John McCain picked up a relatively rare newspaper endorsement Saturday from the Cedar Rapids Gazette. The eastern Iowa daily also backed incumbent Democrats Tom Harkin for U.S. Senate and Bruce Braley in the 1st Congressional District, but chose Republican challengers Mariannette Miller-Meeks over 2nd District Rep. Dave Loebsack and Kim Schmett over Leonard Boswell in the 3rd District.

“Obama has offered no clear plan to deal with our country’s staggering debt,” wrote the Gazette editorial board, citing McCain’s economic policies as the main reason for the endorsement. “(Obama’s) tax plan could stifle the economic rebound we desperately need.”

But the Gazette expressed disapproval of McCain’s vice presidential choice. “Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin might well shake up Washington’s entrenched politics as usual, but she obviously lacks working knowledge and understanding of foreign policy and many national issues, which raises valid questions about McCain’s judgment in choosing her.”

The Gazette cited Harkin’s seniority in its endorsement and noted that his Republican challenger, Marion businessman Christopher Reed, did not meet with the editorial board.

Likewise, Bruce Braley’s challenger, state Sen. Dave Hartsuch, did not meet with the editorial board, which said Braley “quickly gained a reputation in his first term as a smart, bulldog questioner who does his homework.”

“We were pretty comfortable with endorsing Loebsack for a second term … until we met Mariannette Miller-Meeks,” writes the board. While praising the Mt. Vernon freshman Loebsack, the endorsement calls Miller-Meeks a “dynamo” who can “say no to requests and programs that can’t be funded without more taxpayer debt.”

In contrast, the Gazette had little praise for the 3rd District candidates and said Boswell offered few specifics. Schmett “didn’t exactly wow us… but it’s time for someone else to represent the 3rd District.”

The Gazette has a policy of no endorsements in caucuses and primaries.

“If there ever was a time that the election of a president could jump start America’s flat-lining moral standing in the world, it would be the election of Barack Obama on Tuesday,” writes the editorial board. “Moreover, Obama has proven to be a smart enough politician that he recognizes and will be able to make the best use of that opportunity.”

“If only candidate McCain from 2000 — the one who really did take on the leaders of his party when they were moving in the direction of the policies proposed by George W. Bush — were in charge of a party that has wreaked such havoc on Washington for eight years,” the paper says of the Republican nominee. “But by giving his vice presidential nod to Sarah Palin as a last-ditch attempt to garner hard-core conservative support, McCain has shown undeniably how he controls neither his own campaign nor his own party.”

The only Republican to win endorsement from the Iowa City paper was state Rep. Jeff Kaufmann of Wilton, whose Democratic opponent dropped out of the race but remains on the ballot.

Despite Iowa City’s liberal leanings, the local paper doesn’t always endorse a Democratic sweep. 2006 Republican endorsements included Kaufmann, Jim Leach, and state Sen. Dave Miller, who lost his seat to Becky Schmitz. And in 2004, in a slap in the face to local Democrat Art Small, the Press-Citizen endorsed neither Small nor Republican Chuck Grassley, but instead backed the Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate.

The Press-Citizen endorsed Republican Greg Ganske in that race. But this year they had nothing but negatives for Harkin’s opponent, Christopher Reed.

“Six years ago, we thought Iowa Republicans had a candidate who might be worth a temporary drop in Iowa’s senatorial clout,” the editorial reads. “This year, we worry about what Reed’s nomination says about the future of Iowa Republicans.”

“All he seems willing to do is to repeat the perennial complaint that ‘Washington is broken,’ without explaining the practical steps he would take to fix the problem,” wrote the editorial board. “Reed said he wanted to reduce the size of government, but then told us it was ‘unfair’ to ask him what types of programs he would like to cut in order to accomplish this.”

As for the incumbent, the Press-Citizen cited Harkin’s pragmatism and seniority. “He continually puts Iowa front and center in the fight for good farm policy, agricultural research funds and in discussions on international agricultural trade.”

Why alienate an incumbent who, according to all public polls, is likely to win re-nomination by a two to one margin? Let me help you think like journalists.We’ve got this weird mix of cynicism and idealism, always looking for the motivations behind seemingly straightforward moves, yet still wishing for the Mr. Smith Goes To Washington vision of how government and politics are really supposed to work. Think John Stewart meets Jimmy Stewart, and you’ll get the idea.

Ed Fallon, in his own way, plays into that vision, telling the Register editorial board that he wants to bike to work and grow tomatoes while serving in Congress. Fallon is different, thus making him interesting, and the true bias of the press is toward the interesting story.

