UI in the National Political News

December 2007

Huckabee dons UI colors for jog (Associated Press, Dec. 31)
For Mike Huckabee, campaign activities took a back seat Monday to training for the Boston Marathon. Despite a temperature of 16 degrees, the Republican presidential candidate set off around a lake for a 30-minute run that covered about three miles in Des Moines. "This really is insane, isn't it?" said Huckabee, wearing running gear in the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA'S black-and-gold color scheme. Link to article

Iowans brace for post-caucus 'morning after' (TIME, Dec. 31)
As the final frenzied days of campaigning for the Iowa caucuses fly by, Iowans are bracing not only for the judgment day but for the bittersweet day after -- when the many presidential candidates, their thousands of campaign workers and countless journalists stampede out of the state, often even before the sun rises on Jan. 4. "Iowa matters in a very serious way, despite all the punditry a year ago that it wouldn't," says DAVID REDLAWSK, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. "No one made a conscious decision to say 'Iowa should be first,'" says Redlawsk. "I'm not sure anyone would have invented this process." Yet Iowans have risen to the occasion, becoming "the most politically knowledgeable and aware voters in the country," added Redlawsk. "The system actually works quite well, despite its oddities and limitations. It's an accident that's panned out very well." Link to article

Caucus push targets UI students (Chicago Sun-Times, Dec. 31)
The final push is on for the Iowa caucuses. "I'm burnt out on all the TV ads right now -- they've been hitting Iowa hard," said Sarah Stratton, a UNIVERSITY OF IOWA student. "I'm looking at the top three Democrats," said Jake Nickel, a University of Iowa student who will caucus at home in Keokuk or on campus in Iowa City. "I just want to choose the one who can follow through on what they say they can do and make some change," Nickel said. Link to article

Redlawsk assesses Edwards surge (Newsday, Dec. 31)
A surge by John Edwards approaching the Democratic caucuses in Iowa could be a boost for Hillary Clinton. "Clinton needs a viable John Edwards -- her worst-case scenario is that Obama takes first place and Edwards comes in third here," said University of Iowa pollster DAVID REDLAWSK. "If Edwards falls into irrelevance, that really hurts her because he's splitting the vote against her." Link to article

UI pioneered prediction markets (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 31)
Political prediction markets provide a way to cut through the clutter of polls and news. Experimental prediction markets were established at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA in 1988, and they have since amassed a very impressive record, repeatedly outperforming the polls. Link to article

Covington comments on Giuliani strategy (Miami Herald, Dec. 31)
No candidate in caucus history has won his party's nomination without finishing at least fourth in Iowa, casting doubt on Giuliani's strategy of focusing on larger states like Florida. "If he can make that work, he'll rewrite the conventional wisdom on how to win the party's nomination,"  said CARY COVINGTON, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. "If he loses the nomination, he'll write his political epitaph that he ignored Iowa and he paid the price for it." Link to article

Jones explains caucuses (AlterNet, Dec. 30)
"The caucuses were never designed to have a winner," said DOUG JONES, a University of Iowa computer scientist who is one of the nation's leading experts on electronic voting. "Fights about who won are a matter of interpretation, since the caucuses elect delegates to the county conventions, who elect delegates to the state and congressional district elections, who elect delegates to the national party conventions. For the Democrats, the caucuses are not about giving raw popularity numbers, they are about forcing people to make compromises and play politics. In a way, they accomplish the kinds of things that instant runoff voting accomplishes, but do so through social mechanisms instead of mathematical computation." AlterNet is a widely read political blog. Link to article

Nakhasi is a "king-maker" (ABC, Dec. 30)
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA student Atul Nakhasi is not your average college junior. On a window ledge beside his biology textbooks, he has framed pictures of himself with Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Bill Richardson. On his desk, there are piles of business cards from campaign directors and members of local and national media. Nakhasi is the president of the College Democrats at the UI, and the candidates are courting him and his fellow students for the valuable youth vote. Link to article

Gronbeck says Clinton has staying power (New York Daily News, Dec. 30)
With the pre-caucus rhetoric heating up, Hillary Clinton may be the only one who can survive early losses. "I can't foresee a scenario where she can't compete on Feb. 5," said University of Iowa political communication professor BRUCE GRONBECK. Link to article

Redlawsk talks about the undecided (USA Today, Dec. 30)
Iowans are notorious for making their caucus decisions at the last minute -- at least that's what they tell the polls. "I don't know that it is as volatile or potentially volatile as people are telling pollsters," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a political scientist at the University of Iowa. "My gut tells me that people who are truly undecided are just less likely to show up." Link to article

Covington explains Democratic fundraising (Detroit Free Press, Dec. 30)
In Iowa, Democratic fund-raisers have had larger turnouts than Republican ones this year. "Democrats are just hungrier than the Republicans because they've been out of the presidency for eight years," said CARY COVINGTON, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. Link to article

Hagle assesses Romney prospects (Deseret Morning News, Dec. 29)
For Mitt Romney, the results of GOP elections in just three states -- Iowa's caucus Thursday, New Hampshire's primary on Jan. 8 and South Carolina's primary on Jan. 19 -- could determine his political fate. "I have to imagine the Romney folks are not overly happy they spent so much time and so much effort in Iowa and their lead has slipped away," said TIM HAGLE, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. "I don't think that it is a must-win for Romney. But he had better finish second. I don't think that's going to be a problem," Hagle said, because Romney has a strong organization in Iowa capable of turning out caucus voters next Thursday. The Deseret Morning News is published in Utah. Link to article

UI experts comment on Iowa's leftward tilt (Los Angeles Times, Dec. 29)
Much of coastal blue-state America has long dismissed the Hawkeye State as it has the rest of "flyover country" -- all conservatives, cornfields and clapboard churches -- ignoring a succession of cultural and legal firsts and liberal politicians who made their way to Washington. Iowa's long-standing progressive tradition regularly makes its mark on politics. As often as not, caucus-goers deny victory to the perceived centrist running for the Democratic nomination and give their nod to more-liberal contenders. And as the campaign heats up, "the Democratic candidates are generally tilting to the left," said PEVERILL SQUIRE, a University of Iowa political science professor. But "Clinton is trying to resist it as much as possible, to position herself for the general election." The state also is currently "ascendant," said DAVID REDLAWSK, associate professor of political science at the University of Iowa, who notes that for the first time in 40 years Democrats control both the governor's office and the statehouse. Link to article

Iraq just one issue, Squire says (Chicago Tribune, Dec. 29)
"A few months ago, everybody would have said Iraq would be the major dividing line" in the Iowa caucuses, said PEVERILL SQUIRE, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. "But the situation has changed so that it becomes one of a series of questions people are going to confront. Later on there will be starker choices, "but right now, everything's on the table." Link to article

