On the Campaign Trail with Ed Tibbetts

Former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s campaign has signed veteran communications hand Tim Albrecht.

The Branstad committee made the announcement this morning.

“We are excited to have Tim join this campaign,” said Branstad committee leader Jeff Boeyink. “His extraordinary experience in both traditional and new media will be beneficial as we move forward in our efforts. His addition shows growing momentum as Governor Branstad explores a possible gubernatorial bid.”

Albrecht, who ran the Iowa communications shop for 2008 presidential candidate Mitt Romney, also was the top spokesman for Rep. Christopher Rants when he was the speaker of the House.

Lately, Albrecht has run TheBeanWalker.com, a Drudge-like web site devoted to Iowa politics. The release quotes Albrecht saying a new publisher will run the site and will maintain its “integrity and independence.”

The Iowa Family Policy Center issued a news release earlier this week that raised a few eyebrows. And a piece in the Politico today adds even more intrigue.

The release, issued Tuesday, said the IFPC had invited former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to its Nov. 21 banquet.

Nothing unusual there. She’s in high demand. But the group also added it had begun “soliciting financial support for the event this week in anticipation of the Governor’s potential visit.”

That’s what was unusual. Potential presidential candidates aren’t usually paid to come to the state. Getting in front of Iowa activists is seen as the payoff.

Jonathan Martin’s fascinating story in the Politico today explores the whole business. In it, he quotes some familiar GOP operatives — Steve Scheffler, Ed Failor, Jr., Dave Kochel, Tim Albrecht, etc. — talking about the unusualness of paying a potential presidential a fee to speak in Iowa.

But in the article, IFPC spokesman Bryan English says he is not personally aware of a speaker’s fee.

Yet, the Politico piece says: “At the request of the Iowa Family Policy Center, Team Sarah, a national pro-Palin organization not formally connected to the former governor, has begun raising money among its members in an effort to collect the $100,000.”

As I say, intriguing. Of course, Palin’s visit would be the same night that Vice President Joe Biden is in Des Moines for an Iowa Democratic Party event. An intriguing possibility in itself, as noted earlier this week by Kay Henderson.

The bottom line in this, however, is that it appears unlikely the two 2008 vice presidential candidates will be in the same city, if not the same stage, on Nov. 21. A spokesman for the former governor tells Martin it would be “incredibly difficult” for Palin to attend given her book tour.

Alas. (Maybe)

UPDATE: (2:15 p.m.). The mystery deepens. A Newsweek blog called The Gaggle, reports that a Palin spokesperson, Meg Stapleton, says the former governor isn’t asking for a speaking fee.

Writes Newsweek’s Holly Bailey:: “Meg Stapleton, Palin’s spokeswoman, tells your Gaggler that Palin “has not requested anything” and that she “does not charge people to campaign for them.” According to Stapleton, Palin would instead cover such travel costs through her political-action committee, SarahPAC.

Incidentally, Bailey quotes Stapleton saying it’s unlikely Palin will be in Iowa for the IFPC event.