Tom Harkin - News

Iowa Sen. Harkin wins fifth term

2008-11-05T17:24:00Z

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin cruised to re-election Tuesday, easily capturing a fifth six-year term over Republican challenger Christopher Reed.

Harkin, 68, a Democrat from Cumming, was well ahead in early returns in what was expected to be the largest margin of victory in his Senate career. The Associated Press projected his win shortly after the polls closed.

Harkin and his wife, Ruth, joined fellow Democrats at an election night party at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, where he thanked Iowans for again placing their trust in him. He had spent the final three days of the campaign barnstorming 16 Iowa cities with Gov. Chet Culver and other Democrats.

Read the original story at The Des Moines Register

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin cruised to re-election Tuesday, easily capturing a fifth six-year term over Republican challenger Christopher Reed.

“You know, it is about time we look across Iowa … and our nation … and find ways to work together, not tear each other apart,” Harkin said Tuesday night in prepared remarks. He declared he was ready to get back to work with a new president and a new Congress and focus on priorities to bring the country together.

Reed, 36, a Marion businessman and a conservative political newcomer, never gained traction in his bid to unseat Harkin after narrowly winning a three-way Republican primary in June.

Reed had repeatedly tried to draw distinctions between himself and the populist Harkin, describing himself as a fiscal and social conservative who would fix a broken federal government. Reed promised to oppose abortion and same-sex marriage, to fight illegal immigration, and to support the U.S. war in Iraq.

Reed’s harshest criticism came during a televised debate when he accused Harkin of “becoming the Toyko Rose of al-Qaida and Middle East terrorism.” Harkin, a critic of President Bush’s Iraq policy, said afterward that Reed had “kind of lost his bearings” and predicted the remarks would hurt the Republican’s political future.

Harkin, known as a bare-knuckled political street fighter, toned down his usual partisan barbs during this year’s campaign. He spoke proudly of his work on a farm bill he described as good for agriculture and rural America.

He promised to work to provide everyone access to a good education. He called for reducing U.S. reliance on imported oil and pledged to work for affordable health care. He said the country needs to get out of Iraq.

Harkin is the son of a coal miner father and a Slovenian immigrant mother who died when he was 10. He spent a decade in the U.S. House before unseating incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Jepsen in 1984. He then defeated Republican House members Tom Tauke in 1990, Jim Ross Lightfoot in 1996, and Greg Ganske in 2002.

This year some better known Republicans, including U.S. Reps. Steve King and Tom Latham, decided against challenging Harkin in what GOP leaders had expected to be a down year for their party.

Reed, a Navy veteran like Harkin, faced an uphill battle from the start. He began July with only $292 in his campaign fund compared to $4.1 million for Harkin, federal records showed.

Times Endorsement: Tom Harkin For U.S. Senate

2008-10-30T14:20:00Z

Tom Harkin’s indelible impression is apparent across Iowa and America. Just ask anyone in a wheelchair. Or anyone fueling up a vehicle. Or anyone planting American crops or eating American food.

Harkin’s enduring impressions are evident in the stronger American farm economy, higher grain prices and a diminished reliance on production subsidies. His work makes it easier for disabled people to live, learn and earn, which also strengthen’s our country and economy.

His seniority gives Iowans the most influential voice in agriculture since Harkin chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee.

His seniority gives Iowans a front-row voice in health care reform since he’s a senior member on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Harkin owes that influence to Iowans, who have returned him to the Senate for four terms.

We heartily endorse him for a fifth.

Read the original story at The Quad City Times

Tom Harkin’s indelible impression is apparent across Iowa and America. Just ask anyone in a wheelchair. Or anyone fueling up a vehicle. Or anyone planting American crops or eating American food.

His seniority gives Iowans the most influential voice in agriculture since Harkin chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee.

His seniority gives Iowans a front-row voice in health care reform since he’s a senior member on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Harkin owes that influence to Iowans, who have returned him to the Senate for four terms.

We heartily endorse him for a fifth.

By always looking ahead, Harkin helped move the Iowa economy into the forefront of alternative energy production, fortifying the state against the full brunt of this economic downturn.

Harkin still is looking ahead. In his interview with the Times Editorial Board, he outlined a game plan to improve the electrical power grid and energy pipelines to make Iowa wind and ethanol power available nationwide. He elaborated on a transition to more sustainable organic ethanol production that would spread the alternative energy boon to south Iowa’s less tillable land.

Best of all for us, he spoke emphatically and specifically about the lifestyle changes and sacrifices Americans must make to cope with new economic realities. Among his conclusions:

Require money down for fixed rate mortgages.

Put a cap on credit card interest rates.

Restrict activities of American businesses sheltered in off-shore headquarters.

And the toughy: “Folks, you’ve got to give up your SUVs.”

Harkin’s broad-based support is leaving his Republican challenger, Christopher Reed, with little support, financial or otherwise, from his own party. Reed has chosen to not just disagree with Harkin, but portray him as some kind of traitor. Reed’s reckless rhetoric is precisely the wrong approach to take in this or any other race in American politics.

Whether in the majority or minority, Harkin has remained effective and accessible. At this time, Iowans and Americans need his experience in Congress.

We support Tom Harkin for U.S. Senate.

Our View - Iowans Should Re-Elect Tom Harkin Yo Six More Years In The U.S. Senate

2008-10-28T18:51:00Z

Democrat Tom Harkin would have our endorsement for a fifth term in the U.S. Senate if for no other reason than for how he was able to keep his cool after the insultingly bizarre pronouncements of his Republican opponent, Christopher Reed of Marion, in Thursday’s televised debate. But Harkin has our endorsement -as he did in 1984, 1990 and 1996 – because he has proven to be an effective lawmaker who looks out for Iowa’s best interests even as he plays a powerful role on the national stage.

Six years ago, we did decide to endorse Harkin’s Republican opponent, then Rep. Greg Ganske of Des Moines. We did so knowing the risk involved with replacing the power of a senior senator with the sometimes lone vote of a freshman. But we were gambling on the type of senator we thought Ganske could be in the future.

