Democrats Take It To The Street

Dems Take It To The Street as Sue Dvorsky Rallies The Troops

Across the state Democrats are out at doors and on phones as part of a "Day of Action," with 94 days to go before the election. At the Iowa City headquarters volunteers got a pep talk from Democratic Party chair Sue Dvorsky.

"We are the hardest working organization in this state," said Dvorsky. "We have a 99 county strategy and we are going to win this a house and a voter at a time. This is exactly what makes us the Democratic Party: we all bring what we can bring."

Johnson County is getting a little extra attention this year with one of its own as party chair. Dvorsky is spending weekdays in Des Moines and Saturdays and Sundays - don't call it "weekend" because that implies days off and those don't seem to exist on Sue's calendar - spending Saturdays and Sundays back home.

"This is no off year," Dvorsky said of the so-called enthusiasm gap between Democrats and Republicans. "Don't let people freak you out with comparisons. 2008 was a presidential eletion with a generational shift, but this year is very similar to 2006. There is no 'off year' for the economy, for kid's health care, for families trying to struggle with elderly parents. When you're the Democratic Party you don't get to take an off year."


Happiness is a full phone bank

"Terry Branstad has not been secretive at all about what he will do," Dvorsky said about the top of the GOP ticket. "This is a choice about how we want Iowa to look going forward. The people of this state do not want to talk about whether you are 'on the side of God.' Their message doesn't resonate. We have thousands of absentee ballot requests in auditor's offices, and the Republicans are still fighting their primary."

Conlin at Prairie Lights

Conlin at Prairie Lights

She didn't have a book to sell but Roxanne Conlin spent her Friday evening at Iowa City's landmark bookstore, speaking to about 60 supporters ans sharing a couple Iowa City memories.

"I marched for peace on that street right there," she said, pointing down to Linn street a floor below and tying the war of 40 years ago to the war of now.

"We don't belong in Afghanistan with guns. Were creating problems, not solving them."

Conlin offered supporters a mix of policy proposals, critiques of incumbent Chuck Grassley, and horse race optimism. "We've moved the needle in public polls 15 points with person to person campaigning," she said, urging supporters to promote her candidacy through their social networks, both real world and virtual. "It's free for the campaign, and it's free for you to do that on my behalf."

Conlin shows up multiple times a day on Facebook, and while her Twitter is nowhere near as well known as Grassley's, she did admit to accidentally Tweeting a picture of a cat.

In a sign of just how seriously Conlin takes that campaign model, she spent last weekend at the Netroots Nation conference. "It was a real treat for me," Conlin told me after the speech. "I think they represent a wide swath of the nation, and of course they've got influence over an even wider swath."

Team Grassley has been attacking Conlin over tax issues, but Conlin firmly believes that the Bush tax cuts should be allowed to expire: "Come on. People who make over $250,000 a year can stand to have their taxes raised. This will affect me and people in my family.Yes, I'm calling for raising my own taxes. I don't think that's hypocritical, I think that's what we 60s idealists do."

As for Grassley, Conlin said "52 years in public life is an awfully long time," and said she can appeal to independent voters on fairness issues.

"Grassley is marching in lockstep with his party on everything that would put people back to work," Conlin said. "His answer is no, no, no. We should be suspicious of government in the hands of people who hate it."

(More coverage from the Gazette's James Lynch.)

Dems Sweep County Fair

Dems Sweep Johnson County Mock Election

Chet Culver and Dave Loebsack appear to have lost no popularity at all in Johnson County, and Roxanne Conlin is well ahead of Chuck Grassley, according to results from the Johnson County Fair mock election.

It's all unscientific, of course; kids and outsiders get to vote in the annual event, and the third party vote gets slightly exaggerated since it doesn't really count. Yet the fair has, since 1999, indicated a general trend.

You might write it off as, well, that's just the People's Republic. But even in Johnson County, the fair draws an older, more rural, more conservative crowd.

Conlin, to be sure, still has a little work to do to catch up to the rest of the ticket. But her solid fair win shows that the Senate race is competitive. Grassley has slipped from the 51% he enjoyed at the 2004 fair to just 39% this year, dropping from a 10 point win to a 15 point loss.

(You can vote for Roxanne yet again in Dick Durbin's Senate Challenger Contest.)

Culver and Loebsack, meanwhile, enjoyed the kinds of two to one wins Democrats see in real elections here. The rest of the Democratic ticket, including newcomers Jon Murphy and (most interesting with a rural crowd) Francis Thicke, also pulled similar margins.

