Iowa Civics Shine Through at Presidential Forum

Why would a national organization with national name recognition choose to hold its first presidential forum in Iowa?

“This forum is clearly another example of why the Iowa caucuses are so important,” Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Scott Brennan said following Monday’s event. “Not only do organizers understand that presidential candidates are in our state, but it is a reflection on the fact that if the Iowa people are supporting an event, the candidates know it is something they should also be supporting.”

“Is there really any other place in America where you could get 2,700 people, a former governor, the current governor, at least one Iowa congressman and four Democratic presidential candidates to come together on a Monday morning to talk about cancer?” asked participant Ellen Jeffers.

Gov. Chet Culver and U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack set out the importance of the event and Iowa’s role in raising the national conversation.

“We hear your call to action,” said Loebsack in his remarks that began the forum. “As we look toward the 2008 elections, I know I will be looking for a president that is willing to answer that call. Our next president will be confronted with many issues of concern to the American people, and fighting this disease should be at the top of the list.”

Culver continued along the same thread when he came to the podium.

“I believe there is no better place in the country to hold this forum than Iowa,” he said. “As the candidates know, and because of our first-in-the-nation presidential caucus, here in Iowa we are accustomed to asking thoughtful and often very challenging questions. A note to the candidates: We have come to expect honest, direct and straightforward answers.”

Lance Armstrong says that, at the end of the day, the success of any single-issue forum will come down to candidate priorities.

“I personally thought [the forum] was amazing,” he said following the event. “We had a lot of very significant candidates here, and they discussed the issue we wanted them to discuss — not the issue I wanted them to discuss but the issue that millions of people in this country wanted them to discuss — a devastating illness called cancer.

“As we know in this country, there are a lot of topics that we could discuss and debate. This just comes down to an issue of priorities. When we look at the war, I’m sure a lot of candidates would like to show up and discuss that — the war is debatable. This issue isn’t debatable. We are glad that we had the participation that we did, and we’re glad that the content was what it was.”

When looking toward tomorrow, however, when the forum will continue with the Republican contenders for the White House, Armstrong says he primarily feels disappointed at the lack of participation.

“Let me first say that I think Mike Huckabee is a rising star on that side,” he said. “But I’ve said this before, and there’s no reason not to say it again — it’s a disappointment that two cancer survivors on the Republican side — Mayor [Rudy] Giuliani and Sen. [John] McCain — will not be attending. That being said, I understand that they have other commitments.”

The forum continues tomorrow in Cedar Rapids with Republican candidates Huckabee and Sen. Sam Brownback.