Fallon’s independent streak, his “I don’t play ball attitude,” is annoying to party insiders and legislative colleagues. But it plays well to the press paradigm of “objectivity,” which sees independent thinking, within reason, as morally superior to voting a party line. The question here is defining “within reason.” “Fallon is aware of mistakes he’s made,” the Register writes in its endorsement. “He joked, for example, about being overzealous in introducing bills during his early years in the Iowa Legislature.” How many stories were padded by one line from 1993 to 2006 for having to include the phrase, The lone nay vote was Rep. Ed Fallon, D-Des Moines? Just enough? Too many?

The Register describes Boswell as “out of touch” on several key issues, particularly Medicare spending. Editorial board in general love those dull gray, doom-and-gloom budgetary  issues that play out so convincingly in long print articles, and can’t be simplified into soundbites. The Registers David Yepsen calls those the “pour another cup of coffee” stories (presumably, not a latte from an Iowa City coffee house).

But perhaps the most significant reason, not even mentioned in the endorsement piece itself, has nothing to do with Fallon or with a concrete federal issue. My sense is this endorsement is a shot across Leonard Boswell’s bow for not debating Ed Fallon. The incumbent cited a busy Congressional schedule, but nevertheless had plenty of time to attend events in the district.

It may have been smart politics, in the conventional sense. If you’re an incumbent who’s well ahead, why give your opponent a break by putting him on an equal footing? A debate might have turned the dialogue in the race from “Why did you vote for Ralph Nader, Ed?” to “Why did you vote for the war, Leonard?”

But playing it safe involves some trade-offs, and perhaps this endorsement is the price Boswell paid for not debating. Debates are good stories, and they’re one of the rituals of the campaign trail that journalists believe in. Boswell will probably learn his lesson and agree to debate Republican Kim Schmett in the fall.

In the end, the Register endorsement isn’t likely to mean much. Boswell’s gotten almost every other endorsement that matters in this race, from organized labor and party insiders. Even Senator Tom Harkin, who usually stays out of primaries, has placed the stamp of approval on Boswell. Only a handful of left-side groups, such as Move On, are with Fallon.

More importantly, Secretary of State Mike Mauro is predicting very low turnout next Tuesday. That means most of the voters will be the diehard party activists who vote in every election, who know Leonard Boswell, and who are receptive, or perhaps susceptible, to the Nader! Nader! Nader! rhetoric the Boswell campaign has offered.

In this installment, we continue with supporters and the people surrounding the candidates. But these videos will be more like full-blown testimony and praise for the candidates.

These videos are interviews with the people who have decided on their candidates leading up to the caucuses; some famous and some not-so-famous.

Below the fold: more than a dozen presidential candidate endorsement videos from the Iowa Independent.Let’s start with some Republican endorsements…

Ken Van Doren drove several hours with a group from Wisconsin to see his candidate, Texas Congressman Ron Paul,  deliver a speech to hundreds of fans on Oct. 26 in Ames, Iowa.

Mike Huckabee has a friend in Bob Anderson. Anderson introduced Huckabee at an event in Vinton, Iowa on Nov. 7 and talks about Huckabee’s “charisma” and “authenticity” in this video.

After months of water-testing by the former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson, Ray Garringer and his son, Bryson, witnessed the three-day old candidacy in Cedar Rapids. Thompson had announced he would officially run only three days prior to this event.

Oscar Argueta said he trusts Mitt Romney: “He [Romney] has the sense to do what is right …” He saw the former Massachusetts governor in Washington, Iowa.

Maggie Tinsman is a former state senator from eastern Iowa.  She introduced Rudy Giuliani in Bettendorf, but Iowa Independent cameras were also rolling for an interview in Iowa City.

Young Republican organizer Jacob Nieuwsma saw his candidate, Rudy Giuliani, in Cedar Rapids. Nieuwsma has a GOTV event planned at Linn-Mar High School for caucus night, Jan. 3.

Patrick Riley and his mom, Sarah Riley, talk about Democratic Senator Joe Biden at a house party in Marion, Iowa.

Another Biden endorsement video, this time it’s State Sen. Joe Seng talking about his candidate with the Iowa Independent in Davenport after the AARP debates.  Seng was the first state senator from Iowa to endorse Biden for president.

The International Association of Firefighters rolled out their endorsement of Sen. Chris Dodd in Iowa City on Aug. 30. This was one of the first presidential caucus event videos for the Iowa Independent.

