Archive for the ‘Chet Culver’ tag
Musical chairs
Gov. Chet Culver announced a reshuffling of his communications hands today.
Phil Roeder has been sent to the Department of Education, while Erin Seidler has been tapped to be the new communications director in the governor’s office. She had been the top press person at the Department of Economic Development.
Roeder, who was the deputy chief of staff for communications, will now handle a variety of policy and communications duties, the governor’s office said. The moves take effect Nov. 10.
Odds and Ends
A few things to come across my desk today:
* Iowa Gov. Chet Culver’s re-election campaign has a new web site. It’s at www.chetculver.com. Among the highlights: The governor took a 10 percent pay cut and his new TV commercial explaining his decision to implement across the board 10 percent cuts.
* U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, reports raising nearly $833,000 between July 1 and Sept. 30. He had $4.4 million in the bank, according to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission. Go here for a list of Grassley’s reports. (The FEC says they’ll post Grassley’s 3rd quarter report as soon as they get the report from the Secretary of the Senate’s office.)
* An aspiring Grassley opponent, Democrat Bob Krause of Fairfield, is pushing for extension of the $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers.
“Without the extension, I am concerned that the economy will relapse in the months ahead as housing problems compound,” Krause said in a news release today.
Uh, make way for the governor
Turns out the stage won’t belong just to former Gov. Terry Branstad today.
Gov. Chet Culver is launching a new television ad, this on the heels of a meeting with the Des Moines Register editorial board in which he said he hadn’t — and won’t — raise taxes, a not so subtle reminder that Branstad did.
The ad, which the Register reports will run in the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids markets, features Culver looking straight into the camera telling viewers he’s making the tough decision to cut spending (and not “passing the buck” to the Legislature).
He reminds us he cut, his own pay, too.
“I chose tough medicine today to build a stronger Iowa for tomorrow,” Culver says in the ad.
Culver will also be on IPTV’s “Iowa Press” program today.
All this guarantees that, for all the speculation about — and possibly even confirmation — of Branstad’s plans to run for governor, Culver is going to be in the face of Iowans, too, this weekend. And on his own terms.
The only people being crowded out, it seems, are the Republicans already in the race.
Yes, they’re still out there. It just might not seem so today.
UPDATE (11:20 a.m.): One of those Republicans just chimed in on Culver’s new ad. Christian Fong, of Cedar Rapids, says the governor failed to make the tough decision to cut spending the last two years.
In the campaign ad that Governor Culver began airing today he talks about his “choice” to cut spending, rebuild the state and to take the tough medicine of today. The “choice” Governor Culver fails to mention is his choice to sign budgets over the last two years that have grown state government by a rate that was clearly unsustainable. At the end of the day, ultimately it was Governor Culver’s choices that brought us to this point. Iowa voters will have a choice next November to choose fresh leadership and I look forward to being that alternative.”
More Kennedy reaction
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.
“On a personal note, my father was a dear friend of Ted’s for nearly 60 years. They were teammates on the football field as college freshmen in 1950. In addition, they served together in the U.S. Congress for 16 years. So, Mari and I were very fortunate to spend some wonderful times together with the Senator and his family. We will always cherish those memories and miss him a great deal.
“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.”
Nussle forms consulting group
Former U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle announced today he’s formed a government relations and consulting firm with a pair of ex-staffers.
Nussle says the group will draw on his expertise “in the federal government and budget process.”
Its mailing address is Alexandria, Virginia.
Nussle had been the White House budget director toward the end of the Bush administration. He also was the chair of the House Budget Committee when he represented the Quad-Cities.
The Republican congressman vacated his seat after 16 years to run for governor in Iowa, a race he lost to Chet Culver.
Here’s an excerpt from the press release sent out this morning.
The Nussle Group will assemble experienced teams on behalf of clients to compliment Nussle’s experience not only in the budget area, but also in fields such as health care, tax and finance, regulation, energy, higher education and non-profit, agriculture and rural development, telecommunications and technology and national security.
“I’ve met and worked with some very talented people throughout my career”, Nussle continued, “and I see an opportunity to bring some of them together at various times to custom design solutions to achieve results for people.”
Barbara Snitker, who worked for Nussle in the Office of Management and Budget and in his congressional office, is part of the group, as is Chris Bliley, who was Nussle’s congressional chief of staff. Bliley also worked as an administrator in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.