacks” that have been made during the course of the campaign. He’s also concered about the “resources” which are being spent in the primary/caucus season.

AUDIO of Branstad’s comments.

It appears Branstad may be leaning toward Romney, but when pressed by reporters Branstad declined to say who he may endorse.  However, here’s a clue:  “My feeling is that Republicans do need to come together and we need to have a strong and united campaign to win back the White House.”

Last week, after the deadline for filing nomination papers passed and it was clear neither Democrat Christie Vilsack nor Republican Congressman Steve King face primary opponents in June, King said he wanted to debate Vilsack six times.  Read his letter to Vilsack here.

Vilsack has now responded:

Dear Congressman King:

Thank you for your offer to conduct an open and honest discussion in this campaign by agreeing to debate. As you know, I’ve always supported having debates because the people of the new 4th Congressional District deserve an opportunity to hear our viewpoints and understand the positions we’ve taken. Issues are very important in this race. When I’ve traveled across the 4th District, I have heard concerns about the need for economic opportunity, a good education, a real energy policy, a focus on conservation and improvements in our state’s infrastructure. That is why I have proposed substantive policy measures in all of these areas.

In order to have an open and honest debate, its imperative that we reach as many constituents as possible and perform our due diligence to ensure the moderator of the debate is a neutral party. Currently, my campaign is reaching out to media outlets and other organizations who may be interested in sponsoring these debates. I would encourage your campaign to do the same. This would ensure these debates will be heard and seen by voters across the district, so that they have all the information on where we stand on the issues that matter most.

Through this letter I am formally responding to your request and believe this is the first of many steps in our negotiations for debates. It is imperative that your campaign manager make contact with my campaign manager, Jessica Vanden Berg, at 515-233-5858 to discuss the next steps. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Christie Vilsack

The veep was in Iowa on March 1, 2012 (at Iowa State University to be specific).  He’ll be back before the month ends.  The following statement came from an Obama campaign official.

Vice President Joe Biden will be in Davenport on Wednesday, March 28th  to discuss the importance of America’s manufacturing sector at a campaign event. President Obama is committed to renewing America’s manufacturing industry, 11,800 manufacturing jobs have been created since January 2011 in Iowa alone. 
 
The Vice President’s visit to Davenport to address the importance  of America’s manufacturing economy is the third in a series of speeches that kicked off last week with a speech on the importance of the American auto industry in Toledo, OH and continues  tomorrow in Florida where he will discuss preserving and protecting our sacred compact with America’s seniors.

The new chairman of the Iowa GOP has asked 17 people to serve on a committee to review the conduct of the 2012 Iowa Caucuses.  See the news release below, with some notations from me regarding the 17 folks.

DES MOINES–The Republican Party of Iowa (RPI) State Central Committee today approved the formation of a 17-member Iowa Caucus Review Committee and confirmed Chairman A. J. Spiker’s nominees to the committee.

The committee will be chaired by RPI Co-Chair Bill Schickel.  Iowa Secretary of State Deputy of Elections Mary Mosiman will serve as committee co-chair.

“My challenge to the committee is to bring back recommendations that will build upon the most open and transparent presidential preference process in the country,” Spiker said.

“The purpose of the committee is to conduct a full audit and review of the Republican Caucus,” said Schickel. “We’re going to review what went right and what went wrong. We will fix what went wrong and promote what went right.”

The committee will hold its first meeting at 10 A.M. Thursday, April 26 in Des Moines. Future meetings will be held in other communities across the state.

Committee members will be assigned to sub-committees on public relations, operations and training. A research subcommittee will gather data and background information for the committee.

The committee and each of the sub-committees will be asking for ideas and suggestions from experts and ordinary citizens alike throughout the state and nation, Schickel said.

“Although this will be a review of the Republican caucuses, we will be acting in consultation with our colleagues in the Democrat Party,” Schickel said.  “Having open, honest and transparent caucuses is in the interest of all Iowans.”

