Dem Calls for Burt to Resign

Today, Governor Chet Culver wouldn't say double-troubled Waterloo State Rep Kerry Burt should resign following his drunken driving arrest and tuition scandal criminal problem. The gov did say he had a glass of wine at the Feb. 10th event at the Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines sponsored by the Iowa Pharmacy Association. But he said he only spent about half an hour with Burt that night, got home by 9pm and doesn't know what Burt did between 9pm and then time of his arrest at 2am.

Culver said it's up to Burt, his family, constituents and lawyers about whether he should resign. Iowa Republican Party Chair Matt Strawn wants Burt to quit. I haven't heard from any prominent Iowa Democrats making the same demand. State Democratic Party Chair Michael Kiernan has been silent on the case (s). Today, I read the first fairly popular Democratic blog, the Bleeding Heartland, to call for Burt to quit. Has anyone heard of any other Democrat making the same call?

Burt Claims He Had Been at Drinking Party with Governor Before Drunk Driving Arrest

Waterloo Representative Kerry Burt told Ankeny police that before they arrested him for drunk driving, he had been partying with the governor. Channel 13 obtained newly released reports from the Ankeny P.D. detailing Burt's claims, as well as video from the camera inside an Ankeny police car. My story that ran on tv is below. Governor Chet Culver's staff's response is included in the tv story. The staff did say Culver and Burt attended an event thrown by the Iowa Pharmacy Association on February 10th. And here are the police reports, if you want to read them for yourself.

Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin is quitting as Alaska's governor today. So, now what? Will she write a book, make a lot of money giving speeches and then run for president in 2012? Will one of the more than a dozen accusations of ethics violations finally do her in? Will she just get out of politics for good? Is there some other option for her future?

Here was her last tweet to followers on Twitter Sunday night:

AKGovSarahPalin Last state twitter. Thank you Alaska! I love you. God bless Alaska. God bless the U.S.A.

Rants Leaves Fund $200,000 in debt

Chris (formerly Christopher) Rants has been an outspoken critic of Governor Chet (formerly Chester) Culver's spending of taxpayer dollars. The Des Moines Register's Jason Clayworth has a piece in the Sunday paper calling Rants' money management into question. Rants was the house Republicans' former majority leader and speaker and helped oversee the House Majority Fund. That fund sent money to efforts to elect Iowa Republicans into the house. But Clayworth's reporting shows when Rants' peers booted him out of leadership, he left the fund $200,000 in the red.

Rants didn't comment for the story, other than a statement issued through a staff member. Will other Republican candidates for governor use this story as a strike against Rants during the campaign? Or is this too "inside baseball-type stuff" for most Iowa voters?

Purple Matters radio show

My Internet radio show, Purple Matters, is now archived in case you missed it Thursday. Here's what you missed:

health care debate--another side, a perspective from a Des Moines man in the insurance business

the campaign of Rod Roberts--analysis from Doug Burns, a columnist who has interviewed him hundreds of times

"Re-Governor" Terry Branstad--just how serious is he about running again? Insight from Iowa Republican Party Chairman Matt Strawn.

Obama Holds Health Rally in Des Moines

President Barack Obama's Iowa campaign (I'm not really sure what else to call it) is planning a "town hall meeting" next Wednesday in Des Moines. An email message urges supporters to fill the room since the local media will be there.

Health Care Reform

President Barack Obama gives a national address (you can watch it live on WHO-TV 13 at 7pm--thought the bosses would like that promotional pitch!) on health care reform. As Congress tries to figure out how to agree on overhauling the massive health care system, what do you want to see accomplished?

Punish Public Servants

Today, Governor Chet Culver spoke publicly for the first time about separate incidents involving the family of Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus and Waterloo Democratic Representative Kerry Burt. Polk County deputies say they found an underage drinking party at the home of Justice Ternus and her husband, Dennis Drake, July 12th at their home in rural Grimes. Authorities later cited Drake for "interference with official acts" and the seven 19-year-olds with underage possession of alcohol. The report does not say whether Ternus was in the home. She was not cited in the incident.

