Harkin Steak Fry, Part I

Days Until Bush Leaves Office = 490

First item of note: UNBELIEVABLE TRAFFIC! And, no, sadly, I don't mean visits to my little amoeba of a blog. I mean the astounding spectacle of literally thousands of cars clogging the streets of - wait for it - Indianola, Iowa. In the whole time I've lived in this state, I believe this was the first time I have heard car horns blare in anger. Or at least annoyance.

The total number of tickets sold, as they say at the ballpark, seems to have been around 12,000, which is record attendance in the 30-year history of the Harkin steak fry. I couldn't help but compare that all-time high to the the unmitigated flop that was the GOP Straw Poll last month. In addition to this meaning, of course, that Democrats are fired up about their choices, and chances, this election, it also meant that I was egregiously late to the event. I completely missed the remarks from the Iowa Democratic congressional delegation, and even from Senator Harkin himself. :-(

But I did get there in time for the steaks. :-)

By the time I got near the podium, the introductions were over and Barack Obama was on stage. The one thing I heard him say that was new was his statement that he would not vote for any Senate bill to fund the war in Iraq that did not include a binding timetable for withdrawal of U.S. combat forces. Here's video of the first part of Obama's speech:


The highlight of the second part of the speech was a little call-and-response act between Obama and his cheering section. It played great on television, and leveraged the large number of supporters that the Obama campaign bussed into the event. I thought Obama's speech was really - you'll pardon the expression - a barn burner. Style by the busload:


Next installment: Bill Richardson's speech.

"Yeah, It's That Important"

Days Until Bush Leaves Office = 491

Just a quick note to say I was at the 30th Annual Tom Harkin Steak Fry today. What can I say, but that the folks in Indianola really know how to grill up a steak.

I'll be putting up posts about the goings on over the next day or two; not play-by-play stuff (check out Iowa Independent for Chase and John's coverage), but more like color commentary.

So, was there red meat from the podium? Did the air go out of anyone's balloon today? Did the candidates serve it up bloody or well done? And did anyone figure out what drew all those flies to the press file shed? Check back tomorrow for the answers to those questions and more!

Thoughts on the Clark Endorsement

Days Until Bush Leaves Office = 492

As I posted earlier today, retired Army general Wes Clark has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. The official campaign announcement can be found here.

The timing of this announcement couldn't have been better managed by Clinton's campaign. Coming as it does after a full week of focus on Iraq in Congress, at the White House, and in the media, the endorsement of a military officer of Clark's stature - he was the former NATO Allied Supreme Commander and commanded the Kosovo war - rides the crest of public attention on both the military and political aspects of U.S. policy. Clark's endorsement sends the message that people who can be relied upon to know what they're talking about view Hillary Clinton as a credible potential Commander in Chief. I can think of only two other retired generals to match Clark's public standing, namely Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf, and I think it's safe to say that neither of them will be coming out with an endorsement of a Democratic candidate for president, so Hillary has probably locked up the high profile military endorsement market with this announcement.

That said, it is never clear what actual electoral muscle these sorts of endorsements deliver. It's not as if legions of Wes Clark clones will suddenly materialize at phone banks and neighborhood canvasses here in Iowa or anywhere else, and Clinton hardly needs help raising money. And Clark's endorsement of John Kerry last time around didn't exactly put Kerry's election in the bag.

But this is a newsworthy development, all the same. As a woman running for president, Hillary Clinton battles a still-pervasive cultural subtext that Commander in Chief is a man's job, and having Wes Clark stand up and say he thinks that Hillary is not only capable, but the most capable candidate to fulfill that role certainly helps her. There's also a nice bit of symmetry to Clark's endorsement, given that Hillary Clinton was a co-chair of Wesley Clark's own presidential campaign in 2004.

Maybe the best thing that can be said about endorsements like today's from Clark is that one would certainly rather have them than not. Just ask any of the other Democratic candidates if they would have liked to have Wes Clark's endorsement, and see what they say.