Covington says Huckabee must stay the course (NY Daily News, Dec. 29)
Mike Huckabee has stumbled on international politics. But CARY COVINGTON, a political science professor at the University of Iowa, said Huckabee needs to stay the course. "What's his appeal to voters? His authenticity," he said. "The last thing he needs to do is start telling these people things that they can see through. He has to remain true to the reason they're supporting him -- they trust him." Link to article

Redlawsk doubts immigration issue (Tennesean.com, Dec. 29)
Iowa is one of the least ethnically diverse states in the country, yet illegal immigration is the dominant issue among the Republican presidential candidates courting voters here for the Jan. 3 caucuses. Not everyone buys into the idea that immigration is a key issue to Iowa voters. DAVE REDLAWSK, an associate professor of political science at the University of Iowa, said a poll conducted by the school found it less of an issue than many perceive. "My sense in the end is that what you are seeing with Republican candidates is driven by a vocal minority of anti-immigration zealots," Redlawsk said. "But the candidates can't risk that these folks will become a major proportion of caucus-attending Republicans." Link to article

Redlawsk comments on weather factor (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 29)
Ice and snowstorms have closed Iowa's airports and highways in recent days, stopping even the most determined presidential candidates in their campaign tracks, making politicians watch the weather forecasts as well as the polls as the caucuses approach. "If there's anyone who should be rooting for bad weather," says CARY COVINGTON, an associate professor of political science at the University of Iowa, "it's Edwards." The former North Carolina senator's supporters tend to be die-hard -- and many have already been through the caucus experience with him, having lifted him to a surprise second-place finish in 2004. Link to article

Caucuses come during UI winter break (Minnesota Public Radio, Dec. 28)
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA students commented on plans for the presidential caucuses during winter break. Link to article

UI poll cited (Telegraph and Daily Gazette, Dec. 28)
A UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HAWKEYE POLL conducted in October found that among Iowans likely to attend the Jan. 3 precinct caucuses, 66 percent of Republicans rated illegal immigration as the top issue, as compared with 35 percent of Democrats. The Telegraph and Daily Gazette are published in Illinois. Link to article

Gronbeck notes positive campaign ads (New York Times, Dec. 28)
One week before Iowa kicks off the presidential nomination contest, the campaigns are spending three times as much money flooding the airwaves and the Internet as candidates did in 2004, hoping to sway the huge number of undecided voters after months of on-the-ground appeals. By and large, the candidates have avoided the sort of attacks that helped curdle support for Howard Dean of Vermont and Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri in the 2004 contest here. "Just about everyone has gone to uplifting, positive ads about themselves and their vision, assuming, I think correctly, that Iowans will not tolerate this very long race getting ugly in the end," said BRUCE GRONBECK, a University of Iowa professor who has studied the advertisements. "It's as if they've resigned themselves that, barring a last-minute anxiety attack on the candidate's part, they have to win this on a positive message." Link to article

Edwards pegged as second choice in caucus (Bloomberg, Dec. 28)
Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards is competitive with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the two Democratic front-runners for the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, though he is behind in New Hampshire, which holds its primary Jan. 8. Edwards is helped most by the Iowa caucus system, which requires Democrats to switch their support to another candidate if their first choice doesn't get 15 percent of the total vote. Edwards is the top second-choice candidate in a recent Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times survey. "The feeling right now is that second choice is going to boost Edwards," says DAVID REDLAWSK, a political scientist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Link to article

Eko says Huckabee personifies the American dream (Los Angeles Times, Dec. 28)
In this article about Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, it's said that he champions the middle and working classes, which he says are taken for granted by the "chattering classes" of Wall Street and Washington. He is eager, he says, to go to work for the people. Against that backdrop, specific policy details carry less significance, said LYOMBE "LEO" EKO, 51, a naturalized citizen who came to the U.S. as a student from Cameroon nearly penniless and now teaches media law at the University of Iowa. "I disagree with him on the tax issue . . . but I look for the global view of the man," said Eko, who will be caucusing for the first time on Jan. 3. "Mike Huckabee is the personification of the American dream, to me." Link to article

Covington analyzes presidential campaigns (Business Times, Dec. 28)
Every four years, the world's eyes turn to Iowa, a rural state that can shatter or boost the White House dreams of politicians as it kicks off the Republican and Democratic nomination races. But other larger, more diverse states resent Iowa's influential status -- saying that its mainly white, rural population bears little resemblance to the country as a whole -- but they have failed to dislodge its pole position. "Other states, who want the attention that Iowa receives, complain that they are more representative than Iowa and so should go first instead," said CARY COVINGTON, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. He also analyzed the Democratic and Republican campaigns in the article, noting the candidate who finished below third place has never gone on to win the nomination. The newspaper is published in Singapore. Link to article

McCain returns to Iowa (McClatchy News Service, Dec. 27)
Suddenly and surprisingly, after virtually abandoning the state all year, John McCain is everywhere in Iowa. He campaigned nearly three days post-Christmas in the run-up to Iowa's influential Jan. 3 caucuses. He'll be back on Jan. 2 and 3 as well. The last-minute campaigning could help raise his profile in what had appeared to be a two-man race between Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney, said PEVERILL SQUIRE, a political scientist at the University of Iowa. "On the margins, it can help," Squire said. "And I think Sen. McCain is operating on the margins right now. I suspect his campaign is hoping to sneak into third place and build some momentum going into New Hampshire." Link to article

Tippie College runs political futures market (Canoe, Dec. 27)
The UNIVERSITY OF IOWA'S TIPPIE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS runs a Web-based real-money futures market where investors buy and sell shares on candidates. Spending from $5 to $500, about 2,000 traders -- half in Iowa and half from all over the world -- provide a unique window on the race. Updated every 15 minutes, it's a timely barometer of what's happening on the campaign trail. Since it started in 1988, it's beaten public opinion polls 76 percent of the time. Canoe is a Canadian news organization; the story also appeared on the Web sites of several Canadian radio stations. Link to article

Columnist cites Iowa Writers' Workshop (Financial Times, Dec. 27)
In a column, the writer discusses the state of Iowa as it prepares for its first-in-the nation caucuses, and says it's more than corn and churches. "Iowa's good universities and colleges make it less insular than its location might suggest. Grinnell is a magnet for foreign students, Wartburg's choir tours the world, while the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA'S writing workshop draws literati like flies," says the writer. Link to article

Redlawsk comments on Paul's caucus impact (Chicago Tribune, Dec. 27)
As Iowans prepare to caucus on Jan. 3, a great unknown looms: Can Ron Paul's crusade expand beyond Internet-savvy enthusiasts to more traditional voters who can be counted on to turn out for Paul on caucus night? "It is a good question, and this is one of those odd situations you hesitate to make predictions," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a political scientist at the University of Iowa. "It might be the one thing that will make the Republican caucuses interesting." The story appeared on a Tribune blog "The Swamp." Link to article