Another Dodd supporter, Eva Bunnell, was in Davenport talking about her close family friend. Iowa Independent reporter Lynda Waddington has a video of Bunnell’s speech in Cedar Rapids.

Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne were in Grinnell to play a short concert for John Edwards.  Interestingly, Browne had donated to Barack Obama’s campaign before shifting his support to Edwards.

James Lowe is another Edwards supporter.  He was in Lisbon, Iowa talking up his candidate. Lowe’s story has become well-known after Edwards has used it as an example of problems in the U.S. health care system.

P.J. Sesker-Green said Bill Richardson was the only candidate who promised her that he would bring the troops home. In this video, she explains what led to her support of Richardson and she talks about her nephew, Sgt. Daniel Sesker, who died in Iraq.

Hillary Clinton fan and precinct captain Lars Lavender, a Parnell, Iowa resident, likes her strength and experience. He saw her on Dec. 8 in Williamsburg, Iowa.

Health care workers for Hillary, right? And college students for Obama?
Not in the Taylor family! In this video, mom and daughter have chosen different candidates but sat together on Oct. 6 at the Johnson County BBQ.
[Cute baby ALERT!]

Harris Wofford is a former senator from Pennsylvania. Considered by Bill Clinton as a running mate in 1992, he was in Mt. Vernon, Iowa to endorse and introduce Barack Obama.

For more Iowa Independent videos check out the youTube channel for the I.I. at:
http://www.youtube.c…

Coming next in the Highlight Reel series is Part 3: Comparing the Candidates on Comparing the Candidates.  The candidates talk about each other in Part 3, so stay tuned!

If you missed Highlight Reel Part 1: Comparing Candidate Introductions, click here for more videos: http://www.iowaindep…

Barack Obama holds the lead in endorsements from Iowa newspapers with a total of nine.  But measured by total readership, Hillary Clinton has the advantage with the backing of the state’s largest paper, the Des Moines Register.

On the Republican side, John McCain leads both in numbers and in total circulation.  Fred Thompson gains his first endorsement, from the Ottumwa Courier.

Papers and numbers below the fold.

Dem	Total	Daily	Weekly	Readership
Obama	9	6	3	247132
Clinton	4	3	1	464370
Biden	3	0	3	23190
Edwards	2	2	0	36636
Dodd	0	0	0
Richardson	0	0	0
total	18	11	7

With holiday endorsements from Sen. Jack Hatch and Rep. Mark Davitt, Hillary Clinton has retaken the lead in legislative endorsements from Barack Obama, 21 to 20.

John Edwards also picked up an endorsement Friday from Senator Brian Schoenjohn of Arlington, raising his total to 11.

	Total	Senate	House
Clinton	21	11	10
Obama	20	7	13
Biden	16	2	14
Edwards	11	3	8
Dodd	3	2	1
Richardson	1	0	1
Kucinich	0	0	0
Gravel	0	0	0
Uncommitted	11	5	6
Total	83	30	53

The big one — The Des Moines Register — dropped last weekend.  But as editorial board meetings wind down, newspapers across Iowa are starting to line up behind the presidential candidates.  The Democratic side shows a Barack Obama lead, six to four over Hillary Clinton (though she got the Register endorsement).

The Republican contest is closer between Mike Huckabee and, despite his relative lack of campaigning in the state, John McCain.

Below the fold: the scorecard and details.

Dem	Total	Daily	Weekly
Obama	6	4	2
Clinton	4	3	1
Biden	2	0	2
Edwards	1	1	0
Dodd	0	0	0
Richardson	0	0	0
total	14	8	6

GOP	Total	Daily	Weekly
Huckabee	6	2	4
McCain	5	4	1
Romney	1	1	0
Giuliani	0	0	0
Hunter	0	0	0
Keyes	0	0	0
Paul	0	0	0
Thompson	0	0	0
total	12	7	5

With Sunday’s endorsement from Rep. Wayne Ford of Des Moines, Barack Obama takes the lead in endorsements from Iowa legislators with 20 to Hillary Clinton’s 19.

Clinton still leads the Iowa Senate with 10, while Joe Biden has the most House endorsements with 14.

Rumors had abounded that Ford was planning to endorse Clinton immediately after the Dec. 1 Brown and Black Forum in Des Moines, but on Dec. 4 Ford issued a non-endorsement, saying, “In my opinion, none of the candidates aggressively dealt with the problems in the urban communities.”  In Sunday’s Obama press release, Ford said Obama will be “a President who can successfully expand economic opportunity and access to affordable housing for every American — including those who live in urban communities.”

