Sunday Clip Show

Haven't had the beret on much this week but I have lipped-n-saved a few things worth a comment or two.

Kathie Obradovich is out today with her rough equivalent of District Of The Day, looking just at the top races. A pretty good list, but she misses West Liberty Democrat Sara Sedlacek's strong challenge to House Ways and Means chair Tom Sands of Wapello in House 88.

Meanwhile leading House Republicans deny that they have, Kevin McCarthy's word, "epic" problems with primary challengers.

And in this redistricting-driven election cycle, it's important to remember how unusual the Iowa system is. Nicholas Stephanopulous writes:

Most foreign observers consider it bizarre, even pathological. Compared to other countries with similar electoral systems, the American model of redistricting is an extreme outlier. And not only is the U.S. model different from its peers, it is also inferior. When it comes to elections, it’s clear that American exceptionalism is a vice, not a virtue.

"Some people got no appreciation for art," said redistricting consultant Jerry Mandering.

Right wing think takers the American Legislative Exchange Council, better known by acronym ALEC, have been under fire this week for their hard-right draft legislation; they're the people who gave you Stand Your Ground and the Battle of Madison. Corporate sponsors Coke and Pepsi have pulled their sticky syrupy dollars, but now activists are targeting the legislators themselves. Progress Iowa offered a handy-dandy checklist of 21 Iowans... hey, what's Democrat Brian Quirk doing here?

Team Obama is hitting the state Tuesday with a set of a half-dozen youth-oriented events. The centerpieces is here in Iowa City with OFA's Mitch Stewart and Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Kalpen Modi -- beter known to you as Kal Penn of Harold and Kumar fame. 5:00 Tuesday at the Sheraton.

And in case you've forgotten, another handy-dandy checklist of Obama accomplishments.