The members of the Iowa Caucus Review Committee are:
• Chair Bill Schickel, Cerro Gordo County (former state legislator, former Mason City mayor)

• Co-Chair Mary Mosiman, Story County (former Story County Auditor, now heads elections division in Iowa Secretary of State’s office)

• Chad Olsen, Guthrie County (executive director of Iowa GOP)

• David Chung, Linn County (state central committee member)

• David Fischer, Polk County (key lieutenant in Ron Paul’s 2012 Iowa campaign)

• David Oman, Polk County (former chief of staff to Governor Branstad, former candidate for governor)

• Gwen Ecklund, Crawford County (chair of Crawford County GOP)

• Judy Davidson, Scott County (chair of Scott County GOP)

*Kathy Pearson, Linn County (former chair of Iowa Federation of Republican Women)

• Kim Lehman, Polk County (Iowa’s National Committeewoman on the RNC)

• Randy Erickson, Buena Vista County (Buena Vista County chair)

• Rev. Jamie Johnson, Webster County (key person in Rick Santorum’s 2012 Iowa campaign)

• Richard Schwarm, Winnebago County (former Iowa GOP chair, former law partner of Governor Terry Branstad)

• Sen. Nancy Boettger, Shelby County (active in party politics; has attended several national conventions)

• Steve Grubbs, Scott County (former Iowa GOP chair, former state rep., ran Herman Cain’s Iowa 2012 Iowa campaign ’til it ended, former US senate candidate)

• Steve Scheffler, Polk County (head of Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition; Iowa’s National Committeeman on the RNC)

• Wes Enos, Polk County (worked on Michele Bachmann’s 2012 Iowa campaign; member of state central committee)

A few developments today regarding the Malcolm Price Lab School at the University of Northern Iowa, which is slated for closure on June 30, 2012.  Senator Grassleys’ grandchildren are involved. His granddaughter and three of her friends — all junior at MPLS — arrived in the press room earlier today with written statements for the press.  They also answered questions from a reporter (me) for about 10 minutes.  Governor Branstad & UNI’s student body president expressed support for UNI’s president & the decision to close MPLS.

Late this afternoon UNI president Ben Allen issued an open letter on the subject.

March 5, 2012

As all of you know, the University of Northern Iowa is a special place — a place to earn an outstanding education in a beautifully maintained academic setting. Many of you are currently participating in or witnessing heated discussions and disagreements occurring on campus and in the community and are concerned about the future of UNI. Let me first of all assure you that the future of this university looks strong and bright. From my first year on campus the goal has always been to take this great university and make it even greater by focusing on the strengths that set us apart (the finest undergraduate education in the state, the strongest liberal arts core, the premier pre-K through 12 teacher education program). Let me address some of those strengths.

I truly believe that UNI offers the best undergraduate education in the state of Iowa. We have an outstanding group of faculty and staff committed to educating our students. We all remain steadfast in that commitment. I urge you to see the current discussions and disagreements as evidence of the passion that is felt for UNI. Rest assured that the goal will remain the same and that we will come together as an even stronger institution.

In addition, our belief that a strong liberal arts core provides our students with the best possible education remains in the forefront as discussions continue and decisions are made about program changes. While we all would like to see the funding of our state universities return to previous levels, we cannot let the quality of our educational offering slip while we wait and hope for that to happen. We must take advantage of this crisis to look at what we are doing and how we are doing it. Discussions have been occurring across campus for several years about program changes. While no final decisions have been made, let me assure you that we are going to make decisions that will result in UNI and our liberal arts core being stronger and more relevant for the future.

Much concern has also been expressed about the commitment to teacher education. I have spoken the words “UNI must be the leader in pre-K through 12 education in the state of Iowa and among the leaders in the nation” in literally every talk I have given throughout the state over the past six years. That commitment is evidenced by the fact that for the first time ever pre-K through 12 education was added as a goal in UNI’s strategic plan; by the fact that the largest gift in the history of UNI was an academic gift directed to the College of Education; and by the fact that the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiative leadership is centered at UNI.