Complete results:

US Senate
Roxanne Conlin, Democratic Party 260 54%
Chuck Grassley, Republican Party 187 39%
John Heiderscheit, Libertarian Party 15 3%
Jim Hennager, Peace Party 20 4%

US Representative, 2nd CD
Dave Loebsack, Democratic Party 306 63%
Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Republican Party 150 31%
Gary Sicard, Libertarian Party 15 3%
Jon Tack, Constitution Party 14 3%

Governor / Lieutenant Governor
Chet Culver/Patty Judge, Democratic Party 283 58%
Terry E. Branstad/Kim Reynolds, Republican Party 150 31%
Wendy Barth/David Grimesy, Green Party 29 6%
Eric Cooper/Nick Weltha, Libertarian Party 12 2%
Rick Phillips/Ted Hee, Constitution Party 9 2%
Jonathan Narcisse/Rick Marlar, nom. by petition 3 1%

Secretary of State
Michael A. Mauro, Democratic Party 285 59%
Matt Schultz, Republican Party 157 33%
Jake Porter, Libertarian Party 37 8%

Auditor of State
Jon Murphy, Democratic Party 303 64%
David A. Vaudt, Republican Party 168 36%

Treasurer of State
Michael L. Fitzgerald, Democratic Party 319 67%
David D. Jamison, Republican Party 157 33%

Secretary of Agriculture
Francis Thicke, Democratic Party 283 61%
Bill Northey, Republican Party 184 39%

Attorney General
Tom Miller, Democratic Party 332 70%
Brenna Findley, Republican Party 141 30%

State Constitutional Amendment - Sales Tax use
Yes 247 60%
No 167 40%

State Constitutional Convention
Yes 150 36%
No 262 64%

Socialist Workers File

Is Иext on Capitalist Ballot: Socialist Woяќeяs

The Socialist Workers Party, who are really good at qualifying for the ballot and selling newspapers but not so much at getting votes, qualified two candidates for the Iowa ballot Thursday.

David Rosenfeld is the fourth candidate to officially join the governor's race, joining Chet Culver, Terry Branstad and Libertarian Eric Cooper. His running mate is frequent SWP candidate Helen Meyers.

Rebecca Williamson will run in the 3rd CD against incumbent Democrat Leonard Boswell and Republican Brad Zaun.

The Socialist Workers finished fifth (and last) in the 2006 governor's race with 0.2% of the vote.

Update: O. Kay Henderson has the press release; they have a Sec of Ag candidate too but she didn't file yet.

In the day's other filing, Libertarian Christopher Peters makes his Senate District 15 run against Bob Dvorsky (D-Coralville) official. And one I missed from early July: Republican Brian Moore of Zwingle filed against Rep. Tom Schueller (D-Maquoketa) in House 25.

Thursday's Truths

Three Truths for Thursday

E.J. Dionne: "The wealthy in the United States -- the people who have made almost all the income gains in recent years -- are undertaxed compared with everyone else. "

Marc Ambinder among many others:

The Democratic strategy in a nutshell is small enough to fit in one but has the protein of a good, tasty nut. The Republicans want to be mayors of crazy-town. They've embraced a fringe and proto-racist isolationist and ignorant conservative populism that has no solutions for fixing anything and the collective intelligence of a wine flask. This IS offensive and over the top, and the more Democrats repeat it, and the more dumb things some Republican candidates do, the more generally conservative voters who might be thinking of sending a message to Democrats by voting for a Republican will be reminded that the replacement party is even more loony than the party that can't tie its shoes.

But actually, we can tie our shoes - NYTimes: "Like a mantra, officials from both the Bush and Obama administrations have trumpeted how the government’s sweeping interventions to prop up the economy since 2008 helped avert a second Depression.

Now, two leading economists wielding complex quantitative models say that assertion can be empirically proved..."

Bridge to Nowhere Anniversary

Thanks But No Thanks, Chuck

As the (last) 100 Days of Grassley continue, today is a particularly noteworthy milestone. As Roxanne Conlin kindly points out:

Five years ago, on July 29 (2005), the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere” was included in a pork-laden bill passed by the U.S. Senate and championed by Senator Charles Grassley. Fellow Republican John McCain, while campaigning for President, used that remote bridge in Alaska as an example of the worst types of pork barrel spending in Washington.

“At the time, Senator Grassley was pleased with the massive transportation bill that contained the Bridge to Nowhere and many other similar projects,” noted Roxanne Conlin, candidate for the United States Senate. “He even praised his staff for their work on the bill containing more than $286 billion in spending.”

