Buck Culver steals the limelight

The state’s “First Dog” made a public appearance late this morning.  First Lady Mari Culver; her children, John and Claire; and the family dog, Buck Culver, walked into the Animal Rescue League of Iowa shortly after 11 and the dog was swarmed with well-wishers.  The dog wasn’t shy about greeting people in the crowd either.  “He’s a hugger,” Mari Culver explained to people when the dog would put his paws on someone’s legs — or when he put his paws on Governor Chet Culver’s shoulders when the governor walked in the room.

The event at which the entire “first family” appeared?  It was a bill signing for legislation that establishes new regulations for dog kennels in Iowa and what better way to ‘illustrate” the story than to have your picture taken with a dog.  Buck is not quite a year old — “still a puppy” according Mrs. Culver.  The dog was a 2009 birthday gift from the Culver kids to their dad.  Buck decided to participate more fully in today’s event by putting his paws up on the table where the governor was seated to sign the bill into law.

Governor Culver is seated.  First Lady Mari Culver is seated, too, on the far right of the frame — almost entirely blocked in this picture by the photographer kneeling in front.  John Culver, a second grader, is standing next to his mother and his sister Claire, a third grader, is standing next to him.  The other child in the photograph — the one closest to the govenror — is the son of State Senator Matt McCoy.  Eight legislators are standing along the wall, behind Culver and crew.

Dogs can help politicians.  There was, of course, the infamous “Checkers” — the Nixon family pet who was the star of a significant speech in which Nixon said Checkers was the only gift he’d ever received from political donors.  Herbert Hoover had a trained guard dog named King Tut.  Millie, the pet dog of former First Lady Barbara Bush, “helped” Mrs. Bush write a book titled Millie’s Book:  as Dictated to Barbara Bush.

You may recall Buddy, the “first dog” of the Clinton White House who was often seen on a leash being held by the president as the first family walked to the helicopter to leave the White House during the months in which the nation was consumed by the Lewinsky scandal.

Txt ban 4 teens only

The Iowa House has dramatically scaled back a proposal which would have made it illegal for anyone to read or send text messages while driving on Iowa roads.  The House, instead, voted to make it illegal for just 16- and 17-year-olds to send text messages or play computer games while they’re driving.  Fifty-four House members voted for the teen-only texting/gaming ban on a procedural vote, then the revised bill passed with 55 “yes” votes.  Read the Radio Iowa story.

Culver tries to “stay” Wellmark premium hikes

Governor Chet Culver has taken an unusual step, trying to “halt” premium rate increases for those insured by Wellmark.   UPDATE:  Wellmark isn’t protesting.  Click on that link to read what a Wellmark spokesman and the state insurance commissioner had to say.

 Read the governor’s news release below.

Governor Culver Imposes Halt on Health Insurance Rate Hikes Pending Independent Review

Des Moines, IA – Governor Chet Culver today called for Wellmark to justify the 18% health insurance rate increase to the 80,000 Iowans affected. In a letter sent today to Insurance Commissioner Susan Voss, the Governor directs her office to stay the recently-announced insurance premium increases awarded to Wellmark Blue Cross-Blue Shield until a third-party, independent actuary can review the file and determine whether the Division’s processes used to award Wellmark the premium rate increases is justified.

“I share the concerns of many Iowans that the recent health insurance premium rate increases are a disturbing and unwelcomed surprise,” said Governor Chet Culver. “I am directing Insurance Commissioner Voss to take several actions that are intended to provide additional protections for the interests of Iowa health insurance consumers.

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Branstad’s new/old budget ideas

Governor Terry Branstad chose a campaign stop in Burnside, Iowa, as the place to unveil some budget reform ideas.  I’m sure the high schoolers to whom Branstad was speaking were keen on the subject. For those of you who’ve been around Iowa politics, you’ll notice these are ideas Branstad tried to implement during his 16-year tenure as governor.  UPDATE:  Here’s the Radio Iowa story, including quotes from an early afternoon interview with Branstad.

Read the campaign news release below:

(BURNSIDE, Iowa) – Gov. Terry Branstad today rolled out new policy that would end bad budget practices, replace yearly budgets with a biennial budget process, and develop and implement a five-year financial plan for state government.

“It is time to stop playing shell games with taxpayer dollars, stop erratic budget fixes and start talking honestly about the state’s finances,” said Gov. Branstad. “This proposal will end bad budget practices and again bring fiscal responsibility to the state.”

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WaPo story on Iowa governor’s race

Peter Slevin of The Washington Post spent some time in Iowa last week and a story under his byline appears in today’s WaPo.  Headline is “Iowa governor faces tough reelection as another state sours on incumbents.”

Braley leading “Red to Blue program”

Announcement from House leadership:

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Chris Van Hollen today announced the leadership for the Red to Blue program and additional assistance with incumbent protection.