This year, we’re downright fearful of the type of senator that Reed could become.

Read the original story at The Iowa City Press-Citizen

This year, we’re downright fearful of the type of senator that Reed could become.

If he’s willing now to call Harkin “the Tokyo Rose of al-Qaida and Middle East terrorism” – even though both he and Harkin are veterans who served their nation in the U.S. Navy – who knows what kind of bombastic, overblown, anti-American rhetoric he’ll use to denounce other senators with whom he disagrees. If he describes Harkin’s support for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq on a scheduled timetable as being the same thing as “providing aid and comfort to the enemy,” how would he ever be able to listen objectively to any proposal to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq or to improve U.S. relations with any other Muslim nation?

In short, Reed, who operates a telephone answering business, shows little promise of being as effective a legislator as the senator he means to replace. All he seems willing to do is to repeat the perennial complaint that “Washington is broken,” without explaining the practical steps he would take to fix the problem. In fact, Reed’s perspective on domestic and foreign issues just left us scratching our heads after his Editorial Board interview in May.

• Reed said he wanted to reduce the size of government, but then told us it was “unfair” to ask him what types of programs he would like to cut in order to accomplish this.

• Reed provided a lot of rhetoric about ending earmark funding, but then failed to appreciate the small amount of the federal budget taken up by earmarks and failed to provide alternative ideas to ensure that federal money would come back to Iowa.

• Reed stressed that he wanted the U.S. to stay in Iraq until we got “the job done,” but he was unwilling (or unable) to say when or under what conditions he would consider the job done.

Harkin, on the other hand, was much more practical in his Editorial Board interview.

• He focused on how he has worked hard to help Iowa schools receive federal funding for modernization, and on how he has teamed with Republicans to extend student loans and Pell Grant coverage that will help a lot more citizens go to college.

• He discussed his plans for improving conservation efforts in Iowa’s farm fields.

• As the main author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, he talked about the groundbreaking work being done to help the United States undergo a paradigm shift into a “wellness society.”

• And he discussed how, although he did vote for the resolution to authorize military force in Iraq six years ago, he has come to regret that vote and to understand just how often the Bush Administration has missed opportunities to engage Muslim countries in dialogue and support.

On top of all that, voters shouldn’t forget that Harkin sits as the chairman on the Senate Agriculture Committee. From that vantage point, he continually puts Iowa front and center in the fight for good farm policy, agricultural research funds and in discussions on international agricultural trade. (Although Harkin’s opponents suggest that the senator fails to make the most of his chairmanship, it hardly makes sense to replace him with a junior senator who won’t be able to earn such seniority for decades.)

Six years ago, we thought Iowa Republicans had a candidate who might be worth a temporary drop in Iowa’s senatorial clout. This year, we worry about what Reed’s nomination says about the future of Iowa Republicans.

Vote Harkin for U.S. Senate.

Tom Harkin: Clearly, The Better Choice for Iowans

2008-10-27T17:41:00Z

For us, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin always has been something of an enigma.

We don’t support many of his viewpoints, especially those on the far left. Yet, we can’t quarrel with the senator’s commitment to projects that can and do make a difference in Iowa. Whether by finding federal dollars to help establish community health centers, investing in communities and businesses, helping fix schools in need of repair or acquiring funds for local law enforcement, Harkin looks out for the folks back home. Sioux Cityans can thank Harkin for his efforts on behalf of the Perry Creek flood control project.

Harkin, a Democrat, and fellow Iowa Republican Sen. Charles Grassley are two of the strongest voices in their chamber. Having two such well-connected, high-ranking and influential senators clearly is good for this state.

In the end, Harkin’s experience and commitment to Iowa makes him a better candidate than Republican challenger Chris Reed, who has never run for or held public office. That’s why today the Journal endorses Harkin’s bid to retain his Senate seat.

For us, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin always has been something of an enigma.

In the last several weeks, Harkin has emerged as a surprisingly reasonable voice in the debate over the federal government’s $700 billion bailout package and calls for yet another stimulus plan. We supported the bailout, primarily because we felt something needed to be done to start thawing the credit market. Harkin agreed and voted for that bill.

But that doesn’t mean Harkin is necessarily in favor of a new stimulus deal. In a meeting with the Journal editorial board, he said he favored returning to Washington after the election and possibly carving a stimulus package out of the $700 billion already approved for the bailout. He was adamant that sending stimulus checks to taxpayers should not be part of that plan. “No way,” was his answer.

We hope Harkin applies that kind of sensible approach to other national issues during his next term in the Senate. On national issues, the kind that have led to an increasingly polarized nation, we are often in disagreement with the senator. For instance, he’s among the extreme in his party when he says things like “I felt I was lied to” when discussing the vote that ostensibly authorized the war in Iraq.

However, when it comes to issues that impact Iowans, especially farmers, Harkin has been steadfast. As chairman of the Agriculture Committee, he has proven himself a champion for and ally to farmers. He’s been a leading advocate for ethanol and other forms of farm-based renewable energy.

Of course, Harkin also earns high marks as a strong advocate for the rights of Americans with physical and mental disabilities. Properly, he counts the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1996 as one of his crowning achievements. That law required accessible buildings, transportation and workplace accommodations for those with disabilities.

Despite his faults, in this election the choice is clear. Iowans are better off with Harkin continuing his commitment to many of the issues they care about.

Harkin, Loebsack Incumbents In The Senate And House Get The Nod To Return To Washington.

2008-10-27T17:38:00Z

The conundrum in national politics is that you have to be in office for a long time to win coveted leadership positions and chair committees, where you can really direct the national agenda.

But the more time spent among the Washington elite, the more constituents back home feel a sense of disconnect with their elected representatives. It’s a legitimate concern.

Tom Harkin, however, has deftly been able to remain a down-home Iowan while spending more than three decades shuttling back and forth to Washington. Iowans should give him another six years to work on their behalf in the United States Senate.