BREAKING: Wesley Clark Endorses Hillary Clinton

Days Until Bush Leaves Office = 493

Former general Wesley Clark has endorsed New York Senator Hillary Clinton for president.

Speaking to reporters via a conference call, Clark said, "I'm very pleased today to announce my endorsement for Hilary Clinton for President of the United States. I think she'll be a great Commander in Chief  for our men and women in uniform."

General Clark, the former NATO Supreme Commander who oversaw military operations during the Kosovo war, was himself briefly a presidential candidate in the 2004 campaign, before dropping out and eventually endorsing John Kerry.

I'll be back later this afternoon with some thoughts about this development.

Notes From the Underground

Days Until Bush Leaves Office = 501

Here are a couple of things that have come in over the transom this week that caught my eye.

He's Not President, But He Used to Play One on TV

The Ploughshares Fund, a California nonprofit 501(c)(3) foundation that issues grants to peace groups and advocates, was kind enough to send us a press release titled, "Martin Sheen Launches Peace Primary." Sheen, as anyone with a television and a pulse must know, spent seven years playing fictional president Josiah Bartlet on The West Wing, and has lent his name and services as honorary chairman of this initiative. The idea, in a nutshell, is that people will go to a website and chose who from among a slate of twelve organizations will be the winner of a $100,000 grant to "help promote its agenda for peace and human security over the next year."

What makes this interesting is that it costs a dollar to cast a vote, with the money going directly to the organization for which you vote. So, it's not just a self-selecting poll, but also a nifty fund-raising idea. In the end, the votes are tabulated, and the winner gets the hundred grand, plus pride of place in a "peace plank" that Sheen will personally deliver to the defense and foreign policy advisors of each of presidential candidate.

But what really caught my eye in all of this was the following excerpt from the press release: “You don’t have to live in Iowa or New Hampshire to make a difference this election year,” explained Naila Bolus, executive director of the Ploughshares Fund. “The Peace Primary allows voters to take matters into their own hands by designing a common peace platform and by immediately putting that platform to work in the real world."

With all the primary leapfrogging this campaign season, sparked by envy of Iowa and New Hampshire, this is the kind that I don't mind seeing. Voting is open from now through October 31. Click over to peaceprimary.org for more info, and to cast your vote.

That Ship Has Sailed

If there were a show of hands today, Al Gore would be the next Democratic nominee for president. Or so thinks a group calling itself "Citizens for a Great Presidential Candidate," which is working on putting together a Draft Gore rally and concert in Des Moines on October 21.

Guys: it's over. Gore won't run. If he runs, he won't win. Ergo, he won't run. Democrats like their choices for the nomination this time around, and Gore's entry into the race would excite little more than bemusement.

On the other hand, the planned concert is said to feature The Blue Band
[definite] and Home-Grown Tomatoes [highly probable]), so there will be head banging to go along with the head scratching. In line with the rally's theme, I'd suggest the concert organizers try to book Blue Merle, who could provide both rock and commentary with a performance of "Made to Run" or, perhaps more apropos, "Every Ship Must Sail Away."

And Finally

No survey of the campaign underground would be complete, of course, without peering through the telescope at Planet Kucinich. This past weekend, Dennis and Elizabeth were touring Syria and Lebanon, while, as an email from their campaign put it, "the other leading candidates for the Presidency were spending the Labor Day weekend campaigning." Perhaps this would be a good time for someone on Dennis' staff to explain that campaigning is what candidates do? Then again, as Theodoric of York would say..."Nah."

President Bush's Iraq Visit

Days Until Bush Leaves Office = 503

Of the major Democratic presidential candidates, only Joe Biden and John Edwards have issued reactions to Presiddent Bush's visit to Iraq yesterday. They're both worth a read, and Biden's in particular, as it concisely outlines his Iraq proposals, which I think are the strongest of any candidate's.

Joe Biden

Yesterday we learned that President Bush went to Iraq to survey the situation on the ground first hand. This is good news. The President needs to see what the rest of us have seen and know. While his plan for a surge in Iraq has had limited and temporary military success, it has not brought about the kind of political reconciliation the President and his Cabinet had hoped for.