The release also noted that Ford’s endorsement gives Obama support from all four of Iowa’s African-American legislators.

In addition to Ford, Obama recently picked up support from Council Bluffs Rep. Paul Shomshor, while Biden added Reps. Eric Palmer of Oskaloosa and Dennis Cohoon of Burlington.

Only 14 of the 83 Democratic legislators remain uncommitted, including House Speaker Pat Murphy and Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (whose family members are backing Clinton.)

Below the fold, the roll call.

	Total	Senate	House
Obama	20	7	13
Clinton	19	10	9
Biden	16	2	14
Edwards	10	2	8
Dodd	3	2	1
Richardson	1	0	1
Kucinich	0	0	0
Gravel	0	0	0
Uncommitted	14	7	7
Total	83	30	53

Name	District	Home County	Endorsement	2004 Endorsement
Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach	Senate District 23	Story	Biden	none
Sen. Dr. Joe M. Seng	Senate District 43	Scott	Biden	none
Rep. McKinley Bailey	House District 9	Hamilton	Biden	new
Rep. Doris Kelley	House District 20	Black Hawk	Biden	new
Rep. Roger Thomas	House District 24	Clayton	Biden	Kerry
Rep. Polly Bukta	House District 26	Clinton	Biden	Dean
Rep. Dick Taylor	House District 33	Linn	Biden	Kerry
Rep. Lisa Heddens	House District 46	Story	Biden	Kerry
Rep. Bruce Hunter	House District 62	Polk	Biden	Dean
Rep. Kevin McCarthy	House District 67	Polk	Biden	Lieberman
Rep. Jim Lykam	House District 85	Scott	Biden	none
Rep. Mary Gaskill	House District 93	Wapello	Biden	Kerry
Rep. John Whitaker	House District 90	Van Buren	Biden	Gephardt
Rep. Mike Reasoner	House District 95	Union	Biden	Lieberman
Rep. Eric Palmer	House District 75	Mahaska	Biden	new
Rep. Dennis Cohoon	House District 88	Des Moines	Biden	Edwards
Sen. William A. Dotzler, Jr.	Senate District 11	Black Hawk	Clinton	Gephardt
Sen. Roger Stewart	Senate District 13	Jackson	Clinton	Kerry
Sen. Michael Connolly	Senate District 14	Dubuque	Clinton	Kerry
Sen. Wally E. Horn	Senate District 17	Linn	Clinton	none
Sen. Rob Hogg	Senate District 19	Linn	Clinton	none
Sen. Dennis H. Black	Senate District 21	Jasper	Clinton	Kerry
Sen. Dick L. Dearden	Senate District 34	Polk	Clinton	Gephardt
Sen. Staci Appel	Senate District 37	Warren	Clinton	new
Sen. Becky Schmitz	Senate District 45	Jefferson	Clinton	new
Sen. Gene Fraise	Senate District 46	Lee	Clinton	none
Rep. Roger Wendt	House District 2	Woodbury	Clinton	Kerry
Rep. Mark Kuhn	House District 14	Floyd	Clinton	Gephardt
Rep. Todd Taylor	House District 34	Linn	Clinton	none
Rep. Swati Dandekar	House District 36	Linn	Clinton	Kerry
Rep. Paul Bell	House District 41	Jasper	Clinton	Kerry
Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell	House District 45	Story	Clinton	new
Rep. Mary Mascher	House District 77	Johnson	Clinton	Kerry
Rep. Vicki Lensing	House District 78	Johnson	Clinton	none
Rep. Cindy Winckler	House District 86	Scott	Clinton	Dean
Sen. Jeff Danielson	Senate District 10	Black Hawk	Dodd	new
Sen. Tom Hancock	Senate District 16	Dubuque	Dodd	new
Rep. Ray Zirkelbach	House District 31	Jones	Dodd	new
Rep. Bob Kressig	House District 19	Black Hawk	Edwards	new
Sen. Daryl Beall	Senate District 25	Webster	Edwards	Dean
Sen. Keith A. Kreiman	Senate District 47	Davis	Edwards	Edwards
Rep. Wes Whitead	House District 1	Woodbury	Edwards	Gephardt
Rep. Andrew Wenthe	House District 18	Fayette	Edwards	new
Rep. Ro Foege	House District 29	Linn	Edwards	Edwards
Rep. Art Staed	House District 37	Linn	Edwards	new
Rep. Geri Huser	House District 42	Polk	Edwards	Edwards
Rep. Nathan Reichert	House District 80	Muscatine	Edwards	new
Rep. Kurt Swaim	House District 94	Davis	Edwards	Edwards
Sen. Steve Warnstadt	Senate District 1	Woodbury	Obama	Kerry
Sen. Rich Olive	Senate District 5	Story	Obama	new
Sen. Bill Heckroth	Senate District 9	Bremer	Obama	new
Sen. Robert E. Dvorsky	Senate District 15	Johnson	Obama	Gephardt
Sen. Tom Rielly	Senate District 38	Mahaska	Obama	new
Sen. Joe Bolkcom	Senate District 39	Johnson	Obama	Dean
Sen. Frank Wood	Senate District 42	Scott	Obama	new
Rep. Brian Quirk	House District 15	Chickasaw	Obama	Kerry
Rep. Deborah Berry	House District 22	Black Hawk	Obama	Kerry
Rep. Pam Jochum	House District 27	Dubuque	Obama	Kerry
Rep. David Jacoby	House District 30	Johnson	Obama	Kerry
Rep. Tyler Olson	House District 38	Linn	Obama	new
Rep. Mark Smith	House District 43	Marshall	Obama	Kerry
Rep. Donovan Olson	House District 48	Boone	Obama	Kerry
Rep. Helen Miller	House District 49	Webster	ObamaGephardt
Rep. Janet Petersen	House District 64	Polk	Obama	Kerry
Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad	House District 66	Polk	Obama	new
Rep. Elesha Gayman	House District 84	Scott	Obama	new
Rep. Wayne Ford	House District 65	Polk	Obama	Edwards
Rep. Paul Shomshor	House District 100	Pottawattamie	Obama	Lieberman
Rep. Marcella Frevert	House District 7	Palo Alto	Richardson	Dean
Sen. John P. "Jack" Kibbie	Senate District 4	Palo Alto		Kerry
Sen. Amanda Ragan	Senate District 7	Cerro Gordo		none
Sen. Brian Schoenjahn	Senate District 12	Fayette		new
Sen. Matt McCoy	Senate District 31	Polk		Kerry
Sen. Jack Hatch	Senate District 33	Polk		Kerry
Sen. Thomas G. Courtney	Senate District 44	Des Moines		Gephardt
Sen. Michael E. Gronstal	Senate District 50	Pottawattamie		none
Rep. Dolores Mertz	House District 8	Kossuth		none
Rep. Tom Schueller	House District 25	Jackson		new
Rep. Pat Murphy	House District 28	Dubuque		none
Rep. Jo Oldson	House District 61	Polk		Kerry
Rep. Rick Olson	House District 68	Polk		new
Rep. Mark Davitt	House District 74	Warren		Kerry
Rep. Philip L. Wise	House District 92	Lee		Lieberman

