The top of the Democratic ticket made a Truman-style whistle stop at the Iowa City train depot, and the Truman analogies were not lost on Governor Chet Culver.
"We're gonna win like Harry Truman did -- a big victory that no one expected," said the governor, exuding confidence despite trailing in the weekend's Des Moines Register poll.
"We'll win it on the ground, one vote at a time," Culver told the lunchtime crowd. "We have an 80,000 vote advantage (in early ballots) before the polls close."
"We've seen a 20 point swing in independents to me in the last two weeks," he told reporters after the rally. (He also told reporters he had voted for the three Supreme Court justices seeking retention.)
Both with the press and the crowd, Culver stuck close to two themes: the "Main Street vs. Wall Street" frame of the event and the future vs. past attack on his opponent.
"Terry Branstad's favorite day is November 7th," said Culver. "When we turn back the clocks."
Culver repeatedly emphasized embryonic stem cell research, which he supports and Branstad opposes. "We're going to fund the cures of the future here at the University of Iowa."
Culver carried Johnson County with 68% in his 2006 win, and the People's Republic is also critical to Senate nominee Roxanne Conlin. "We know we have enough votes to win, and a whole lot of them are right here in Johnson County."
"Chuck Grassley is faces toward Wall Street," Conlin said of her opponent, "and we need someone focused on Main Street."
"We need your help up and down the ticket tomorrow," said Congressman Dave Loebsack. "Is it a good idea to privatize Social Security?" he said of opponent Mariannette Miller-Meeks, propting a loud NO! from the crowd.
Loebsack, however, focused more on his own record over four years. "Everything I've done has had some connection to education," said the former professor.
State Auditor candidate Jon Murphy focused more on attack, saying of GOP incumbent David Vaudt: "He didn't do his job - he's busy doing politics. And a guy who doesn't do his job gets fired."
More rally pics here.
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