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| Democrat Jean Hessburg and Republican Gentry Collins
IOWA PRESS #3138>> Borg: IN IOWA, THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SUN NEVER SETS. THAT'S THE UNIQUE CHALLENGE FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF IOWA'S TWO MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES. WE'LL QUESTION DEMOCRAT JEAN HESSBURG AND REPUBLICAN GENTRY COLLINS ON THIS EDITION OF "IOWA PRESS."
FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY "FRIENDS," THE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION FOUNDATION... GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WHO FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THEY WATCH ON IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION; AND BY THE IOWA BANKERS ASSOCIATION... FOR PERSONAL, BUSINESS, AND COMMERCIAL NEEDS, IOWA BANKS HELP IOWANS REACH THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS. ON STATEWIDE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS THE FRIDAY, MAY 14 EDITION OF "IOWA PRESS." HERE IS DEAN BORG. Borg: IOWA'S REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ARE PREPARING FOR THEIR NATIONAL CONVENTIONS NOW: REPUBLICANS IN NEW YORK; DEMOCRATS IN BOSTON; AND A FEW SHORT MONTHS AFTER THAT, THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION. BUT BEFORE THE NATIONAL EVENTS, PLENTY IN IOWA. IOWA'S PRIMARY ELECTION ON TUESDAY, JUNE 8, FOLLOWED BY EACH PARTY'S STATE CONVENTIONS. IOWA DEMOCRATS CONVENING THEIR STATE PARTY CONVENTION ON SATURDAY, JUNE 12. A WEEK LATER IOWA REPUBLICANS CERTIFY THEIR STATE CANDIDATES AND DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION. IT ALL TRANSLATES INTO A VERY BUSY SUMMER FOR THE PARTIES' EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME TO BE WITH US TODAY. GENTRY COLLINS HEADS THE IOWA REPUBLICAN PARTY. JEAN HESSBURG IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR IOWA DEMOCRATS. WELCOME TO "IOWA PRESS." Hessburg: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Collins: THANKS FOR HAVING US. Borg: NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. THANK YOU. AND ALSO WITH US AT THE IOWA PRESS TABLE: "DES MOINES REGISTER" POLITICAL COLUMNIST DAVID YEPSEN AND "RADIO IOWA" NEWS DIRECTOR KAY HENDERSON. Henderson: FOLKS, I GUESS VIEWERS WOULD KNOW THAT GENTRY COLLINS REALLY LIKES PRESIDENT BUSH AND JEAN HESSBURG REALLY LIKES JOHN KERRY. SO IF WE COULD, SORT OF CUT THROUGH THE BOILER PLATE RIGHT HERE AT THE BEGINNING AND REALLY GIVE IOWANS A CONVERSATION THAT THEY MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING FROM. WOULD YOU HANDICAP THE RACE, THE BUSH/KERRY MATCHUP, GENTRY? Collins: YOU BET. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY CLOSE RACE. THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING SO HARD. YOU KNOW, IOWA WAS DECIDED BY LESS THAN TWO VOTES PER PRECINCT IN 2000, AND WE EXPECT IT WILL BE VERY CLOSE IN 2004 AS WELL. BUT I THINK THERE ARE SOME VERY CLEAR DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN THESE CANDIDATES, CLEAR DISTINCTIONS ON THE WAR ON TERROR, CLEAR DISTINCTIONS ON THE ECONOMY. AND I BELIEVE ULTIMATELY THAT PRESIDENT BUSH'S MESSAGE ON THOSE TWO KEY ISSUES WILL CARRY IOWA FOR REPUBLICANS. Henderson: MS. HESSBURG, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT THAT IT WILL BE A CLOSE CONTEST IN IOWA? Hessburg: SURE. AND PERHAPS THAT'S THE ONLY THING GENTRY AND I WILL AGREE ON TODAY IS THAT IT WILL BE A CLOSE CONTEST. I WOULD ADD THAT PRESIDENT BUSH HASN'T DEMONSTRATED ANY CLEAR DISTINCTION BECAUSE HE HASN'T RUN ON ANY RECORD YET. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, HE DOESN'T HAVE A RECORD TO RUN ON. HE JUST SPENT $70 MILLION, UNPRECEDENTED, IN A NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN BLITZ ACROSS THE COUNTRY ATTACKING JOHN KERRY BECAUSE HE CAN'T RUN ON A RECORD THAT SAYS 8.3 MILLION AMERICANS ARE WITHOUT JOBS, 44 MILLION AMERICANS DON'T HAVE HEALTH CARE, SO ON AND SO ON. Henderson: LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS RACE BECAUSE IT IS FAIRLY IMPORTANT TO BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES IN IOWA THAT THIS RACE BE INTERESTING IN IOWA. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE DOWN THE BALLOT THAT'S TERRIBLY COMPETITIVE. GENTRY, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR IOWA REPUBLICANS TO HAVE THIS BUSH/KERRY RACE BE COMPETITIVE? Collins: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR IOWA REPUBLICANS THAT THIS RACE BE COMPETITIVE. YOU KNOW, IOWA HASN'T GONE REPUBLICAN SINCE 1984. THAT WAS RONALD REAGAN'S REELECTION. WE BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE '84 CAMPAIGN AND THE '04 CAMPAIGN. BUT SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR QUESTION, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE PRESIDENT BUSH DO WELL IN THE STATE IN ORDER TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE KEEP OUR LEGISLATIVE MAJORITIES, WHICH I THINK ARE THE OTHER COMPETITIVE RACES IN 2004. Henderson: AND FOR THE DEMOCRATS, HOW KEY IS A STRONG JOHN KERRY PRESENCE IN IOWA TO CARRYING THOSE DOWN-THE-TICKET RACES FOR YOU? Hessburg: WELL, TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT. WE ARE, TOO, FOCUSED ON THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COURTHOUSE, THE STATEHOUSE, AND THE WHITE HOUSE AS OUR OVERALL STRATEGIC PLAN HERE. AND NOW DOUBT ABOUT IT, PRESIDENTIAL TURNOUT WILL BE HIGHER. IT WILL BOOST THOSE NUMBERS. IN 2002, HOWEVER, WHEN TURNOUT WASN'T AS HIGH AS THE PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, WE MANAGED TO GET MORE PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE IN 2002, UNPRECEDENTED AGAIN IN A NONPRESIDENTIAL YEAR. THROUGH OUR ABSENTEE BALLOT PROGRAM, ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF VOTERS VOTED BY ABSENTEE, AND THAT BOOSTED TURNOUT. YOU CAN LOOK FOR US TO DO THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR. Yepsen: MR. COLLINS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO DIFFERENT? AS YOU SAID, REPUBLICANS HAVE NOT CARRIED THE STATE IN A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FOR TWENTY YEARS, SINCE 1984. THE DEMOCRATS CONSISTENTLY DO A BETTER JOB OF TURNING OUT BASE VOTERS, AS WELL DEMOCRATIC LEANING INDEPENDENTS. SO AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE IOWA REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHAT SPECIFICALLY WILL YOUR PARTY BE DOING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR THAN IN PAST ELECTIONS SO THAT YOU CAN WIN THIS STATE FOR THE REPUBLICANS? Collins: YOU BET. WELL, LET ME MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS, FIRST OF ALL ON THE PREMISE THAT DEMOCRATS DO A BETTER JOB WITH TURNOUT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEY DO A BETTER JOB SPINNING THEIR TURNOUT, AND THEY CERTAINLY HAD A VERY INNOVATIVE ABSENTEE BALLOT PROGRAM IN 2002. BUT IF YOU GO BACK AND REVIEW THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S TURNOUT NUMBERS, THEY'LL REVEAL TO YOU THAT IN 2002 THE OVERALL REPUBLICAN TURNOUT ADVANTAGE, WHEN YOU INCLUDE ELECTION-DAY TURNOUT, REMAINED THE SAME. WE HAD A TOTAL TURNOUT ADVANTAGE OF ABOUT 52,000 VOTES IN 2002. THAT'S WHY WE KEPT OUR MAJORITIES IN CONGRESS. THAT'S WHY WE KEPT OUR MAJORITIES IN BOTH THE STATE HOUSE AND THE STATE SENATE. SO NUMBER ONE, THE DEMOCRATS' ADVANTAGE ON TURNOUT REALLY IS A FIGMENT OF OUR IMAGINATION. THEY HAVE AN ADVANTAGE ON ABSENTEES, NOT ON TURNOUT. BUT SPECIFICALLY ON ABSENTEES, WE LEARNED SOME VERY KEY LESSONS FROM THE DEMOCRATS IN 2002, THAT PAID WALKERS GOING DOOR TO DOOR CAN HELP BOOST YOUR TURNOUT ON ABSENTEES. WE HAVE PAID WALKERS ALREADY IN THE FIELD. THEY'LL BE IN THE FIELD IN EVERY CORNER THE STATE FOR THE REST OF THE CAMPAIGN CYCLE, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, IN THE OFF YEAR, IN 2003, WE HAD 77 OF OUR 99 VOLUNTEER COUNTY PARTY ORGANIZATIONS WITH VOLUNTEER FUND BANKS UP AND RUNNING. THEY IDENTIFIED 50,000 NO-PARTY VOTERS ON ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE. AND THOSE IDENTIFICATIONS WILL HELP US TAILOR AND AIM OUR CAMPAIGNS AT THE MESSAGES THAT INDEPENDENT VOTERS MOST WANT TO HEAR ABOUT. Yepsen: SO IF A REPUBLICAN ACTIVIST WATCHING THIS PROGRAM IS CONCERNED ABOUT CARRYING THE STATE FOR GEORGE BUSH, NOT TO WORRY? EXCUSE ME, TWO POLLS HAVE BEEN DONE IN THIS STATE OF THIS PRESIDENTIAL RACE. ONE OF THEM SHOWED THE RACE ABOUT A 4-POINT RACE, THE OTHER ABOUT A 10-POINT RACE, ALL IN FAVOR OF JOHN KERRY, PLUS THE ADVANTAGE DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD ON TURNOUT. SO WHY SHOULDN'T REPUBLICAN ACTIVISTS BE PRETTY WORRIED HERE? Collins: REPUBLICAN ACTIVISTS SHOULD BE WORRIED, AND THAT'S WHY THEY OUGHT TO COME OUT AND WORK VERY HARD AT THE FUND BANKS. THAT'S WHY THEY OUGHT TO ENGAGE IN OUR DOOR-TO-DOOR PROGRAM. THOSE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AND THEY'RE GOING WELL. LET ME TELL YOU, THE PRESIDENT LOST BY LESS THAN TWO VOTES PER PRECINCT. THERE'S HARDLY A STUNNING MARGIN TO OVERCOME, NUMBER ONE. WE'VE LEARNED THE LESSONS OF 2002 ON ABSENTEES, AND