]]> http://iowaindependent.com/1704/wayne-ford-endorsement-gives-obama-legislative-lead/feed 2 http://iowaindependent.com/1684/daily-iowan-endorses-obama-mccain http://iowaindependent.com/1684/daily-iowan-endorses-obama-mccain#comments Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:48:08 +0000 John Deeth http://iowaindependent.com/1684/daily-iowan-endorses-obama-mccain The impact may be muted, as finals end today and students are already leaving town.  But today, the University of Iowa’s Daily Iowan endorsed Barack Obama and John McCain.

“From the start, Obama was viewed as charismatic but lacking in substance. Now, fewer than two weeks from our state caucuses, this is no longer the case,” the paper wrote in its final edition before caucus night Jan. 3.  “Obama’s commanding oratorical abilities should not distract voters from his policy proposals, objectives that outline a return of ‘united’ to the United States. We believe his judgment and ideas are the best fit, not just for a party but for a people.”

“McCain has remained loyal to his message,” the student paper said of its chosen Republican.  “After ignoring the horse race and celebrity status some candidates have earned, it’s clear that McCain’s vision for America stands above those offered by his Republican counterparts.”  The DI voiced some issue concerns with McCain:

On numerous issues, McCain and his fellow Republicans offer nearly identical answers, and we disagree with many of them. Like other GOP candidates, McCain supports overturning Roe v. Wade. He also wants to “protect” traditional marriage, as if it’s somehow come under attack; fortunately, though, he disagrees with a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. When McCain does take a divergent route, however, his arguments are striking.

In considering some of the other Republicans, the DI writes: