Free Republic

By Nick Anderson, Times Staff Writer FAIRFIELD, Iowa — He's counseled the Democratic presidential candidates on all things Iowan, from the politics of ethanol to the value of hunting for rural votes in an expansive state sandwiched between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. He's grilled them in public and private, praised those who are competing in Iowa's Jan. 19 caucuses and rapped the two who are skipping the nation's first nominating contest. Now Sen. Tom Harkin has to make up his mind. Will he take sides? And if he endorses: whom?             The 64-year-old Harkin, by...

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Strategists for Rep. Richard Gephardt's presidential candidacy are basing fragile hopes for the Democratic nomination on Howard Dean's money-rich campaign running out of funds as he contests every primary election. Chances for anybody to catch Dean hinge on the Jan. 19 Iowa caucuses. Polls show Dean ahead there but Gephardt within hailing distance. If Dean loses in Iowa or at least wins narrowly, his big war chest may be depleted by the heavy primary schedule ahead. Gephardt will not seriously contest Dean in New Hampshire on Jan. 27, counting on Sen. John Kerry slowing him down there....

<p>After separating from the pack with claims to be the only Democratic presidential candidate to give Howard Dean a run for his money, Wesley Clark is mapping his final sprint to become the Democrats' alternative to Mr. Dean.</p> <p>"It's now clear that I'm one of only two candidates in a position to win the nomination," Mr. Clark, a retired general, said in a statement issued Thursday. "And I'm the only candidate positioned to actually win the election because I am the candidate best able to stand up to George W. Bush and win the debate about who will best be able to make our country secure over the next four years."</p>

THE ISSUES: TAXES AND SPENDING Democratic Candidates Differ on Economy, but Often Subtly WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 — As the Democratic presidential candidates put the economy at the front and center of their campaigns, their differences boil down to a handful of issues: how much to roll back tax cuts, how much to raise spending, how much to reduce deficits and how to approach trade. But the dividing lines are often subtle. The rival platforms can look like different sides of a Rubik's Cube: varying combinations of the same basic proposals. All the candidates say they would repeal at least some...

<p>WASHINGTON — As the 108th Congress ends alongside 2003, so do the careers of myriad lawmakers who won't seek out another term in 2004.</p> <p>The first casualty of 2003 was Rep. Richard Gephardt (search), D-Mo., who gave up his House minority leader post in 2002 to focus on his run for president. In January, he announced that he would retire from his House seat at the end of the next session whether he wins or loses the Democratic nomination.</p>

Democratic presidential hopeful Dick Gephardt charged primary rival Howard Dean was guilty of “gross hypocrisy” in criticizing President Bush’s failure to close corporate loopholes that let companies move tax-free offshore to Bermuda while trying to lure companies back with state insurance tax breaks while governor of Vermont. Gephardt said Dean often attacks Bush for cutting income taxes for former Enron Corp. CEO “Ken Lay and the boys,” but as governor, Dean reduced taxes on captive insurance companies in 1993 that helped convince Enron to locate its own insurance subsidiary in Vermont a year later. At the same time, Dean raised...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt says he opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement and similar policies from the start because he knew they would be economically destructive. His fellow rivals, he says, have recently shifted to his position. "I've been amazed to hear the other candidates, now they sound just like me," the Missouri congressman said Tuesday during a conference call with reporters. "Everything I predicted would happen (because of trade policies) is now happening." Gephardt is trying to lay claim to the trade issue, especially as a boost in South Carolina, which holds a crucial...

Test your knowledge [and patience] of the Democratic presidential candidates. 1. Which Democratic presidential hopeful's world-class hair inspired the White House staff to nickname him "Breck Girl"? a) John Kerry b) John Edwards c) Al Sharpton 2. Which two of these actions did the candidate take after being called "Breck Girl"? a) Accused President Bush of "trying to hide his follies behind my follicles." b) Handed out bottles of Breck shampoo when he announced his candidacy. c) Issued a press release accusing Mr. Bush of "scalping the middle class." d) Declared that "the era of big hair is over." e)...

<p>Carol Moseley Braun Less than 1 percent.</p> <p>Fourteen percent were undecided.</p> <p>Wesley Clark, in Jackson to court Mississippi voters on his Southern "True Grits Tour," vowed to reach out to millions of Americans without health insurance and took aim at President Bush's Iraq strategy.</p>

WASHINGTON (AP) - Howard Dean raised the most money of any Democratic presidential candidate in the final quarter of the year, but Wesley Clark was close behind and will be boosted by an infusion of millions of dollars in federal matching funds at the start of the new year. Dean, the Democratic front-runner, will have raised more than $14 million from October through December, pushing his yearly total to almost $40 million. Campaign manager Joe Trippi called on donors to push the quarterly total to the $14.8 million the campaign raised in the previous quarter, from July through September.Clark, the...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Infighting between Howard Dean and some of his rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination has gotten so nasty of late that Dean called on party chairman Terry McAuliffe to step in and tone things down. In the process, Dean managed to insult McAuliffe. Republican strategists, meanwhile, are watching it all with barely contained glee. "They are beginning to really gouge this guy," Republican pollster Bill McInturff said about Dean, chuckling. "Look at Howard Dean and, as a Republican, think about the advertising we're going to run." McInturff said Republicans could use John Kerry's quotes about Dean wanting...

