Sitting at Bloggers row at the Republican Party of Iowa “Leadership for Iowa” event.
One thing I’ve learned, comparing myself to Grant Young at Questions, Comments & Insults, I really suck as an interviewer. The life of the blogger row party.
Spoke with Pat Bertroche who is a Congressional Candidate for the 3rd district. He’s running because his son challenged him to… I’ll have some video for that. Thanks for stopping by Pat!
Chris Reed, running for Congress in the 2nd District said he’d not make this race so personal like he did in his failed Senate bid when he ran against Senator Tom Harkin in 2008. Video on him as well.
Matt Schultz, a candidate for Secretary of State said that his top priority will be business. He wants to help make Iowa business-friendly in order to spur on job creation. He also wants to reform election laws to require a photo ID, and is concerned about same-day voter registration. He wants to require provisional ballots. “I want more people to vote, but I want to make sure they are eligible.” Trust, but verify… Matt, you should put that on your yard sign.
Will update… check back!
5:50p – Tim Albrecht, Governor Branstad’s communications guy came by, but we talked more about the Tea Party and The Bean Walker. He’s still looking for somebody to run it during the primaries.
6:01p – Got some chow, and spoke with Matthew Alcazar who is an independent candidate (why is he here?) running for the Iowa House in District 49 (Fort Dodge). He’s always been independent, and so to just get into a party to run for office would be akin to changing who he is. He does hope to be accepted by the GOP later on. The incumbent for District 49 is Helen Miller.
Albrecht left his half-eaten burger here with Al Bregar and I, will it be safe?
6:11p – Terry Amman of Walnut Creek Community Church led invocation. “As the pulpit goes, so goes America.” So true.
Dave Vaudt, State Auditor, in a video greeting – “In God we trust, everyone else we audit.”
6:19p – Congressman Tom Latham did a video greeting, not able to be with us for obvious reasons. He said he’s scheduled to vote on health care bill as we eat, but it looks like there has been a change in plans.
Video greeting from Congressman Steve King, a “great time to be an American.” Talks about the PelosiCare bill. “Our plan allows us to make health decisions without government interference.” Talks about rationing, abortions being included, and how it will hurt businesses. We need to rise up until this bill is “mortally wounded with a wooden stake in its heart.”
6:27p – Senator Chuck Grassley is speaking. “We need to do our part to keep that trend (Tuesday night) that rejects big government policies.”
Raising taxes, raising private insurance premiums, increasing government involvement is not the health care reform that Americans asked for. The requirement that we must purchase insurance is a violation of the 10th amendment.
“Tort reform is a no brainer when it comes to reducing the cost of health care.” Will have video up later.
6:36p – Grassley: Hope and change in this new administration has caused fear. We have clear choices.
If people think he’s riding the fence, I think can put their fears to rest. He seems to be very much on board with the tea party agenda.
6:45p – Matt Strawn, the RPI Chair… “Iowans need leadership and Chet Culver isn’t providing it. Iowans are desperate for competent and disciplined leadership.” Introducing Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty…
6:56p – Tim Pawlenty is reminding about how after the Iowa Caucus, President Obama how he promised to garner bipartisan support for health care reform…. Guess that didn’t happen.
He asks aren’t you embarrassed when the U.S. Secretary of State goes to China on bended knee to ask them to buy our debt? Aren’t you embarrassed that the President of France lectures us about appeasement?
7:06p – “The only thing growing faster than the national debt is the man crush that Chris Matthews has for Barack Obama.” I’m going to do a separate post for Pawlenty.
7:18p – Gubernatorial candidates are up, I’m ending this liveblog, that will be a separate post. Interesting note… Matt Strawn & co-chair will not endorse in the gubernatorial race.
Sphere: Related Content
on Nov 7th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Chris Matthew’s “man crush”… Ha! too funny
steve´s last blog ..Democrats Gary Peters And Mark Schauer Are Voting For Socialized Medicine
Shane Vander Hart Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
@steve, that had to be THE line of the evening.
on Nov 7th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
[...] a strategy error going into the primary race. Tonight at the Republican Party of Iowa’s “Leadership for Iowa” event he [...]
on Nov 8th, 2009 at 7:03 am
Agree that tort reform is a no brainer, if you have a brain. The bill provides incentives for states to pursue tort reform, but are prohibited from using caps or addressing attorneys’ fees? Wow, that’s tort reform with real teeth! What a joke. See http://www.MDWhistleblower.blogspot.com under Legal Quality.
Shane Vander Hart Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 9:35 am
@Michael Kirsch, M.D, It is a joke. There is nothing in the bill that passed last night that will really address health care costs don’t you think?
on Nov 8th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Thanks for the blogging. Good post.
Shane Vander Hart Reply:
November 8th, 2009 at 9:34 am
@Eric Goranson, Thanks, it’s incomplete. I have to get a post up about the candidate speeches.
on Nov 8th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Of course, the bill won’t control costs. This is an effort to promote the health of the federal government, not ours. Pray from some Senate spine stiffening. http://www.MDWhistleblower.blogspot.com
Michael Kirsch, M.D´s last blog ..Tort Reform for Lawyers!
on Nov 8th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
[...] any of the debate yesterday on HR 3962, the House version of the health care reform bill. I was kind of busy. I did see the final result with it passing 220 to 215 in a late night [...]
on Nov 8th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
[...] at the Iowa State Fairgrounds from last night. But you can check that out at The Iowa Republican; Caffeinated Thoughts; and Questions, Comments, and Insults. All have good descriptions of the event. Instead I will just [...]
on Nov 8th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
[...] reading while rendering video. Always a fun job, so if you are looking for video from the “Leadership for Iowa” event that I was at last night… hopefully will have some video up tonight of Governor Tim Pawlenty’s [...]
on Nov 9th, 2009 at 12:54 am
[...] Governor Tim Pawlenty was the featured speaker at the “Leadership for Iowa” event hosted by the Republican Party of Iowa. You can watch his speech here or [...]
on Nov 9th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Thanks for the shout out, dogg.
Good times… let’s do this again!
on Nov 9th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
[...] was going to render the video I took of the gubernatorial candidates’ speeches at the “Leadership for Iowa” event on Saturday and put it up. C-Span did it for me so I’ll be lazy. You can watch all of the [...]
on Nov 10th, 2009 at 8:20 am
[...] attending the Leadership for Iowa event hosted by the Republican Party of Iowa and listening to each of the Republican Gubernatorial [...]