WE WILL IMPLEMENT THOSE LESSONS. BUT SECONDLY, LET ME JUST -- YOU ASKED ABOUT THE POLLING. LET ME COMMENT ON THAT. I BROUGHT UP 1984 JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO. IN 1984 WALTER MONDALE LED RONALD REAGAN AT THIS POINT IN THE CAMPAIGN AFTER HE HAD LOCKED UP HIS PARTY'S NOMINATION, YET RONALD REAGAN WENT ON TO A STUNNING VICTORY. THE SAME WAS TRUE IN 1996 WITH BOB DOLE AND BILL CLINTON. WHEN A CHALLENGER GETS THE NOMINATION, THERE'S AN AUTOMATIC BOUNCE THAT COMES ALONG WITH THAT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING FOR JOHN KERRY. Borg: MS. HESSBURG, AS YOU ORGANIZE TO CARRY THE STATE FOR JOHN KERRY, DO YOU EXPECT TO HAVE TO CONTEND WITH RALPH NADER ON THE BALLOT? Hessburg: CERTAINLY THAT'S ALWAYS A WORRY. OUR WISH WOULD BE THAT RALPH NADER WASN'T ON THE BALLOT. Borg: BUT DO YOU EXPECT THAT HE WILL BE? Hessburg: HE IS CERTAINLY MAKING MOVES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. HE HAS NOT STARTED ANY ORGANIZING IN IOWA AT THIS POINT THAT WE KNOW OF. BUT WE ANTICIPATE THAT HE WILL TRY AND MAKE IT ON THE BALLOT. AND THE LEVEL IS NOT THAT HIGH; I THINK HE NEEDS 1,500 SIGNATURES IN TEN COUNTIES. SO HE COULD PROBABLY MAKE IT ON THE BALLOT. Borg: HOW DO YOU CONTEND WITH THAT? HOW DO YOU COUNTERACT THAT? Hessburg: WE CONTEND -- NOW, WHEN GENTRY IS TALKING ABOUT THE NO PARTIES AND ID'ING THE NO PARTIES, 60 PERCENT OF THE NO PARTIES BROKE OUR WAY IN 2002. EVEN MORE THAN THAT WILL BREAK OUR WAY IN A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE HAVE THE ISSUES ON OUR SIDE THIS TIME. PRESIDENT BUSH IS AT A DISTINCT DISADVANTAGE WITH JOB LOSSES, THE ECONOMY, AND THE WAR IN IRAQ. WE HAVE ISSUES ON OUR SIDE. WE HAVE MOTIVATION. THE ANTI-BUSH SENTIMENT IS HUGE. WE SAW THAT AT CAUCUSES WHEN WE HAVE DOUBLE THE RECORD NUMBER OF TURNOUT. Borg: WHEN WILL NADER -- WHERE WILL NADER CUT INTO YOU, THOUGH? Hessburg: NADER MIGHT CUT INTO THE NO PARTIES, OF COURSE. HE ALWAYS DOES. THAT'S WHERE HE'S GOING TO GO AT US. I DON'T ANTICIPATE HE'LL CUT INTO OUR TRADITIONAL DEMOCRATIC BASE. AND OUR REGISTRATION NUMBERS ARE WITHIN 13,000 OF THE REPUBLICANS RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST IT'S BEEN EVER. Yepsen: MR. COLLINS, ARE REPUBLICANS HELPED BY THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A PAT BUCHANAN THIRD-PARTY CANDIDACY EATING INTO YOUR BASE THE WAY RALPH NADER MAY EAT INTO THE DEMOCRATIC BASE? YOU HAD -- PAT BUCHANAN GOT, WHAT, 5,000 VOTES LAST TIME. Collins: YOU BET WE ARE. ABSOLUTELY WE ARE. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. OUR PARTY IS UNITED BEHIND GEORGE W. BUSH, WORKING VERY HARD. AND THAT HASN'T BEEN TRUE IN OUR PARTY FOR SOME TIME. YOU KNOW, IN 2002 WE HAD DIVISIVE PRIMARIES FOR BOTH STATEWIDE OFFICES THAT WERE ON THE BALLOT. THAT HASN'T BEEN TRUE FOR US IN 2004. THIS PARTY STANDS BEHIND GEORGE W. BUSH. Yepsen: YOU KNOW, I WANT TO ASK BOTH OF YOU JUST A HANDICAPPING QUESTION. WE'RE ALL SITTING AROUND THIS TABLE TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE A CLOSE RACE. IS IT POSSIBLE THIS IS GOING TO BREAK ONE WAY OR ANOTHER FOR ONE CANDIDATE OR ANOTHER? I MEAN WE'VE HAD INCUMBENT PRESIDENTS GET BEAT BY HEFTY MARGINS, AND WE'VE HAD INCUMBENT PRESIDENTS GET REELECTED BY HEFTY MARGINS. ARE ALL OF US FIGHTING THE LAST WAR HERE AND ASSUMING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A CLOSE RACE WHEN, IN FACT, IT COULD BREAK ONE WAY OR THE OTHER? Hessburg: SURE. NEVER SAY NEVER. LOOK AT THE CAUCUSES. WE WENT INTO CAUCUS NIGHT WITH WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A THREE-WAY TIE AMONG THE CANDIDATES, AND IT BROKE LOOSE. AT 6:30 P.M. IT WAS CLEAR THAT JOHN KERRY WAS GOING TO WIN. WHEN GENTRY SAYS THAT THE PARTY IS UNITED IN FAVOR OF ONE CANDIDATE, GEORGE BUSH, I THINK TO THE CONTRARY. WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS. WE HAVE TALKED AMONG OURSELVES AS DEMOCRATS IN THE IOWA CAUCUSES. WE KNOW THE DISTINCTIONS AND WE ARE MORE UNITED IN THAT WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT ADVANTAGE. Yepsen: COULD THIS BREAK FOR REPUBLICANS BIG-TIME? Collins: IT CERTAINLY COULD. IT CERTAINLY COULD. WHAT'S BEEN INTERESTING IN RECENT POLLING IS THAT WHILE THE PRESIDENT'S NUMBERS AREN'T QUITE WHERE WE WANT THEM TO BE, JOHN KERRY'S NUMBERS ARE NOT RISING. THAT'S BEEN TRUE WITH THE RECENT ACTIVITY IN IRAQ. SO JOHN KERRY, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BUYERS' REMORSE -- Henderson: BUT IN THE LAST WEEK THEY HAVE BEEN GOING UP. Collins: THEY HAVEN'T BEEN GOING UP TREMENDOUSLY. HE'S NOT LEADING THE PRESIDENT AROUND THE COUNTRY BY WIDE MARGINS. Yepsen: IS THERE BUYERS' REMORSE HERE? Hessburg: ABSOLUTELY NOT. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SPEND $70 MILLION, UNPRECEDENTED AGAIN, MONOFOCUSED ON ATTACKING A CANDIDATE. OF COURSE THE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO STAY STAGNANT, AND WE MAY EVEN HAVE EXPECTED -- WITH THAT MUCH MONEY, THEY SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED A DIP WITH JOHN KERRY, AND THEY DIDN'T GET IT. Yepsen: IN ALL CAMPAIGNS, I MEAN YOU FOLKS ARE PROFESSIONALS. YOU WORK WITH THIS EVERY DAY. DO YOU FEEL LIKE IN THIS CAMPAIGN, WITH THE WAR ON TERRORISM AND THE WAR ON IRAQ, THAT EVENTS MIGHT BE OUTSIDE YOUR CONTROL, THAT YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING RIGHT AND STILL LOSE? Hessburg: OH, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S ALWAYS -- Yepsen: HAVE YOU BEEN IN A CAMPAIGN LIKE THIS BEFORE WHERE EVENTS ARE SO FAR OUT OF YOUR CONTROL? Hessburg: EVERY CAMPAIGN IS LIKE THIS WHERE EVENTS ARE SO FAR OUT OF YOUR CONTROL. YOU CAN'T EVER COUNT ON THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T CONTROL, SO WE DON'T. Yepsen: DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? Collins: I DO AGREE WITH THAT. I THINK EVENTS ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL, AND WE SAW SOME OF THAT THIS LAST WEEK IN IRAQ. WHAT I THINK ULTIMATELY IS GOING TO HAPPEN, THOUGH, IS THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE TWO VERY DIFFERENT VISIONS ABOUT HOW WE PROSECUTE THE WAR ON TERROR. ONE, THE JOHN KERRY VISION LOOKS AT THE 1993 WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBINGS AND SAYS LET'S USE THAT MODEL, LET'S TREAT THIS AS A CRIMINAL ACT AND PROSECUTE IT. THE OTHER MODEL, THE GEORGE W. BUSH MODEL SAYS, NO, THIS WAS AN ACT OF WAR, AN ACT OF TERROR, AND WE OUGHT TO BE VIGILANT TOGETHER IN THREATS OVERSEAS, AND WE OUGHT TO PROSECUTE THESE BATTLES OVERSEAS INSTEAD OF IN NEW YORK AND IN BOSTON. Hessburg: GEORGE BUSH OUGHT TO PROSECUTE THOSE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABUSE IN THE PRISON AS WELL. Yepsen: NOW WE'VE GOT THE COMMERCIALS IN. Hessburg: EXACTLY. Henderson: ONE OF THE NEW WRINKLES IN THE CAMPAIGN THIS TIME AROUND IS GROUPS THAT ARE CALLED, AMONG ALL OF US, 527s. MS. HESSBURG, LET'S FIRST TELL VIEWERS WHAT A 527 IS. Hessburg: A 527 ORGANIZATION REFERS TO THE TAX CODE. A 527 ORGANIZATION IS SET UP SO THAT IT CAN TAKE FEDERAL AND NONFEDERAL MONEY. THEY SPRUNG UP OUT OF RESPONSE TO MCCAIN/FEINGOLD LEGISLATION. WHEN THERE WAS A BAN ON SOFT MONEY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATIONAL PARTIES, THESE 527s SPRUNG UP BOTH ON THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC SIDE. AND SO FAR THEY CAN OPERATE AROUND THE COUNTRY, UNLIMITED SOFT MONEY CONTRIBUTIONS, AND CAN OPERATE BUT THEY CANNOT COORDINATE WITH EITHER THE DEMOCRAT OR THE REPUBLICAN PARTIES. Henderson: ARE THEY EATING INTO THE ELECTORATE IN TERMS OF MOBILIZING SECTIONS, FOR INSTANCE MAYBE THE NURSES OR, YOU KNOW, SECTIONS OF THE ELECTORATE IN WAYS THAT THE PARTY HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO, OR ARE THEY, I GUESS, SORT OF TROUBLEMAKERS ON THE HORIZON HERE, IN YOUR VIEW? Hessburg: WELL, CERTAINLY THE NONCOORDINATION IS A PROBLEM IN THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE COULD ALL COORDINATE. IF WE'RE GOING TOWARD THE SAME THING AND WANT TO DEFEAT GEORGE BUSH, IT WOULD BE NICE TO COORDINATE. WE CAN'T COORDINATE; THAT'S TROUBLING BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. WE LOOK AT IT AS MORE HELP. ANY MORE HELP WE CAN GET ON REGISTERING BASE VOTERS, ANY MORE HELP WE CAN GET ON TURNOUT AND IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION IS GOOD NEWS. Henderson: NOW, THIS PAST WEEK FEDERAL OFFICIALS DECIDED THAT THEY'RE NOW GOING TO RULE ON THESE RIGHT NOW, AND SO THE REPUBLICANS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL SAID, HEY, LET'S GO, LET'S START RAISING MORE MONEY FOR THESE 527s. WHAT SORT OF IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE IN IOWA, IN YOUR OPINION, BECAUSE WE'VE REALLY SEEN IT ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE HAVE AN IMPACT? Collins: WE HAVE. WE'VE SEEN IT ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE. YOU KNOW, JEAN JUST ALLUDED TO THIS FACT THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN "THE DES MOINES REGISTER" A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT AMERICANS COMING TOGETHER, ONE OF THESE GROUPS BEING FUNDED BY GEORGE SOROS. AND THEY REALLY