The Bush Administration’s Secretary of Transportation said at the time that the bill was paid for using “accounting gimmicks” and “promised to spend money that did not exist.”

“Today, Senator Grassley depicts himself as a 'penny pincher' and 'tightwad' in television commercials. The Senator needs to explain how a tightwad can waste millions of dollars in taxpayer money on Bridges to Nowhere and other pork barrel projects,” added Conlin.

Stop by Prairie Lights tomorrow (5:30 - 7) to meet Roxanne. And there's still time today to get out to the Johnson County Fair for the mock election and vote "thanks but no thanks" on Grassley.

Dems Recruit Challenger for Kaufmann

Dems Recruit Challenger in House 79

No candidates filed with the Secretary of State today on Day Three for independents and third party state candidates, but it looks like the Democrats have found one more candidate.

An August 10 party convention is expected to nominate John Archer of West Liberty to run against a member of the GOP leadership, Wilton's Jeff Kaufmann, in House 79.

Archer looks like an unapologetic progressive in his letters to the West Liberty Index. Last month Archer wrote:

Real progressives believe everyone should be free to walk on the street without being harassed because our skin is a different color. Progressives want everyone to be free to marry who we choose as our partner. Progressives believe in the freedom of women to make choices about their health, and believe in the freedom to understand the world we live in even if it’s not written in English. And yes, progressives believe in the freedom to enjoy a restaurant meal without having to inhale smoke.

The Cedar County dominated district also includes the Highway 6 northern tier of Muscatine County from West Liberty to Wilton (where I got clobbered in 1996) and a small bit of eastern Johnson County.

Dems let this district go in 2008; a self-starter candidate filed and dropped out months before the election but failed to file the withdrawal papers. She got a third of the vote (and actually WON the Johnson County part) as just a name on a ballot with a D after it.

Before that, Democrats made several consecutive serious efforts against Kaufmann and predecessor Dan Boddicker, but they last held the Cedar County turf two redistrictings ago in the `80s, when it included Dave Osterberg's strip of southern Linn County.

This recruitment, which fills the last gap, means Democrats will field a full slate of candidates in Johnson County.

Wednesday clips

Wednesday Clips

You know how the internet's default cost of zero has driven print media to dino status? Advertising is next.

Statistically showing what we all know: the Senate is officially more polarized than ever.

In Oklahoma's primary yesterday, two women top the tickets for governor, and Don't Vote For My Dad guy comes in second out of three and goes to a general election runoff.

And iowasnewzliter finds an old pic and can't decide if I was separated it birth from David Axelrod... or Tony Rezko.

Grassley's Priorities

Grassley More Interested in Fox Noise Agenda Than Fair Campaign Finance

It was a banner day for Chuck Grassley today; he joined every single Senate Republican in blocking a floor vote on the DISCLOSE Act. It wouldn't have gotten the post-Citizens United corporate cash out of the election process, it just would have required, well, disclosure.

From Team Roxanne:

Conlin Campaign spokesperson Paulee Lipsman said, “In voting against the federal DISCLOSE ACT, meant to provide Iowans with information on who is funding campaign attack ads, Senator Grassley has once more sided with the Wall Street bankers, insurance companies, corporations and other special interests who have filled his campaign war chest. The Senator is protecting those who want to anonymously produce the distortions and lies that are intended to influence voters.”

So what DOES Chuck Grassley support? Faux News's fake scandal of the week: "voter intimidation" by the "New Black Panthers," who appear to be two dudes from Philly who like to see themselves on TV.

Chuck took time away from voting no to join every single other Judiciary Republican in demanding more incestigation--even though the Senate has already investigated this. As that great philosopher Flavor Flav once said, don't believe the hype.



(And don't forget Roxanne at Prairie Lights this Friday, 5:30.)

Libertarian first to file

Libertarian Cooper first to file
Huser draws independent opponent

Libertarian candidate for governor Eric Cooper was the first third party candidate to file with the Secretary of State today.

Cooper and running mate Nick Weltha were the only Libertarians to file. The party is also looking at the US Senate race, Secretary of State, two congressional races and scattered legislative seats (including two in Johnson County).

Cooper has said his goal is the 2% of the vote that would elevate the Libertarians from third party "organization" status to full party status equal to the Democrats and Republicans. Governor is the one and only office this year that can earn party status for the LP. (In presidential years, it's president.) He also hopes to move small government issues onto the front burner.