For Representative Burt, this is the second incident involving the law since he began his first term at the Iowa Statehouse in January. An audit by Iowa Auditor David Vaudt alleges that Burt used a false address to get his children a tuition discount worth about $37,000 at the Price Laboratory on the University of Northern Iowa campus. Burt is already facing a drunk driving charge for an unrelated incident during the legislative session.

Today, the governor said the incident at the Chief Justice's home is a "local issue". He said he wasn't familiar with the case. He did say he was "troubled" by the Burt situation, although, he would not say Burt should resign. What do you think? Should Burt resign his position as a state lawmaker as Republican State Chairman Matt Strawn demanded? Should he keep his job until the legal matters are settled? What about the allegations of the underage drinking party at the Chief Justice's home? Should she be disciplined at all? The report, by the way, doesn't say she was home during the incident. Is this even a story at all?

David Gregory Getting Pretty

Technical problems can't be avoided. Not on local tv. Not on national tv. If only, they could:) NBC's David Gregory got caught "getting pretty" when someone at NBC punched up the wrong studio and caught Gregory primping for his upcoming show. Roll the tape...

A Better Butter Sculpture

The idea of the King of Pop in butter at the Iowa State Fair melted faster than s'mores-on-a-stick on an August afternoon. Iowans voted by about two-to-one against the idea of a butter sculpture of Michael Jackson in the fair's online poll. So now what? A fair spokeswoman said there were no plans to put someone or something else in butter. But, hey, the fair listened to Iowans once. Why not give them another choice?

A few ideas...Applington-Parkersburg's former football coach Ed Thomas? An unemployed Iowan (in light of the economy right now)? Ashton Kutcher? John Bachman? Barack Obama?

Just a few off the top of my head. Who do you think deserves the butter praise?

LBJ Gets 3rd DUI Arrest

Lyndon B. Johnson apparently has some driving issues. No, that THIS LBJ...

No it's another LBJ who is having problems on the roadways. Lyndon Bert Johnson just got picked up for the third time for suspicion of driving drunk in Iowa. Bert likely won't earn the same headlines the other LBJ would get. Of course, the other LBJ died in 1973, a year before "Bert" made his way to this earth.

Pentagon Wants Ban on Tobacco

(Photo courtesy:www.diggersrealm.com)

Soldiers go to war...fight for their country...protect democracy...suffer overseas...suffer when they return home. The Pentagon wants to ban them from smoking in uniform.

Without question, smoking is bad. Duh. Everyone knows that. Soldiers also have a much higher smoking rate than civilians. Should tobacco be their guilty pleasure while they risk their lives at war? Or is it the right call to ban tobacco from them since they are also putting their lives at risk from the tobacco? What do you think?

Here's an article from CNN on the ban:

Shawn Johnson in St. Louis

West Des Moines' Shawn Johnson is tweeting in the rain. She is supposed to take part in the celebrity softball game this afternoon/tonight at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. It airs Monday night after the home-run hitting contest and is part of the 3-day All-Star Game festivities in St. Louis.

But Shawn said rain has delayed the game. Here's her message to followers on Twitter:

Went to batting practice, got the fancy outfit, pysched out the competition ;) now just waiting on the rain to stop so we can start the game

No Northey for Governor

Cross Bill Northey's name off the long list for Iowa Republicans thinking of challenging Democratic Governor Chet Culver next year. Northey held a barbecue at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon. He announced he will seek a second term as Secretary of Agriculture.

Here's his Facebook message on the topic:

"announced to the crowd at Bill's BBQ Bash that I will run for re-election as Iowa Secy of Ag in 2010."

I interviewed Northey last week on the topic. He said at the time he was leaning against a run for governor. So today's announcement doesn't come as a huge surprise.

So the "still a possibility" list for next year includes:

Sen. Leader Paul McKinley, Chariton
Rep. Chris Rants, Sioux City
Rep. Rod Roberts. Carroll
Sen. Jerry Behn, Boone
Businessman Bob Vander Plaats, Sioux City
Businessman Jeff Lamberti, Ankeny
Businessman Mike Whalen, Bettendorf
Businessman Christian Fong, Cedar Rapids
Congressman Steve King(?), Kiron

Did I forget anyone?

