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IOWA
DAILY REPORT Holding
the Democrats accountable today, tomorrow...forever.
PAGE 2
Thursday,
Aug. 14, 2003
… “Public
Opinion On Bush Stabilizes…War, Budget
Fuel Partisan Division” – Headline from
yesterday’s Washington Post. Excerpts from
Post article by Dan Balz and Claudia Deane: “Support
for President Bush on Iraq appears to have
stabilized after a precipitous drop earlier
this summer, but three months after the end of
major combat in the Persian Gulf region, the
public is again sharply divided along partisan
lines over the war and other key aspects of
Bush's presidency, according to a new
Washington Post Poll. The return to a
polarized political climate, coming so quickly
after a period of relative unity during the
height of the fighting in Iraq, foreshadows
a contentious reelection campaign for the
president. The public mood also carries
risks for the president's Democratic
challengers, who are attempting to appeal to
the strong anti-Bush sentiment within their
party without jeopardizing the need to
attract independent and swing voters in next
year's general election. A solid majority
(56 percent) of those surveyed approve of the
way Bush is handling the situation in Iraq,
and six in 10 said the war was worth fighting.
Those evaluations had been dropping earlier in
the summer, but are not significantly
different than in a poll taken a month ago and
suggest the downward slide may have halted, at
least for now. Bush receives poorer marks
on the domestic scene, with 45 percent
approving of the way he is handling the
economy and 41 percent saying they approve of
the way he has dealt with the federal budget,
despite a deficit that will hit an estimated
$455 billion this fiscal year, a record.
Only a third of those surveyed said the state
of the economy was good or excellent.
About the same percentage said things were
getting better as said things are getting
worse (32 percent vs. 29 percent), which,
while not impressive, was a more optimistic
appraisal than at the beginning of the year.
Asked whether they were better off since
Bush became president, 17 percent said they
were doing better while 25 percent said they
were worse off. Bush's net negative rating on
that question is the worst in any Post poll
since President George H.W. Bush, whose poor
ratings on the economy led to his defeat in
1992. Still, 14 percent of those surveyed
said Bush bears primary responsibility for the
state of the economy, with twice as many
blaming the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11,
2001. Overall, 59 percent approve of the
way Bush is handling his job. While
his approval rating has dropped 18 percentage
points since early April, his current level of
support represents a good foundation as he
begins the campaign year ahead. Behind all
these numbers is a country that views Bush and
his policies through very different lenses,
depending on party affiliation. Throughout
much of Bush's presidency, Democrats and
Republicans have been at odds in evaluating
him, particularly on the economic and domestic
issues, but at times of crisis have rallied
behind the president on issues of national
security.”
…
Rove says
Florida will – again – be key state in ’04,
but that strategy not likely to change if
lightening strikes and Graham makes it on the
national Dem ticket.
Headline from
FOXNews.com yesterday: “Karl
Rove: Florida ‘Ground Zero’ in 2004”
Excerpt – datelined Panama City – from AP
coverage: “Karl
Rove, President Bush's top political adviser,
says Florida will play a crucial role in the
president's re-election strategy next year.
Rove, in an interview with editors and
reporters of The News Herald of Panama City,
said the campaign strategy in Florida would
be a combination of ‘brotherly love’ -- a
reference to the president's younger brother,
Gov. Jeb Bush -- and an effort to ‘register,
identify and turn out our vote.’…’This
clearly is going to be ground zero,’ Rove said
in the interview, published in Wednesday's
editions. Rove has been vacationing in
northwest Florida, where he has been making
trips for the past 16 years. Florida, now
with 27 electoral votes, decided the 2000
presidential election and is expected to be a
battleground state next year. Rove said
the strategy would not likely change if
Florida Sen. Bob Graham was on the
Democratic ticket - as the presidential or
vice presidential nominee. ‘Frankly we're not
focused on it,’ he said. Rove said the Bush
administration understands the frustrations of
military families who are anxious for the
return of their loved ones in Iraq. But he
said the protracted stays of many service
members are a result of a military ‘stretched
thin.’…’Our military, when it gets into
Afghanistan and Iraq, is taxed,’ he said. Rove
said the administration is committed to the
rebuilding of Iraq and hopes by this time next
year to have ‘a country clearly on the road
toward a democratic, market-oriented, secular
state.’” This morning’s headlines:
Des Moines
Register, top front-page headline: “Additional
weapons offered, FBI says…Suspect said
he’d provide 200 missiles, U. S. alleges”
Main online
reports, Quad-City Times: “FBI: Suspected
smuggler wanted 50 missiles” & “Confidence
in Iraq war slips”
Nation/world
online heads, Omaha World-Herald: “U. S.
rejects wider U. N. role in Iraq” & “Buffett
pumps up Arnold’s election bid”
New York
Times, featured online headlines: “U. S.
Abandons Idea of Bigger U. N. Role in Iraq
Occupation” & “Nominee for E. P. A.
