Price of Politics

• AFSCME Members Vote Yes

  Number of comments: 0
  AFSCME members decided to give up some pay and benefits, so co-workers could save their jobs. Council 61 President Danny Homan announced the vote today. Members voted 59-41% on a agreement which takes away five days of pay and the state contribution toward their retirement through the end of June [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 30, 2009, 11:54am EST
  by Dave Price

• Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays

  Number of comments: 8
  It 's a p.c. world. No, not personal computers. I mean a world of political correctness. But a new poll shows more Americans prefer using the greeting "Merry Christmas" over "Happy Holidays" compared to last year. The new Rasmussen report showed Merry Christmas was the preferred greeting by 72-22%. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 29, 2009, 5:50pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Thank You

  Number of comments: 0
  In the middle of this Great Recession, I feel special need to pause to say "thanks" for all of my blessings in life and all the other things that deserve my appreciation.
  
  So I'm thankful for:
  
  My mother-in-law's turkey, followed by pork loin, [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 28, 2009, 9:45pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Iowa Senator Part of President's State Dinner

  Number of comments: 0
  
  Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Blair Underwood, Brian Williams, Katie Couric, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Swati Dandekar. Yes, Iowa's Swati Dandekar, the Democratic senator from Marion.
  She was part of President Obama's first state dinner last night in Washington, D.C. Visiting [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 25, 2009, 10:10am EST
  by Dave Price

• Purple Matters

  Number of comments: 0
  Here's the lineup for "Purple Matters" Tuesday night on [www.desmoineslocallive.com]
  
  Jonathan Narcisse started off coming after almost everyone. Narcisse, the controversial former Des Moines school board member, is traveling the state with Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Rants. It's a conversation, debate, whatever he prefers to call it. On [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 24, 2009, 10:39pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Jefferson Jackson Dinner

  Number of comments: 1
  I'm a little late with my post from the Iowa Democratic Party's annual Jefferson Jackson dinner. But Joe Biden just finished shaking hands. I'm kidding. Sort of. Biden spoke for 40 minutes and shook hands for about an hour before leaving the floor. Looked like he was glad to be [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 22, 2009, 4:18pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Boswell's Race Downgraded

  Number of comments: 6
  In yet another sign that some of the national observers think 2010 could be a tough one for incumbents, and specifically Democrats, Congressional Quarterly has knocked down Des Moines area Congressman Leonard Boswell a notch in his re-election efforts next year. Boswell is still favored, by the way. But [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 21, 2009, 11:40am EST
  by Dave Price

• 1 on 1 with Terry Branstad

  Number of comments: 2
  Thursday, former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad starting making the media rounds as he tries to find his fifth way back into Terrace Hill. We've all been waiting for some time with him. My conversation with him coincided with the day of his first statewide of the state as a candidate,' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 20, 2009, 11:04am EST
  by Dave Price

• Frustration

  Number of comments: 0
  To continue our earlier conversation about frustration right now...here's another item. The University of Iowa just released its "Hawkeye Poll". It shows nearly half the country worries health care reform will do more harm than good and more than half the country now disapproves of the job President Barack Obama [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 18, 2009, 1:01pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Purple Matters

  Number of comments: 0
  We had a fascinating, albeit sad, conversation on "Purple Matters" last night. Kathleen Nebel shared her story, which is almost too astonishing to believe. She said her ex-husband has been abusing her in one way or another for more than 25 years. She estimates they have been to court 800 [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 18, 2009, 11:17am EST
  by Dave Price

• Frustrated Songs

  Number of comments: 1
  Monday, I did a tv story on Iowans' frustrations with incumbents in light of the economy, etc. I'm looking for songs that capture people's mood right now. Here's what we've come up with in the newsroom so far this morning. Can you send me your ideas?
  
  

  
  
  "We're" [...]

  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 17, 2009, 9:44am EST
  by Dave Price

• Incumbents in Trouble

  Number of comments: 0
  Government spending is up. Unemployment is up. Bankruptcies are up. Foreclosures are up. Frustrations are up. You get the picture. Many Iowans may not like what they see. That has some experts predicting a tough 2010 for incumbents. The Des Moines Register's Iowa Poll shows Democratic Governor Chet Culver [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 16, 2009, 10:17pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Culver Drops in Polls

  Number of comments: 2
  

  
  
  Iowa Governor Chet Culver has been falling and he can't get up. At least not yet. Culver's popularity, according to the Des Moines Register Iowa Poll ,has dropped 20 points during the year and 10 points just since September. It's doubtful the budget mess or filmgate has' [...]

