Valerie Biden Owens, the candidate's sister and longtime campaign manager, kicked off the Johnson County Dems meeting Thursday. To be honest, I can't tell you much of what she said because I was in charge of the sign in table. Here's the tidbits I picked up:
She's on message with the experience. “The only thing I claim to be an expert on is my brother. I’m not trying to make him bigger than life, but he has the heart of a champion.” He hates bullies and the abuse of power.
Also speaking early: North Liberty council candidate Colleen Chipman and Senator Becky Schmitz. Other electeds on hand: Supervisors Harney, Neuzil, and Sullivan, Sheriff Pulkrabek, James Moody of North Liberty, Patti Fields of the school board and a township trustee.
The Saturday BBQ Batting Order is announced:
Presidential candidates get 15 minutes, surrogates get 10. Congressman Loebsack claims he’ll only take two. Awards, etc. interspersed.
City council endorsements get tangled up in parliamentary procedure hell. The central committee does endorse a yes vote on the Police Citizen Review Board measure on a split vote, with most opposition from labor folks who haven't talked to the police union about it (Sheriff Pulkrabek says they're opposed).
This ballot measure has its roots in the politics of 6 years ago, and its deeper roots in the Eric Shaw case. It was thrown off the ballot in 2001 by then-mayor Ernie Lehman and unelected city clerk Marian Karr (current mayor Ross Wilburn was the third committee member and voted to keep it on the ballot), but the state supreme court put it back on for this year. A lot has changed since `01: new county attorney, new police chief, new sheriff, and it's interesting bringing that 2001 dynamic into the present. This measure is taking a distant back seat to 21 bars...
The usual campaign reports. Team Dodd gets points for a good speech from Pat Harney, and Team Obama was also local with Pauline Taylor. Team Biden of course had their moment earlier with Valerie. Edwards and Richardson: staffers. No one gets up for the Hillary team, may have just been a decision not to take the time as they did have local supporters present.
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