The only other candidate to file on Day 2 - unusually, no one earned the bragging rights on Day 1 yesterday - was horse boarder Dan Nieland of Altoona, running as an independent ("nominated by petition" is the official nomenclature) in House District 42. The incumbent is conservaDem Geri Huser (whose loyalty has been questioned in recent weeks). Republican Kim Pearson is also in the race, but was scuttled by the Iowa Business and Industry association, which endorsed Huser. Huser also got one of the few Democratic donations from Iowans for Tax Relief, much to Steve Deace's dismay today.

Harkin steps up for Conlin Part 2

Harkin steps up for Conlin Part 2

Tom Harkin, Iowa's next senior senator, has put his name out there again for Roxanne Conlin, this time in a Conlin campaign video:



(And yes, that opening shot was from the West Des Moines parade, and no, Krusty and his kommentators still don't get it.)

The important part, as I said last month when Harkin lent his name to an email fundraising pitch:

You might not think it's odd for Harkin to make a pitch for a fellow Democrat, and normally it isn't. But in the historically collegial ways of the Senate, it's unusual for same-state senators of opposite parties to campaign against each other beyond just the necessary lip service of party loyalty.

We're 99 days from Election Day and Team Roxanne launched their 100 Days of Grassley program yesterday. The debut message: DAY 1 of 100: Did you know Grassley once told someone last year to get better and cheaper coverage like himself they should, 'go work for the government'???

Sign up here or text 100 to 64336.

Filling in the filing blanks

Filling in the filing blanks

Third party filing starts today for Iowa's state and federal offices. Before that gets going in earnest, let's look at what's changed since the June 8 primary.

The only people who have been able to file since June 8th are Democrats and Republicans nominated at party conventions. The major parties have recruited five House candidates in the interim:

Most significantly, Newton Democrat Dan Kelley replaces Rep. Paul Bell, who passed away the day before the primary, in House 41. Republican Gabriel Swersie filed before Bell's death.

In Rod Robert's open Republican Seat, House 51, Dan Muhlbauer replaces dropout Dem Larry Lesle. Daniel Dirkx won a contested GOP primary; this is a potential Democratic pickup.

Republican Bob Hager is challenging first-term Dem John Beard of Decorah in House District 16. This blank on the GOP ballot was a surprise in the March primary filing period; Republican Chuck Gipp had held the seat nearly two decades before retiring in 2008.

Democrat Tim Pierce was nominated in open GOP-held House District 73, opposing Republican Julian Garrett for Jody Tymeson's spot.

And Burlington Republican Dave Selmon is challenging Rep. Dennis Cohoon in very Democratic House 88.

State and federal candidates have till August 13 to file; local candidates file with county auditors from August 2 to 25.

No Doom and Gloom from Sue Dvorsky

No Doom and Gloom from Sue Dvorsky

If you want predictions of doom and gloom for Democrats this fall, don't ask Sue Dvorsky.

I caught up with the Iowa Democratic Party chair at Saturday's ADA celebration in Iowa City and she says the fall is "loaded with opportunity."

"Their message doesn't resonate," she said of the GOP. "We'll beat them on message and we'll kill 'em in the field." Locally, at least, that would seem to be happening; at last check Democrats had a 1057 to 42 lead over Republicans in absentee requests.

(The Press-Citizen offers a mini-biography of Sue Dvorsky in today's edition that captures some of the facts, if not the sheer force of personality...)

The Democrat's most endangered incumbent, by all accounts, is Governor Chet Culver, but Sue thinks his record contrasts positive;y with opponent Terry Branstad.

"Infrastructure may not be sexy, but the I-JOBS are working. Compare that to Terry Branstad's 16 year race to the bottom with low paying jobs. I'd rather have our team on that challenge."

As for Branstad, Dvorsky says, "He's not finished running his primary yet." Indeed, that endorsement from second-place candidate Bob Vander Plaats hasn't happened yet. Which reminds me, third party and independent candidate filing starts today at the Secretary of State's office. Stay tuned to this Bat-channel for more on that these next three weeks.

Don't forget Roxanne Conlin at Prairie Lights 5:30 Friday... or mock voting at the county fair. And since it doesn't fit anywhere else, Bleeding Heartland takes one more look at campaign finance.

Smallest Farm Sunday

Smallest Farm Sunday

FINALLY, a decent day today to get some weeding done. I discovered my strawberry plants, alive and sending out runners under the weeds. And my carrots now can be clearly seen.



The weekend's pickings included the first acorn squash. My squash family plants have been producing way too many male flowers, but now I'm starting to see a few squashes developing.