Harkin of Cumming is a lock to win his fifth six-year-term over political novice Christopher Reed, a Solon businessman who has never held any public office.

The conundrum in national politics is that you have to be in office for a long time to win coveted leadership positions and chair committees, where you can really direct the national agenda.

But the more time spent among the Washington elite, the more constituents back home feel a sense of disconnect with their elected representatives. It’s a legitimate concern.

Harkin of Cumming is a lock to win his fifth six-year-term over political novice Christopher Reed, a Solon businessman who has never held any public office.

Harkin is enthusiastic about development of renewable energy and bio-fuels and is a strong supporter of corn-based ethanol. He tagged a tax-credit measure into the massive $700 billion bailout bill to encourage development of an ethanol pipeline, to expedite the distribution of corn-based ethanol to other states.

Iowa is home to 32 ethanol plants, producing a combined 2.7 billion barrels of corn-based ethanol. Harkin understands losing the nation’s dependence on Mideast oil is a national security matter. That it’s good for Iowa farmers is a plus.

Harkin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is pressing for tighter regulation over some over-the-counter credit transactions he says lack the transparency necessary to protect consumers.

As chairman, Harkin is a major voice for the farm bill and the direction of the nation’s food and nutrition policy.

Harkin has fans in southeast Iowa for helping to secure compensation for former workers sickened by exposure to cancer-causing agents while helping manufacture munitions at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown.

Despite his near 20-point lead in the polls, Harkin, 68, maintains a busy campaign schedule across all of Iowa. He says his health is good and his mind is sharp, and he wants to accomplish more things for Iowans.

He’s going to get that chance.

The choice between first-term congressman Dave Loebsack, D-Mount Vernon, and challenger, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Ottumwa, poses a tougher challenge.

Unlike Reed, Miller-Meeks on the campaign trail demonstrates a grasp of the difficult issues awaiting the next Congress—a crumbling economy mixed with managing two wars that are draining our military resources and our treasury.

Miller-Meeks would have three offices in the 2nd District, in Ottumwa, the Burlington area and in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City region. We expressed our disappointment before that Rep. Loebsack chose to have two district offices in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City and no permanent presence elsewhere in the district, though he does have a representative who lives in Burlington who is accessible and does hold weekly office hours at city hall.

Loebsack hopes for a filibuster-free majority in the House, a position we don’t support because we don’t believe it’s the best way to govern. A nation that is more center than liberal left or conservative right is better served when both sides are forced by sheer numbers to work together.

Miller-Meeks’ criticism of Loebsack that he did little and took too long to secure flood relief funds is a bit of a stretch. President Bush, John McCain and Barack Obama toured flooded areas in the Midwest, yet funding wasn’t secured until attached to the bailout bill.

Miller-Meeks, an ophthalmologist and surgeon, understands the nation’s health-care problems. She has a military background. She has impressive credentials and would be a comfortable fit as our representative.

Like Harkin, Loebsack says Iowa can play a leading role as the nation works for energy independence, which, along with the economy, should be at the top of the agenda when Congress convenes in January.

We understand the difficulties a freshman must work through. And two years in that environment is hardly enough time to accomplish much. He’s hardly the “do-nothing Dave” Miller-Meeks portrays him to be.

Loebsack knows the lay of the land. Another term will allow him a little more leverage to push forward his hope to improve the nation’s education system and develop alternatives to wean us off our dependence on foreign oil.

The expectations of 2nd District residents are higher the second time around—they should be. We endorse Loebsack.

Re-elect Harkin Incumbent Iowa senator has the heft a U.S. Senate contest requires.

2008-10-27T15:23:00Z

The World-Herald has tended to endorse moderate conservatives in Iowa’s U.S. Senate contests. But this year, The World-Herald is voicing support for incumbent Sen. Tom Harkin as he seeks a fifth term.

This newspaper has great differences with the senator’s liberal take on economic policy and government activism in general. But this newspaper also regards it as fundamental that Midlanders need to elect U.S. senators with the necessary heft for the job.

In the 2008 Senate contest, Harkin demonstrates that gravitas. His conservative Republican opponent does not.

Harkin has shown commendable qualities in his Senate service, in particular as chairman of the Agriculture Committee. Harkin has earned great respect for dealing candidly with colleagues and outsiders; he is not a small-minded Capitol Hill manipulator.

Iowa’s senior senator has been impressively open to new ideas in farm policy, rather than sticking blindly to the expensive status quo as stubbornly demanded by so many cotton- and sugar-state lawmakers. Although Harkin has not always prevailed in those legislative battles, he has shown a commendable openness to moving beyond the same-old, same-old.

In his new farm bill passed this fall, Harkin did make sure that the measure included several positive elements. Increased incentives for conservation ~~- long a focus for Harkin -~~ were one success. So was the bill’s move toward shifting more farm payments toward forms that pass muster under international trade agreements—a legislative need that World-Herald editorials have highlighted over the years.

The Iowa senator did outstanding work this year in helping to bring together all the key players ~~- from the disabled-advocacy community, business and government -~~ to negotiate a workable follow-up to the Americans With Disabilities Act. That achievement, on an issue involving great complexity and differing interests, showed Harkin at his legislative best.

Iowa voters would do well to support Sen. Tom Harkin as he seeks reelection.

With Fifth Senate Term, The Expectations Rise

2008-10-27T15:15:00Z

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. Advertisement

Read the original story at The Des Moines Register.

His challenger is Christopher Reed, 36, of Marion, a political newcomer who beat out two better-known rivals for the Republican nomination. A Navy veteran and owner of a telephone-answering-service business, he casts himself as a fiscal and social conservative. He wants to shrink government and lower taxes, and he opposes abortion and gay marriage.

Reed is acting on his convictions in waging this race. But his knowledge of the issues rarely goes deeper than generic conservative themes. And last week during a joint TV appearance, he made a shameful attack on Harkin’s patriotism, characterizing his support for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq on a scheduled timetable as “providing aid and comfort to the enemy.”

