On the Campaign Trail with Ed Tibbetts

Davenport rated a mention at Friday’s private service for Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Sen. John Kerry recounted what I think was Kennedy’s last trip to Iowa, when he campaigned for Kerry’s presidential campaign just before the Iowa caucuses in 2004. I recounted the visit in my story last Wednesday after Kennedy’s death.

The video above is nearly 7 minutes. The Davenport passage is about :30 seconds in. Incidentally, Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba could be seen Friday night at the service. He was sitting near Sen. John McCain.

The mayor said Friday he ran into Gov. Chet Culver on the way to the service, which he attended on a whim. I gather he got in through the governor’s assistance.

Catch my blog when it continues after Labor Day.

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, also expressed their condolences over Sen. Edward Kennedy’s death.

The governor said:

“This is a very sad day for America. My prayers are with the Senator’s wife Vicki, his children, family members and all of those who loved him.

“Senator Kennedy was truly the lion and leader of the U.S. Senate, regardless of one’s party affiliation. His record of accomplishment is unmatched. Ted Kennedy was a kind and gentle public servant who cared passionately about people across the country and around the world, especially those without a voice. He fought every day for 47 years in the Senate to improve lives and help people achieve their hopes and dreams.

“Senator Kennedy had a wonderful sense of humor, he was always there for his family and friends, and he had an unwavering faith and a generosity of spirit. These qualities and his record in public service will continue to serve as an example to all of us.”

Grassley said:

“The United States Senate will never be the same without Ted Kennedy.  His presence was enormous.  He fought hard, debated intensely and worked tirelessly for what he thought was right.  Senator Kennedy and I had a different point of view on most every issue, but he was an ally like few others when he was on your side.  Senator Kennedy leaves a legacy as a public servant and policy maker, and my wife Barbara joins me in sending our deepest sympathy to his family.”

Braley issued this statement:

“With the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy, our nation has lost a great leader.  Senator Kennedy fought for what he believed in and cared deeply for our country.  He never stopped fighting for working families and those less fortunate than himself.  Respected by leaders from both sides of the aisle and people from all walks of life, his tremendous legacy will live on in the Democratic Party and in the Senate.”

QC reaction to Sen. Edward Kennedy’s death is here on the Times web site.

Also, the area’s congressional delegation is reacting. I’ve posted statements from U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Rep. Phil Hare, D-Ill., below.

When I get others I’ll post those.

Here’s Durbin:

“Today there is an empty chair in our Senate and an empty feeling in our hearts.

We all waited expectantly during Ted’s struggle with cancer for the Senate doors to swing wide and that great Irish spirit to once again return.

His voice roared as he battled for the poor and the victims of injustice yet he had a smile that could light a room, a laugh that would draw a crowd and a heart always ready to share your sorrow. America was blessed to have the gift of Ted Kennedy and I was blessed to count him as a friend.”

Here’s Harkin:

“Today my thoughts are with the Kennedy family as they mourn the loss of their father, grandfather, husband and patriarch.  Their grief is shared by all of us in Congress who have lost a friend and role model. I personally was honored to serve with Ted Kennedy and call him my friend.

“In Ted, Americans had a staunch advocate for the rights worth protecting: ensuring a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work, making sure that every kid has the education and opportunity they deserve and the cause of his life, access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans.  I worked side-by-side with him to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act and will never forget his compassion for individuals with disabilities and the opportunity he gave me as a young senator to spearhead that legislation.

“As Congress continues its work on these and many other issues, we will remember Ted Kennedy every step of the way.  The liberal lion no longer roams the halls of Congress, but his legacy remains.

“We must now rededicate our efforts toward passing legislation to provide robust, quality health insurance coverage for all Americans.”

Here’s Hare’s statement:

“Senator Ted Kennedy was one of the greatest men I ever knew. One of my first political experiences was as a volunteer on his 1980 presidential campaign. Senator Kennedy grew up with every privilege a person could have, yet he spent his entire career fighting for the most vulnerable among us. He was a champion of civil rights for women, racial minorities, gays and lesbians, and all those who faced undue discrimination. He used his powerful role in the Senate to craft legislation that extended the American Dream to ordinary families through better jobs, schools, and health care. And he was the single best friend that organized labor and America’s working men and women ever had. There is no way to fully repay Senator Kennedy for his historic contributions to our nation. But we can start by passing comprehensive health care reform this fall, an issue he called, ‘the cause of my life.’ My condolences go out to the entire Kennedy family.”