HAVE OPERATED, IN OUR VIEW, AS A SHADOW CAMPAIGN FOR JOHN KERRY. THEY'RE NOT OUT ADVOCATING ON A SPECIFIC ISSUE BUT, AS JEAN MENTIONED, THEY ARE MORE OR LESS AN EXTENSION OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND OF THE JOHN KERRY CAMPAIGN. THEY EXIST SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFEATING GEORGE BUSH AND NOT FOR ADVANCING A SINGLE ISSUE. Henderson: AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? I MEAN WHY SHOULDN'T FOLKS BE ABLE TO SPEND THEIR MONEY IN A FREE SOCIETY AND EXERCISE THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS? Collins: I THINK IF WE'VE CONCLUDED NOW THAT THAT'S LEGAL, THEN I THINK YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE MORE OF THIS SPRING UP. THE PROBLEM WITH IT IS THE RAW HYPOCRISY INVOLVED ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE. I MEAN YOU HEARD BEFORE MCCAIN/FEINGOLD WAS PASSED THAT WHAT IT WAS ABOUT WAS TRYING TO TAKE UNREGULATED SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY OUT OF POLITICS. BUT THEN YOU READ FROM JEFF LINK IN "THE DES MOINES REGISTER" A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, YOU KNOW, YOU DID AN ARTICLE WITH ROB BORSELLINO. AND THE CONCLUSION IN THAT ARTICLE WAS THAT ON THE DEMOCRAT SIDE, THESE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS NOW HAVE MORE MONEY AND MORE INFLUENCE THAN CANDIDATES DO. THAT, I DON'T THINK, IS APPROPRIATE. Yepsen: MR. COLLINS, TALK ABOUT THE EFFECT OF THE CAUCUSES FOR A MOMENT HERE. DEMOCRATS HAD A HUGE EVENT; 124,000 DEMOCRATS SHOWED UP IN 2,000 CAUCUSES. THAT GIVES MS. HESSBURG HERE AND HER PEOPLE A PRETTY GOOD LIST OF NAMES. HOW BIG OF AN ADVANTAGE DID DEMOCRATS GET OUT OF THEIR CAUCUSES? YOU GUYS DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING. Collins: WELL, I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT THAT ADVANTAGE AND REMAIN WORRIED ABOUT THAT ADVANTAGE, BUT YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT REFLECTED IN THE POLLS. YOU KNOW, JEAN LIKES TO TALK ABOUT NEGATIVE ADS. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CAUCUS PROCESS, YOU HAD SEVEN DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT. BY OUR COUNT, THEY RAN 50,000 GROSS RATINGS POINTS OF NEGATIVE ADS, AND THOSE ADS HAVE NOT KILLED THE BUSH CAMPAIGN IN IOWA. AND SO THE ADVANTAGE HASN'T BEEN QUITE AS BIG AS I'M SURE THEY HAD HOPED. Yepsen: MS. HESSBURG, HOW BIG AN ADVANTAGE DID YOU GET OUT OF THE CAUCUSES? Hessburg: TREMENDOUS ADVANTAGE. WE HAVE OUR VOTER ACTIVATION NETWORK, OUR VAN, WHICH IS OUR VOTER FILE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE ON THEIR SIDE, BUT WE GARNERED 4.5 MILLION INDIVIDUALS VOTER CODES ON THAT VAN, CODES THAT TELL US WHO A FARMER IS, WHO A VETERAN IS, IF THEY SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA. THAT'S A HUGE ADVANTAGE FOR US GOING INTO THE ELECTIONS THIS FALL, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE VOTER WANTS AND LIKES AND IS INTERESTED IN. Borg: MR. COLLINS, NO MATTER HOW THIS ELECTION IN NOVEMBER GOES, REPUBLICANS IN 2008 WILL HAVE CAUCUS EMPHASIS TO SELECT A CANDIDATE. HOW WOULD YOU PREDICT WHAT WILL IOWA'S ROLE BE IN 2008? NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO LOOK AHEAD TO ELECTIONS RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU HAVE TO TRY TO PRESERVE WHERE IOWA WAS THIS YEAR. Collins: THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS ACTUALLY THAT JEAN AND I, THE DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN PARTIES, WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER ON. I THINK WE BOTH HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING CERTAIN THAT IOWA REMAINS FIRST IN THE NATION AT LEAST THROUGH 2008. Borg: WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF THAT, OR WHAT ARE THE THREATS? Collins: AT THIS POINT THERE ARE NO THREATS ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE. OBVIOUSLY WE REMAIN VIGILANT TO THOSE THREATS, BUT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED THOSE RULES THROUGH 2008 AND IOWA WILL BE FIRST. Borg: BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT IS WITH THE DEMOCRATS; IS IT? Hessburg: NO, IT'S NOT. WE COULD GO EITHER WAY. AND WE ALWAYS -- GENTRY IS RIGHT, WE DO TALK ABOUT THIS AND WORK TOGETHER ON THIS. IT'S AN ADVANTAGE FOR IOWANS, BOTH OUR PARTIES, AND THE CITIZENS OF IOWA, TO HAVE THE FIRST-IN-THE-NATION CAUCUSES HERE. WE WILL MONITOR IT. WE'RE ALREADY MEETING ON IT. WE'RE MEETING WITH OUR OFFICIALS. JOHN KERRY HAS SAID THAT HE SUPPORTS IOWA'S FIRST-IN-THE-NATION