  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 15, 2009, 1:59pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Same-Sex Marriage Again

  Number of comments: 3
  Iowa Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Bob Vander Plaats is again making same-sex marriage a campaign issue. Earlier today, former Lt. Governor Joy Corning told the Des Moines Register she is lending her voice to a "robocall" effort to promote marriage equality in the state.
  
  Corning was lt. governor [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 11, 2009, 5:09pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Trompeter back to California

  Number of comments: 0
  As you regular readers know, it's not ALL politics here. Just wanted to pass along that our old friend, Jeanette Trompeter, is headed back to California. Jeanette is going back to where it all started, her former station in San Luis Obispo. She will be the evening anchor there. Jeanette' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 11, 2009, 2:27pm EST
  by Dave Price

• AFSCME decision

  Number of comments: 5
  What should they do? About 9,000 AFSCME members need to make a huge decision in the next week or so... do they take off five days without pay before the end of June and give up the state match on their retirement? Or do they watch about 500 of their [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 10, 2009, 11:11am EST
  by Dave Price

• Branstad's Debut

  Number of comments: 0
  The reviews haven't been exactly stellar for former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad's appearance at the "Leadership for Iowa" event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Saturday night.
  
  Radio Iowa's Kay Henderson calls it a "rocky performance" in her story this weekend.
  
  The Des Moines Register's Kathie Obradovich [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 08, 2009, 10:38pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Huckabee Book Tour

  Number of comments: 0
  
  (Photo courtesy: Iowans_Rock)
  
  I'm waiting to anchor the Channel 13 News at 9 on Fox 17 (yeah, that's a mouthful). So we had to send over another crew to cover former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's book signing at Border's in West Des Moines. It's' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 08, 2009, 8:46pm EST
  by Dave Price

• More Pawlenty for President

  Number of comments: 1
  Here's a roundup of the stories of Tim Pawlenty's first visit to Des Moines as a possible presidential contender for 2012:
  
  Jonathan Martin for Politico wrote about how T-Paw came after President Obama.
  
  Radio Iowa's O. Kay Henderson wrote about T-Paw borrowing (with a twist)' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 08, 2009, 11:47am EST
  by Dave Price

• Pawlenty for President

  Number of comments: 0
  Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty had his "coming out" before more than 500 Iowa Republicans Saturday night at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. He has been here before, of course. But in 2008, he was here as John McCain's sidekick and cheerleader in McCain's ill-fated presidential run, both in [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 08, 2009, 11:26am EST
  by Dave Price

• Union Deal?

  Number of comments: 0
  Last Wednesday, Governor Chet Culver said he "expected" to hear from state unions by today on whether they would agree to re-negotiate contracts to save jobs of state workers. This was his quote, “Unfortunately, we do not have an endless amount of time in which to reach an agreement and [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 06, 2009, 3:54pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Purple Matters Tuesday night

  Number of comments: 1
  Here's what you need to know from my "Purple Matters" internet radio show Tuesday night.
  
  Pastor and host of the popular conservative Iowa blog, Caffeinated Thoughts, Shane Vander Hart, talked about his private meeting, along with about ten other Iowa religious leaders, that he had with former Governor Terry' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 04, 2009, 11:20pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Chet, Stronger Than Ever

  Number of comments: 0
  Governor Chet Culver's campaign is out with its second tv ad. One thing I noticed in this ad, which, much like the first ad, tauts Culver's decision-making during this time of nearly unprecedented crisis, is that it refers to him as "Chet". Will the "Big Lug" also make a return [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 03, 2009, 1:42pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Changes

  Number of comments: 0
  Ch-ch-ch-changes. Cue David Bowie.
  
  Tim Albrecht, a.k.a, the Beanwalker, is trading beans for Branstad. Albrecht has begun as Terry Branstad's communications director. Gee, do you think this means Branstad will run for governor? Yes, that's sarcasm:) Here's the release from the Branstad, uhm, "campaign" (what exactly do we call' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 02, 2009, 5:34pm EST
  by Dave Price

• Steve King for President

  Number of comments: 5
  Fifth District Republican Congressman Steve King filled us with news this weekend. Two things headlined his chat with us: an almost tea party revolt and a run for president. King wants Americans to rush to Washington , D.C. to stop Congressional Democrats from passing a government-run public option in the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 01, 2009, 9:22pm EST
  by Dave Price