In his latest term, Harkin presided over adoption of a new farm bill, crafting provisions to bolster biofuels development and funnel more dollars into soil conservation. Though ultimately unsuccessful, he fought the good fights against a too-costly, confusing Medicare prescription-drug plan, for human embryonic stem-cell research and for a timeline to withdraw troops from Iraq.

Democrats have counted on him as a reliable vote for party causes (Congressional Quarterly regularly rates him in the high 90s for percentage of times he’s voted with his party). He joined with Democrats to increase the minimum wage and reduce costs for student loans. Yet he also frequently linked arms across the party aisle with his fellow Iowa senator, Chuck Grassley, to steer funding to the state and secure passage of legislation tailored to Iowa’s needs. The pair guided approval of more than $25 billion in disaster relief this summer and fall, a good portion of which will flow to flood-ravaged Iowa communities.

Harkin and his staff know how to work legislative processes to benefit Iowa, such as drafting a legal change into the economic-rescue plan that could pave the way for construction of an ethanol pipeline from Iowa to the East Coast.

But Harkin also made headlines this term for ill-considered statements (in 2004 calling Vice President Dick Cheney a coward, or this spring criticizing Republican presidential nominee John McCain’s world view as too “shaped by the military”). He picked a bizarre fight last year with DreamWorks, creator of the “Shrek” movies, for allowing the ogre to appear in ads promoting sugary, high-fat snacks for kids.

And for all his solid work on a variety of fronts, arguably his most significant legislative achievement came 18 years ago, co-authoring the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. (This year, he led passage of amendments to reinforce the act.)

In his fifth term, Senator Harkin should aim high and set aside partisan sniping for statesmanship. On the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, he should channel his passions for wellness and nutrition into forging legislation that provides health care for all, at long last bringing America into the company of every other industrialized nation. On that same committee, he should shepherd changes in education policy to better prepare all American students for a competitive global economy. And as Agriculture Committee chairman, he should continue his work to expand agriculture’s role in producing alternative forms of energy, thus reducing dependence on oil, while protecting soil, water and air. He has the right vision for overhauling federal farm programs: Instead of paying farmers for what they grow, pay them for how well they grow it.

These would be transformational changes in American life and government: Providing health care for all. Expanding educational opportunities for all of America’s children. Lessening the nation’s dependence on oil while better protecting the environment.

Spearheading significant progress in these areas would create a more compassionate, just and prosperous society – and be crowning achievements for any senator.

Return Incumbents to Washington

2008-10-27T15:09:00Z

Most election campaigns to determine Northeast Iowans’ federal lawmakers have been spirited affairs. However, this year’s elections for seats in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate are exceptions.

Perhaps the biggest surprise for many voters is that Democrats Bruce Braley and Tom Harkin have Republican opponents. Little has been seen of or heard from David Hartsuch and Christopher Reed this campaign.

Though the GOP might try to argue otherwise, dollars speak louder than words. Party leadership’s involvement and support say more than rhetoric. The Republicans are saying that they are conceding these seats to the Democrats.

Reed, who opposes Harkin’s re-election to a fifth six-year term in the Senate, says that from his experience as a prep wrestler he learned, “I have to fight my own battles.” Good thing, because he is essentially fighting Harkin on his own.

Read the original story at the Dubuque Telegraph Herald

Most election campaigns to determine Northeast Iowans’ federal lawmakers have been spirited affairs. However, this year’s elections for seats in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate are exceptions.

When Harkin, one of the nation’s most liberal senators, has sought re-election previously, the Republicans nominated congressmen, men with experience in Washington and name recognition in a substantial portion of Iowa. (For those keeping score at home, they were Dubuque’s Tom Tauke in 1990, Jim Ross Lightfoot in 1996 and Greg Ganske in 2002.) They were spirited and reasonably financed races. Harkin, a federal lawmaker since his election to the House in 1974, prevailed each time—but not without a fight.

This time, Harkin’s opponent is Reed, a 36-year-old Marion resident, military veteran and owner of a telephone answering service. His campaign motto of “Iowa Values. Conservative Principles” will resonate with a certain segment of the electorate; there are some who will never vote for someone as liberal as Harkin. Beyond that, however, Reed is unconvincing that he should replace the 68-year-old Harkin.

Among the hallmarks of Harkin’s tenure are advocacy for the disabled, for veterans and for farmers. He takes pride in bringing home the bacon ~~- OK, sometimes it includes “pork” -~~ in the form of government grants and programs for his home state. When floods hit Iowa, Harkin (working in bipartisan fashion with Charles Grassley, the state’s Republican senator) worked hard to bring federal assistance to the state. He pushes for improved health care ~~- including prevention and wellness -~~ and a more innovative and independent energy program. He takes pride in being a fighter, and he fights for Iowa.

Like Reed, Hartsuch, a first-term state senator from Bettendorf, is similarly receiving little or no help from Republican leadership in his House race against Braley. That’s unfortunate, because he represents an interesting alternative to the incumbent, who won his seat just two years ago after a hard-fought primary and then a rough general-election campaign against businessman Mike Whalen.

Hartsuch’s message resonates with voters. The 47-year-old unseated longtime incumbent Maggie Tinsman ~~- a member of his own party -~~ en route to winning his state Senate seat two years ago. He is smart and he has a wealth of real-world experience. His extensive education and his insight fuel his conservative message. An emergency-room physician, Hartsuch holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree (computer science) and medical degree. He was a certified public accountant. A native of the Chicago suburbs who has lived in the district only a half-dozen years, he understands business and finances—and takes issue with Braley’s recent support of the huge bailout of the financial markets.

Actually, Braley, a lawyer from Waterloo, voted against the bailout the first time around. When it came back around ~~- with enhancements such as a much-needed (but temporary) fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax -~~ Braley held his nose and voted (again) with the majority. This time, the measure passed.

In his first term in Washington, Braley got up to speed quickly. Though he holds to Democratic Party principles, he tries to forge bipartisan cooperation and takes care to not fall into the Washington mind frame of demagoguing the opposition party.

