Video of Jim Leach's Speech at the Democratic National Convention

Leach the Eisenhower Democrat

I caught part of Jim Leach's speech at the Democratic National Convention. His speech seemed very scholarly, filled with historical facts and void of talking points.

Andrew Sullivan summarizes Leach's support for Obama...

It's an interesting take on Obama - and it was Jim Leach's basic point. He is not a great speaker, to say the least. But he was the most substantive of the night and the most serious. He is right about one fundamental thing, I think. The ditch this country has gotten itself in - fiscally, militarily and diplomatically - is extremely deep. It will require more than an ordinary politician to get us out of it.

Leach to Speak at the Democratic Convention on Monday

Former Republican Congressman Jim Leach, who endorsed Barack Obama two weeks ago, is going to be speaking on at the Democratic Convention on Monday.

From Radio Iowa...

A source in the Obama campaign says former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach, a Republican from Davenport/Iowa City/Harvard/Princeton, is scheduled to speak Monday night at the Democratic National Convention. For those of you who hadn't heard, back on August 12 Leach endorsed Obama.

The theme of Monday night's convention is "One Nation" and Leach's role as one of the Republicans now backing Obama fits into that theme, according to the source.

Leach to Endorse Obama

Radio Iowa is reporting that Jim Leach will be endorsing Barack Obama today.

According to a source in the Obama campaign, former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach -- a Republican -- will be endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama this morning. Leach, as you may recall, lost his bid for re-election in 2006 after three decades representing portions of eastern Iowa in congress. Leach was considered a "moderate" Republican and was a backer of campaign finance reform. Leach did not accept campaign contributions from political action committees.

Leach to Head Harvard's Institute of Politics

From the Des Moines Register...

Former Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa will be the director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University for the current academic year, it was announced this morning by the university.

Leach, a Republican from Iowa City who served in the U.S. House for 15 terms before his defeat in 2006, will succeed Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire
who is leaving to run for the U.S. Senate in her home state.

The Institute of Politics is part of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Leach Not a Finalist for U of Iowa President Post

Former Rep. Jim Leach is not one of the finalists for the president post at the University of Iowa.

The Des Moines Register has this quote from Leach that makes it sound like Leach had some interest in the position...

“It is my understanding that the search committee determined to consider only those candidates who had a traditional background in academic administration,” Leach said in an e-mail from Beijing, China. “This strikes me as a reasonable decision and I am confident any of the candidates put forth by the search committee will make a fine University of Iowa president.”

For extensive coverage of the University of Iowa President search check out Nicholas Johnson's blog.

How Jim Leach Lost

Here is a letter to the editor of the Washington Post that gives the real reason why Jim Leach lost.

What's with the Eastern Establishment? Don't you trust us hayseeds to vote correctly for our representative in Congress?

Mark Shields [op-ed, Nov. 11] said we Iowans "inexplicably" defeated 15-term Rep. Jim Leach (R); then David S. Broder [op-ed, Nov. 30] put some of the blame on the Poker Players Alliance and the Christian Coalition -- both insidious forces -- for Mr. Leach's defeat. Hogwash!

Let's get a few facts straight: First, Mr. Leach showed how principled a moderate he was when, after the 2000 redistricting, he was given a chance to run in a Republican primary against right-wing conservative Rep. Jim Nussle. Instead, Mr. Leach moved to Iowa City to run in our district.

Second, yes, Mr. Leach voted against the Iraq war, but in the 2004 election he brought in one of the architects of the war, Vice President Cheney, to campaign for him.

Third, Mr. Leach has consistently voted to allow corporations to fire striking workers, and he favored tying a raise in the minimum wage to a cut in estate taxes.

I have been a political activist here for 27 years, and, believe me, it wasn't poker players or the Christian Coalition that finally beat Jim Leach. Nor was his loss inexplicable. The voters of this district decided we wanted a liberal activist Democrat, Dave Loebsack, to represent us in Congress, not a moderate who came through for the Republican Party when it counted.

GARY SANDERS

Iowa City

Poker Players Send Leach Home?

