The Sound of One Man Standing

The Prairie Progressive

Lame duck he may be, but Tom Vilsack owned the 2006 Democratic State Convention on June 17.

Dressed in a pink shirt and red tie, the self-term-limited Governor gave the best speech, doled out a half-milliondollar check to Chet Culver, and summoned party activists to his holding room all day long to persuade and cajole them into backing his nascent presidential run. 

As ”You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet” faded out, Vilsack told the crowd of 700, “I’m Tom Vilsack and I’m proud to be a Democrat.” He ran through a list of Jim “Nussle’s hustles,” from dressing up in a firefighter’s uniform while cutting funds for fire protection, to expressing moral outrage about the CIETC scandal but none about DeLay, Libby, or Duke Cunningham.  His practiced blend of conviction and optimism was, well, gubernatorial, if not presidential. 

In the carefully orchestrated small group meetings, Vilsack described (with his wife occasionally joining in) his success in “changing the landscape of Iowa.” He took credit for achieving a comprehensive health care program, suggesting that the accomplishment was overlooked because he did it piece by piece. He boasted of improved air quality and water monitoring, with 10% of Iowa’s energy now provided by wind. 388 companies have been helped by the Dept. of Economic Development, said the landscape artist, with a net gain of 4800 jobs. “We’ve got a great story to tell, and people around the country are responding to it.” 

Vilsack defended his veto of the eminent domain bill, calling it “a jobkiller” that could negatively impact projects in towns like Pella and Burlington. In response to a question about Iraq, his main criticism of Bush was that he failed the moral and constitutional obligation to “be a doubting Thomas” before putting people in harm’s way. 

The most frequently used word in the Governor’s printed hand-out of the day was “tomorrow,” as in “challenges of tomorrow,’” “continues to prosper tomorrow,” “healthier families tomorrow,” and “resources to prosper tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Patty Judge took the stage to the sound of “I was Born in a Small Town.” The crowd loved her feisty vow to fight back when Nussle begins to slash and burn — except for one man in the Scott County delegation who rose and stood with his back to the stage as she spoke. He remained standing, facing the rear of the hall, during Culver’s speech as well, in protest of the ticket’s stand on civil unions. Aides to Culver claim that he supports all the rights for gays and lesbians that civil unions bring; he just hasn’t gotten his mind around the legal arrangement that would encompass those rights for thousands of Iowans and their children. Curiously, no one yelled ‘Down in front!’ or even seemed to care.

Culver was treated respectfully if not enthusiastically by the crowd (in contrast to wild cheers for Ed Fallon earlier). His support of stem cell research evoked the greatest applause.  Response was more restrained for his announced desire to make Iowa the Silicon Valley of the Midwest. 

Culver and Judge are tough campaigners who crafted a smart rural strategy, allowing them to win decisively while doing poorly in the traditionally must-win counties of Polk, Story, and Johnson (they did poorly in Dubuque County, too, but weren’t expected to make a dent in Blouin’s home turf).   Fallon proved formidable, winning 8 counties and finishing  second in 25, without the benefit of a single  statewide TV ad. He could be a key player in helping where Culver is weakest. 

Culver’s limitations as a candidate are obvious (although one onlooker gushed, “He’s a great candidate forTV”). To win, Culver will need Fallon voters, the ability to speak without a script, a plan for higher education funding that can’t be outflanked by Nussle, and the skill to force the House Budget Committee Chair to defend the pitiful condition of America’s finances. 

Culver and Vilsack have proven their political shrewdness. As each seeks a higher prize, they'll have plenty of opportunities to show true leadership based on genuine Democratic principles. 

Prairie progressives will be watching carefully.
 —Prairie Dog

From the Summer 2006 issue of the Prairie Progressive, Iowa's oldest progressive newsletter, available only in hard copy for $12/yr. To subscribe, write to: PP, Box 1945, Iowa City 52244.  Co-editors of The Prairie Progressive are Jeff Cox and Dave Leshtz
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