Sarah Palin--Smart or Dumb Decision?

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images North America)

What was Sarah Palin thinking? She either just blew up her political career...



or she just became first out of the blocks on the race for 2012.




What do you think? Was it a dumb move to quit her job barely more than half way through her first term? Or was it genius, so she can make gazillions of dollars giving speeches and writing books to pay off her legal debts, while traveling the country to begin her campaign for president in 2012?

Rants Criticizes State Fleet

Iowa Republican Gubernatorial (Almost) Candidate Chris Rants used a free anti-Culver t-shirt to make a point Sunday. Rants has been a frequent critic of the fleet of state vehicles that sits in a lot near the Iowa Statehouse collecting dust, as he says. Sunday afternoon, Rants sent out a message on Twitter and Facebook that promised the shirt to whichever person could guess how many state vehicles he found near the Des Moines tea protest party Saturday. Here's the exchange:

Christopher Rants A free "Debt Culver" t shirt to the 1st person to correctly guess the number of state cars parked in the ramp across from the TEA party Sat
3 hours ago · via Twitter · Comment · LikeUnlike · Show Feedback (23)Hide Feedback (23)
You like this.
Ryan W. Frederick at 12:07pm July 5
75?
Jon McAvoy at 12:08pm July 5
12?
Matt Miller at 12:16pm July 5
100 - per http://www.rants.us/default.aspx?id=317
Christopher Rants at 12:22pm July 5
All answers are too low.... They stashed them on the top three floors were they were less likely to be seen - and I drove thru yesterday to count so I'd have up to date number.
Ryan W. Frederick at 12:23pm July 5
hmm...I'll try again... 135
Christopher Rants at 12:26pm July 5
Nope
Don McDowell at 12:36pm July 5
http://herdonthehill.blogspot.com/2009/03/sitting-idly-by.html
Rick Hunsaker at 12:43pm July 5
192
Darren Clayton at 12:44pm July 5
0
Christopher Rants at 12:49pm July 5
More than 135, but less than 192....
Rick Hunsaker at 12:54pm July 5
154
Ryan W. Frederick at 12:55pm July 5
172
Rick Hunsaker at 12:57pm July 5
163.
Doriano Rossi at 12:59pm July 5
167
Jill J. Noordhoek at 1:02pm July 5
145....or to darn many!
Rick Hunsaker at 1:07pm July 5
147
Grace Rants at 1:15pm July 5
152!!
Steve Larson at 1:20pm July 5
153
Sarah Bowman at 1:23pm July 5
176
Michele Ryan at 1:25pm July 5
191
Rick Hunsaker at 1:29pm July 5
159
Christopher Rants at 1:33pm July 5
Steve Larson would be the winner! Shoot me a direct message with your address and size so I can send you the shirt.
Steve Larson at 1:55pm July 5
Woohoo! I won!

Ag Secretary Wants You to Eat Cheese

Who said government workers don't work weekends? Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey decided to taut the power of cheese at about 2:45 Sunday afternoon. Here's the message he sent out on Twitter, encouraging you to add more cheese to your diet. And help the farmers. I added a few comments from people who want to add more than just the cheese, please.

Bill Northey 25% of US cheese used on pizza. 1 xtra oz of cheese ea pizza would use 2.5b lbs/yr. Help dairy farmers - add some cheese to your pizza.
Kim Kreps Larson at 2:54pm July 5
How about adding some extra sausage, bacon, ham, etc. to that pizza too and helping out the pork producers??
Ryan W. Frederick at 2:55pm July 5
...anad some beef while you're at it.

Jeanette Trompeter Online

Former Des Moines and Minneapolis tv news anchor Jeanette Trompeter says she still doesn't know what's next in her life (the CBS tv affiliate, WCCO-TV, in the Twin Cities laid her off in a cost-cutting move last March). But she has started a website to talk about what's next or at least what she is thinking until she figures it out.

http://www.jeanettetrompeter.com/

Fong's Campaign Clarifies Paperwork Question

Iowa Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Christian Fong's campaign sent me a message to try to clear up any confusion about the "paperwork question". During my Internet radio show "Purple Matters" Thursday, I asked Fong about his Twitter comment that he had "filed" to run for governor. I asked whether he meant he had just filed to form the exploratory committee (where you file with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board), so he could raise the money needed for a campaign. But he said he filed for governor. It's my understanding a candidate does this with the Iowa Secretary of State's office. But the office told me a person can't file until next March. Here's my original blog post on this and the full interview with Fong.