WASHINGTON - Casting aside Howard Dean (news - web sites)'s plea to tone down their criticisms, the other Democratic presidential candidates said Monday that revelations the former Vermont governor had an energy task force that met in secret like the Bush administration is further proof he is ill-suited to challenge the president next fall. "The more we learn about Howard Dean's record as governor, the more difficult position he'll be in to criticize the Bush administration," Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman (news - web sites) said, responding to an Associated Press story Sunday. AP reported that though Dean has demanded the...

With less than a month to go before the crucial Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries, Democratic candidates turned to domestic issues Monday. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean laid out a plan to save America's cities, when Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri focused on special education and disabled workers. Meanwhile, retired Gen. Wesley Clark unveiled a commercial touting his links to the Clinton administration. Dean said he wants to improve the nation's cities by putting $100 billion toward creating a million jobs, increasing the federal minimum wage to $7 an hour, and providing credit for urban businesses. The former Vermont...

The Designer: "Morally, I think Kucinich is incredible." Many of us have also concluded Dennis is a menace who can't be believed on anything, including his explanation of why it was important to take Cleveland into bankruptcy. * * * Gulp! Could this also be short for Geppetto, a workcutter who carves puppets like Pinocchio? * * * This reads like the epitaph for Kerry's moribund campaign. BTW, who wouldn't want someone else? * * * You may think that this is an announcement that herald's the imminent release of Dean's governor files to the public, but you would...

I must admit that I cannot stand the weekend edition of Fox and Friends. Mike Jerrick rarely contributes to the discussion, and that leaves Juliet argueing with Julian Phillips most of the program. Julian uses "Katie Couric" language such as "some feel" or "most feel." I hear Julian dance around the actual subject and attempt to make himself look neutral only then to parrot the liberal line. Julian will say something like this "You know some feel and I think I gotta agree with Dean. This capture of Saddam really hasn't made us any safer." By starting with "some feel"...

Presidential hopeful Howard Dean's Democratic rivals wasted no time on Saturday blasting him for suggesting the day before that terror mastermind Osama bin Laden might not be guilty of the 9/11 attacks after all. The harshest attack came from Sen. John Kerry, whose campaign stands to gain the most from the outrageous Dean gaffe. "What kind of muddled thinking is it if you can't instantly say that in your heart you know that bin Laden is guilty?" he asked, in a speech to a Manchester, New Hampshire crowd. Then, referring to the potentially fatal political damage Dean likely incurred with...

OKLAHOMA CITY - Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt told cheering union workers Saturday that Oklahoma and its labor unions are an important part of his strategy to win the White House. "I'm going to win the Democratic nomination and I'm going to beat George Bush," Gephardt, standing on a stage in front of a large American flag, said during a campaign stop at the Teamsters Local 886 meeting hall. "I've served with five presidents and he is by far the worst. I'm nostalgic for Ronald Reagan," Gephardt said, drawing laughter from the crowd of about 300 union members and supporters,...

Posted on Sat, Dec. 27, 2003 Steelworkers won't participate in Dean rally Associated Press GEORGETOWN, S.C. - The local chapter of the steelworkers union has withdraw permission for Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean to use its hall for a rally next week. National union leaders ordered Steelworkers Local 7898 to back out because the union has endorsed U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri in the nine-way race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Dean wanted to speak to the job losses of the steelworkers and others in South Carolina suffering from layoffs, a campaign spokeswoman said. "Being there with these workers...

If registered Iowa voters are any indication, President Bush is in a solid postion to be re-elected. His closest democratic challenger right now is Missouri's Dick Gephardt. Our exclusive Survey USA poll shows Mister Bush beating Gephardt 52 percent to 45 percent in Iowa. As for other top democrats, Wesley Clark trails President Bush right now, 59 to 35 percent. Howard Dean versus Mister Bush results in 54 percent of registered Iowa voters supporting the president and 42 percent support for Dean. Democrat John Kerry also loses by 12 percent right now in Iowa against the President. And former vice...

<p>After the first time I met Richard A. Gephardt at a small lunch a few years ago, I called my editor as fast as my flabby fingers could dial the phone.</p> <p>"Do anything you want to me," I told her. "Cut my pay. Make me open a Worcester bureau. Force me to spend days with Barney Frank. But don't ever ask me to have lunch with him again."</p>