Redlawsk describes attitudes of caucus-goers (Patriot-Ledger, Dec. 26)
Why should the early voters in Iowa and New Hampshire keep the privilege -- and the election season income influx -- just because they've historically gone first? Precisely because Iowa and New Hampshire are small, according to political scientists in both states, saying candidates can theoretically meet every single person who will vote or caucus. Iowans aren't intimidated by power or prestige, said DAVID REDLAWSK, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. They prefer first names to fancy titles. "If our state senator decided to up and say, call me senator, he'd be slapped down so fast. He's Joe or Bob. That's just the Iowa way," Redlawsk said. "But I think it works well when you're trying to assess people who spend most of their life in a bubble." The newspaper is published in Quincy, Mass. The article also appeared in the MARION (Ill.) DAILY REPUBLICAN. Link to article

Gay vote in Iowa undecided (Windy City Times, Dec. 26)
Just several days from the first presidential caucus and primary, the gay vote in Iowa and New Hampshire is not reliably behind any one candidate. But while the national data suggest that gays are leaning more strongly toward Hillary Clinton than are Democrats generally, interviews with gays in Iowa and New Hampshire paint a different picture -- one that looks more muddled and more like voters in those key early states. Katie Imborek, a graduate student at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, said both health care and LGBT rights are priorities for her. "I'm honestly torn currently between Barack (Obama) and Hillary," she said. The publication is based in Chicago. Link to article

Squire: candidates may now resume 'attacks' (Los Angeles Times, Dec. 26)
While the approach of Christmas had kept the candidates on relatively good behavior -- especially in their warm-and-fuzzy TV spots -- few expected their reluctance to attack to last all the way into the new year. "It's probably going to be harder for them to restrain themselves," said PEVERILL SQUIRE, who teaches political science at the University of Iowa. "They'll be trying to draw more comparisons and contrasts among themselves." This story appeared on the Web sites of several news organizations, including THE SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, NEWSDAY, THE SEATTLE TIMES, THE RALEIGH NEWS & OBSERVER and the HARTFORD COURANT. Link to article

Hagle comments on impact of winter break caucuses (CBS News, Dec. 26)
The question of whether students will caucus has been complicated by the caucus date, Jan. 3, which falls in the middle of most universities' winter break. "The reality is ... students will have to either caucus at home or, if they're from Illinois or Minnesota or wherever, have to drive back to campus to caucus," said TIM HAGLE, an associate professor of political science at the University of Iowa. Link to article

Barkan: Obama's intellectualism inspiring (Boston Globe, Dec. 25)
Obama's intellectual confidence, which has propelled his political career, is a hallmark of his campaign identity, a notable contrast to the resume-boasting of Hillary Clinton and the fiery populism of John Edwards -- a contrast that Edwards himself tried to draw in the last few days by suggesting that Obama was too "academic" to win. "An intellectual is by definition someone who questions and doesn't take assumptions at their face value, and I think that's one of the things that's inspiring about the guy," said JOEL BARKAN, professor emeritus at the University of Iowa and a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Link to article

Covington: Iowans dislike negative campaigning (The Economist, Dec. 24)
A loss in Iowa could cripple Mr. Romney, so he is fighting back hard. His television spots accuse Mr. Huckabee of being soft on crime (his faith led him to pardon many criminals when he was governor) and illegal immigration. This is risky. Iowans don't like negative campaigning, says CARY COVINGTON, a politics professor at the University of Iowa. Link to article

Redlawsk comments on caucus process (The Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec. 24)
Biden started advertising for the first time on Iowa TV Dec. 12, and he has a strong organization with support from many state legislators. While he does not expect to come in first here, Biden believes he will beat expectations. Iowans are notorious for deciding late, and the caucus process drew only 120,000 Democrats four years ago and 62,000 in 2000 -- a minuscule percentage of voters. Because of the way the process works, concentrated support in a few areas can produce delegates. "Over a year, you can shake the hand of everybody that's going to caucus for you," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a professor and pollster at the University of Iowa. Link to article

Covington: candidates target key groups (Newsday, Dec. 24)
Iowa law allows out-of-state students who spend nine months of the year in-state to vote, but the Obama campaign's push to squeeze every vote from their ranks has sparked outrage from the Clinton camp, which accuses them of trying to "manipulate" the outcome. Clinton has tried to maximize her demographic strengths too, albeit in a quieter, less controversial way, organizing handicapped-accessible vans and carpools to shuttle elderly Iowa voters who might otherwise be shut in by bad weather. "None of these candidates can afford to be a Johnny One-note. All of them are appealing across-the-board, but they all have relative strengths and they are clearly targeting them," said University of Iowa politics professor CARY COVINGTON. Link to article

Redlawsk: Clinton shifts to 'please like me' pitch (The Hindu, Dec. 24)
Opinion polls in Iowa show Hillary Clinton in a dead heat with Barack Obama and John Edwards. Some Democratic county officials predict Clinton could be relegated to third place, a finish that could damage her in the New Hampshire primary five days later, and ultimately cost her the nomination. The new Clinton, as revealed during the last week in Iowa and New Hampshire, is a very different woman to the cerebral creature who first hit the campaign trail. "It has moved much more towards a 'please like me' kind of pitch," said DAVID REDLAWSK, who teaches politics at the University of Iowa and is the director of its Hawkeye poll. "I think it's an effort to stem a perceived drop in support among women." THE HINDU is a national newspaper in India. Link to article

Redlawsk comments on impact of faith (San Diego Union-Tribune, Dec. 23)
Not far below the surface, Romney's Mormonism remains an issue that may cost him votes in Iowa and elsewhere. "Among evangelical Christians there is a significant subset that doesn't necessarily consider Mormons as Christians," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a pollster at the University of Iowa. Redlawsk added that polling on the subject is inconclusive, in large part because voters are reluctant to admit to what might be construed as religious bigotry. Link to article

Covington: Democrats 'hungrier' than Republicans (USA Today, Dec. 23)
The level of Republican enthusiasm surrounding the 2008 campaign has not approached the level of eight years ago or the Democrats' race this year, reflecting a struggle among voters to find the right candidate, Iowa GOP leaders say. Part of the reason for lower participation in Republican events is out of candidates' control, said CARY COVINGTON, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. President Bush's low approval rating, ongoing dissatisfaction with the Iraq war, and the fact Democrats haven't held the White House in almost eight years all are factors, he said. "Democrats are just hungrier than the Republicans because they've been out of the presidency for eight years," Covington said. "You saw the same phenomena on the Republican side in 2000 when, after eight years of Bill Clinton, the Republicans were just chomping at the bit to get a chance to have their guy back in the presidency." Link to article