Defends His Job as Utah Governor”
Top stories,
Sioux City Journal online: “British airways
suspends flights to Saudi Arabia due to
security concerns” & “Schwarzenegger
picks Warren Buffett as recall campaign
adviser”
Chicago
Tribune online, main headlines: “Scores of
GIs Land in Liberian Capital” & “FBI:
Suspected Dealer Sought 50 Missiles”
Iowa Briefs/Updates:
More Iowa
gambling fever:
KDTH Radio (Dubuque)
reports that the Black Hawk County (Waterloo)
voters will get another shot at expanding
gambling, nine years after twice rejecting
referendums to add slot machines at Waterloo
Greyhound Park. The Board of Supervisors
yesterday received a petition requesting a
referendum to allow riverboat gaming somewhere
in the county
KCCI-TV (Des
Moines) says about 500 students at Iowa
State University may have to move out of their
dorm rooms at the end of the coming fall
semester. School officials are asking the
Iowa Board of Regents to approve the early
closing of Knapp Hall, one of four towers on
the south side of campus, so it can be
demolished
… British
Airways Cancels Flights to Saudi Arabia.
VOANews (Voice of America) reported that
British Airways has suspended flights to Saudi
Arabia because of security threats.
Excerpt from VOANews: “The airline
announced the suspension following talks with
British government transport safety experts,
who had received what they describe as
‘credible intelligence of a serious threat’ to
British aviation. British Airways
spokesmen would not elaborate on the specifics
of the threats. But in recent days Saudi
Arabia has been cracking down on suspected
militants of the al-Qaida terrorist network.
Saudi Arabia has been on heightened alert
since a series of suicide bombings in May
killed more than 30 people in the capital,
Riyadh. British Airways normally flies four
times a week to Riyadh and Jeddah. It
canceled the day's flights following the
announcement. Since the bombings in May, the
British Foreign Office has warned British
citizens not to visit the kingdom except for
essential business. About 30,000 Britons work
in Saudi Arabia.”
… From the
Korean Front: Headline from VOANews – “N.
Korea Reiterates Need for Non-Aggression Pact
with US” Excerpt from Tokyo report by
VOA’s Steve Herman: “North Korea is
reiterating that it wants a non-aggression
pact and diplomatic ties with Washington
before it will give up its nuclear weapons
program. The statement comes a few weeks
before talks on Pyongyang's weapons program.
North Korea's official news agency says it
is ‘impossible and unthinkable’ that it would
allow inspections of its nuclear facilities
without changes in U.S. policy. The Korean
Central News Agency, quoting a Foreign
Ministry official, says Washington needs to
sign a non-aggression treaty with North Korea
and drop its hostile stance toward the
communist state. The comments made
Wednesday may signal the posture Pyongyang
will take at coming talks to resolve the
international dispute over its nuclear weapons
program. The United States, North Korea,
China, Japan, Russia and South Korea are to
meet in Beijing, probably starting on August
27.”
Chicago Tribune: Vatican ready to make
statement on issue of concern to Iowa ag
interests – biotech.
Headline from yesterday’s Tribune: “Vatican
to weigh in on biotech food issue…Alarms
over global hunger abut fears of modified
crops” Excerpt from report by Andrew Martin of
the Trib’s Washington Bureau: “The Vatican,
spurred by concern over world hunger,
announced it intends to jump into the
controversy over genetically modified foods, a
move that promises to accelerate vigorous
debate among Roman Catholics in Europe and the
Third World who staunchly oppose
biotechnology. While Vatican officials so
far have stopped short of a statement of
support, they have acknowledged a keen
interest in biotech foods as a means of
reducing poverty, hunger and malnutrition.
The Vatican plans to convene a round-table of
experts on genetically modified foods this
fall and will ‘draw the appropriate
conclusions’ afterward, Cardinal Renato
Martino said last week. Genetically modified
foods remain a source of contention among the
United States, Europe and other countries,
with some wary of potential long-term health
and environmental consequences. The process
involves removing specific genetic material
from one plant and transplanting it in another
to promote such characteristics as improved
crop yield, protection against insects and
better taste. ‘The problem of hunger
involves the conscience of every man, and in
particular those of the Christians,’ said
Martino, who heads the Pontifical Council for
Justice and Peace. ‘For this reason, the
Catholic Church follows with special interest
and solicitude every development in science to
help the solution of a plight that afflicts
such a large part of humanity.’ Catholic
Church officials in South Africa, Brazil and
the Philippines have released statements
opposing genetically modified foods…Ultimately,
the Vatican may have to decide whether genetic
modification is a legitimate means to
alleviate world hunger--a position espoused by
the United States--or an unproven technology
being pushed by profit-hungry corporations
that may cause long-term health and
environmental problems, as some critics
contend. Any decision likely will be
influential--and controversial.”
Iowa lawmakers
take “unusual step” of objecting to Iowa Law
Enforcement Academy rules.
Headline from
yesterday’s Sioux City Journal: “WIT
objects to law enforcement training rules
written by academy:” Excerpt from report
by Kathie Obradovich: “A community college
that successfully pushed for legislation
allowing civilians to receive law enforcement
training complained to legislators Tuesday
that rules written by the Iowa Law Enforcement
Academy preclude the expansion of the course
to anyone who hasn't already been offered a
police job.
Western Iowa
Tech Community College in Sioux City,
which offers law enforcement training, said
Tuesday that the academy's rules set higher
admission standards for civilian applicants
than is required of police-sponsored
applicants. Hawkeye Tech in Waterloo
also offers the training course.
Lawmakers on
the Administrative Rules Review Committee took
the unusual step of formally objecting to the
academy's rules in response to the college's
concerns.
Lawmakers said they hoped their unanimous
decision would spur the academy to submit new
rules that respond, at least in part, to the
community college's objections.
Earlier this year, the Legislature agreed
to allow someone with a two- or four-year
degree in police science or criminal justice
to enroll in an eight-week law enforcement
training course at his or her own expense.
After completing the course, the student would
have 18 months to get a job with a law
enforcement agency. Currently, entry into a
training course is limited to people who are
sponsored by a law enforcement agency and have
agreed to accept a job as a peace officer.
Bill sponsor Rep. Jim Van Fossen, R-Davenport,
a retired police officer, said the change was
needed because many small police departments
end up paying for training and then losing
their new officers to bigger cities. The Iowa
Law Enforcement Academy, which offers a
13-week officer training course, had concerns
about the legislation. Director Penny
Westfall said during the session that the
academy wanted to ensure that standards for
police training were not lowered. James
Hanks, attorney for Western Iowa Tech, said
Tuesday that the rules approved by the
academy's board would prevent the college from
opening its short course to civilians.” Today’s editorials:
Des Moines
Register:
Local – “Keep a D. M. transit hub…Whether
or not it’s the Walnut Street Mall, downtown
needs a place where buses converge.” & “A
risky trade-off in Medicare…Prescription-drug
coverage shouldn’t come at the expense of
cancer treatments…A $16 billion cut would be
one-third of the total Medicare expenditure
for cancer care.”
The Great
Missouri River Flow Feud:
A citizen
commentary from the Sioux City Journal – “The
Missouri River has been here for thousands of
years. The problem is not the river, but those
who live along it. The answer is simple.
High flow versus low flow. Establish a medium
flow, then have all in the area live with the
results regardless of their wants or needs.”
--
Carleton W.
Monroe,
Hinton.
Radio Iowa
reports that the Iowa Conference is
considering the options after Upper Iowa
University in Fayette announced last week it
will leave the all-Iowa league and move up
to Division II status. Upper Iowa had been a
charter member of the Iowa Conference – where
most schools are within a couple hours of each
other. Nine schools remain…Not in the Top
25 yet – The Sports Illustrated on
newsstands this week has Iowa 39th and Iowa
State 64th in a ranking of the nation’s 117
NCAA Division I football teams. Ohio State –
on the Hawkeyes’ schedule this fall – is No.
1. The even better news: Iowa also plays
Buffalo – ranked 114th.
DSM 7 a. m.
68, partly cloudy. Temperatures at 7 a.m.
ranged from 57 in Harlan, 58 in
Estherville and 59 in Mason City to
70 in Oelwein, Fairfield, Burlington,
Fairfield and Fort Madison. Today’s
high 85, patchy fog. Tonight’s low 67, mostly
clear. Friday’s high 89, mostly sunny. Friday
night’s low 68, mostly clear.
“Volunteers
work to preserve piece of Q-C river lore”
– headline from the Quad-City Times. Excerpt
from report by Mary Louise Speer: “LeClaire, a
town famed for its ties to the Mississippi
River, possesses a tangible souvenir of its
past in the Lone Star steamer, but
restoring that treasure will take money and
time. The grand old lady — recognized as
the last wooden hull paddleboat to ply the
Mississippi — is permanently dry-docked at the
Buffalo Bill Museum here. “We need some
valiant efforts to save some history,” said
Bob Brockhouse of Bettendorf, a member of the
museum’s board of directors. The Lone Star
resembles a diamond in the rough. Her
exterior paint is chipping away, the
floorboards need a fresh coat and the
second-level pilothouse, cabins and deck all
are showing signs of age…Visitors are invited
to explore the Lone Star and learn bits and
pieces about its history. She was built as
a sidewheeler in 1869 in Lyons, Iowa, and
towed barges up and down the river until being
deactivated in 1968. Information from the
city’s “Our Story” history says the boat could
be recognized by the ‘chug-chug’ sound it made
and the ‘thunk-thunk’ of the paddlewheel when
rounding the bend past LeClaire. It still
might be working the river, but the U.S.
Coast Guard banned all wooden hull steamboats
in 1968.”
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