The Des Moines Register ran a story yesterday about a national group of poker players that are taking credit for Jim Leach's defeat saying they targetted him after he sponsored a bill against internet gambling.

Among those who knew about the law, 15 percent said it influenced them to support Loebsack. Another 10 percent said that it influenced them to support Leach.

Online poker advocates contend that was enough to doom Leach in a race lost by just 5,711 votes.

"There's enough evidence here to suggest it didn't help him," said Thomas Riehle of RT Strategies, a partner in the firm that conducted the poll Sunday through Monday. It had a margin of error of 3 percentage points, Riehle said.

However, Greg Wierzynski, Leach's chief of staff, scoffed at the notion that the gaming ban was Leach's undoing. "As we all know, when poker players have weak hands, they bluff," he said.

Wierzynski said Leach's congressional office received "a bunch of angry phone calls" from opponents of the gambling bill, but couldn't tell whether any were from Iowans because the callers refused to identify themselves. The calls were "laced with four-letter words," added Wierzynski.

Leach Recommended as UN Ambassador

From the Cedar Rapids Gazette...

An Oregon Democrat has recommended President Bush nominate Rep. Jim Leach as the nation's ambassador to the United Nations.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Portland, Ore., on Tuesday paid tribute to Leach on the House floor, praising the Iowa City Republican for his bipartisan cooperation, especially on international issues.

"It was a very moving tribute,'' said Leach chief of staff Greg Wierzynski. ``I've never heard anything remotely as generous and moving as what was said about Congressman Leach this morning.''

Blumenauer, who serves on the International Relations Committee with Leach, is drafting a letter to Bush recommending he nominate the soft-spoken Leach to succeed John Bolton, whose nomination appears to be in trouble in the Senate.

I would support Jim Leach as UN Ambassador. He is intelligent, has the experience, and someone that both sides of the aisle could trust.

Loebsack Wins in the 2nd District

Dave Loebsack has beaten 30 year incumbant Jim Leach in Iowa's 2nd District! The Register is reporting that Leach has conceded the race. Congratulations to Dave. I have met him a couple of times and the 2nd District is getting a great Congressman. He is smart and incredibly nice.

From the Register...

U.S. Rep. Jim Leach conceded defeat this morning after Democratic challenger Dave Loebsack shocked the 30-year congressman.

Leach, an Iowa City Republican known for his moderate views, was caught up in a wave of Democratic victories as Democrats took control of the U.S. House and as unhappiness with the Iraq war and President Bush churned among voters.

Republicans had held four of Iowa’s five House seats, but were in danger of only holding two after Tuesday.

With 99 percent of the precincts in the 2nd District reporting, Loebsack was leading by about 500 votes.

National Democrats and Republicans had put no money or effort into the race, in sharp contrast to battles in two congressional districts that border the 2nd, and few had seen trouble ahead for Leach until the last two or three weeks.

**Updatee 1:06**
100% of Johnson County has reported and Loebsack won 60%-40% with over a 6,000 vote margin. Loebsack had an overall victory margin of less than 6,000 votes.

Election 2006 Posts

I thought I would go through the posts that I have written on the candidates and put them in one post to make it easier for people to find.

Governor
Quad City Times Endorses Culver
Watch out Chet, the Boogeyman is Catching Up! - recommended
Report from the Johnson County Democratic BBQ -recommended
Lamberti Attacks Nussle's budget record
Nussle Scams Teachers, Children, and Future with NCLB
Iowa Teachers Endorse Culver

1st District
Braley Endorsed by the Dubuque Telegraph Herald
Meet the Real Bruce Braley
Braley Profiled on FireDogLake

2nd District
New Poll in 2nd District...Leach 50%, Loebsack 48%
Comments on Leach and Loebsack Debate - recommended
My Meeting With Dave Loebsack - recommended
Report from the Johnson County Democratic BBQ - recommended
Centrism is for Suckers (or the Sierra Club and NEA get swindled) - recommended
Leach Votes to Give Rich Another Tax Break and Hurt Working Iowans
2nd District Convention Report -recommended