Gronbeck: Clinton's softer image works (Mail & Guardian Online, Dec. 23)
The aim of all this effort is to bolster and project the image of Hillary Clinton as a warm-hearted woman who cares deeply about ordinary Americans. It is heavily at odds with the previous emphasis on her achievements in the Senate, her long experience of political life, and her attention to the detail of policy proposals. "It is working. They have worked hard to do this. The image she is projecting now is different, especially from her first appearances on the campaign," said Professor BRUCE GRONBECK, a campaign communications expert at the University of Iowa. THE MAIL & GUARDIAN ONLINE is based in South Africa. Link to article

Osborn: tight race means no holiday break (Houston Chronicle, Dec. 22)
The Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, the official start of the presidential race, the Iowa caucuses were moved up this election cycle by two weeks, making holiday campaigning mandatory. "This is certainly the earliest it's ever been, and it makes a big difference," said TRACY OSBORN, who teaches political science at Iowa City's University of Iowa. A second factor has been the up-for-grabs quality of the primary races, surprisingly fluid this close to caucus day. "I can't imagine any candidate, especially with polls so close on either side, would feel safe enough that they don't want to be out there the last week campaigning," said Osborn. This story also appeared in THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. Link to article

Redlawsk comments on negative campaigning (Yahoo! News, Dec. 22)
Mike Huckabee, who has eight events on Friday and Saturday plus a Sunday talk show interview before taking some time off, appeared to be taking a softer approach during the holiday season, a course others may not follow. "Can you draw sharp contrasts, can you be negative during the holiday season?" said University of Iowa political professor DAVID REDLAWSK. "I don't think the risk is any larger than it is at any other time when you draw contrasts in order to take on your opponent." This Reuters story appeared on the Web sites of several news organizations, including CNBC. Link to article

Huckabee speaks to UI students (New York Times caucus blog, Dec. 21)
In a speech here before a large crowd, many of them college students at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA who would most likely have flinched to hear the original version, Mr. Huckabee said that when the founders wrote "all men are created equal" in the Declaration of Independence they meant that "your last name, or your net worth or the labels on the clothes that you wear don't change the fact that we are all intrinsically equal." Link to article

Daily Iowan endorses McCain, Obama (Editor & Publisher, Dec. 21)
The Daily Iowan, a student-run newspaper at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, Friday endorsed Barack Obama and John McCain for the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, becoming the second student-run newspaper in the state to endorse that pair. Link to article

Redlawsk explains caucus process (USINFO, Dec. 21)
Essentially a neighborhood meeting, the name "caucus" derives from an American Indian word for a conference of tribal leaders. In U.S. electoral politics, the tribes are political parties; the leaders are party activists and concerned citizens. Iowa is the first of more than a dozen states that will hold caucuses to select the candidate their states will support at the 2008 Democratic and Republican Party national conventions. Most states use the more straightforward primary election: citizens vote, and the candidate with the most votes wins. In Iowa, "Democrats caucus publicly, while Republicans have a secret ballot -- and Democrats must be willing to state publicly their preference, unusual in American politics," says political science professor and director of the University of Iowa's Hawkeye Poll DAVID REDLAWSK. USINFO is an international information service of the U.S. Department of State. Link to article

Covington: Romney touts success in management (Financial Times, Dec. 20)
Mitt Romney hopes that his private-sector background will help propel him to the Republican nomination and ultimately the presidency at a time when public dissatisfaction with U.S. politicians is at record levels and pessimism about the economy is mounting. "The campaign theme is his record of stepping into difficult management situations and turning them into successes," says CARY COVINGTON, a political scientist at the University of Iowa. "He did it with the Salt Lake City Olympics. He did it as governor of Massachusetts. The implication is that he'll do it again as president." Link to article

Youth support for candidates noted (Guardian Unlimited, Dec. 20)
In the newspaper's "Comment is Free..." blog, it's noted that Iowa Students for Barack Obama has more than 200 more members on Facebook than Students For Hillary Clinton-University Of Iowa Chapter (51), and a few more than Iowa for Edwards (206). Rudy Giuliani, who leads among students nationally but is highly unpopular among some of the state's youth voters, campaigned this fall at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. Link to article

Politically active UI students quoted (Daily Herald, Dec. 20)
Neither UNIVERSITY OF IOWA nor Drake classes resume until Jan. 22; so, returning to Iowa from out of state for a one-evening event is a big commitment. But commitment is what drives these suburban students, who defy the stereotype of politically apathetic young adults. Nicole Dziuban, a St. Charles North graduate co-chairing Students for Hillary at the University of Iowa, wants to change that. "My main goal," she said, "is no matter what a person's views are, I just try to get them involved, because that's how things change." Link to article

Squire: Huckabee draws support from network (Associated Press, Dec. 19)
Republican Mike Huckabee, the former Baptist preacher, is depending on more than a leap of faith to win the Iowa caucuses. Leading in polls, Huckabee is determined to make up for his skimpy organization in the state by enlisting national evangelical Christian supporters to rev up Iowa pastors and coax voters to the Jan. 3 caucuses. "It's going to be an informal network -- there are not going to be large phone banks, and it is going to be a lot of word of mouth, a lot of discussion at church, a lot of ongoing interactions," said PEVERILL SQUIRE, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. "That just gives him the sort of ground game that he would otherwise lack." Link to article

Squire: holiday campaigning a bad idea (Associated Press, Dec. 19)
As the holidays interrupt campaigning for the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, will any candidate be the Grinch who works through Christmas? Plans for Monday, Christmas Eve, are uncertain, but the presidential hopefuls are campaigning through the weekend. Republicans Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani will be in New Hampshire, with Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama and Republicans Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson in Iowa. "The idea of barnstorming through Iowa right around the holidays is not a winning strategy," said PEVERILL SQUIRE, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. "This is a bad time to be driving around, because of the weather and also because people's attention is diverted to other things. It's hard to generate large crowds and enthusiasm." This AP story appeared on the Web sites of several news organizations, including CBS News and the THE BOSTON GLOBE. Link to article

McLeod writes about 'roboprofessor' stunt (Washington Post, Dec. 19)
UI Communication Studies Professor KEMBREW MCLEOD wrote a guest column about his prank: "Last week, when former President Bill Clinton came to Iowa City, I went to the event, stood on a chair, and told him to apologize to Sister Souljah. At first he was caught off guard and uttered a sophomoric putdown -- "Look, look in the mirror" -- before chastising me for throwing out leaflets, because it kills trees. The incident I wanted him to apologize for was 15 years old, but our exchange made national news. Oh, one other detail: The whole time, I was dressed like a robot. Despite its absurd trappings, I do think there was something to the substance of my message. The "Sister Souljah moment," as it has come to be known, taught me that Bill Clinton was more of an opportunist than an advocate of social justice. And it's relevant to the current presidential race because it provided an early glimpse into the cynicism of the Clinton political machine." Link to article