Christian Fong, an Iowa Republican running for the party’s 2010 gubernatorial nomination is up with a radio ad. His campaign announced the buy today.

Fong narrates the ad, the text of which is below.

It was 1944, as communism was ascending, Nelson Fong’s family escaped China.

Meanwhile, the United States was a beacon of freedom.  After tax cuts in ‘61, the U.S. was booming.  Nelson Fong, a Christian in Hong Kong was drawn by the promise of freedom to the United States in ‘63.  He met a farm girl, worked many jobs and eventually settled in a small western Iowa town.  Today, Nelson Fong lives that American dream…I know because he’s my father.

I’m Christian Fong.  Today, I see that dream slipping away.  We have a state government that borrowed almost a billion dollars to pay its bills.    As Governor I would end the use of taxpayer money to fund lobbyists and veto any budget that is not balanced.

Like many of you, we live the Iowa Dream and we should never let that slip away. I’m Christian Fong.

UPDATE (5 p.m.): The Iowa Democratic Party responds to Fong’s new ad. See below.

Des Moines, August 24 — Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Michael Kiernan today called on GOP candidate for Governor Christian Fong to halt the airing of “materially false and misleading” radio advertisements.

Kiernan cited as an example the state of California, which had a $26 billion budget deficit for this year and put out $470 million in IOUs before making major cuts to state programs and services in an effort to balance the state budget. “To lump Iowa in with states like California is fundamentally incorrect, misleading and false,”  Kiernan said.  “Fong is being dishonest.”

Earlier, I posted on the ongoing feud between Rep. Bruce Braley and Sen. Chuck Grassley.

Here’s the text of Braley’s Huffington Post piece that kicked things off today. Following that is Grassley spokeperson Jill Kozeny’s response:

As the important health care debate in Congress moves forward, certain members of the Senate insist on moving backwards. One of those Senators is my friend and constituent, Chuck Grassley.

Grassley used scare tactics last week at a town hall meeting in Iowa to convince voters that optional coverage for end-of-life counseling in the House health care reform bill would force people to “pull the plug on grandma” (even though he supported a nearly identical end-of-life counseling provision in a 2003). Earlier this week, Grassley told reporters that even if a health care plan included the changes he’s been pushing for, he likely wouldn’t support it if it didn’t attract the support of more than a few of his GOP colleagues. Today, the Washington Post reported that Senator Grassley has begun calling for “scaled back” health care reform.

For someone who claims he wants to help forge a bipartisan health care plan, Senator Grassley sure isn’t acting very bipartisan. In fact, he’s been behaving like someone who wants to see meaningful health care reform defeated.

During his nearly thirty years serving in the Senate, Senator Grassley has earned a reputation as a “straight shooter” — someone who has been willing to take on powerful special interests even when his party has supported those special interests. He’s also been someone who may disagree with with you on policy, but has not resorted to playing loose with the facts to fit his point of view.

That’s why his recent behavior has been so disappointing. He should know that real leadership in Congress means putting the facts before fiction (no matter how difficult that might be), finding common ground, and persuading your colleagues to do the right thing. Grassley certainly didn’t ignore the facts when he pushed the Pentagon to cut wasteful defense programs. He certainly put facts before the Bush administration’s fiction when he stood up against reckless tax cuts for millionaires and broke with his party to support increased funding for children’s health insurance.

So when Chuck Grassley stands up in front of a crowd of anxious Iowa seniors and pushes a myth about the federal government “pulling the plug on Grandma” that’s been debunked by dozens of media outlets and fact-check groups (even Republican Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia called the claim “nuts”), when he questions the health care reform legislation’s “motivations,” you’ve got to wonder what’s changed about his motivations.

