Stories

In interviews with Iowa Independent this week, several delegates discussed the tough choices they may have to make at Saturday’s county convention.

Speaking at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson made a pitch for himself as a presidential candidate.

He challenged the other Democratic candidates on Iraq when he said: “They’ve decided to stop talking about Iraq. Their campaign strategies have shifted to other issues.  Over the last few debates and on the [...]

Bill Richardson has pledged to bring fairness back to federal farm policies.
The New Mexico governor and Democratic presidential candidate rolled out a set of rural policy proposals Tuesday in western Iowa, focusing on renewable energy, conservation and a promise to "level the playing field for family farmers and independent producers."
One of Richardson's key advisers [...]

Jim Leach offered unexpected praise of Barack Obama and several other Democratic presidential candidates in an interview with Iowa Independent this week.

The former Iowa Republican congressman, who is now head of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, also offered unsolicited praise of Democrats Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, and Bill Richardson, and of Republican [...]

When P.J. Sesker-Green met Gov. Bill Richardson two months ago at the Iowa State Fair she knew that he was the candidate for her. 

At the Johnson County BBQ in Iowa City, she introduced the candidate to the hot and humid crowd.  Afterwards, she told the Iowa Independent that Bill Richardson has the experience to, “turn [...]

It’s almost “Vertical Day” for Mike Huckabee’s campaign.  “Vertical,” or “V” Day, will be a 24-hour online conversation hosted by Mike Huckabee at his website starting Monday morning.

I’m not a political scientist, but I don’t know why they didn’t think of this sooner.  I would think that verticality–we’re talking positive, upward motion–is the best kind [...]

Although Sen. Joe Biden gave little respect to Bill Richardson during the AARP Divided We Fail Presidential Candidate Forum in Davenport on Sept. 20, Richardson still gave himself a good review on his debate performance.

Biden likened Richardson’s experience as New Mexico governor to playing football in “high school.”

In this video, Richardson responds to some of [...]

Not all of the people at the Harkin Steak Fry were on stage with Senator Tom and Ruth Harkin.  There were about 12,000 others wandering around eating steak (or chicken), waving signs, lots of waving signs, and cheering for candidates.

In these videos you’ll witness the sign wars, meet the people who drove across the state [...]

Six democratic candidates spoke at the Harkin Steak Fry fundraiser this year in Indianola.  Each candidate was introduced by Senator Tom Harkin. 

Click here to see video reactions from the Iowa audience.

In reverse order, excerpts from the candidates’ speeches are below the fold in this post.

To follow our coverage of Sunday’s Harkin Steak Fry as it unfolded, click here.

INDIANOLA – Hillary pulled out the best line of the day.

Obama’s team orchestrated some powerhouse optics.

Edwards did that lawyer-leaping-from-the-John-Grisham-novel-to-face-the-forces-of capitalism’s-excesses-for-those-Americans-bogged-in-the-backwater thing,

The candidates had their moments, some big ones at that.

But the win at U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin’s Steak Fry, the trophy on [...]