Redlawsk comments cited in opinion piece (U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 19)
An opinion piece states, "The Iowa caucuses are first. But they're not important. No offense meant to the Iowans who participate. They are solid citizens doing their political duty. The problem is they do not represent U.S. voters as a whole and so are hardly prescient when it comes to divining who will ultimately win each party's nomination. As DAVID REDLAWSK, political science professor at the University of Iowa and director of the Hawkeye Poll, said on public radio last night, caucusgoers as a whole tend to be older, whiter, more male, and more Republican than the nation and even than Iowa itself. A mere 6 to 7 percent of Iowans tend to participate in the caucuses, because the process takes much longer and is much more public compared with the brevity and privacy of entering an enclosed polling station and pushing some buttons." Link to article

Hagle: Edwards forced to be more aggressive (Arizona Republic, Dec. 19)
After weeks of aggressively criticizing rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Edwards now hardly mentions one of his chief rivals for the Democratic nomination for president. Edwards now seems content to let Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama trade barbs while he sits back and reprises his role from the 2004 Iowa caucuses as Mr. Positive. TIM HAGLE, a political science professor at the University of Iowa, said Edwards had little choice but to be more aggressive in this election because he has been in third place in most of the Iowa polls since this summer. Link to article

Redlawsk explains how caucuses work (WMAQ, Dec. 19)
In a strange Iowa twist, it's not necessarily who gets the most votes, but the most delegates, who is declared the winner. For instance, take a town like Iowa City, the sixth-largest city in the state. "So, 500 persons showing up in one precinct in Iowa City actually don't have as much say as 20 people showing up in a rural precinct, in terms of electing the delegates," University of Iowa professor DAVID REDLAWSK said. "And it's primarily because it will take more people to elect a delegate in a big urban precinct." WMAQ is an NBC affiliate in Chicago. Link to article

Redlawsk describes caucus-goers (National Public Radio, Dec. 18)
A small percentage of Iowans participate in the state's caucuses, which have a big impact on the presidential election. In last few caucuses, only 6 or 7 percent of the voting age population in Iowa actually caucused. DAVID REDLAWSK, political science professor at the University of Iowa and director of the Hawkeye Poll, said that this small group of people who attend the caucus "are typically better educated, somewhat higher income, more likely to be a little bit older, and in the case of Republicans more likely to be male than voters as a whole." Link to article

IEM forecasted election winners (Slate, Dec. 18)
In this feature about the political prediction markets, it's noted that the IOWA ELECTRONIC MARKETS is the big daddy of the political prediction markets and is consistently better at forecasting winners than pre-election polls. Slate lists IEM market prices along with two other political markets. Link to article

Event tested Clinton interest (New York Times, Dec. 18)
In this blog entry about a Hillary Clinton event held in Johnson County for undecided voters, it's noted that the county is Democrat-rich and home to many liberal voters and the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. Link to article

Redlawsk comments on second-choice votes (San Diego Union Tribune, Dec. 18)
A story about the importance of the second choice of Iowa's Democratic caucus-goers notes that predicting the impact of the second-place voting is mostly guesswork. It is hard to track what happens in each of the more than 1,700 precincts around the state, analysts say. "There is not a lot of good data on people making second choices and how it has worked. It's all anecdotal," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a political scientist at the University of Iowa and director of the Iowa poll. The story also appeared on the Web site of the BOSTON GLOBE, and WASHINGTON POST. Link to article

UI mentioned in story about Clinton stop (New York Times, Dec. 18)
If Hillary Rodham Clinton ends up winning the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3, her advisers say it will be because of events like the one Monday night here in Democrat-rich Johnson County. Home to many liberal voters and the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA -- in other words, "Obama Country," according to the Clinton campaign -- Johnson County became a sort of proving ground for the Clintonistas as they planned their 7:30 p.m. town hall here. To test interest in Mrs. Clinton, her advisers said, campaign officials mostly asked voters who were on the fence to come to the event. A story about the same campaign appearance was blogged on the LOS ANGELES TIMES. Link to article

Till-Retz: unions happy with Democratic field (Chicago Tribune, Dec. 18)
With less than three weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses, some have noticed a precipitous decline in the union presence this time. ROBERTA TILL-RETZ, a retired labor educator at the University of Iowa and currently the communications director for the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, said she thinks there's less national union involvement this time because the unions are happy with the Democratic field. "The general sense is that we have a great crew of candidates," she said, "and we want to wait for the general election before spending all our money." Link to article

UI prediction market has high success rate (Toronto Globe and Mail, Dec. 18)
A story about prediction markets notes that one of the first experiments in prediction markets began in 1988, when the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA developed an Internet-based research and teaching tool that allowed students to invest real money in various contracts, whose payoffs depend on events such as the outcome of presidential elections. In its first three elections, the average error was just 1.37 per cent. Link to article

Redlawsk assesses Huckabee ascension (Baltimore Sun, Dec. 17)
The ascension of Mike Huckabee to the lead in polls leading up to the Iowa caucuses has turned the presidential race upside down. "Huckabee's rise is kind of unreal," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a University of Iowa political scientist. "I can't think of another example of somebody coming out of the back of the pack like that to challenge for the win." Link to article

Squire: Edwards failing to gain traction (USA Today, Dec. 13)
Most polls of Iowa show Edwards trailing his two rivals, yet still within the margins of error and within reach of winning. Edwards had planned to be the main alternative to Clinton. Instead he's one of two main alternatives, and he's being overshadowed by the other one. "The conversation is really about Obama and Clinton," says PEVERILL SQUIRE, a political scientist at the University of Iowa. "Edwards hasn't managed to force the debate in his direction. I don't see him getting much traction." Link to article

Redlawsk: issue voters worry politicians (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 13)
Issue voters usually are in the minority, but they worry politicians because of their tenacity, says University of Iowa political scientist DAVID REDLAWSK. In past campaigns, such focused activists have driven issues such as abortion and gun control onto the national agenda, even as polls showed that large majorities of the public didn't share their intense feelings. For the 2008 campaign, illegal immigration is emerging as a driving issue even though only one in nine Americans tells pollsters it is their "priority." "Politicians are afraid of groups that care deeply, and people who care the most [about illegal immigration] are against it," says Mr. Redlawsk. Link to article

UI student organizes peers to caucus (TIME Magazine, Dec. 12)
Obama's rock star status has helped recruit high school and college kids, though it's anyone's guess if they will actually turn out. CAITLIN HARRINGTON, a freshman at the University of Iowa, organized 47 of her classmates to caucus at home -- signing them up through "Rock the Caucus" on Facebook -- and is working to find them all home precincts to go to during vacation. Though all of Harrington's classmates are Iowans, Obama's campaign has gotten into some trouble in their zeal to rally the college vote: campaign workers passed out some 50,000 fliers encouraging students from out of state to return to campus early to participate in the caucuses. Link to article