Today, Fong's campaign sent me a message to clarify. A spokesman said Fong meant that he had filed the paperwork with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board to raise money, not that he filed the paperwork to run for governor with the sec. of state.

There you go.

Behn Playing It By Ear in Race for Governor

We called it a "Republican Roundup" on my Internet radio show "Purple Matters" (that's a lot of "quotation marks" in one sentence, huh?) We had six possible candidates for the Republican nomination for governor next year in Iowa. Sioux City Rep. Chris Rants, Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats, Carroll Rep. Rod Roberts, Cedar Rapids economist Christian Fong, Boone Senator Jerry Behn and Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey all joined us. Chariton Senator Paul McKinley, Ankeny businessman Jeff Lamberti and Western Iowa Congress Steve King all cited scheduling conflicts, so they couldn't take part.

What did we find out?

Jerry Behn--NOT NEARLY IN. Behn said he is out talking to people "checking support". He doesn't have a timetable, he said, to decide whether to run. He said he is "playing it by ear". Behn said he wants to see if he has support elsewhere in the state as he says he does in his home area of Boone.

Behn talked to us on the road in Waukee. Here is his full interview on "Purple Matters" on www.macsworldlive.com

Did Fong Really File Papers for Governor?

We called it a "Republican Roundup" on my Internet radio show "Purple Matters" (that's a lot of "quotation marks" in one sentence, huh?) We had six possible candidates for the Republican nomination for governor next year in Iowa. Sioux City Rep. Chris Rants, Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats, Carroll Rep. Rod Roberts, Cedar Rapids economist Christian Fong, Boone Senator Jerry Behn and Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey all joined us. Chariton Senator Paul McKinley, Ankeny businessman Jeff Lamberti and Western Iowa Congress Steve King all cited scheduling conflicts, so they couldn't take part.

What did we find out?

Christian Fong--ALL IN. He questioned other candidates who haven't said right away that they are running for governor. He wondered whether others are "still wondering" or "still curious" about how they would solve the state's problems. He is not, he says. Fong said he has already filed to run for governor. He said he mailed the forms. I'm a little confused by this. I checked with the Iowa Secretary of State's office. Communications Director Jarrett Schneider said a person can't file for governor this early. The person has to wait until next March when the filing begins, Schneider said. So he said even though a person could mail the forms, the office will not accept them this early before the deadline and will likely mail them back to Fong. Fong would then likely have to re-send them later.

Fong pointed out he is not "too young" to run at age 32. He said he graduated from high school at 16 and from college at 19. He added he has been married for more than a decade.

Fong talked to us from Cedar Rapids. Here is his full interview from "Purple Matters" on http://www.macsworldlive.com/

Roberts About to File Papers

We called it a "Republican Roundup" on my Internet radio show "Purple Matters" (that's a lot of "quotation marks" in one sentence, huh?) We had six possible candidates for the Republican nomination for governor next year in Iowa. Sioux City Rep. Chris Rants, Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats, Carroll Rep. Rod Roberts, Cedar Rapids economist Christian Fong, Boone Senator Jerry Behn and Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey all joined us. Chariton Senator Paul McKinley, Ankeny businessman Jeff Lamberti and Western Iowa Congress Steve King all cited scheduling conflicts, so they couldn't take part.

What did we find out?

Rod Roberts--About to file for exploratory committee. Roberts said he will file in the next two or three weeks. He knows he has a name recognition challenge, probably a big one. Roberts expects 4-8 candidates this summer from his party, but he expects that will drop to 3 or 4 by the fall.