It is my sincere hope that the President went to Iraq, not with an outcome in mind, but with his eyes open looking to learn the facts on the ground. And the facts are: there is no chance that Iraq can be governed by a strong central government no matter how many troops we have there.

We'll be hearing a lot about the "surge" over the next several weeks, but we all must remember its original purpose: to buy time for the central government in Iraq to get its act together and win the trust of all Iraqis.

That will not happen.

Absent an occupation which we cannot sustain or the return of a dictator which we cannot support, Iraq cannot be governed from the center at this point in its history.

There is no trust within the government, no trust of the government by the people, no capacity by the government to deliver security and services, and no prospect it will build that trust and capacity any time soon.

I've been making that case for over a year. And so have more and more experts, in and out of government.

Back in November, CIA director Michael Hayden made this very point in a private meeting with the Iraq Study Group. He said "the inability of the [central] government to govern is irreversible." There is no "milestone or checkpoint where we can turn this thing around," he said. "We have spent a lot of energy and treasure creating a government... that cannot function."

Two weeks ago, our entire intelligence community came to the same conclusion. The National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq found that "Iraqi political leaders remain unable to govern effectively" and predicted that "the Iraqi government will become more precarious over the next six to twelve months."

As everyone knows, I have offered a plan (PlanForIraq.com) that contains the possibility, not the guarantee, of promoting stability in Iraq as we leave. It's based on the reality that Iraq cannot be governed from the center.

Instead, we have to give its warring factions breathing room in their own regions, with control over the fabric of their daily lives - police, education, jobs, marriage, and religion.

A limited central government would be in charge of truly common concerns, including protecting Iraq's borders and distributing oil revenues.

The good news is: the federal system at the heart of my plan is already in Iraq's constitution and in its laws.

We should refocus our efforts on making federalism work for all Iraqis. It is past time to make Iraq the world's problem, not just our own.

John Edwards

"The situation in Iraq is too serious for any more ‘Mission Accomplished’ photo ops. It's good that the violence is down in Anbar Province, but it's a homogeneous area that lacks the ethnic conflict that's plaguing the rest of the country. Iraq needs a comprehensive political solution and our brave troops deserve better than more of the president's rhetoric that clings to a failed strategy.

"Sadly, now more than ever, we know this president will stop at nothing to keep his failed Iraq strategy going. As we recently learned, the president is so confident Congress won’t stand up to him in this fall’s funding decisions that he’s actually going to increase his request to fund the surge by another $50 billion—on top of the original $147 billion supplemental he requested.

“This week, when Congress returns, they will have to confront President Bush's failed Iraq strategy head on. Enough is enough.

"When Congress comes back, they should stand firm: No timeline, no funding. No excuses."

Yes, He Was Joking

Days Until Bush Leaves Office = 504

At a union-sponsored Labor Day picnic today in Sioux City, New Mexico Governor and presidential candidate Bill Richardson told the crowd,

"Iowa, for good reason, for constitutional reasons, for reasons related to the Lord should be the first caucus and primary."

Not that there's anything wrong with the sentiment, of course, but the religious element in the quote struck me as, shall we say, out of character for the candidate. Never fear, though: Richardson's National Press Secretary Tom Reynolds assures me that the Gov was just joking. "But," Reynolds added, "the Governor does believe that Iowa is God's Country."

So, there you go: talk radio scandal averted. That is, until someone in New Mexico hears that God's Country is actually out this way....

Candidate Reactions to Alberto Gonzales' Resignation

Days Until Bush Leaves Office = 511

Here are reactions from the Democratic presidential candidates following this morning's resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.


Joe Biden: "As I've said before, Attorney General Gonzales has lost the confidence of the vast majority of the American people and the Congress. His resignation is long overdue.

"When I voted against Attorney General Gonzales' confirmation, I voiced concern about his ability to go from being the President's lawyer to the people's lawyer. I expressed doubts then about his judgment in light of his track record, and role as an architect of policies attempting to place the President above the law.

