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The battle of words rages on in Iowa’s 3rd District, with the campaign for incumbent U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell issuing a letter to Democratic primary challenger Ed Fallon railing on contributions from Democracy for America, a national progressive political action committee founded in 2004 by current Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. “In light of [...]

Funding for many domestic programs is on the chopping block as President George W. Bush’s 2009 federal budget proposes increased military spending and permanent status for earlier tax cuts. The budgetary cuts take aim at Child Care and Development Block Grants, Community Development Block Grants, Improving Teacher Quality State Grants, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance, Section [...]

… the last Des Moines Register poll before the caucus shows former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama as strong. Huckabee is shown with a six-point lead over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the next closest candidate in the Republican field. The span between the two is virtually unchanged since the Register’s [...]

… despite there being several inches of snow and ice on the ground, politics marches on. Several candidates had to cancel stops on the weekend before Christmas due to unsafe driving conditions. Most campaigns are praying for better weather between now and caucus night, but the extended forecast is calling for more snow tonight and [...]

Call it a testament to the seriousness of Iowa politics. Blame it on a field of so many acceptable candidates. Credit an Iowa caucus season that has now spanned two years. Regardless of reason, it’s the stuff that drives pollsters and campaigns crazy: supporters realizing they’re no longer sitting in a comfortable chair. Nine Iowans [...]

Congressman Dave Loebsack, in a telephone interview this morning, said that until recently he wasn’t sure if he would be endorsing any of the presidential candidates. “Like many Iowans, if not most Iowans who are involved in this process, I take [this decision] very seriously,” he said. “Of course, I’ve been very involved in doing [...]

6:25 p.m. — Roughly 30 minutes out from the start of the campaign event featuring Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and the first lady of daytime television, Oprah Winfrey. The U.S. Cellular Center — which will always be the Five Seasons Center in my heart — is quickly filling with maybe half of [...]

11:34 a.m. — The crowd continues to file in at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids for the “Ask Mitt Anything” campaign event in Ballentyne Auditorium. It appears as if the former Massachusetts governor is going to appear on stage at this event. They have an “Ask Mitt Anything” backdrop, flanked by two Kirkwood banners, [...]

The crowd of 100 people gathered at the Waverly Civic Center Tuesday night was hushed and thoughtful as Delaware Sen. Joe Biden answered an audience member’s question regarding the difference between this run for the White House and his previous bid. Biden, a long-time member of the United States Senate, made a previous bid for [...]

Sinclair Auditorium at Coe College in Cedar Rapids is packed. I’m not sure how many the theater holds, but I’m estimating there are 400 people here. Parking, as always, was a huge issue for those who wanted to come this event featuring Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne. It’s 7:43 now and the show was supposed [...]