Braley has had a solid first term. Despite his own positives, Hartsuch is unconvincing that voters should make a change at this stage.

That these Northeast Iowa campaigns for Washington lack the usual vigor suggests that even most Republicans recognize that Bruce Braley and Tom Harkin have performed at a level assuring their re-election. Voters would do well to return them to the Capitol.

Editorials reflect the consensus of the Telegraph Herald Editorial Board.

Vote Harkin For Senate

2008-10-24T13:46:00Z

For 34 years, Tom Harkin has served Iowans in Washington, D.C. as either a five-term congressman from the state’s fifth district or as the four-term U.S. senator.

He now seeks a fifth term in the Senate, hoping to continue working on a host of issues he believes are important to Iowans.

As chairman of the Senate Ag Committee, Harkin has worked hard at creating a Farm Bill that is much more than ag subsidies. Harkin, for example, wants to reward farmers who practice conservation.

Harkin is also a champion of renewable energy, biofuels, bio-based products and energy efficiency efforts and his support of continued growth in these areas will benefit Iowans in the years to come.

Read the original story at The Ottumwa Courier

For 34 years, Tom Harkin has served Iowans in Washington, D.C. as either a five-term congressman from the state’s fifth district or as the four-term U.S. senator.

He now seeks a fifth term in the Senate, hoping to continue working on a host of issues he believes are important to Iowans.

As chairman of the Senate Ag Committee, Harkin has worked hard at creating a Farm Bill that is much more than ag subsidies. Harkin, for example, wants to reward farmers who practice conservation.

Harkin is also a champion of renewable energy, biofuels, bio-based products and energy efficiency efforts and his support of continued growth in these areas will benefit Iowans in the years to come.

He told the Courier editorial board that Iowa ranks first in the nation for biofuel production and ranks fourth with a growing wind industry. Both of those industries have strong ties to the farm and back to Harkin’s role as chairman of the ag committee.

Harkin is also a strong advocate of cellulose ethanol and believes it will shoot down any arguments made by opponents of ethanol and their argument it’s a matter of “food vs. fuel.”

Harkin should be praised for his commitment to Iowa’s school children. His Harkin School Grants alone have helped the Ottumwa school district with critical building funds, including the recent Eisenhower Elementary expansion project.

The senator is also committed to expanding Head Start and pre-K education, knowing full well this is a critical point in a child’s life. What happens at ages 3 and 4 can make a difference in their learning over the course of their K-12 career.

Harkin’s opponent, Republican Christopher Reed of Marion, is new at politics, but he claims that’s just the reason we should send him to Washington.

While the small businessman should be applauded for taking his shot at political office, he is too much of a neophyte to jump into the shark-infested waters of the U.S. Senate.

While it’s true that Harkin and fellow Sen. Charles Grassley have been in Washington a combined 68 years, their experience and seniority is key in bringing Iowans’ needs to the forefront.

This election, we endorse Tom Harkin’s re-election to the U.S. Senate.

Harkin Should Be Re-elected (Globe Gazette Editorial)

2008-10-21T15:29:00Z

The race for one of Iowa’s U.S. Senate seats pits a four-term incumbent against a young upstart. The challenger, Republican Chris Reed, is bright and motivated. We’re impressed with his enthusiasm, but without reservation we’re throwing our support behind Democrat Sen. Tom Harkin.

Harkin, because of his experience and leadership in the Senate, is uniquely qualified to help steer the United States through these uncertain times. He is chairman of the committee that drafts the farm bill, a vital piece of legislation that sets farm and food policy for the U.S. and distributes billions in subsidies across the nation. Who better to lead that team than an Iowan who is an experienced Washington hand?

Read the original story at The Globe Gazette.

We remain impressed with Harkin’s cooperative, results-oriented temperament. The 68-year-old from Cumming is passionate about his work and equally passionate about his progressive beliefs. The senator has shown time and again that he’s able to draw strength from both while staying mindful that he serves all Americans.

Reed, who lives in Marion, is a Navy veteran who for 10 years has owned a telephone answering service. In his first bid for public office he’s attempting to unseat one of the most skilled politicians this state has ever produced. That takes guts. We admire his fearlessness and commitment to public service.

His opposition to Harkin comes at a unique time in national politics. The Bush presidency has become wearisome to Americans who at the same time are fed up with the performance of Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike. Now is the perfect moment for a challenger to upend the established order.

Reed, 36, has made this point often, saying that Washington is broken and adding that it makes no sense to send the same man (Harkin) back for a fifth term. The problem is that he’s trying to sell a message that won’t win over enough voters.

By his own admission Reed is a social conservative. President Bush and other Republicans may have tainted the values of social conservatism for a generation. Reed also claims to be a free-market conservative. The last few weeks have soured many on the value of free markets, at least free markets as envisioned by the GOP.

Reed is right about change coming to Washington. As things sit now, however, the change is likely to be in the form of a Democrat-controlled Congress and White House that will have a free hand to shape the future of this country. Iowans deserve to have an experienced voice speaking for them in the new-look Washington.

Tom Harkin is that voice.

Gore Links Iowa Floods To Climate Change

2008-10-07T17:44:00Z

Read the origination story at The Des Moines Register

Iowa’s recent natural disasters are connected to global climate change, former Vice President Al Gore said in a speech at the state Democratic Party’s annual fall fundraiser Saturday.

Gore was the keynote speaker at the 2008 Jefferson Jackson Dinner at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.

Gore, a former U.S. senator from Tennessee, lost the presidential election to George W. Bush in 2000. Last year, he won a Nobel Peace Prize for his effort to tackle global climate change.

By L. LARS HULSEBUS | Des Moines Register

Read the origination story at The Des Moines Register

Iowa’s recent natural disasters are connected to global climate change, former Vice President Al Gore said in a speech at the state Democratic Party’s annual fall fundraiser Saturday.