DCCC Vice Chair Bruce Braley (IA) will join Representatives Allyson Schwartz (PA), Patrick Murphy (PA), and Donna Edwards (MD) as chairs of the Red to Blue Program for the 2010 cycle. The Red to Blue program highlights top Democratic campaigns across the country, and offers them financial, communications, grassroots, and strategic support.  The very successful fundraising effort helped raise more than $26 million for Red to Blue candidates last cycle.   

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Iverson rides again

Iverson rides again! That’s the subject line KQWC reporter Pat Powers put on the email he just sent me.  Former Senate Republican Leader Steart Iverson of Clarion plans to run again for the legislature.  He’ll be running for a House seat that’s currently held by Representative McKinley Bailey, a Democrat from Webster City.

“The biggest thing that concerns me is the rate of spending that we’e seen in the Iowa legislature over the past few years,” Iverson told KQWC Radio.  “…This is just not acceptable.”

Iverson indicated the closure of the Electrolux plant in Webster City would be an issue.  “We’ve got to look at jobs because of you don’t have a job, it’s pretty tough to pay our bills and everything else kind of goes along with that,” Iverson said in the radio interview.

Iverson spent 15 years on his local school board, and then won a seat in the Iowa House in 1988.  He won a seat in the Iowa Senate in 1994.  Iverson was deposed as Senate Republican Leader in the spring of 2006 and he later that year announced his retirement from the legislature.   He was elected chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa in early 2008, a position he held through that election cycle.

Gingrich in the mix

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will be making a trek to Iowa soon to headline a party banquet/fundraiser.  See the details below in a release that gets to Gingrich in the third paragraph.

Des Moines, Iowa – March 4, 2010 – The Polk County Republican Party and the Robb Kelley Victory Club are pleased to announce the first annual Robb Kelley Victory Club Dinner.  The dinner is an opportunity to honor the work of the late Robb Kelley, who was a former Chairman and CEO of EMC Insurance and an active supporter of Republican politics in Polk County and the state of Iowa. 

The dinner will be held on the evening of May 26th, with a Host Reception at 6:00 and General Reception and Dinner at 7:00 .  The location will be announced soon, but will be held in the Des Moines Metro area.  Tickets will be $75 apiece, with half tables of 5 and full tables of 10 providing special amenities to the table sponsors. Members of the Robb Kelley Victory Club will receive complementary ticketing and amenities based on their level of Club support.

We are also pleased to announce that Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, will be the Guest Speaker at the Robb Kelley Victory Club Dinner.  Gingrich was a US Representative from Georgia for 20 years, and was Speaker of the House for the last 6 years of his time in office.  Gingrich has founded and is working with several conservative organizations include “American Solutions for Winning the Future” and “The Center for Health Transformation”.

“This will be a tremendous opportunity for Republicans to remember the great example set by Robb Kelley, whose commitment to community action in Central Iowa lives on through his family today,” said John Bloom, Polk County Republican Party Chairman.  “It is doubly exciting that we can honor Robb’s legacy by having such a dominant figure in Conservative Politics as Newt Gingrich join us in this celebration!”

Governor keeping DOT, Revenue & VA chiefs

The Iowa Senate must confirm the governor’s appointments to various boards and commissions.  In addition, the women and men the governor wants to serve as directors of state agencies must win the support of at least two-thirds of state senators in order to assume those posts.  Today, Governor Culver announced he wants to reappoint three agency chiefs whose terms would expire this year.  Read the news release below:

DES MOINES – Governor Chet Culver has made three reappointments of State department directors for confirmation by the Iowa Senate.

Those reappointed are:

Nancy Richardson – Department of Transportation
Mark Schuling – Department of Revenue
Patrick Palmersheim – Veterans Affairs

Legislators don’t follow Culver’s casino lead

Here’s the Radio Iowa story.   None of the legislative leaders from either party are following Governor Culver’s lead today on the issue of gambling.  Shortly before nine o’clock, Culver said the Racing & Gaming Commission should approve casino licenses for Fort Dodge, Ottumwa, Tama & Larchwood.

Shortly after 10:30 a.m., Democratic legislative leaders said they’d leave it up to the commission to make the decision.  “If we get to the place where the legislature’s going to decide how many and where the licenses are going to be, I think that’s a very messy place,” said Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs). 

Shortly after 11 a.m., Republican legislative leaders said they’d leave it up to the commission to make the decision.  “I’m actually most surprised he’d wade into the board’s decision,” said House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha).

UPDATE:  One of the three Republican gubernatorial candidates issued a statement in reaction.  Read it below.

BURLINGTON – Gov. Chet Culver’s call today for the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to approve casino licenses for four more communities is fueled by “his desperation to win another term and his own compulsion to grow state government,” Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats said today.
 

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