McLeod dresses as robot at Clinton event (Huffington Post, Dec. 12)
Not everyone was happy to see Bill Clinton in Iowa City Monday night. Just as Clinton was about to hit his stride, an unidentified robot heckled the former president, who was playing the surrogate role while stumping for his wife, Hillary Clinton, at the Iowa Memorial Union on the University of Iowa campus. Dressed as a contemporary robot reminiscent of Gort in the 1951 film "The Day the Earth Stood Still", the soon-to-be heckler mounted a chair on the media platform as if it was going to snap a picture of Clinton. "I want you to apologize to Sister Souljah!" Trying to maintain his poise, Clinton initially fell into a sophomoric rebuttal: "Look, look into the mirror... " Clearly on a premeditated mission, the robot began throwing dozens of multicolored slips of paper in the air. No charges were pressed against the robot, who, unmasked, was KEMBREW MCLEOD  -- a tenured professor in the Communication Studies Department at the UI. Link to article

McLeod explains robot stunt (Metro, Dec. 12)
A professor dressed as a robot has heckled a startled Bill Clinton. KEMBREW MCLEOD stood on a chair and screamed several statements at a campaign rally, including: 'Robots of the world want you to apologize.' The University of Iowa professor apparently wanted an apology over statements Clinton made in 1992 about Sister Souljah, a member of the musical group Public Enemy, the DesMoinesRegister.com Web site reported. After he was ejected from the rally the Web site said Mr. McLeod said: "'I like to talk in a way that, you know, will draw attention to these serious issues. And maybe the way that I draw attention to them is an absurd way but it was the only way that I could draw attention to the particular issue of Sister Souljah, which is an issue that's been swept under the carpet.'" Metro is a newspaper in the United Kingdom. Link to article

Redlawsk: poll numbers in Iowa fairly steady (Chicago Sun-Times, Dec. 12)
Iowa is still up for grabs, with little real statistical movement among the top three contenders, Obama, Clinton and Edwards. "The numbers have not really budged very much," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a political scientist at the University of Iowa, an expert in polling and caucuses. "Obama has ticked up, Clinton has ticked down, and Edwards has stayed the same." Link to article

'Roboprofessor' heckles former president Clinton (USA Today, Dec. 12)
During an Iowa campaign stop on behalf of his wife's presidential bid, former president Bill Clinton was heckled late Monday by a University of Iowa associate professor dressed as a robot. The man identified himself as KEMBREW MCLEOD and says at this Web site that he is Iowa chapter president of "Mad Robots In Favor of Bill Clinton Apologizing." Their problem with Clinton goes back to his 1992 "Sister Souljah moment," which McLeod believes shows Clinton is not "on the side of racial and social justice." (Sister Souljah is a recording artist and political activist who then-candidate Clinton publicly criticized for making inflammatory racial statements.) McLeod, before being escorted from the event, tossed hundreds of cards into the audience that publicize his cause. Link to article

Home-schoolers rally to Huckabee (Los Angeles Times, Dec. 12)
Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee calls his cadre of loyal volunteers "Huck's Army." And one of his premiere battalions is a tight network of Christian home-schooling families who view the campaign as a civic -- and educational -- duty. Analysts caution that such interest groups can provide a boost, but generally can't push a candidate all the way to victory, even in a small state like Iowa. "At some point...you have to break out of these limited networks to pick up independents and people who aren't paying much attention but will come out on caucus night," said TIMOTHY M. HAGLE, a political scientist at the University of Iowa. Link to article

Squire comments on caucuses' importance (Grand Haven Tribune, Dec. 10)
A story about the Iowa caucuses notes that it's only an accident of history that the caucuses have wound up becoming such an important part of the presidential nominating system. "It is a complete accident that Iowa was first. It's not the system anyone would sketch out if they were going to set one up," said PEVERILL SQUIRE, a visiting political science professor at the University of Iowa. "If anyone had to be first, I think Iowans have handled it pretty well. ... Iowans have assumed that responsibility." The Tribune is published in Michigan. Link to article

UI dorms not open for caucuses (The Chronicle of Higher Ed, Dec. 10)
A story about students returning to their Iowa colleges and universities for the state's caucuses notes that only two of the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA's residence halls will be open that day. Link to article

UI student describes the O factor (Telegraph, Dec. 10)
Carly Marquardt, a UNIVERSITY OF IOWA student, said she has been swayed towards Barack Obama by Oprah. "She has a presence about her that's indescribable. When she came out, you could feel so much about her that was upbeat. She spreads his power." The Telegraph is published in the UK.
Link to article

Redlawsk comments on Oprah endorsement (San Jose Mercury News, Dec. 9)
DAVID REDLAWSK, a University of Iowa political science professor, said Oprah Winfrey already has generated free publicity for Barack Obama. But Redlawsk was dubious of her impact Jan. 3. "It's not clear that any of that matters when it comes down to getting people out on a cold winter's night to caucus," he said. This story was distributed by McClatchy Newspapers.
Link to article

Redlawsk assesses Clinton downturn (Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec. 9)
Support for Hillary Clinton is waning in Iowa as party members assess her negatives, according to DAVID REDLAWSK, a political scientist and pollster at the University of Iowa. "Considering the gender politics, my gut tells me women who aren't supporting Hillary feel they have to have a strong reason for not being with her," Redlawsk said.
Link to article

Gallup started polling at UI (St. Petersburg Times, Dec. 9)
The Iowa caucuses have been at the center stage of presidential politics for at least a generation. But the state made a more significant contribution to American politics 40 years before the Iowa caucuses became famous: scientific political polling. In the late 1920s Mike Cowles, owner of the Des Moines Register, teamed up with George Gallup while Gallup was working on his doctorate degree at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. Cowles asked Gallup to conduct scientific surveys of newspaper readers, leading to the Gallup Poll.
Link to article

Iowa Electronic Markets add Huckabee (Morning News, Dec. 8)
The Iowa Electronic Markets, operated by the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, added Mike Huckabee on Wednesday. In the Iowa market, contracts predicting Huckabee will take the GOP nomination opened at 23.2 cents but fell to 20.5 cents by Friday. In comparison, contracts for Rudy Giuliani were at 38.1 cents. Romney's were valued at 25.6 cents. The Morning News is published in Arkansas.
Link to article

Gronbeck comment on Iowa effect (Guardian, Dec. 8)
America's electoral system has made Iowa hugely important because it is the first to vote in the presidential nomination race. 'If you leave Iowa with upward momentum, it makes all the difference. You don't even have to win. Just finish on an upward trajectory,' said BRUCE GRONBECK, a political scientist at the University of Iowa. The Guardian is published in the UK.
Link to article