To reach that goal requires making changes. Loyalty to the Malcolm Price Laboratory School is understandable; it is convenient, it is comfortable and it is what we have known for years and years. However, not only is the operation of a laboratory school financially unsustainable, but also it is questionable whether the model is the best way to prepare our future teachers. I have been approached by teachers, principals and superintendents from schools large and small within a 30-minute radius of UNI who are excited about the prospect of having our level II education majors in their classrooms. Our students simply must get their experiences in more diverse, “real-world” classroom settings within which they will ultimately teach.

We all know that change is difficult in any organization — it is unsettling and disruptive.  However, our imagination for the future must be greater than our commitment to the past.

Sincerely,

Benjamin J. Allen

Governor Branstad has released the long list of people he is appointing to state boards & commissions, all of whom must be confirmed by the Iowa Senate.  Branstad’s appointments to openings on the State Board of Education are of interest given the focus on education reform.

Diane Crookham-Johnson of Oskaloosa was an executive at Musco Lighting for 25 years, but she recently graduated from Drake Law School and now has a law office “on the square” in Oskaloosa.  William “Mike” May of Spirit Lake is a former teacher and resort owner who served in the Iowa House for six years.  Charles Edwards Jr. of Des Moines is a former Des Moines Register president and publisher who has been reappointed to the Board of Education. He is currently a dual dean at Drake University, overseeing the School of Journalism & Mass Communications and the College of Business & Public Administration.

President Obama is headed to New Hampshire today. Vice President Biden is on his way to Iowa, for a mid-day appearance at Iowa State University.  (Both Iowa & New Hampshire are swing/battleground states in the 2012 General Election.)  Biden called into the Radio Iowa newsroom just before he left D.C.

AUDIO Full interview (runs just under 7 minutes).

I asked Biden about GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s snobbery comment. Below is the transcript of that portion of the interview.

Henderson: ”Senator Santorum recently said there’s a bit of snobbery involved in suggesting every American should take at least one year of vocational training or a year of college. Are you making a trip to a college campus today to sort of highlight what may be a developing ideological divide between the two parties over the value of college education?”

Biden: ”Well, I think there’s an ideological divide between Rick Santorum and all of America on this. (Laughter) I don’t think it’s between the parties.  Look, I’ve been going college campuses and high schools all across America for the past six months talking about what the facts are. Six out of the 10 jobs over the next 10 years are going to require an advanced degree, a degree beyond, either a certificate or a degree beyond high school. It’s that simple. People with a college degree today make, on average, will make the rest of their life $21,000 a year more than someone with a high school degree.  People with a two year degree from a community college will make, are making $8000, will continue to make $8000 a year more. This is about living a middle class life.    

“Look, from our standpoint we think that America’s climbing back out of a hole they got pushed into. We’re determined to restore the bargain with the middle class and make everyone, give ‘em a fair deal and it’s going to take reviving American manufacturing and access to college and college education and an all-of-the-above approach on energy to make sure this happens and I don’t know how we can, look, let me put it another way.

“I was asked by a group of foreign policy specialists what I thought the most significant thing we could do to maintain our security advantage into this century and I’m supposedly a foreign policy guy and it was an easy answer for me. I said, ‘Have the best educated population in the world.’

“Any country that out-educates us is going to out-compete us. It’s not about snobbery. It’s about allowing people to live a life like their parents lived, in a middle-class environment, decent home, good school, a promise to send their kids to college and being able to take care of their parents and not have to be taken care of themselves by the time they’re their parents’ age.”

Iowa GOP chairman A.J. Spiker sent out the fundraising appeal below via email. It was sent about seven minutes before House Democratic Leader Kevin McCarthy announced he and the other 39 Democrats in the Iowa House had returned to the statehouse.

The Second Amendment is Dangerous!

Or at least that is what you would think after 40 Democrats walked out of the Iowa House today in protest of legislation protecting second amendment rights of Iowans.  Please continue reading below, but before you do please contribute $40 today, $1 for each Democrat who walked out on the 2nd Amendment!! 