Roberts talked to us from his home in Carroll. Here is his full interview on "Purple Matters" on http://www.macsworldlive.com/

Bill Northey for Agriculture

We called it a "Republican Roundup" on my Internet radio show "Purple Matters" (that's a lot of "quotation marks" in one sentence, huh?) We had six possible candidates for the Republican nomination for governor next year in Iowa. Sioux City Rep. Chris Rants, Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats, Carroll Rep. Rod Roberts, Cedar Rapids economist Christian Fong, Boone Senator Jerry Behn and Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey all joined us. Chariton Senator Paul McKinley, Ankeny businessman Jeff Lamberti and Western Iowa Congress Steve King all cited scheduling conflicts, so they couldn't take part.

What did we find out?

Bill Northey--Likely Will Run For ag secretary again, not governor. He said he really likes his current job and feels like he is starting to understand it and has more he wants to accomplish. He said he will decide on what to do this summer, possibly in the next month.

Northey talked to us on the road in Oskaloosa. Here is the full interview on "Purple Matters" on www.macsworldlive.com you can hear every week at 4pm central.

Vander Plaats for Governor

We called it a "Republican Roundup" on my Internet radio show "Purple Matters" (that's a lot of "quotation marks" in one sentence, huh?) We had six possible candidates for the Republican nomination for governor next year in Iowa. Sioux City Rep. Chris Rants, Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats, Carroll Rep. Rod Roberts, Cedar Rapids economist Christian Fong, Boone Senator Jerry Behn and Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey all joined us. Chariton Senator Paul McKinley, Ankeny businessman Jeff Lamberti and Western Iowa Congress Steve King all cited scheduling conflicts, so they couldn't take part.

What did we find out?

Bob Vander Plaats--ALL IN, except for official announcement. Team VP doesn't look at this campaign (his third for governor) as a "third time is a charm". He said the other two runs showed he was right. VP said he will wait until the end of the summer or early fall to announce his run. The only thing that will stop him from running, he said, would be health problems in someone in his family.

He talked to us from Fort Dodge, where he just finished an interview with the Fort Dodge Messenger.

Here is the full interview on "Purple Matters" on www.macsworldlive.com

Republican Roundup--The Possible Candidates for Governor

We called it a "Republican Roundup" on my Internet radio show "Purple Matters" (that's a lot of "quotation marks" in one sentence, huh?) We had six possible candidates for the Republican nomination for governor next year in Iowa. Sioux City Rep. Chris Rants, Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats, Carroll Rep. Rod Roberts, Cedar Rapids economist Christian Fong, Boone Senator Jerry Behn and Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey all joined us. Chariton Senator Paul McKinley, Ankeny businessman Jeff Lamberti and Western Iowa Congress Steve King all cited scheduling conflicts, so they couldn't take part.

What did we find out?

Chris Rants--ALL IN, ALMOST. Rants is in the exploratory phase of the campaign. He has filed the papers to do raise money, etc. He said he will travel the state extensively in July and August and then said we should look for a possible announcement in the fall that he will run for governor.

Rants said he has informally polled Iowans about whether he should run as "Chris" or "Christopher". He said more people went with Chris. So he is running as Chris.

He denied reports that he has been talking with former West Des Moines Representative Libby Jacobs. Jacobs was recently laid off as Community Relations Director for the Principal Financial Group. Rants cited Cityview's "Civic Skinny" as the main source of the Rants/Jacobs talk. Although, a person who went along as part of the Greater Des Moines Partnership's annual trip to lobby the bigwigs in Washington, D.C. told me about it. Rants said it is too early to be thinking about a running mate and that it's like in baseball when you don't talk about a no-hitter before it's over.

Rants talked with us from his home in Sioux City. Listen to the full interview on "Purple Matters" from www.macsworldlive.com.

Republican Roundup

I hope this works:) I invited anyone running for governor or just thinking about running for governor in Iowa next year for the Republicans to come on my internet radio show "Purple Matters" this afternoon. Six candidates, or, I should say, "candidates/maybe candidates" accepted. So starting at 4pm central on www.macsworldlive.com, you can hear the six of them for the hour. Here's what I'm after...are they officially running? If not, what will make them pull the trigger to run? And why do they want to run?