STATUS. THAT'S A TREMENDOUS HELP TO US. Yepsen: BUT, MS. HESSBURG, HAS JOHN KERRY COMMITTED TO YOU TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH THE NATIONAL CONVENTION? RIGHT NOW YOUR PARTY IS SAYING WE'RE GOING TO STUDY THE WHO-GOES-FIRST ISSUE AFTER THE ELECTION WHEN IOWA LOSES A BUNCH OF LEVERAGE. WILL DEMOCRATS BE ABLE TO GET THE NATIONAL CONVENTION TO CERTIFY IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE FIRST IN '08? Hessburg: WE HOPE SO. I MEAN THERE ARE DIFFERENT IDEAS OF STRATEGY ON THAT. WE'RE RIGHT NOW MEETING ON WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO WORK THAT THROUGH. Yepsen: AND, MR. COLLINS, IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO ASK ABOUT CAUCUS CANDIDATES IN IOWA. AS DEAN MENTIONED, UNDER ANY SCENARIO REPUBLICANS HAVE A CAUCUS FIGHT. IT'S IN YOUR RULES ALREADY. YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR A GUY TO TAKE OUT PRESIDENT JOHN KERRY OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR A CANDIDATE TO SUCCEED PRESIDENT BUSH. WHO ARE THE REPUBLICANS THAT YOU SEE MAKING NOISES OUT HERE, STARTING TO RUN AROUND LOOKING AT DOING SOMETHING IN IOWA IN '08? Collins: WELL, LET ME JUST TELL YOU THAT I'VE BEEN SURPRISED THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD MORE NOISE ABOUT IT. IT HAS BEEN VERY CONTROLLED. IT'S BEEN VERY TIGHT LIPPED. I THINK THAT OUR PARTY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, IS UNITED BEHIND THIS PRESIDENT AND MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE REELECT THIS PRESIDENT. I THINK YOU'VE SEEN SOME TRAVEL, THOUGH, BY SOME HIGH-PROFILE REPUBLICANS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE BEEN HERE TO IOWA TO CAMPAIGN ON BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT, ON BEHALF OF OUR PARTY. AND THOSE FOLKS WOULD INCLUDE COLORADO GOVERNOR BILL OWENS, THE NEW YORK GOVERNOR, THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK -- THE FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK, RUDY GIULIANI. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. FLORIDA GOVERNOR JEB BUSH HAS BEEN MENTIONED. Yepsen: BILL FRIST. Collins: BILL FRIST CERTAINLY COULD BE A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE. Henderson: TOM RIDGE. Collins: TOM RIDGE MAY BE A CANDIDATE. BUT THOSE FOLKS REALLY HAVE SPENT SURPRISINGLY LITTLE TIME LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR A POTENTIAL RUN. AND I THINK, FRANKLY, THAT'S BECAUSE OUR PARTY UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH ELECTION BATTLE AND WE'RE FOCUSED ON THAT RIGHT NOW. Henderson: ONE OF THE THINGS I HEAR FROM IOWANS, EVEN PARTY ACTIVISTS, IS THE LEVEL OF FATIGUE. THERE WAS A CAUCUS CAMPAIGN AND THEN, BANG, THE GENERAL ELECTION ALMOST STARTED IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER. MS. HESSBURG, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH FATIGUE AMONG ACTIVISTS SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING AND WALKING THE STREETS FOR A YEAR IN ADVANCE OF THE CAUCUSES AND NOW YOU EXPECT THEM TO GO BACK OUT AND ORGANIZE FOR A GENERAL ELECTION? Hessburg: WELL, SIX, EIGHT, NINE MONTHS IS A LONG TIME TO GET OVER FATIGUE. AND WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED CONTACT. YES, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST BECAUSE I WAS GETTING OLDER. IT IS A LITTLE FATIGUING, I'M SURE. BUT WE FIND THAT OUR TROOPS ALWAYS RALLY, ABSOLUTELY. I DON'T SENSE THE VOTER FATIGUE. WE HAVE MORE VOLUNTEERS IN OUR OFFICE NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. WE ACTUALLY HAVE STARTED TWO MONTHS AHEAD WITH OUR COORDINATED CAMPAIGN THAN THE LAST TWO YEARS. I DON'T FEEL THE FATIGUE AMONG OUR ACTIVISTS. THEY MAY TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S OUT THERE. Henderson: WHAT ABOUT THE FATIGUE LEVEL AMONG REPUBLICANS AS THEY'VE WATCHED DEMOCRATS COME HERE AND CRITICIZE THE PRESIDENT. ISN'T THERE A FATIGUE LEVEL WHERE THEY'RE JUST WORN OUT AND THEY AREN'T EVEN GOING TO GO TO THE POLLS? DON'T YOU HAVE TO FIGHT THAT KIND OF FATIGUE AS WELL? Collins: NOT THAT KIND OF FATIGUE, NO. WE DO HAVE TO FIGHT FATIGUE AND IT'S THE FATIGUE THAT'S CAUSED BY CONSTANTLY HEARING THESE NEGATIVE ATTACKS BY THE SEVEN DEMOCRATS WHO CAMPAIGNED HERE DURING THE CAUCUSES AND NOW BY JOHN KERRY, BY THESE 527s THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER. LET ME REMIND YOU THAT THE 527s HAVE BEEN SO NEGATIVE, SO VITRIOLIC THAT NETWORK TELEVISION WOULD NOT AIR THEIR ADS DURING THE SUPER BOWL. THEY'VE BEEN EXTRAORDINARY NEGATIVE. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THIS ECONOMY HAS RECOVERED A MILLION AND A QUARTER NEW JOBS OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS ALONE, NEARLY 300,000 JUST LAST MONTH. Borg: LET ME SAY, IS THAT NEGATIVISM GOING TO CARRY OVER INTO WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED IS A CONTENTIOUS LEGISLATIVE RACE? REPUBLICANS CONTROL THE IOWA LEGISLATURE NOW. WHICH CHAMBER DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR YOU TO MAINTAIN CONTROL? Collins: I'M NOT SURE THAT ONE PRESENTS A BIGGER CHALLENGE THAN THE OTHER. LET ME JUST LAY OUT, FROM A REPUBLICAN POINT OF VIEW, WHERE WE'RE AT. AS YOU WELL KNOW, INCUMBENCY IS PARTICULARLY STRONG IN IOWA. WE JUST DON'T BEAT MANY INCUMBENTS IN THIS STATE. AND IN THE STATEHOUSE -- WE'LL START IN THE HOUSE. IN THE STATEHOUSE, 50 INCUMBENTS ARE RUNNING FOR REELECTION ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE. SO RIGHT OFF THE BAT, IF DEMOCRATS WANT TO TAKE THE MAJORITY, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START BEATING INCUMBENTS. SECONDLY, THERE ARE FOUR VERY SOLIDLY REPUBLICAN OPEN SEATS, AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH THE DEMOCRATS HAVEN'T EVEN FIELDED A CHALLENGER IN. THERE ARE THREE DEMOCRAT OPEN SEATS; AT LEAST TWO OF THOSE HAVE VERY STRONG REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS. SO ON THE HOUSE SIDE, I THINK YOU COULD EASILY SEE A SCENARIO WHERE REPUBLICANS ARE LOOKING AT 55 OR 56 SEATS. ON THE SENATE SIDE, TOTAL INCUMBENCY IS 26, WHICH GIVES YOU A MAJORITY BEFORE POLLS OPEN. YOU'VE GOT 11 WHO ARE NOT UP FOR REELECTION AT THIS POINT -- INCUMBENTS WHO ARE NOT UP FOR REELECTION ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE. YOU'VE GOT 15 INCUMBENTS WHO ARE SEEKING REELECTION. AND WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OPEN SEATS THAT WILL GO OUR WAY. LET ME JUST TELL YOU THAT OVER IN THE DRAKE SEAT FOR EXAMPLE, IN MUSCATINE, JIM HAHN, WHO ENJOYS MANY OF THE ADVANTAGES OF INCUMBENCY BECAUSE HE'S SERVED SO WELL AND SO LONG IN THE STATEHOUSE. WE'VE GOT RIGHT HERE IN DES MOINES, IN BRAD ZAUN, ONE OF THE BEST DES MOINES AREA CANDIDATES WE'VE HAD IN A LONG, LONG TIME. SO IN THE SENATE, I WOULD PREDICT 29 -- Yepsen: MS. HESSBURG, WALK US THROUGH THE SAME SORT OF SCENARIO JUST TO CLARIFY THIS FOR THE VIEWER. THE REPUBLICANS CONTROL THE HOUSE 54 TO 46. THEY CONTROL THE SENATE 29 TO 21. SO GIVE US THE SIMILAR LAY OF THE LAND FOR THE DEMOCRATS. Hessburg: SURE. LET ME START WITH THE SENATE FIRST. THE RACES ARE 18 AND 7. THE REPUBLICANS HAVE 18 UP; WE HAVE 7 UP. IN OVER HALF OF REPUBLICAN RACES, THEY ARE NEW DISTRICTS. OVER HALF OF THOSE DISTRICTS ARE NEW BECAUSE OF REDISTRICTING TO THE SENATE. SO WHEN GENTRY TALKS ABOUT THE POWER OF INCUMBENCY, THAT IS AT A COMPLETE LOSS THIS YEAR BECAUSE MOST OF THOSE INCUMBENTS ARE RUNNING IN NEW DISTRICTS. OVER 50 PERCENT OF THEIR DISTRICTS ARE NEW. WELL INTO HALF OF THEIR 18 RUNNING ARE IN THOSE NEW DISTRICTS. AND WE HAVE A VERY GOOD ADVANTAGE IN THAT WE HAVE CONCENTRATED HEAVILY ON RECRUITING GOOD CANDIDATES. WE HAVE FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS AND SCHOOL BOARD OFFICIALS AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS. WE HAVE RECRUITED MORE CANDIDATES THAN THE REPUBLICANS HAVE THIS CYCLE BECAUSE WE LEARNED LESSONS FOR FROM -- Borg: WHAT SPECIFIC SEATS WOULD YOU IDENTIFY AS BEING SWITCHED TO DEMOCRAT DURING THIS CYCLE? Hessburg: WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HOLD ONTO THE SEAT THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT WITH BRAD. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP LAURA SANDS. WE'RE GOING TO ELECT LAURA SANDS IN THAT DISTRICT. WE LOOKED AT A SEAT UP IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY, JEFF DENNISON IS A TREMENDOUS CANDIDATE. I DON'T LIKE TO SINGLE OUT CANDIDATES BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY GOOD CANDIDATES. Yepsen: EXCUSE ME. THERE ARE ABOUT 20 OF THESE TARGETED SEATS, AREN'T THERE, ALL AROUND THE STATE? Hessburg: AH, YEAH, YEAH. Yepsen: DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? Collins: MORE OR LESS. Hessburg: MORE OR LESS, RIGHT. Yepsen: MR. COLLINS, IS THIS WHERE THE DEMOCRATS -- YOU'RE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATIONAL EDGE. CARRYING THE STATE REQUIRES THOUSANDS OF VOTES, BUT PICKING UP A CLOSE LEGISLATIVE SEAT OFTENTIMES TAKES LESS THAN A HUNDRED. IS THIS WHERE THE DEMOCRATS HAVE A CHANCE AT REALLY SCORING SOME UPSETS HERE? Collins: IT IS NOT. IT HASN'T BEEN -- FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN