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Governor Culver in Iowa City at Hamburg Inn No. 2
“Governor Culver held up a clipboard and asked the audience to sign up to help
his campaign. A lot of folks signed up. Governor Culver knows what it takes to win
statewide elections in Iowa…”
Governor Chet Culver laid out his 2010 campaign message to a
packed house at Iowa City’s Hamburg Inn No. 2 on Friday morning. In one of a
number of Eastern Iowa meetings with Democratic activists, Culver said, “There
is one question in this election; will we move forward or go backward? …it’s
really not more complicated than that.”
Culver said he would “run on a record and a vision, with
plans for the future.” He wants to finish the work he started on flood
recovery, help Iowa families struggling with the economic downturn, and
continue putting people to work. He contrasted his approach with other states,
saying Iowa was “not kicking the can down the road like some states are.”
Iowans, according to Culver, “have a reason for optimism.”
The governor mentioned some numbers; 12,000 FEMA eligible
projects over the coming two years and $142 million from I-Jobs for Johnson
County. Numbers were not the focus of the meeting. The majority of his talk
seemed to be a process of testing and expanding his message with the friendly
audience. He said things like “we are making real progress,” “every business
needs a well connected 21st century infrastructure,” and “the budget
I submitted for 2011 is smaller than the 2007 budget I inherited.” None of the
snippets really fit together under a comprehensive vision, and at this
pre-announcement stage of his campaign, the approach was suited to the party
regulars present at the Hamburg Inn. A member of the audience recommended that
the Governor “take control of the message.” His answer, “That’s why I am here.”
While introducing the governor, Coralville City Council
member Mitch Gross started by saying this election is “no different from any
other election.” Culver characterized the opposition as “ambitious,” “out of
power,” “on the attack,” “hungry” and “aggressive.” He also said “the other
side does not matter,” meaning that his approach would be the same regardless
of the winner of the June Republican primary. It is early in the race, and each
Republican contender presents some unique challenges to Culver. He said he is
ready.
While the message is not quite there yet, at the end,
Governor Culver held up a clipboard and asked the audience to sign up to help
his campaign. A lot of folks signed up. Governor Culver knows what it takes to win
statewide elections in Iowa and this was a good sign on a wintry February morning.
~Paul Deaton is a native Iowan living in rural Johnson County. Check
out his blog, Big Grove Garden.
E-mail Paul Deaton
**BFIA ALERT**
Get involved with the Culver/Judge campaign today.
Volunteer, donate, sign up for e-mails by going to www.chetculver.com.
Blog For Iowa 