Today, Iowa House Democrats sent a loud and clear message: YOUR Constitutional rights are NOT their priority.  In a cowardly move, the Democrats walked out of the Capitol building to avoid a debate on your gun rights!

These two bills, each designed to defend Iowans’ right to bear arms, were scheduled for debate this afternoon.   The first bill amends the Iowa Constitution to include an explicit right to bear arms and the second strengthens your right to self-defense.  It is clear that Democrats are afraid to address the tough issues, afraid to debate a subject they don’t like, and afraid to stand up for your rights.  

House Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, called this kind of protection “extreme” and commented that enacting these laws would turn Iowa into the “Wild, Wild West.”  Today, Democrats made it very clear where they stand on the second amendment.

Democrats view the elections in November as an opportunity to gain control of the Iowa Legislature.  Iowans deserve a government that works and representatives willing to work for us!  Please help lay the groundwork for victory in November 2012 and contribute $40 –$1 for every Democrat who walked off the job today – to help YOUR Republican Party of Iowa fight to elect Republican leadership!

In Liberty,
 
A.J. Spiker
Chairman

House Democratic Leader Kevin McCarthy just held a news conference to announce House Democrats have returned to the capitol and are ready to debate the “extremist” gun bills House Republicans favor.  AUDIO of five-minute event.

McCarthy: “This morning we found out, mid-morning, that they intended to alter the Iowa Constitution today to eliminate all gun laws…not through legislation, but through altering the Constitution…We wanted to buy some needed time. We left in protest so that there could be some openness and some transparency and some sunlight on this issue that is very, very extreme…We’re going to go up and we’ll have a debate so people know what kind of agenda House Republicans are pursuing.

“…We have a right to caucus off campus. There’s no rule prohibiting it and we had a good, healthy, productive caucus today to buy some time so there can be some sunlight on this very extreme proposal that they’ll be pursing probably later today.”

“…I think the vast majority of Democrats support the United States Constitutional right to bear arms. We also believe that public safety is very, very important and there must be a balance. Recent public (opinion) poll showed that most Iowans feel our current gun laws are adequate.”

House Speaker Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha, IA) just briefed statehouse reporters about the phone call he had this afternoon with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (D-Des Moines, IA).  AUDIO of Q&A with reporters (mp3 runs 5 min.).

“Leader McCarthy finally called me. We talked briefly. He didn’t tell me where they were and didn’t indicate when they’re going to come back,” Paulsen says. “…The right thing is for them to do is to come back here and do the work that Iowans sent us here to do, so we’ll be patient a little while longer and see if they can make a decision here and give me something a little more definitive to work with.”

“…I’m trying to be respectful of 40 members of this chamber and the Iowans that they represent, but at the same time, I think they need to be respectful and get here, but I’ve got a little bit more patience here.”

Paulsen indicated he hopes to have this impasse resolved by day’s end, but he conceded McCarthy gave no indication that is going to happen.

“Look, right now, I think the proper thing to do is for them to come back. I’m trying to be respectful of those 40 members who have chosen to leave the capitol so they can cool down or whatever it is…and the 130,000 that each one of them represents, but sooner or later the other 60 members and the people they represent expect us to go to work,” Paulsen said.

One of the 40 House Democrats has indicated he and his colleagues will return if Paulsen tables the gun-related bills that prompted this walk-out.  Paulsen, when asked, gave this response: “Someone doesn’t get to have a tantrum and leave the capitol and all of a sudden we’re changing the debate schedule. That’s not how it works.”

Paulsen expects to reconnect with McCarthy by phone later this afternoon. Among the options available is for the House to remain “at ease” without adjourning for the night — essentially a limbo session through the overnight hours. “That wouldn’t be the first time,” Paulsen said of that particular option of staying “in sessionn” overnight.

Paulsen says Republicans in the House have been getting feedback from voters over the past few hours. “Actually the most common comment right now…is: ‘Why are we waiting? Let’s go to work.’”