4th District
Message from Selden Spencer
Spencer Endorsed by the Mason City Globe Gazette
Wes Clark Raising Money for Selden Spencer - recommended
Spencer's TV Ad Up and Ready To Go
Notes from Spencer's Campaign Stop -recommended
Latham Criticized for Negative Attack
Not Very Many People Like Tom Latham
Spencer's Speech at the Harkin Steak Fry - recommended
Selden Spencer Media Day
Selden Spencer Blogging from Afghanistan - recommended
Spencer Gets Props on MyDD - recommended
Latham Better Watch Out
Spencer Barnstorming the 4th District
4th District Convention Report

Sec. of Agriculture
Meeting Denise O'Brien - recommended
Met Denise O'Brien Over the Weekend

New Poll in the 2nd District...Leach 50%, Loebsack 48%

The race in the 2nd District continues to be tight. A new poll released yesterday shows Republican Jim Leach leading Democrat Dave Loebsack 50%-48%. Loebsack led the same poll back at the beginning of October 48%-47%. Some numbers on Loebsack's side are that he leads in the % of supporters strongly supporting their candidate 40% to 37%. President Bush has a 60% disaproval rating in the district. 42% of the district identifies themselves as Democrats. Also, last Friday, the Register reported that Dave Loebsack has raised 3 times as much money as Leach did in the latest filing period.

It isn't good to see Loebsack behind, but it is just a couple of points and the polls are within the margin of error. In the end, the race is going to be close and the results will hinge on GOTV efforts by the campaigns.

Get out there and volunteer for you candidates, tell your friends and family about Loebsack, and if you can send Loebsack a couple bucks, so he can continue with TV and radio ads in the final week.

Comments on Loebsack and Leach Debate

I caught most of the debate tonight sponsored by KCRG and the Gazette between Democrat Dave Loebsack and Republican Jim Leach. I thought Loebsack was a little shaky at the beginning. He was jumping around trying to include every issue in his answers. Loebsack settled down and I think at the end, he came out on top.

Leach did well...for a newscaster. He did an outstanding job outlining the issues. He used big, important sounding words and discussed both sides of the issues, but when he was done, you weren't sure what he was saying. It was Kerry-esque. Then in his closing statement, Leach quoted from a poem. That may play well in Iowa City, but what about the rest of the district. Reading the poem might be preparing Leach for his next job... as President of the University of Iowa.

Loebsack won 2 big points from me for using the term "birth tax" when talking about the deficit and coming right out and saying that Leach's first vote will be for Hastert and to continue Republican leadership. In a district that leans so much to the Democrats that is pretty much all that needs to be said. Hopefully, enough people are paying attention.

John Deeth also has coverage of the debate and I will update tomorrow with links to some stories from the old media.

**Update**
Des Moines Register story
Iowa City Press Citizen story
Cedar Rapids Gazette story

**Update #2**
KCRG now has video of the debate up on their website.

Political Wire writes about Loebsack

Political Wire has a post about Jim Leach facing the toughest challenge in his political career. Let's hope they are right.

Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA) "may face the challenge of his political career," according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, noting a new internal Democratic poll showing that 64% of district voters "think the country is on the wrong track and fewer than 50 percent of them plan to vote for the long-term incumbent."

When asked if they would vote to re-elect Leach, 38% said yes, 23% said they would consider someone else and 25% said they would vote to replace him.

However, in a head-to-head matchup with challenger Dave Loebsack (D), Leach still leads 47% to 33%.

Check out Dave Loebsack's campaign website. Dave is finsishing up his walking tour and you can about it here. And send him some money if you are able to.

Chief Leach Head of the Republican Tribe

Some Johnson County citizens have noticed that Jim Leach has been passing out Indian headbands at parades throughout the entire 2nd district, except in Johnson County. Jacki Rand, who is a Choctaw Indian, is a UI Professor in the History Department and teaches American Indian Studies. Rand has been writing Leach letters about this for years. If it is not right to pass out the headbands at Parades in Johnson County, then it is not right to pass out the headbands in the rest of the 2nd District. Now this is similar to Leach saying things in Washington, while saying some entirely different in Johnson County. Check out John Deeth, who beat me to the scoop on this, for more on this.