"My skepticism was confirmed by his conduct, and his failure to put protecting the American people over protecting the President. The next Attorney General should not make the same mistake."

Hillary Clinton: "This resignation is long overdue, and so is the appointment of an Attorney General who will put the rule of law and our Constitution above partisan politics.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales took an oath to uphold our Constitution and respect the rule of law, but time and time again, he demonstrated that his loyalties lie with the President and his political agenda, not the American people or the evenhanded and impartial enforcement of our laws. In his actions and inaction, from warantless wiretaps to the firing of U.S. Attorneys, his loyalty was to the President, not the American people.

The Department’s hardworking lawyers, law enforcement officers, and staff are trusted to defend our Constitution, not one Administration or political party. That trust is central to the sanctity of the rule of law and the vitality of our democracy. Because he betrayed his obligations and the trust of the American people, I welcome today’s announcement that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned his post as Attorney General of the United States.

My hope is that the President will select a new Attorney General who will respect the rule of law and abandon partisanship, who will serve the American people and not the President’s political ideology, and who will answer to the Constitution and not political operatives. It is past time to clean up this mess and restore non-partisan accountability and competence to the Department of Justice.

The second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina is one more reminder that the President must appoint someone to lead the Department of Justice with the leadership and competence necessary to defend the Constitution."

Chris Dodd: "Mr. Gonzales' Justice Department became a political wing of the Bush Administration and his resignation is long overdue. I will only vote to confirm a nominee for Attorney General who is truly independent and who will guarantee reforms that restore and uphold the Constitution."

John Edwards: "Better late than never."

Barack Obama: "I have long believed that Alberto Gonzales subverted justice to promote a political agenda, and so I am pleased that he has finally resigned today. The President needs to nominate an Attorney General who will be the people's lawyer, not the President's lawyer, and in an Obama Administration that person will first and foremost defend and promote the rights and liberties enshrined in our Constitution."

Bill Richardson: "The resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is long overdue. The President must nominate an Attorney General who is a lawyer for the American people not a political arm of the White House."

New Biden Ad in Iowa

Days Until Bush Leaves Office = 515

Following the introduction of his first TV ad in Iowa on Sunday, Delaware Senator and presidential candidate Joe Biden has introduced a second ad in Iowa, titled "Security."



With his first ad introduced to coincide with last Sunday's debate, followed by this second spot, Biden seems to be betting that larger numbers of voters are now starting to tune in to the race, and that they want to know, beyond anything else, who has the best plan for dealing with the war. That would explain why both of Biden's ads are policy/position oriented, rather than biographical.

The question with this approach, as, indeed, with Biden's entire campaign to date, is whether voters can be persuaded to accept supporting a candidate as Policy Guy, rather than as Guy Most Likely to be Featured in a Hallmark Commercial. Granted, Iowa voters have a deserved reputation for preferring substance over flash, so if such a strategy can work anywhere, it would be here. But I think most political observers would still rate this approach as something of a longshot.

In any case, it is certainly true that if Joe Biden is to survive in this race, he needs to break out of low single-digit polling numbers, and soon. We'll see if the new ads help him do it.

Debate Talk Clock

Days Until Bush Leaves Office = 519

No account of this morning's debate would be complete without the ever-popular talk clock, courtesy of the Dodd campaign:


No question that if Obama took some licks at the outset, he had ample time over all to strike back. Also interesting was the fact that Bill Richardson and John Edwards had roughly the same amount of speaking time, a big change from previous debates. And this has to be said: getting Kucinich and Gravel off the stage would have freed up more than ten minutes of debate time for actual substance. Neither of these guys are credible candidates, neither is campaigning - or debating - as if they actually believe in it, and it's time for them to be politely excused from future debates.

And, finally, it's got to be driving Dodd's campaign absolutely mad that of the measly five minutes alloted him, at least 20% of that time's content was lost to the unfortunate appearance of a bug conspicuously crawling through the candidate's hair. I feel for the guy; it sometimes seems that but for bad luck, Dodd would have none at all.