Stories

With Montana’s first dog, Jag, frolicking nearby, that state’s bolo-tie-wearing governor, Brian Schweitzer, fielded questions at Sen. Tom Harkin’s steak fry Sunday in Indianola. A popular Democrat from a conservative Mountain West state, he shared his thoughts on the tightening presidential race, and he connected his own family history to the subject of immigration reform.

Dick Armey pulled the race card from past elections. Gov. Brian Schweitzer produced a cellular phone from his pocket.

Each believed he had a trump card for the 2008 presidential election.

The focus of Schweitzer’s speech was energy, and he said that Republican slogans like “Drill, baby, drill” simply aren’t enough.

“We can’t drill our way out of our energy problem, and anyone who thinks we can is delusional,” he said. “Drilling is one aspect, but we need to focus on American sources of energy like biofuels, wind, and solar.”

“No politician, we repeat NO politician, just happens to go to Iowa,” writes Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post. “Every one of them knows that an Iowa trip means the press will float the idea of a presidential run.”

So it is with Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, this year’s guest speaker at Sen. Tom Harkin’s annual Steak Fry.