Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
[Commentary] This is hardly the stuff of Lincoln and Douglas.
But considering that presidential debates leave much to be desired in the way of substance and format, there are some measurable outcomes.
We can see who “looks” presidential and catch key plays to the base.
But it is the first item, the who looks the part, that is most vital in what amounts to a high-stakes casting call for a real-life job as the world’s most powerful leader.
In that last measure, Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton were the clear winners in Sunday night’s New Hampshire debate. They both appeared presidential, as if they could step from the stage to the Oval Office with no learning curve.
In the first hour of the debate Biden had the strongest performance as he played the role of something of a Democratic John McCain (circa 2000), a truth-teller annoyed with perceived pandering.
“Being commander in chief occasionally requires you to be practical,” Biden said.
The only Democratic candidate to vote for the recent war-funding bill, Biden defended this as realistic, a vote for armor for the boys in the field.
“You’re going to end this war when we elect a Democratic president,” Biden said.
Stylistically, Biden was forceful and commanding, although he bordered on overbearing at times.
Round One: Biden
In the second half of the two-hour debate, Hillary Clinton was running on all cylinders. She managed to navigate dangerous waters for a female pol: looking strong without coming off as shrill or inspiring the audience to think of the B-word.
Her strongest moments came as questioned CNN’s hypothetical questions about use of military power, and whether the candidates, if elected president, would launch missiles to kill bin Laden if it meant collateral civilian kills.
“I don’t think it’s useful to talk about abstract hypotheticals,” Clinton said.
Strongly assailing the premise of a queston that the audience could tell is clearly unfair and even dangerous for the nation, was the right call for Mrs. Clinton.
She was smooth with answers on Pakistan, fluent with leaders’ names and the lay of the land now.
She brilliantly handled a question about whether her husband was wrong with his “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for gays in the military. Hillary Clinton said it was a solid transitional policy.
Then she invoked the famous Barry Goldwater line: “You don’t have to be straight to shoot straight.”
In the end her body language, her appearance — which will shape any lingering memories of this debate with voters — was spot on. These debate formats really suit Hillary Clinton. She was better Sunday than in the last debate in South Carolina.
Round 2 in N.H.: Hillary Clinton.
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