You have to just love Iowa this time of year. With Mitt and Tommy on tomorrow’s agenda, The Real Sporer had the opportunity to attend Rudy’s Des Moines debutante ball tonight (technically, West Des Moines as the event was held at Valley “Smells like Victory” High School). The event was very, very impressive.
Perhaps the best news for Rudy’s supporters, who don’t already know, is the presence of KC Jones as Rudy’s Regional Director. KC worked our area for the President early in the ’04 cycle. KC’s unusually pleasant and practical demeanor will go a very long way toward building a strong Iowa ground game. Our local leadership will find KC leadership style quite cooperative. Returning KC to the Midwest is a very strong move.
The turnout was pretty strong. Best of all, the turnout was heavily flavored with novitiate, maybe even more than the John McCain Hotel Fort Des Moines event. A good example was Irish Walsh, who runs a local Iowa blog. The presence of so many neophyte activists in our crowds is evidence of enthusiasm for Republican leadership.
Dave Jamison, Bonnie Hall and I were there for the Central Committee. Great to see Bert Ann as well, working her tail off with crowd management. Jim Nussle gave a very good warm up speech. It is very important that we keep our leadership at home and Jim is setting a very good example by staying active in Iowa politics in Iowa.
All the way around a very good start for Rudy here in the Capitol City. Tomorrow we will get to see Tommy Thompson and Mitt Romney. Both have outstanding teams in Iowa, including Mitt’s Romney's “crisp, suit-clad Iowa state director“Gentry Collins (among the best of hires) and the recent addition of my buddy Keith Hunter. Both Tommy and Mitt present great positive messages. Mitt’s Iowa commercials are great and, lets face it, he has had a very good week. Tommy has been working off his tail here in Iowa. The Real Sporer expects both to have the kind of alluring event that will draw supporters and keep this race dynamic.
The presence of Rudy tonight and Mitt and Tommy tomorrow provide the Iowa Republican with a most opportune chance to compare three eminently qualified candidates for our nomination-up close and in person. I hope everyone who can attend tomorrow. I will report on both.
13 comments:
The House Armed Services Committee is banishing the global war on terror from the 2008 defense budget.
This is not because the war has been won, lost or even called off, but because the committee’s Democratic leadership doesn’t like the phrase.
The “global war on terror,” a phrase first used by President Bush shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S., should not be used, according to the memo.
Also banned is the phrase the “long war,” which military officials began using last year as a way of acknowledging that military operations against terrorist states and organizations would not be wrapped up in a few years.
Committee staff members are told in the memo to use specific references to specific operations instead of the Bush administration’s catch phrases.
The memo, written by Staff Director Erin Conaton, provides examples of acceptable phrases, such as “the war in Iraq,” the “war in Afghanistan, “operations in the Horn of Africa” or “ongoing military operations throughout the world.”
“There was no political intent in doing this,” said a Democratic aide who asked not to be identified.
The Des Moines school board will rethink a $1 million playground for the Walnut Street School that it approved last month.
Board president Marc Ward announced Tuesday night that the board next week will again discuss whether to build a raised playground over a 40-car parking area.
Ward and Teree Caldwell-Johnson were both absent from the meeting on March 13 when the playground was approved, and Ward said other board members have since expressed second thoughts.
"It is unusual," Ward said. "But I think it's the right approach and the right thing to do."
Krusty has quite a different take on last night's event for Rudy at Valley, V for Victory High School.
Very pessimistic and a sarcastic tone.
I haven't seen Mitt get a crowd of 500 people. Maybe I'm wrong and just haven't seen the news.
The jealousy comes through in the writing.
Too bad. Mitt is sooooo cute and doesn't seem like a jealous person himself.
According to Yoda she (Mrs Yoda, Sara Henderson) was not on hand and was not notified of the event till she read it in the morning paper.
If Jim Nussle is giving Rudy this advice, he should be tarred and feathered. this is treasonous to Iowa republicans.
Giuliani reiterated to reporters that he is "going to participate in the caucuses."
But, mirroring what his campaign said earlier, Giuliani wouldn't say the same for the Ames Straw Poll.
"We'll take a look at the straw poll," was all he'd allow.
Former Rep. Jim Nussle, Giuliani's top backer in Iowa and the man who introduced Hizzoner tonight, dismissed the Ames affair in a brief interview as Giuliani left the gym.
"It's a fundraiser for the party that has become a circus," Nussle observed. "The caucuses are the most important thing."
"Jim is setting a very good example by staying active in Iowa politics in Iowa."
I have to disagree Ted, if Nussle is dissing the straw poll. If Nussle is attempting to diminish us in national politics, he ought to just go ahead and move to Nevada.
And, it would be good riddance if this is true. he needs to explain himself.
Remember, he was the 800 pound gorilla in the room that completely blew it in his race for gov. maybe it was his own advice that turned out to be the toxin rather than his toxic staff.
Agreed 8:53
As you evaluate Rudy read his own words at: www.rudysreallyliberal.com
I can't get over how stupid Nussle is about the straw poll. He said the straw poll is a fundraiser for the party like that's a bad thing.
God forbid we should have a party that employs people or provides the apparatus for that caucus to even occur. Does he think we put that on for FREE!
Does he have any idea how large the Democrat party is in Iowa and how well funded they are? He's completely out of touch with Iowa and Iowans with that anti-iowa republican sentiment.
Those circus goers also go the caucuses.
What a misguided idiot. He deserved to lose.
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) - Democrat Barack Obama raked in $25 million for his presidential bid in the first three months of 2007, placing him on a par with front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton and dashing her image as the party's inevitable nominee.
The donations came from an eye-popping 100,000 donors, the campaign said in a statement Wednesday.
“I’m not going to stand up here and tell you what you want to hear, that would be you leading me.”
Rudy Guiliani 4/3/07 Valley High School, West Des Moines.
Ted, what's with all these people (or same person) pushing an agenda on your comment thread and not even posting under a screen name? Only one actual screen name on this whole thread and he is a drive by commenter who hit me as well.
US President Tim Kalemkarian, US Senate Tim Kalemkarian, US House Tim Kalemkarian: best major candidate.
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