The mighty bean fence is getting top heavy and needed extra support. During the week I cleared out the last of the dead cukes and today I planted my first-ever attempt at fall peas. We'll see if I have peapods for late September. I also tore out the spring pea fence and may try to get some salad in that spot.



Any day now...

Harkin, Loebsack at ADA Celebration

Harkin, Loebsack at Iowa City ADA Celebration

Twenty years after the Americans with Disabilities Act became law with a bipartisan majority and a signature from a Republican President (imagine THAT today), the bill's chief sponsor says the ADA has changed America, but there's still a way to do.

"It's hard to imagine all the things we take for granted," Tom Harkin told the Iowa City crowd Saturday. "We are a fairer and richer country because we are bringing the talents of everyone in."

But Harkin said more is needed.

"Until we get personal attendant services, the primise of the ADA will not be complete. Everyone in America ought to have attendant services if they need them. That is not too much to ask. With a little bit of help, a person can become an income earner and a taxpayer. To say we can't afford it is penny wise and pound foolish."

Congressman Dave Loebsack also addressed the Ped Mall crowd and urged people "never forget those with mental illness."

Governor Chet Culver was scheduled to speak but was called away to deal with the Lake Delhi dam breach. His chief of staff, Iowa City's Jim Larew, stood in.

"Only a handful of senators can say they literally changes the face of the nation," said Larew. "You cannot cross a street without seeing a curbcut or ramp that wasn't there 20 years ago."

100 Days of Grassley

100 Days, 100 D'OH!s

As every campaign staffer knows from their marked calendar, Sunday marks 100 days to November 2. Team Roxanne is planning to count the days down Casey Kasem style- I'm a sucker for the countdown format - with some of Chuck Grassley's greatest hits.

"100 Days of Grassley" is sure to include "Pull the Plug on Grandma," as well as Krusty's favorite, "Living Off The Public Tit." Like most greatest hits sets, it's likely to include some newly recorded material, as long as they let Chuck keep Twittering, anyway.

To order yours, text '100' to the Conlin campaign at 64336.

Boswell May Be Tossup

Swing State Project: IA03 A Tossup

Liberal leaning horse-race site Swing State Project has moved the 3rd CD race between Dem incumbent Leonard Boswell and GOP challenger Brad Zaun to the Tossup category.

Iowa's four other House races are all listed as safe for the incumbents. The US Senate race between Roxanne Conlin is rated as Likely R, the lowest level competitive category. SSP rates the governor's race as Lean R Takeover.

The Boz will be getting financial help this weekend from former President Clinton, who has a long memory of who backed Hillary at caucus time.

Roxanne Live at Netroots Nation

Roxanne Live at Netroots Nation

Video of Netroots Nation's panel discussion on "Why Women are the Key to the Future of Progressive Election Victories," featuring Roxanne Conlin.



Liveblog: Conlin speaking @ 5:30 (that's about 30 minutes in if you want to skip ahead, but the other speakers are worth your time too.)

Starts with her governor race. Notes that day after she won `82 primary, Register ran a multi-picture collection of her hairdos. And as followup she mentions Krusty's krude kolumn ("Last week, a very prominent Republican blogger devoted an entire post... to my breasts. With pictures."), to gasps from the mostly female crowd. "We have made progress. But are we there yet, no. But bloggers can help us to get there, men and women bloggers."

"We have something to prove in Iowa," she says, mentioning the Iowa-Mississippi club. "When women in focus groups learned this, they became not only supportive, but protective. Nothing could move those women after that."

"The new media is our chance to be heard through the static of things that don't matter." Social media has been "great fun, interacting directly with people with no intermediary."

"But I don't have as many Tweet buddies as Grassley - though I suspect some of his followers are not supporters. I don't think I'm as entertaining."

"Bloggers can create the buzz and start the narrative that even progressive women running against 30 year incumbents have a chance. Money comes along with buzz and persuasion."

"I don't think I should spend my time chained to a chair raising money. I should be out talking to voters."

National media is "fixated on Palinesque women." Notes that Haley, Whitman, Fiorina got much more attention than her own 78% win.

When I ran in `82 "it was really bizarre" for a woman to run. When asked I always said it was worth it. "I got to introduce issues that would never have been discussed had I not been in the race." Helped build a generation of women operatives and candidates (drops the Vilmain name). "Lots of women and girls saw a women try, and fail, and come back."

She wraps at 5:42. More speakers, all great, Q&A at 6:00 straight up.

