Des Moines Register's 2008 Endorsements

Over the past week, the Des Moines Register has released their endorsements for the upcoming election.

I was eager to see who they'd endorse in the 4th District and their "endorsement" of Leonard Boswell is about as mild of an endorsement as you can give.

1st District... Bruce Braley

When it comes to endorsements, it doesn't get much easier than penning one for Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley. In less than two years, the attorney from Waterloo has made Iowa proud. He deserves to be sent to Washington again.

Indeed, this ambitious and energetic congressman sets the standard for what Iowans should expect from their representatives.

During a recent meeting with Register editors and writers, it was clear how seriously Braley takes his job.

He brought along with him a copy of the economic-bailout legislation, riddled with his notes and highlighted sections He also had a page of scribbled pros and cons he weighed as he sorted through whether to vote for the legislation.

2nd District... Dave Loebsack

Loebsack has proven to be a smart, thoughtful and engaged congressman. A former political-science professor from Mount Vernon, he sees the bigger picture when it comes to politics and the world. He tries to work across the aisle and fully understand the complexities of foreign policy.

Loebsack has earned re-election.

3rd District... Leonard Boswell

After 12 years of light accomplishment and wrongheaded votes, Democratic Rep. Leonard Boswell doesn’t deserve to return to Congress.

But his Republican challenger, Kim Schmett of Clive, also fails to make a compelling case that he deserves a congressional seat.

Iowans deserve better.

However, the Register’s editorial board subscribes to the philosophy that if voters must decide, so must we. So the Register gives a weak nod to Boswell, with a list of expectations:

The Register then says that Boswell should announce early in his term that he does not plan to run for reelection in 2010.

4th District... Becky Greenwald

This is the one district that I wasn't sure which way the endorsement was going to go.

Iowa's 4th District has a chance to make history. This state has never sent a woman to Congress, but should do so this election.

Becky Greenwald, a Democrat from Perry, has not made that point the main emphasis of her campaign. She calls herself a candidate who "happens to be female." But she also happens to be a woman with potential to be a leader in Washington.

Iowa should give her that chance.

Greenwald faces 14-year incumbent Tom Latham, a Republican from Ames, who has done some good things in Congress but hasn't developed the kind of in-depth expertise on issues or demonstrated the national leadership Iowans should expect from their investment in his seniority.

5th District... Rob Hubler

When the Register editorial board met recently with Rep. Steve King, the Kiron Republican talked about renewable energy, securing transportation dollars for Highway 20, and the growing budget problems with entitlement programs.

This was the savvy, well-informed King the board endorsed in 2002 and 2004. We had hoped he would blossom as a member of Congress. Unfortunately, any blossoming has been overshadowed by his divisive, fear-mongering commentary.

Fifth District voters should not send him back to Washington. Fortunately, they have a promising alternative: Electing Democrat Rob Hubler, a retired minister from Council Bluffs who has brought himself up to speed and staked out reasonable positions on issues Iowans care about, including the Iraq war, energy and health care.

There isn't enough space in this editorial to list all the times King has embarrassed Iowa.

US Senate...Tom Harkin

Iowans should without hesitation cast their ballots to return Democrat Tom Harkin for his fifth term in the U.S. Senate. With that investment in seniority, however, comes heightened expectations for him to lead in shaping landmark legislation that will benefit Iowans and the nation for decades to come.

Harkin, 68, of Cumming already ranks in the top fifth of senators in seniority. He chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, a powerful role that he's used to nurture Iowa's biofuels industry. And he ranks third in seniority on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, putting him in position to mold a new president's proposals to reform health care and education policy.

Here are the Register's endorsements from 2006.

Hubler Brings Aboard Joe Trippi to end the Steve King's Circus

The Rob Hubler campaign has hired Joe Trippi to help end the Steve King circus in the 5th district.

Hubler and Trippi met in Washington, D.C., in recent days to iron out details of the agreement.

“The American people are hungry for change, but more of the same divisive rhetoric and embarrassing headlines by Washington politicians like Steve King is not the answer,” said Trippi. “If we want real change, we need grassroots candidates like Rob Hubler who will always put the people’s interests first. From creating new, good-paying jobs right here in Iowa to lowering gas prices, Rob Hubler is a new kind of leader who will deliver real solutions and real change for Iowa and America.”

Trippi should be able to help Hubler get his message out and help raise money online.

Hubler's campaign put together this video of Steve King's antics at a recent hearing on detainee interrogation.



That is just one of the many examples of Steve King's embarrassing behavior. Over at Daily Kos, 2laneIA did a great job keeping track of the other embarrassing statements King has made.

Steve King cannot let a week go by without saying something to which the appropriate response is: "He said what???" For more on that topic, go here and here. He was one of 11 Republicans to vote against relief for Katrina victims. He is expert on numerous subjects, from drilling our way to energy independence, to the similarities between Mexicans and livestock, to the marriages that result when soldiers get drunk in Bangkok, to the real story on that Niger yellowcake. Really, you can't make this stuff up.

Please consider helping out the Rob Hubler campaign by donating to the retire Steve King fund.

IA-05:Hubler on Telecom Immunity

Rob Hubler, who is running against Steve King in Iowa's 5th District posted this comment about telecom immunity on his blog...

This is wrong. No one should get a free pass for breaking the law. Iowans and all Americans have a right to live their lives without government intrusion on their privacy.

If elected, I would vigorously oppose this measure. I believe that the constitutional rights of everyday Americans are at issue here, and full accountability is needed. No President should ever have unchecked power. Americans in the U. S. with no connection to suspected terrorists should never have their privacy abridged by an overzealous, unchecked executive branch. As Americans, we can protect ourselves without destroying our Constitutional rights. We need to focus on the very real threats we face, and not waste our resources on spying on loyal Americans.

Steve King was one of 3 Iowans in the House (along with Republican Tom Latham and Democrat Leonard Boswell) that voted for FISA bill and the terrible telecom immunity that was included in it. Democrats Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack voted against the bill.