Meanwhile Leach's opponent, Dave Loebsack, is continuing his walking tour of the 2nd District this week. Loebsack travels from Libertyville to Fairfield talking about universal health care, livable wages, renewable energy, and education.

Leach Votes to Give Rich Another Tax Break and Hurts Working Iowans

Dave Loebsack comments on Jim Leach voting to repeal the estate tax.

“Jim Leach’s vote on the estate tax defies fiscal responsibility and his own rhetoric, at the expense of working families in Iowa,” Loebsack said.

“After thirty years in Congress, Leach has apparently decided it is more important to give millionaires a big tax break than it is to balance the budget, more important to heap more debt on the backs of middle-income families than it is to assure that our critical needs are met,” Loebsack continued.

The bill exempts almost all estates from tax, slashes the tax rates on the rest and will cost at least $760 billion during its first full decade. Another $600 billion would be added to the deficit along with an additional $160 billion in the interest on that borrowing, to be paid back by future generations so today’s wealthiest families can get another Republican tax break.

Leach also voted against a livable wage. Loebsack responded by saying...

“I am appalled that our incumbent Representative does not support requiring companies that get federal help to employ American workers at decent wages," said Loebsack. “This is another example of how Jim Leach is out of touch with the priorities of hard working Iowans. When elected to Congress, I will immediately sponsor legislation to increase the minimum wage by at least two dollars,” he continued. “Once again, when we needed leadership from Jim Leach, working Iowan’s didn’t get it.”

Jim Leach has failed eastern Iowa over and over again. Leach is not the moderate than many people believe. The Republicans can count on his vote when they need it the most. It is time for real leadership. It is time for a real Progressive in Iowa's most Democratic district. The answer is Dave Loebsack. Please support Loebsack against the fake-moderate Jim Leach.

Al Franken thinks Jim Leach is a "good guy"

Over the past year that we have been able to get AAR in Eastern Iowa, I have heard Al Franken repeatedly refer to Jim Leach by many positive terms. Like many people Al Franken has been fooled by the Jim Leach mystique. Just last month Franken posts this nice blog about how he wants to beat Republicans. Then last week I heard Franken refer to Leach yet again as a "good legislator."

Can you help me get through to Al Franken that JIM LEACH IS NO DAMN MODERATE!?!

And here is the proof on Leach:

• supported DeLay nearly 75% of the time
• supported the odorous Roy Blount for majority leader.
• supported lightening the ethics rules specifically for Tom DeLay
• supported the horrible medicare part D
• voted for the Patriot Act
• voted for NCLB

Ask that Franken give Dave Loebsack at least an opportunity to show that he (Dave) is the kind of congressman we need in from Iowa's 2nd district.

To contact Franken, click here.

Thanks to ruralib over at DU for this information.

Leach refers to Democrat as a "Radical" at forum

A friend of mine who posts over at DU posted this yesterday and said I could post it here. I guess my friend went to a forum Leach was holding in Cedar Co. and this is what he wrote.

Other folks weren't asking any questions, so I filled the dead air with about 5 or so questions and would interrupt to clarify some 'facts' that weren't quite right. About 10 minutes into it he looked kind of quizically at me and asked if there were any more radicals like me in Cedar county?

The questions I asked were about things like the debt, the signing statements, Iran and the run up to war, whether or not we are building permanent bases in Iraq. Never got a chance to ask about 'kitchen table' issues like the price of gas, health care, college and the medicare prescription drugs.

And of course I got no answers. On each issue Leach said that it was a very serious issue, went into his little civics lesson and tailed off. And as he tailed off I asked him (in a civil manner) "well, what are YOU doing to do about it?".

His aide Gary Grant was staring me down.

The funny part was that some ass-kisser came in with about 10 minutes left and lauded Leach as "probably the best representative in congress. I thank God every day you are my congressman". It was just sickening. I heard Leach got a hard treatment in CR also.