Roxanne gets asked about Krusty. "It was so stupid. It was like high school, it was so regressive." Notes that she often wears jackets because of stuff like that, "but it was 100 degrees that day." Says the remarks "really just rolled off my back. But I hope someone calls Senator Grassley on it," she asks the room full of bloggers. (I was first.) "Is he going to let people get away with saying things like that in the name of the Republican Party of Iowa?" (I'm paraphrasing a bit, but just a bit.)

Last go-round, at 6:18, the woman before Roxanne says she's heard progressive women, post-Hillary, say they would vote for Palin before voting for another man ("though I wouldn't go that far"). Roxanne responds: "I vote values, not sex, and I would NEVER vote for Sarah Palin (applause) I would never vote for a woman or a man who would deprive women of reproductive choice."

Way Too Soon For Doom And Gloom

Way Too Soon For Doom And Gloom

Here's a thought for the naysayers predicting death and demise for Dems. Rachel Maddow was chitchatting last night about the ongoing feud between MSNBC and Bill O'Reilly, and noted that O'Reilly bragged about his higher ratings:

“Here Mr. O’Reilly has a point. You and Fox get great ratings. It is so awesome how great your ratings are. Here’s the score card from last night. It is in TV ratings speak, but I think it will be clear enough. Here’s Mr. O’Reilly that 757 would be him at 8:00, and that 245 would be me at 9:00, different hour, but you know same point, and don’t tell Susan’s mom whose actually pretty sensitive about these kinds of things, but we’re actually outrated by all kinds of shows. “Deadliest Catch,” that’s about fishing.



We get killed by a show called “The Closer” about which I know nothing about except it kills us in the ratings, and we get smaller ratings than WWE Wrestling… Of course, all of those shows also kill Mr. O’Reilly’s show in the ratings as well as everything else on Fox, as do Sponge Bob, reruns of NCIS, and Hannah Montana Forever, which is totally understandable. They are all more watched than The O’Reilly Factor, which is totally irrelevant.”

The universe of people tuned into politics is small. And the universe of people tuned into politics 100 days before a midterm election, even though it includes everyone I know except my kids, and even though it includes you reading a political blog, is really, really small.

Which means it's really, really early.

Roxanne on the Rec List

Roxanne on the Rec List

Chuck Grassley tried today to slap a "special interest" label on the netroots activists meeting in Las Vegas this week. But Roxanne Conlin's jimping right in, liveblogging at Daily Kos in a chat that's currently on the front page "rec list."

"Can you believe this? Senator Grassley attacked me yesterday for going to Netroots Nation while he's hosting a $2,500 a plate PAC breakfast fundraiser in Washington," Conlin begins (there's a press release version for the old media types.

"The sponsors of Netroots Nation are special interest groups committed to electing liberals and it’s to them that Roxanne Conlin would be beholden," blasts Grassley staffer Eric Woolson, who says that like it's a bad thing.

Conlin chatted with Kos readers, including some Iowans, for about 45 minutes. In one especially strongly worded section, she wrote:

(Grassley's) grave concern about deficits is pretty sudden after he presided over the Finance Committee that passed two huge tax cuts, mainly for the very wealthy, fought two wars off the books and engineered a $400 Billion giveaway to big Pharma. We believe Iowans will not send such a hypocrite back to the U.S. Senate.

For him to pretend that he has even modicum of fiscal responsibility is ridiculous. this is Charles Grassley's deficit and i intend to make sure the people of Iowa know it.

While at Netroots Nation, Conlin will participate in a panel Friday on "Why Women are the Key to the Future of Progressive Victories," no doubt hoping that future includes her own. The topic came up during the chat as a reader wrote: "What's really great about this election cycle is that it's the 'year of the Women' again. But not for Republicans like its been touted, but for Democrats again. You, (NC Senate candidate Elaine Marshall NY Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and Alex Sink, running for Florida governor)"

"Tell that to the national media - so I'm not the only one saying it," replied Conlin. "On the night I won a three way primary with 78%, they focused on Haley, Fiorina, and other anti-women women. They are simply overlooking the great successes that progressive women are having around the country."

Touching on techie issues with the tech-savvy audience, the Microsoft lawsuit of course came up: "I directed $60 million into our schools to close the digital divide and make sure Iowa's kids are the leaders of the next generation."

But it wouldn't be a live chat without a true moment of geek: after Conlin noted that Grassley first ran for office in 1958 - "When Bonanza was the top watched TV show" - a reply, complete with Wikipedia link, came back noting that Gunsmoke was actually the top show of '58.