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This morning I wrote about the Democrat’s chances in the US Senate in 2010. That got me thinking about Sen. Grassley, who is up for reelection in 2010. However, he will be 77 at that time and…



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From Political Wire…

“It does appear to be pretty clear that Senator Obama is going to be the nominee. After Tuesday’s contests, she needs to acknowledge that he’s going to be the nominee and quickly get behind him.”

– Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, a national co-chairman of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s campaign, quoted by the Associated Press.

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From MSNBC’s First Read…

the Clinton campaign has a new direct mail piece that includes a letter from former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D). The letter hits Obama on health care and uses Paul Krugman to do the hitting. Vilsack says in the letter, “Barack Obama’s health care plan, which he often calls ‘universal,’ would actually leave as many as 15 million people without health insurance. That’s not really universal coverage at all. And when questioned about the flaws of the plan, Mr. Obama threw back talking points worthy of Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney. But don’t take my word for it; read the opinion of Paul Krugman of the New York Times in his op-ed piece entitled, ‘Mandates and Mudslinging.’” Of course, this is nothing that the campaign and candidate hasn’t said themselves. But it’s also telling that six months ago, the predictions were that the final weeks of the debate in Iowa would be over Iraq. Instead, it’s over health care — or at least that’s what Team Clinton wants to discuss.

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Marc Ambinder is reporting Barack Obama met with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for breakfast this morning.

Sen. Barack Obama will set vice presidential speculation on fire with a brief stop to say hello to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, himself an occasional presidential flirt. The meeting appeared on Bloomberg’s schedule, which was distributed to reporters last night.

An Obama aide said the meeting was scheduled because of “mutual interest” and did not know whether the two had met before.

You hear rumors all the time about possible Clinton Vice Presidential candidates, such as Wesley Clark, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, and former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, but this is the first name mentioned as a possible VP candidate for Obama. I think the perfect VP candidate for Obama would be Richardson. However, Obama could tout his bipartisan approach by appointing someone like Bloomberg or Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA).

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Tom Vilsack made some interesting comments while being interviewed on MSNBC, saying Hillary Clinton “was the face of the administration in foreign affairs.”

From the Washington Post…

But Vilsack — who dropped out of the race early on and is now rumored by many to be seeking a slot alongside Clinton if she wins the nomination — took it a questionable step further.

“There is no question she was the face of the administration in foreign affairs,” Vilsack said.

Really? Hillary Clinton was the face of the Clinton administration in foreign affairs? More than, say, the secretary of state? Or his vice president? Or his, um, ambassador to the United Nations?

Au contraire, said New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who served in the last of those jobs - -and is now seeking the presidency himself.

“Gov. Vilsack’s enthusiasm for his candidate has clouded his judgment,” Richardson spokesman Tom Reynolds said on Tuesday night. “Considering that Gov. Bill Richardson served as a Special Envoy and US Ambassador to the United Nations under President Clinton, we take some exception to this opinion. I also think Madeline Albright might disagree too.” No word yet from former Pres. Clinton, who was known to conduct some foreign policy himself from time to time.

These comments seem pretty ridiculous and it has seemed to offend Richardson, who has been telling people to focus on a positive campaign.

Maybe Vilsack wanted to get his name out there since Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and Gen. Wesley Clark have been making the round for Clinton in Iowa lately.

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The Des Moines Register has a story about how much money candidates have raised from Iowans.

Here’s the info on the Democratic candidates…

Among the Democratic candidates, Clinton, a U.S. senator from New York, is in first place, taking in more than $126,000 to date.

Her top contributors include prominent Democratic activists in Des Moines such as Ed and Bonnie Campbell; lawyer Jerry Crawford; former Gov. Tom Vilsack; and Andrea McGuire.

More than 70 percent of Clinton’s money has come from Des Moines and its western suburbs.

Closely trailing Clinton with nearly $117,000 from Iowans is U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, while former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina is in third place with more than $105,000.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has collected close to $42,000 from Iowans, and U.S. Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware about $26,000. Iowans have given U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut and U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio about $10,000 each. Former Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska has collected $415.

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Tom Vilsack posted an article on Open Left that outlines some of the things wrong with No Child Left Behind and what we need to do to improve education.

What is the purpose of public education? Simple - every child should have what they need to realize their talents and to contribute in a meaningful way to their community and nation. Rather than a nation of average standardized test takers, our schools should help produce a nation of creative, dedicated, and engaged citizens.

For that to occur the frame of the ESEA must be changed. Instead of a frame built around student achievement based on a single, high-stakes, multiple choice test, we should advocate for a frame based on student demonstration of an array of 21st century skills: core competencies, ability to communicate, technological proficiency, problem solving, financial literacy, global awareness, community responsibility, and capacity to work within a team.

While the debate will swirl around funds, pay for performance compensation schemes, and growth models, we won’t get it totally right unless we are clear about what the purpose should be of our system. We must be wary of the language of accountability that comes straight out of a corporate culture to one that speaks of shared responsibility. If we expect our children to get it right, we have to do so first.

I worked as a substitute teacher two years ago and on two occasions when I was subbing, I taught lessons on how to fill in the circles on the answer sheets to prepare for upcoming standardized tests. As I was teaching, I was thinking about how these students will never use this skill when they are adults.

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Is Grassley Mother Teresa? The Wall Street Journal thinks so.From David Sirota…Never - and I mean never - underestimate the willingness of Beltway journalists to fabricate power-worshipping, politician-glorifying storylines out of thin air. I say th…

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Political Insider says vice presidential candidates rarely are named from people who have been running for president.With many presidential candidates being touted as possible vice presidential nominees should they lose their party’s primary, such as S…

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The Des Moines Register had a story today about Tom Vilsack’s role with the Hillary Clinton campaign. Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack has assumed a role in Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign unlike any of the New York Democrat’s other national a…

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