Sunday, July 27, 2008

Margaret McDonald-Republican Woman

The Johnson County GOP hosted a tribute to long time GOP activist Margaret McDonald. TRS and Steve Scheffler travelled down to the University Athletic Club in Iowa City to join many others in honoring Mrs. McDonald. As we entered we noticed a photo of Jim and Margaret McDonald riding in the back of a pick up truck playing in a band during a Wiley Mayne parade-having fun during a Republican campaign of days gone by.

Space certainly doesn’t permit us to give a full biography of Mrs. McDonald’s storied career as an Iowa Republican, so we recommend David Hogberg’s 2004 story “
Peg and Ronnie” for the National Review. We have described Steve Roberts as one of Iowa’s great Republicans of the last half century-so very much is Mrs. McDonald. Mrs. McDonald served as state CoChair and served many terms on the State Central Committee. Mrs. McDonald’s services were invaluable in creating the Republican dynasties of the 70s and 80s and almost every veteran Republican described her as a tireless warrior for her candidates and causes and, above all, the Republican Party.

The event was very well attended. Our current National Committeeman, the afore-mentioned Steve Roberts spoke in mirthful terms of past Republican hi-jinks during the tenures on the SCC that he shared with Mrs. McDonald. From the sounds of times gone by they were very much as tumultuous of those in which Steve and Mrs. McDonald’s political descendents are embroiled today. Steve was joined at the event by wife Dawn, a former Polk County chair in her own right.

Long time Iowa Congressman Jim Leach went through a brief history of the Iowa GOP and ranked Mrs. McDonald’s service high in historical terms. Cong. Leach was also in high humor and even took a moment of levity at the media’s expense over the false story that Sen. Grassley was defeated as a delegate because he was too liberal. Needless to say, Cong. Leach knew of the automatic floor privileges awarded to members of Congress at the RNC and he undoubtedly found the story amusing.

As noted above, both the incoming and outgoing National Committeemen (Steves Scheffler and Roberts) were present to honor Mrs. McDonald, as was Rep. Sandy Greiner, who also participated in the RNC races. Our Republican candidate for the Second Congressional, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks made gracious and brief remarks. The more we see of Dr. 3M the more we are reminded of the photo at the bottom of this page.

Second District SCC member Lisa Smith was there for the District. Senator Jim Hahn from Muscatine and Wapello County Chair Trudy Caviness from Ottumwa travelled from different parts of the District to honor Mrs. McDonald. There were many other activists from the Second District like former Linn County Chairs Eric Rosenthal and Kathy Potts, candidates like Emma Nemecek (candidate HD 29) and national delegates like Edgar Thornton.

Johnson County Chairman Bill Keettel and his Committee did a great job of putting together the event. The atmosphere was very optimistic and comfortable, betraying rumors of Republican division as wild exaggerations.

The highlight of the evening came when Jim McDonald was joined at the mic by the McDonald’s two daughters to sing a campaign song that they first sang for wife and mother decades ago. Although the song itself was touching the implication was far greater.

Much like the band in pick up, the song was silly and fun and it reminded of just how right Gov. Ray is when he says we have to make it fun to be a Republican. Thanks for the reminder Mrs. McDonald.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Uncle Teddy - I'm just catching up on the latest conspiracy fed to Yepsen et al and reported as if they'd done some reporting rather than gossip mongering.

This is all complete nonsense coming from Yepsen, Lundy and the biggest lying phony of them all, Ray Hoffman.

Could someone please explain to me just exactly WHAT and WHOM Mary Lundby was representing in the Senate? What issues did she take on? What issues haven't been dealt with that she had control to bring up but didn't? She was there. She was the leader. She's not there anymore. Who care's what she thinks. She was at the helm during our demise and left us in this mess.

Did Kim and Steve start writing speeches for the candidates? Did they start proposing legislation? Did they conduct a hostile takeover of all the candidates campaigns?

No - of course not. David Yepsen and the yokel that wrote this article quoting Lundby and Hoffman are lazy "reporters".

They are being fed a spin by the sore loser society and don't even bother to apply some basic common sense that would uncover this whole talking point conspiracy as the bunk that it is.

No one can kick anyone out of the party. The party has no control over how someone registers to vote. The party has no control over what a candidate has to say about himself or his agenda.

David and this other "news" guy - I think it's time for some remedial journalism courses.

Yoda said...

Thank you Margaret for decades of hard work for the GOP!

Cedar Waxwing said...

Many of our current GOP leaders would do well to learn the example of leadership that Margaret McDonald demonstrated so well..

Margaret didn't tolerate personality conflicts....she cared and still cares about one thing..and one thing only..WINNING ELECTIONS.

If you do not win elections..you do not lead.

We in Johnson County will miss her leadership and her enthusiasm. However, Margaret has earned a well deserved retirement from the political world.

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