Gore was the keynote speaker at the 2008 Jefferson Jackson Dinner at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.

Gore, a former U.S. senator from Tennessee, lost the presidential election to George W. Bush in 2000. Last year, he won a Nobel Peace Prize for his effort to tackle global climate change.

Gore attributed the historic floods that devastated Iowa in June to man-made emissions causing more water to evaporate from oceans, increasing average humidity worldwide.

“In 66 of your 99 counties, the flood damage was truly historic.” Gore told the crowd of 1,000 Democratic donors. “No one has ever seen a flood like this.”

Gore also blamed climate change for increased tornadoes, including the one that leveled much of Parkersburg earlier this year.

“Yes, we’ve always had tornadoes in Iowa and in Tennessee,” he said. “But they’re coming more frequently and they’re stronger.”

Gore last spoke at the Jefferson Jackson Dinner on Sept. 29, 2001. On that occasion, just weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Gore called for his fellow Democrats to support President Bush.

The tone of Saturday’s speech was decidedly less conciliatory toward Bush, and to Republicans in general.

“If that election had ended differently, we wouldn’t be bogged down in Iraq,” he said. “We wouldn’t be facing a self-inflicted economic crisis. ... We wouldn’t be shredding the Constitution. ... We wouldn’t be denying a climate crisis, we’d be fighting the climate crisis.”

The Jefferson Jackson Dinner is one of the state party’s biggest events of the year. Last year’s dinner featured six presidential candidates and drew about 9,000 people.

This year, speeches by Iowa leaders including Gov. Chet Culver and Sen. Tom Harkin warmed up the crowd before Gore took the stage, raising the level of excitement in the room.

Gore devoted a large portion of his speech to indicting the Bush administration for not capturing Osama Bin Laden in Tora Bora in 2001. He suggested the Bush administration may have decided not to send the U.S. military into a likely bloody battle because it might have weakened public will to fight a war in Iraq, something Gore said was a goal of the Bush administration before the Sept. 11 attacks.

Gore concluded by tying current U.S. economic and military problems back to energy policy, and by framing the upcoming campaign as a pivotal chance to change those policies by electing Democratic candidates.

Schweitzer Talks Alternative Energy to Steak Fry Crowd

2008-09-15T13:32:00Z

Despite the cold and windy September weather, nearly 1,000 Iowa Democrats faithfully drove to the Indianola Balloon Field on Sunday for the 31st annual Tom Harkin Steak Fry.

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, the event headliner, spent much of his time on stage talking about American sources of alternative energy and bucking the power wielded by “petro-dictators” in the Middle East and Latin America.

“We need to grow our own fuel,” Schweitzer said. “We need to do it now. Biofuels are here to stay. Biofuels are the future of America.”

In introducing Schweitzer, Harkin called him a valuable “WMD”—a west-of-the-Mississippi Democrat. He also made reference to the success a previous steak fry speaker had in the presidential arena.

BY MATT CLARK | Iowapolitics.com

Read the original story at Iowa Politics

Despite the cold and windy September weather, nearly 1,000 Iowa Democrats faithfully drove to the Indianola Balloon Field on Sunday for the 31st annual Tom Harkin Steak Fry.

“We need to grow our own fuel,” Schweitzer said. “We need to do it now. Biofuels are here to stay. Biofuels are the future of America.”

“Four years ago Barack Obama gave that blockbuster speech to the convention. Two years later he showed up here to speak at the steak fry, and now look where he is. Brian Schweitzer gave a blockbuster speech at the convention this year. He is here at the steak fry. Who knows what’s next for Brian Schweitzer?” Harkin said.

The popular Montana governor got national attention at last month’s Democratic National Convention in Denver. Many delegates thought his speech upstaged the keynote address by former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, leading to speculation that Schweitzer may be positioned for a launch into the national political arena.

“I’ve heard that he is a terrific speaker and has a lot of potential,” Denise Rathman of Sioux City said today. “It’s true that sometimes what we really need is someone to fire the crowd up.”

The spotlight thrown on Schweitzer in Iowa today as he attended an event often frequented by presidential candidates only added more buzz around the bolo tie-wearing rancher.

“I had no idea who he was before now,” Paul Ostringer of Granger said. “After today I am really anxious to see where he goes next.”

Schweitzer was the headliner, but he wasn’t the only one to address the event. It also included remarks from members of the Iowa congressional delegation and first-time candidates for office hoping to add to the number of Democrats representing the state.

“We’re going to re-elect Senator Harkin and we’re going to see Democrats representing all five of Iowa’s congressional districts. We’re going to build on our great majorities in the Iowa House and Iowa Senate and we’re going to make history by sending Barack Obama and Joe Biden to the White House,” said emcee Scott Brennan, chair of the state Democratic Party.

After the 2006 midterm election that left Iowa with two more Democrats serving in the U.S. House, Fourth District candidate Becky Greenwald and Fifth District candidate Ron Hubler are looking to replace the two remaining Republican congressional incumbents in the state.

“It’s time we retire him for good,” Greenwald said of Rep. Tom Latham, the Republican she is challenging who first won the seat in 1994.

Hubler said he was running to replace Republican Congressman Steve King because he had become an “embarrassment” to Iowans.

“We can work together for a new era of real representation in western Iowa,” Hubler said.

Longtime Congressman Leonard Boswell thanked Iowans for their continued support and asked that his backers also be generous to freshman Representatives Dave Loebsack and Bruce Braley.

“What I’m talking about more than anything is restoring opportunities that have been taken away by George Bush and the Republican Congress,” Loebsack said.

Braley echoed Loebsack’s championing of affordable college education as being among the top achievements of Congressional Democrats.

“Democrats do what needs to be done,” Braley said. “That’s why it’s up to each of us to elect Democrats—from the courthouse to the Statehouse to the White House.”

First Lady of Iowa Mari Culver was also on hand to fire up the party faithful. She encouraged everyone in attendance to take their friends and family with them to local campaign offices and work the phones or knock on doors in their neighborhoods to see that the Democratic candidates are successful.