Plumert comments on Oprah excitement (CNN, Dec. 8)
Oprah's visit to Iowa supporting Barack Obama has generated excitement. "One of the secretaries was just so excited about the fact that Oprah was coming," said JODI PLUMERT, a University of Iowa professor and ardent Obama supporter. "She said 'Who would've thought Oprah, coming to little old Iowa!'"
Link to article

Obama woos college students (Chicago Tribune, Dec. 8)
Barack Obama is encouraging college students to return from break for the caucuses. After Obama's speech at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, plenty of out-of-state students said they were planning to make the drive back to Iowa City for Obama. Others were not. "Great speaker. Great guy. Very likable," said Michael Zmuda, 21, of Buffalo Grove, Ill. As for his plans on caucus night, "I'll be out in Colorado for a ski trip."
Link to article

UI poll shows Clinton downturn (Women's eNews, Dec. 6)
The UNIVERSITY OF IOWA'S Hawkeye poll is showing Hillary Clinton losing ground to Barack Obama. The change in the numbers over the past month suggests Obama's newfound Iowa lead is being driven in part by a defection of women from the Clinton campaign. Women's eNews originates in New York.
Link to article

Leicht: economic standing affects immigration views  (L.A. Times, Dec. 6)
Many of the candidates have linked immigration to domestic security. But in Iowa Falls, where most of the jobs are in construction and residents are older and poorer than the state average, the issue is located squarely in the pocketbook. "The general anxiety the middle class feel about their economic standing affects how they feel about immigration," said KEVIN LEICHT, a professor of sociology at the University of Iowa. "If middle-class wages were growing and people had steady jobs, I think they would care less about immigration than they do now." Link to article

Obama urges students to flood caucuses (Chicago Sun-Times, Dec. 6)
For two days this week Democratic presidential wannabe Obama has quickly bused through eastern Iowa, visiting as many colleges as he can: Grinnell, the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, Cornell, the University of Northern Iowa and Wartburg College. He wants to catch students before they head off for winter break; he implores them to caucus for him -- a nettlesome issue since many of them, like McMaster, will be out of town. Obama's campaign has gotten into a little hot water for offering to bus Iowa students -- who go to school here but may live out of state -- to the Iowa caucuses on Jan 3. Link to article

Squire: Iowa propels Huckabee's success (Arkansas News Bureau, Dec. 6)
New criticism comes at the best possible time for Huckabee, said PEVERILL SQUIRE, a University of Iowa political science professor. Iowa voters may be too busy with holiday activities to notice Huckabee's negatives ahead of the state's Jan. 3 caucuses, Squire said. "I think, given people's attention is elsewhere, Huckabee may be able to scoot past some of these problems," Squire said. The Southern Baptist minister has relied on support among evangelical Christians in Iowa to mount a neck-and-neck battle with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for that state's GOP delegates. "Iowa is driving the process for Huckabee," Squire said. "In essence, the Iowa Republicans are beginning to give Huckabee a seal of approval that generates more attention than elsewhere in the country." Link to article

Obama urges students to caucus (New York Times, Dec. 4)
Despite criticism from a few rivals, Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday kept pressing out-of-state students attending college in Iowa to return over their holiday break and vote in the Democratic caucus on Jan. 3. Speaking at a concert hall packed with students at Grinnell College, he said students who attend school in the state have established residency by doing so and are able to take part in the caucuses. Obama also made a late evening appearance at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, where he told more than 2,000 students "if you're going to be out of state, I want you to come back and caucus." The ASSOCIATED PRESS article appeared in media outlets across the United States. Link to article

Presidential nominations seen as toss-ups (Daily Republic, Dec. 4)
The races for both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominations here are toss-ups as voting approaches, a double-dose of fluidity unseen in decades. At the same time, the effect of winning -- or losing -- the leadoff Iowa caucuses in 2008 is anyone's guess. "We haven't had wide-open races on both sides for some time. This is absolutely unprecedented," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a University of Iowa political scientist. "And the impact of Iowa is unknown because the environment we're in is different." The newspaper is published in Mitchell, S.D. (Registration is required to view stories at this site.) Link to article

Redlawsk: Romney speech prompted by poll numbers (Kansas City Star, Dec. 5)
Huckabee, a Baptist minister and former governor of Arkansas, has opened up a 5-percentage-point lead in Iowa over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, according to a survey released Sunday by the Des Moines Register. Error margin: plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. A good part of Huckabee's momentum comes from the state's large conservative Christian community, polls show. "It seems very likely that (Romney's) sudden decision to finally do the speech is in response to the latest polling," said DAVID REDLAWSK, director of the University of Iowa Hawkeye poll. Link to article

Redlawsk analyzes Romney speech on his faith (McClatchy Newspapers, Dec. 3)
Mitt Romney's address Thursday on his Mormon faith could be the most politically risky speech on religion by a presidential candidate since John F. Kennedy defended his Catholic faith in 1960. Romney will be addressing two audiences: the evangelical Christians who've helped fuel his rival Mike Huckabee's recent surge in Iowa and an American public that knows little about Romney or his faith, but views the latter skeptically. A good part of Huckabee's momentum comes from the state's large conservative Christian community, polls show. "It seems very likely that the sudden decision to finally do the speech is in response to the latest polling," said DAVID REDLAWSK, the director of the University of Iowa Hawkeye poll. Link to article

Redlawsk: Wide-open race is unprecedented (Chicago Tribune, Dec. 3)
The races for both the Republican and Democratic nominations here are toss-ups as voting approaches, a double-dose of fluidity unseen in decades. At the same time, the effect of winning -- or losing -- the leadoff Iowa caucuses in 2008 is anyone's guess. A poll released Sunday by The Des Moines Register shows both races in dead heats. "We haven't had wide-open races on both sides for some time. This is absolutely unprecedented," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a University of Iowa political scientist. The same story was published on the Web sites of the IDAHO STATE JOURNAL, VAIL (Col.) DAILY NEWS, NASHUA (N.H.) TELEGRAPH, HATTIESBURG (Miss.) AMERICAN, ARKANSAS BUSINESS, CARSON CITY (Nev.) APPEAL, SOUTH CAROLINA ENQUIRER HERALD and numerous other news organizations. Link to article

UI dorms not open during caucuses (Newsweek, Dec. 3)
A story about how the youth vote might affect the Iowa caucus results notes that the caucus will be held during winter break, and the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA does not plan to open its residence halls for students who may want to caucus in Iowa City. Link to article