We'll scatter the interviews throughout the hour. Then, at the end of the hour, we'll talk with Radio Iowa's political guru/analyst/blogger/news director/reporter O. Kay Henderson about the race plus the financial situation of our state. Governor Chet Culver and State Treasurer Mike Fitzgerald hold a news conference this afternoon at 3:30 to address growing concerns among critics the state ended the fiscal year (June 30th) short on cash. Of course, the state can't finish in debt according to the constitution.

I hope you'll join us at 4pm today!

Rescued Victim Says Thanks

The woman rescued by quick-thinking contractors said "thank you" today to all who have helped her and to those who tried in vain to save her husband. Patti Ralph-Neely and her husband, Alan, fell out of their boat as it moved down the fast-flowing Des Moines River near the Center Street Dam in downtown Des Moines yesterday. The rescue was amazing to watch, but, of course, heartbreaking, as well, since no one could get to Alan fast enough. Here are two of stories we ran on WHO-TV 13 that captured both the relief and heartache. Below them is the statement Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines just released on behalf of Patti Neely.

First story.


Second story.

Statement from Patti Ralph-Neely

Yesterday’s events are bittersweet. While I am very thankful to be here today I lost the love of my life, my husband, Alan. I am very thankful for the outpouring of love shown by our friends and family as well as the community. Your concern and caring are uplifting.
I would like to express my thanks to the people who are part of the reason I am here, including the men operating the crane from Cramer and Associates— Joe Lowe and Jason Oglesbee— who was lowered into the river so I might could grab his hand and be rescued; the Des Moines Police and Fire water rescue team and paramedics who brought me out of the river and took me to Mercy. I’d also like to thank the doctors and caring staff in Mercy’s emergency department who cared for me during my medical time of need, and thank you to the people lined along the river bank— your shouts of encouragement to hang on and be strong were heard and appreciated more than you will know.
Now begins a time of healing. Our family asks for our privacy,` but know that all of you will be with us during this process as you were when I was in need.

Register to Lay Off More Employees

Gannett announced it is slashing another 1,400 jobs. And The Des Moines Register reports it will be hit again.

The company already cut about 10% of workers last year and forced employees to take two weeks of furloughs this year. The "good news" in the announcement is a company official said it wouldn't ask for any more furloughs this year.

Register reporter, Daniel Finney, sent out a message on Facebook this afternoon wondering his fate. He got laid off last year and got rehired a few months later. Here's his message. Good luck, Daniel.

Here we go again. Job cut victim in January 2008, our man Finney was rehired in June that year. He's survived two job cuts (and two furloughs) since then. Can our hero make it three out of four? Tune in July 9 for the answer.

50324 the New 90210

The identity crisis is over in Windsor Heights. Mayor Jerry Sullivan says the town of about 5,000 has fought especially hard over the past decade to get its own zip code. It's shared three zip codes in the past from West Des Moines, Des Moines and Urbandale. Residents say the multiple zip codes were confusing and resulted in lost or misdirected mail over the years. However, a postal carrier we met in a Windsor Heights neighborhood disputed all that.

The mayor and city council appealed to Des Moines area Congressman Leonard Boswell for help. After the U.S. Postal Service refused to grant the request, Boswell found help in Congress. So starting today, Windsor Heights' 50324 becomes the most celebrated zip code since the long-side burned days of Brandon and Dillon on 90210 (you know there's a clip coming here, don't you?)

Tuesday night, Windsor Heights celebrated the new zip code with an after-hours party in the newly-renovated Colby Park.

Here's my tv story on the night.


And, yes, of course, for your viewing pleasure...bring on Hollywood! The original show open. Notice how long it is (insert her own Michael Scott joke here)

Franken Steak Fry Guest

Al Franken is coming to dinner, because, doggonit, people like him. The newly-Minnesota Supreme Court-approved U.S. Senator will be Iowa Senator Tom Harkin's guest at his annual steak fry September 13th. Franken follows previous guests like Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Apparently, Harkin staffers were sitting on the dinner guest for a while we all waited for the million recounts and delays that came before Franken's official final victory confirmation over incumbent Senator Norm Coleman.

I figured I would attach the obligatory Stuart Smalley YouTube clip. Apparently, most have been removed. So this one is about the only one I could find.