“I don’t want you to wish for them and hope for them, I want you to work for them,” Culver said.

Saying that securing federal relief aid in the wake of summer flooding has been “like trying to walk around in a maze with a blindfold on,” Lt. Gov. Patty Judge said blamed the government’s slow response on the Bush administration.

“We are sick and tired in Iowa of the same old, same old tired, failed Republican policies and the same old, same old Republican politicians,” she said.

While the annual steak fry has become an institution in Iowa and, occasionally, national Democratic politics, it also remains a major fundraising effort for Harkin himself. Harkin’s wife, Ruth, said that her husband takes every re-election bid seriously and is focused on serving.

“Our family knows it can count on Tom and Iowans know that they can count on him as well,” she said. “From veterans, farmers, women, students, working families – the list goes on – all can count on Tom.”

Harkin said he looked forward to the 2008 election for many reasons, but particularly because he thinks there is a good chance his home district will soon be represented by a Democrat and that the state would elect its first female U.S. Representative.

“I run this year – as I always have – as a proud, progressive, Democratic populist from the state of Iowa,” he said.

Harkin said he is “tired of cleaning up after Republicans,” and said that all any voter needed to know to make a decision as to who to vote for they already learned in driver’s ed class.

“If you want to go backward, you put it in ‘R.’ If you want to go forward, you put it in ‘D,’” he said.

Grassley, Harkin Call For Release of Federal Funds

2008-09-05T14:16:00Z

Iowa’s two U.S. senators called Wednesday for the Bush administration to release disaster relief funds authorized weeks after this summer’s floods.

Iowa is still waiting for $85 million in community block grants that were part of the disaster relief package signed into law June 30 by President Bush. The money, part of $300 billion for Midwest states hit by floods and tornadoes, is hung up in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s distribution process.

The money could be used for buyouts of flooded property, infrastructure repair or mitigation projects.

In their joint letter, Democrat Tom Harkin and Republican Chuck Grassley told HUD Secretary Steve Preston, “There is a desperate need for this assistance to be made swiftly available.”

Read the original story at The Gazette Online

Iowa’s two U.S. senators called Wednesday for the Bush administration to release disaster relief funds authorized weeks after this summer’s floods.

The money could be used for buyouts of flooded property, infrastructure repair or mitigation projects.

In their joint letter, Democrat Tom Harkin and Republican Chuck Grassley told HUD Secretary Steve Preston, “There is a desperate need for this assistance to be made swiftly available.”

In Cedar Rapids on Tuesday for the release of the Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission report, said much of the money would flow to Cedar Rapids, “the largest community, the most-impacted community.”

“It is not there,” said Judge, a Democrat. “The money is in Washington, D.C., and it has not been released. It’s a very slow process.”

To get the money to the states, HUD must issue a notice of funding availability, according to Harkin spokeswoman Jennifer Mullin. Each state then applies for grants under the conditions spelled out in the notice, and the agency releases the funds.

Sherry Kuntz, a senior legislative aide in Grassley’s office, said the delay may result from the disaster’s scope and complexity. Damage estimates are still being compiled by the nine states covered by the legislation.

“They’re trying to determine how to divide the money up, based on damages, and these damage numbers keep changing,” Kuntz said.

States may make local grants based on the amount they expect to receive, but, Kuntz said, “I think the state of Iowa is being very cautious. The state doesn’t want to put together their full work plan if there’s going to be some revisions.”

Kevin Teale, communications director for the Rebuild Iowa Office, said the state’s formal request is “99 percent ready” to go to HUD when the notice is received.

Harkin: Obama 'really good friend' of farming

2008-08-21T14:32:00Z

The chairman of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee told a Carroll audience that Barack Obama has done more to support Iowa farming in a few years than John McCain has in a political lifetime.

“To me this (Obama) could be a really good friend of ours in the White House to those of us who farm or live in rural communities,” U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said Friday at a rural roundtable for Obama, a U.S. senator from Illinois and the Democratic presidential candidate.

By DOUGLAS BURNS | Staff Writer

Read the Original Story at The Daily Times Herald

The chairman of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee told a Carroll audience that Barack Obama has done more to support Iowa farming in a few years than John McCain has in a political lifetime.

More than 30 people attended the 90-minute event in the Harold Bierl Room at the Carroll Depot.

In a wide-ranging presentation and question-and-answer session, Harkin said the issue with McCain, the GOP presidential candidate, is not about party politics. McCain is hostile to farm country and has the record to show it, Harkin said.

“He (McCain) has ridiculed every farm bill we have had on the floor,” Harkin said.

McCain voted against the 2002 farm bill and has said that if he were president today he would veto the current farm bill – one which all seven of Iowa’s federal elected officials, including three Republicans, supported.

“I would have a hard time telling you when John McCain has ever stepped forward to help us on rural issues,” Harkin said.

McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona who was fist elected to Congress in 1982, has voted against ethanol more than 10 times and opposed the wind-production tax credits advocates like T. Boone Pickens say are crucial for the creation of a wind-power corridor through Iowa.

Harkin said Obama has been on board with Midwestern agriculture since his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004 – and during his career in the Illinois State Senate.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that McCain has issued an almost blanket opposition to farm subsidies.

“I don’t support agricultural subsidies no matter where they are,” McCain said during a recent appearance in Wisconsin, according to the Associated Press. “The farm bill, $300 billion, is something America simply can’t afford.”

Harkin said the interests of agriculture and renewable energy intersect.

He thinks voters will see calls to drill for more oil as short-term pandering not in the interests of farm country – where more energy can be harvested along with food.

Harkin said Obama understands Iowa and other farming states will play a key role in transitioning the United States from oil to renewables – even if more oil is available domestically.

“We didn’t move to automobiles because we were running out of houses,” Harkin said. “And we didn’t move from candles to light bulbs because we were running out of wax.”

Harkin is joining U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., in advocating a flex-fuel vehicle mandate. When one audience member jokingly asked Harkin if these vehicles could run on Templeton Rye, the senator replied, “Some stuff’s too good to put in the tank.”