START ON THE PREMISE THAT THEY HAD AN ADVANTAGE AT ALL, WHICH I MAINTAIN THEY DIDN'T. WE DON'T HAVE TO DEBATE THAT HERE. WE CAN GO TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S WEB SITE AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT TURNOUT REALLY WAS. WE HAD THE TURNOUT ADVANTAGE IN 2002. BUT SECONDLY, YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEM TURN ANY IMAGINED ADVANTAGE INTO MORE SEATS IN THE LEGISLATURE. WE'VE CONTROLLED THE LEGISLATURE FOR NEARLY A DECADE NOW. WE'VE HEARD THE SAME LINE OUT OF DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP ABOUT WE'RE GOING TO RETAKE IT THIS TIME. IT HASN'T BEEN TRUE IN THE PAST. IT'S NOT TRUE THIS TIME. Yepsen: GO AHEAD. Hessburg: IF I COULD JUST ADD THAT THIS TIME AROUND, WE DID LEARN FROM 2002. WE ARE FOCUSING, AS I SAID, FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE TICKET TO THE TOP OF THE TICKET. OUR G.O.T.V. AND GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORTS WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE STATEHOUSE AS WELL AS JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT. WE HAVE -- THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGE OF ALL ARE THE ISSUES. REPUBLICANS' LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS ABYSMAL YEAR. THEY RAISED TAXES. EVERY DAY THEY SAY THEY HAVEN'T RAISED TAXES WHEN EVEN GENTRY WILL AGREE HIS FRIENDS AT THE FARM BUREAU SAY THEY RAISED THE TAXES. REPUBLICANS RAISED TAXES BY $250 MILLION. REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING SCHOOLS ARE OKAY. SCHOOLS AREN'T OKAY. REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING THAT -- Yepsen: DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO HER COMMERCIAL? Collins: YOU BET I WILL. LOOK, TOM VILSACK CAMPAIGNED ALL AROUND THE STATE IN 2002 SAYING HE HAD NO PLANS TO RAISE TAXES. HE COMES BACK IN, HE GETS HIMSELF IN TROUBLE BECAUSE HE CAN'T MANAGE THE STATE'S BUDGET. WE'VE ESTABLISHED THAT FOR SIX SESSIONS NOW, AND HE PROPOSED THE BIGGEST SINGLE TAX INCREASE ON THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE IN IOWA'S HISTORY AT $400 MILLION. REPUBLICANS STOOD IN THE WAY OF THAT, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. Yepsen: MS. HESSBURG -- WAIT A MINUTE, WE'RE PARITY HERE. I'VE GOT ONE MORE POINT. WE'VE GOT A MINUTE LEFT. WHAT HAPPENED TO DEMOCRATS IN RECRUITING A CREDIBLE CANDIDATE TO RUN AGAINST CHUCK GRASSLEY? ART SMALL IS A WONDERFUL GUY, BUT HE HAS NO CHANCE OF WINNING AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT. WHY COULDN'T DEMOCRATS DO BETTER IN COMING UP WITH A CANDIDATE AGAINST GRASSLEY? Hessburg: WELL, CHUCK GRASSLEY HAS AN IMPRESSIVE -- IMPRESSIVE WAR CHEST. HE'S COLLECTED MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SO FAR. ART SMALL, HE'S A GOOD CANDIDATE. HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES. IT'S CERTAINLY LIKE DAVID AND GOLIATH. GRASSLEY CERTAINLY IS THE GIANT HERE. THE FUNNY PART ABOUT CHUCK GRASSLEY IS THAT HE'S GOT TWO FACES, THE ONE HE WEARS IN WASHINGTON AND THE ONE HE BRINGS HOME TO IOWA. Yepsen: WE'VE ONLY GOT ABOUT FIFTEEN SECONDS LEFT, MR. COLLINS. IS CHUCK GRASSLEY GOING TO HELP YOU GUYS IN THE BATTLE FOR THE LEGISLATURE, OR IS CHUCK GOING TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR CHUCK? Collins: ABSOLUTELY, SENATOR GRASSLEY IS GOING TO HELP IN THE BATTLE FOR THE LEGISLATURE. HE HAS REPEATEDLY IN THE PAST, AND HE'S INDICATED TO US HE'S GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN THIS TIME. Borg: THANKS A LOT FOR TAKING TIME TO BE WITH US TODAY. Collins: THANK YOU. Hessburg: THANK YOU. Borg: ON OUR NEXT EDITION OF "IOWA PRESS," WE'LL QUESTION IOWA'S SENIOR SENATOR, CHARLES GRASSLEY. AND HE'LL UPDATE US ON THE WORK OF THE 108TH U.S. CONGRESS, WHERE HE CHAIRS THE SENATE'S POWERFUL FINANCE COMMITTEE. AND THAT'S NEXT WEEKEND: 7:30 FRIDAY; SUNDAY AT NOON. I'M DEAN BORG. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.
CAPTIONS BY: MIDWEST CAPTIONING DES MOINES, IOWA FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY "FRIENDS," THE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION FOUNDATION... GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WHO FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THEY WATCH ON IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION; AND BY THE IOWA BANKERS ASSOCIATION... FOR PERSONAL, BUSINESS, AND COMMERCIAL NEEDS, IOWA BANKS HELP IOWANS REACH THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS. |
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