Iowa Senator Jack Hatch Uses "N"-word

When is it o.k. to use that "n"-word? Is it ever o.k.? The Des Moines Register reports Iowa State Senator Jack Hatch, a Des Moines Democrat, lost his temper and used the word while he was talking with State Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, a Des Moines Democrat, who is African-American. Hatch hasn't been able to convince the legislature to pass his full health care plan the way he wants it.

IN OTHER NEWS...

Forget the traveling salesmen. It's the traveling U.S. Senate candidates (almost) in Iowa. Senator Charles Grassley's staff (like he hasn't already been in the news A LOT the past week or so) released his travel sked...33 counties next month during his congressional recess. A possible opponent is traveling around this weekend. Democrat Bob Krause is forming an exploratory committee to run against Grassley next year. Here's a little about Krause, according to a news release:

Bob Krause, currently Chair of the Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus who has been a Democratic leader in the state for more than 35 years, is set to announce formation of an exploratory committee to run for the Democratic nomination of the U. S. Senate on Saturday.

A reception will begin at 12:15 p.m. at the Fort Des Moines Historical Museum, 75 E. Army Post Rd., followed by a program at 1:15 p.m. which will include the announcement by Krause. The public is invited.

Krause, 59, a native of Fenton in northwest Iowa who now lives in Fairfield, was elected to the first of three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives in 1972. After losing a bid for Iowa State Treasurer in 1978, Krause was named Regional Representative for the U. S. Secretary of Transportation, influencing DOT policy in four states. He had chaired the House Transportation Committee for four years.

Bob worked his way through college at the University of Iowa during a tumultuous period in our history, graduating in 1972 with a B. A. degree in political science. He was a member of ROTC, student senate and president of University Democrats and, during summer breaks, worked as a construction laborer. He also devoted two summers for the Robert Fulton for Governor campaign and worked for the Iowa Democratic Party.

Bob’s leadership skills were recognized early on, receiving an appointment as Assistant House Minority Whip in his first term. In this capacity, he helped pass Iowa’s collective bargaining bill that is so crucial to teachers and other public employees. He also crafted a restructuring of Iowa’s road system that included Iowa’s first ethanol exemption when passed, which became the basis for Iowa’s ethanol industry. Because of these efforts and others, the Des Moines Register in 1978 honored him as one of the “Top 10 Most Effective Iowa Legislators.”

After the Carter administration, Bob taught in the business school at Iowa State University then joined the staff of the Council of State Governments, the national association for state government officials. There he ran a think-tank on transportation policy, writing five books and staffing several national policy task forces on transportation matters.

Bob then served as transit director for the Iowa Northland Council of Governments before joining the Iowa Department of Transportation in 1986. He served as a district planner then served as planning and coordination manager for the Public Transit Division. He also managed Iowa’s Rural and Large Urban Public Transit Intelligent Transportation System, a project recognized as one of the most innovative of its kind in the nation. He retired in 2008 from the Iowa DOT with 20 years of state government service.

The author of several books and numerous articles on transportation policy, Bob has also produced several video productions on highway safety and military transportation. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in the U. S. Reserve after 28 years of commissioned service in 2001, having received the Meritorious Service Medal.

Bob served three years as Iowa State President of the Reserve Officers Association (ROA), which represents military reserve officers in all branches. He chaired a state-wide “Lest We Forget” charity campaign in 2005 to raise funds for military hardship cases among families of those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is a past member of the Waterloo School Board, where he advocated retaining small neighborhood schools and open processes within the school district. Bob is also a member of Fellowship of the Holy Spirit in Fairfield, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. Bob and his wife, Vicky, live in Fairfield.