Senator Grassley is in a stronger position than just about anyone to bring Republicans on board with Democrats to achieve the health care reform we need. But when he uses the same rhetoric as pundits advising Republicans to “just kill it” and a Republican Senator who wants to make health care President Obama’s “Waterloo,” why would the President or Senator Baucus think he is their ally in achieving meaningful health care reform?

Sadly, it appears that Senator Grassley has decided to put his party before what’s best for the people of this country.

Here’s Kozeny’s response:

“Congressman Braley is the one who might like to go backwards and change his vote for Speaker Pelosi’s fatally flawed health care bill.  It does nothing to reduce health care costs, piles on deficit spending and sets in motion a government takeover of the health care system.  The Pelosi bill, which Congressman Braley voted for in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has been rejected loud and clear at the grass roots.  Unfortunately, it looks like Congressman Braley put his party duties as Vice Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ahead of Iowans.  Meanwhile, Senator Grassley is moving forward by working for a viable alternative that would actually lower health care costs for employers, employees and families.  He’s working to stop reform that would bankrupt the next generation and put government bureaucrats between you and your doctor.  Bruce Braley can stand with Nancy Pelosi.  Senator Grassley is standing with Iowans.”

Rep. Bruce Braley continues to call out Sen. Chuck Grassley on health care. He wrote an piece in today’s Huffington Post.

Incidentally, the congressman’s office helpfully alerted Iowa media to the article.

The kicker: “Sadly, it appears that Senator Grassley has decided to put his party before what’s best for the people of this country.”

There was speculation a few days ago in the Politico that Braley might be interested in challenging Grassley in next year’s election.

I’ve been told there’s not much chance of that, but this article will probably spur more of that kind of speculation.

UPDATE (3:05 p.m.): Sen. Grassley’s office responded to Braley this afternoon.

Spokesperson Jill Kozeny says: “The Pelosi bill, which Congressman Braley voted for in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has been rejected loud and clear at the grass roots.  Unfortunately, it looks like Congressman Braley put his party duties as Vice Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ahead of Iowans.”

Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge, U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley and Democratic Senate candidate Tom Fiegen will be on hand for the Scott County Democrats’ fundraising picnic Sunday.

Called “A Picnic in the Park,” the event will be from noon to 4 p.m. at the Whispering Pines Shelter at Scott County Park. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12. The public is welcome.

Other local officials will be there, too.

Want more information, call 324-7130.

U.S. Rep. Phil Hare is pushing for a public option as a part of health care reform. The Rock Island Democrat issued a statement welcoming Vice President Joe Biden, who was in Chicago today to talk about health care reform.

In the statement, Hare said:

“….in recent days there have been some reports that the President may reconsider requiring a strong, robust public option that competes directly with private insurance companies. That would be a mistake. Health care reform without a public option is a like a car without a motor. It may look nice, but it isn’t going anywhere.”

An article in Slate says a lot of us are getting government-backed health care and don’t even know it — or won’t admit it.

Here’s a key paragraph:

As we’ve noted before, if you add the failure of employer-linked health care with Medicare, Medicaid, government employment, and the military, a huge chunk of Americans already have taxpayer-funded health care. It’s a diverse lot. Rich old people and poor kids, university professors, congressmen, teachers, DMV clerks and their families. Pretty much everybody you see on CNBC yelling about socialism? Their parents and grandparents (if they’re still living) get taxpayer-funded health insurance. Mine do. Charles Grassley, the septuagenarian Iowan who is doing his darnedest to torpedo meaningful health care form, has it. Arthur Laffer, the 69-year-old economist who went on television and suggested that Medicare isn’t a government health care program, is eligible for Medicare. Dick Armey, who spent many years teaching at a state university and served several terms in Congress, has had taxpayer-funded health insurance for much of his adult life. Same for Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich. Democratic senators like Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, and Ben Nelson? Yes, yes, and yes. Law professors at the University of Tennessee have it. The employees of George Mason University, which houses the free-market Mercatus Center, do, too. Policy analyst Betsy McCaughey, currently reprising her 1990s role of health care bamboozler, will be eligible for it in a few years’ time.