Redlawsk comments on Romney speech (Politico, Dec. 3)
Mitt Romney's downturn in the Iowa polls, as well Christian conservative support for Mike Huckabee statewide, may have prompted the Mormon candidate to give a long-discussed speech Thursday on "faith in America," mimicking John F. Kennedy's pivotal 1960 speech to ease Protestant concerns about the Catholic candidate. "The religion speech is a clear sign the Romney folks are worried that it is getting very close in Iowa," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a University of Iowa political scientist. Politico originates in Washington D.C. Link to article

Jones comments on voter access to electronic results (AlterNet, Dec. 3)
A lawsuit in Arizona may help determine if voters will have access to electronic election result computer files. DOUG JONES, an election technology expert with the University of Iowa Department of Computer Science, said some states, counties and cities provide access to databases from their recent elections. In Miami-Dade County, Fla., he said those disclosures have kept "the county's internal audit department on it toes." AlterNet originates in California. Link to article

Gronbeck comments on agriculture (CQ Politics, Dec. 3)
Of all the places in the nation, Iowa might seem the likeliest place for presidential candidates to talk about their agriculture platforms. But for the most part, Republicans and Democrats running for office have steered clear of farm policy in the Hawkeye state. Agriculture opens up debate on other hot-button issues, said BRUCE GRONBECK, a political communications professor at the University of Iowa. "You can hook the farm bill to labor, you can hook it to immigration, trade," he said. "You can hook anything to the back of that John Deere." CQ Politics originates in Washington D.C. Link to article

Redlawsk comments on new polls (AP, Dec. 3)
The races for both the Republican and Democratic nominations here are tossups as voting approaches, a double-dose of fluidity unseen in decades. "We haven't had wide-open races on both sides for some time. This is absolutely unprecedented," said DAVID REDLAWSK, a University of Iowa political scientist. "And the impact of Iowa is unknown because the environment we're in is different." This story is appearing throughout the country. Link to article

UI student quoted about support switch (USA Today, Dec. 3)
New polls show Barack Obama passing Hillary Clinton among likely caucus-attenders. Katharyn Browne said she abandoned her support for Clinton in the past month and now supports Obama in light of the Iran issue. "An Iran war terrifies me," said Browne, a 30-year-old UNIVERSITY OF IOWA student. Link to article

Covington, Squire comment on Obama surge (San Diego Union, Dec. 2)
New Iowa polls show Barack Obama overtaking Hillary Clinton. "He's doing retail politics better than he was before, and he's being less of a law professor and a little bit more of the ambitious politician," said PEVERILL SQUIRE, a longtime expert on the caucuses and visiting professor at the University of Iowa. CARY COVINGTON, who teaches a course on the Iowa caucuses at the UI, said Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of Obama "has created quite a buzz" in the state and gives Obama a chance to take some momentum into the final weeks of the Iowa campaign. "He kind of arrived all at once and staked himself to 20 percent of the electorate. But then he just plateaued and didn't go anywhere," Covington said. "Now it looks like he is breaking out of his plateau. That is the thing that his people have to be most excited about -- he's getting out of this static situation of not being able to grow his base of support." This story came from the Copley News Service. Link to article

Redlawsk comments on Romney speech (USA Today, Dec. 2)
After saying for months that his religious beliefs were irrelevant to the presidential race, Mitt Romney has announced that he will deliver a speech that addresses the issue. "People don't understand what a Mormon is," said DAVID REDLAWSK, director of the University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll. "That leads to this new announcement about the religion speech." Link to article

Lewis-Beck assessed economy's impact (USNews & World Report, Dec. 2)
A weakening economy would add to GOP woes in the upcoming election. Under those conditions, says MICHAEL LEWIS-BECK, a University of Iowa professor who studies the impact of the economy on elections, "for the Democrats to lose would be historically unprecedented." Link to article

Squire comments on Bill Clinton's impact (Toronto Star, Dec. 2)
What about the "Bill factor"? "I think he's a net benefit to Hillary here," says PEVERILL SQUIRE, a visiting University of Iowa political scientist. "But I'm sure the senator had wished he hadn't reopened the war debate." Link to article

Squire comments on Iowa caucuses (Seattle Times, Dec. 2)
Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses continue to generate controversy. "It is a complete accident that Iowa was first. It's not the system anyone would sketch out if they were going to set one up," said PEVERILL SQUIRE, a visiting political science professor at the University of Iowa. "If anyone had to be first, I think Iowans have handled it pretty well.... Iowans have assumed that responsibility." This story was circulated by McClatchy Newspapers. Link to article

Squire comments on Huckabee charm (Palm Beach Post, Dec. 1)
GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee's charm has played well in Iowa. "Huckabee has been well received by Iowa Republicans from the beginning of his campaign. He is a very good campaigner, relaxed and humorous. He connects well with his audience," said PEVERILL SQUIRE, a visiting political science professor at the University of Iowa. "So it is not surprising that he has done better here than elsewhere in the country, even though he has not spent as much time in the state as many of his competitors." This story ran on the Cox News Service. Link to article

UI student organizes caucus primer (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dec. 1)
Democratic caucus rules in Iowa are much more arcane than the GOP version. Atul Nakhasi, a junior at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, is president of the University Democrats. With his opposite number for the college Republicans, he's organized training session on caucus rules. Of the planned hour-long session, he said, "We'll probably spend 10 minutes on the Republican rules and 50 on the Democrats." Link to article

War is the top issue in UI poll (Austin Statesman, Dec. 1)
The war in Iraq is the most important issue to likely Democratic caucus-goers, followed by health care and the economy, according to a recent Hawkeye Poll conducted by the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. The Austin Statesman is published in Texas. Link to article

UI student interviewed about caucuses (NPR, Dec. 1)
Atul Nakhasi, president of the College Democrats at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, talked about the Iowa caucuses with Scott Simon. Link to article

UI student quoted about Edwards (Politico, Dec. 1)
Although John Edwards is relatively young and addresses youth issues, his support lags at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. While some students support Edwards there, his support is weaker than among Iowa Democrats as a whole, where he is in a close three-way race against Clinton and Obama. "With Edwards it seems like not as many college students support him as the other candidates," acknowledged Mark Bowers, a University of Iowa student who is planning to caucus for Edwards. Politico originates in Washington D.C. Link to article

UI student explains Clinton opposition (Middle East Online, Dec. 1)
The Iraq War is the top issue for Iowa Democrats, but the absence of a definitive antiwar candidate has divided the state's peace activists. One thing they agree on, though, is mistrust of Hillary Clinton. Anti-war demonstrations initially targeted Clinton as well as Giuliani. "We did this because Hillary voted for the war in Iraq and refuses to apologize for it, because her rhetoric... is not only imprecise but also contradicts her public comments that she won't withdraw all the troops before 2013, because she voted for pro-war with Iran measures... and for her general hawkish foreign policy stances," wrote David Goodner, a senior at the UNIVERSITY OF IOWA and a member of its antiwar committee. Middle East Online originates in the UK. Link to article

UI in the National News Archives