Harkin had earlier toured the whiskey distillery in Templeton.

During the roundtable Harkin said he was an unabashed supporter of U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., as Obama’s running mate.

Obama has yet to make the vice presidential candidate decision, but with the Democratic National Convention starting in a week, the choice is imminent. Harkin elaborated on his pitch for Dodd during an interview with the Daily Times Herald.

“Dodd is my No. 1 pick, but I don’t know where it’s going,” Harkin said.

Harkin said veteran legislator Dodd knows how to move bills through Congress, which will be important to an Obama administration facing international issues.

“He’s going to need a vice president that can help him get his legislative package through the Congress,” Harkin said. “And I can’t think of anyone who can do it better than Chris Dodd.”

Another big consideration, Harkin said, is that Dodd is well-liked by Republicans and Democrats.

“He knows how to work across party lines as evidenced by the fact that he just got this big foreclosure bill done,” Harkin said.

Harkin said Dodd also would be a major asset for the Obama campaign in the Latino-rich Southwest – a region some analysts believe will be decisive in the presidential race.

“He speaks fluent Spanish,” Harkin said. “The Hispanic community loves him. That would be a great outreach for Barack Obama.”

Dodd developed his Spanish-language skills during a stint in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic as a young man. During one campaign stop in Carroll as a presidential candidate last fall, Dodd conducted a video-taped bilingual interview with the Daily Times Herald and La Prensa, a Carroll-based Western Iowa Spanish-language newspaper.

Harkin said he strongly doubts U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton will be the vice presidential selection.

“It’s realism,” Harkin said. “I know full well that if Hillary had gotten the nomination she would never have picked Obama, and if he gets it, he’s not going to pick her for a very simple reason: there’s a lot of latent racism and sexism in this country. It’s hard enough for a woman to win. Then if you add an African American on the ticket, or vice versa, if you have an African-American running and you add a woman on, you add racism and sexism together. That’s a pretty steep hill to climb.”

Harkin Visits For Update on Algae Ethanol Project

2008-08-21T13:36:00Z

The potential of algae as an energy source has a lot of people excited, including Iowa senator Tom Harkin.

Monday Harkin was in town to meet with representatives from Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. and Shenandoah Chamber and Industry Association Director Gregg Connell at the chamber’s office to hear an update on GPRE’s plan.

“As chairman of the Agricultural Committee I’ve put a lot of emphasis on the Farm Bill on building more cellulose ethanol plants, and now I’ve become aware of algae and how we can get diesel fuel basically out of algae,” said Harkin after the meeting. “I’ve looked at different companies around the United States and we’ve got testimony about this, and quite frankly the promise of growing algae, which only takes sunlight and CO2, the oils that you get from them for diesel is just phenomenal.

By KEVIN SLATER | Associate Editor

Read the original story at SW Iowa News

The potential of algae as an energy source has a lot of people excited, including Iowa senator Tom Harkin.

“I heard what Gregg Connell was doing down here and I just wanted to come down and take a look at this proposal from Green Plains Renewable Energy and see what they’re doing at the ethanol plant. This could be the first pilot algae project in the United States, happening right here in Shenandoah.”

Connell said Senator Harkin has been one of the biggest driving forces in the alternative fuels arena, and having his support for the project is a huge boost.

“Senator Harkin is maybe the main person responsible for the renewable fuels revolution in America,” said Connell. “His stance for ethanol and biodiesel actually made those markets happen.”

Back in April GPRE was approved for a $2,190,407 grant by the Iowa Power Fund to start up a test project for growing algae and harvesting its oil in their Shenandoah plant.

The expected production is about eight kilograms per day of algal biomass, and the cost is approximately $2,803,844. GPRE would be responsible for slightly over $600,000, which is not covered by the Iowa Power Fund grant.

The second phase, which would cost about $4,209,266 would be to build a facility about 10 times the size of the first one and would produce roughly 81 kilograms a day of algal biomass.

The final phase of the project, which would be a commercial facility would cost around $80 million and produce 850 kilograms per hectare a day of algal biomass.

Microalgae have much faster growth-rates than terrestrial crops. The per unit area yield of oil from algae is estimated to be from between 5,000 to 20,000 gallons per acre, per year; this is seven to 30 times greater than the next best crop, Chinese tallow (699 gallons).

Connell said the project is on track to start sometime in September, and people should be able to see the progress by October.

“We are looking to get started towards the beginning to middle of September and we hope there will be some sort of visible presence by mid-October,” Connell explained. “Then the project moves forward with accordance to how successful this phase is.”

Connell said the first phase is growing algae, identifying the algae best for our climate, identifying the algae best for the CO2 that GPRE has and the blowback water from their ethanol.

“Depending one how successful that is, we expect this project to move along rapidly,” Connell added.

Senator Harkin said the prospects of algae are exciting, and moving in the direction this country needs.

“It’s clear that we’ve got to develop new energy sources in this country, especially for liquid fuels,” said Harkin. “I’m a very strong proponent of ethanol. We’ve got to build more ethanol plants.”

Despite some of the negative press grain-based ethanol receives, Connell and Harkin both believe they are positive and a good alternative to dependence on foreign oils.

“Regardless of what you hear from the oil companies, Merrill Lynch did a study and found that ethanol saved people tremendous money on gasoline over the country as a whole,” said Connell. “We know and Senator Harkin knows that ethanol and biodiesel are not the whole answer, but they’re part of a huge jigsaw puzzle and those pieces are important.

“Senator Harkin has always fought for biofuels. He realizes that you can’t go to phase two, which will be cellulistic biofuels, which will be algae, without phase one, which is grain-based alcohols.

“We’re happy to have his support. We know that Senator Harkin does what’s best for this country and we know what’s best for this country is to have greater energy independence.”

“This is very exciting, it’s got a ways to go obviously, but I’m very enthused about it and would like to know how I can help,” added Harkin.