Pat Rynard sits down to discuss this week’s Iowa Caucus happenings, and Josh Cook joins to talk about Congressman Ro Khanna’s help with a new tech jobs in Jefferson, Iowa, and how it could provide a new rural America messaging and policy approach for Democrats.
“Health care is personal to me,” Biden says in his new ad. “Obamacare is personal to me.” The ad addresses Biden’s personal experiences, drawing on a car accident that took his wife and daughter’s lives, as well as his son Beau’s struggle with brain cancer. The messaging in the new ad is similar to what Biden’s message has been on the campaign trial: Obamacare was a huge step forward, and Biden would like to build on it and continue its legacy, not scrap it. Speaking of Obamacare, Biden says, “When I see the President try to tear it down and […]
Around 75 people showed up at Sunset Ridge Farm this afternoon to hear Vice President Joe Biden speak earlier today. Biden framed the 2020 race as “the most important election any of you have ever voted in, regardless of how old, or young, you are.” Biden hit many of his frequent talking points, including the divisiveness of Donald Trump and his rhetoric, increasing racial tension under Trump’s leadership, the energized resurgence of white supremacy, the cost and importance of education, teacher pay and gun violence. “We can overcome four years of Donald Trump, it will be difficult, but if we […]
Joe Biden was in the cross-hairs on Wednesday night. With the exception of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who instead directed her fire at Sen. Kamala Harris, candidates who wanted to rip on one another largely aimed their sights at the former Vice President. Vice President Biden got in a handful of heated exchanges throughout the night. Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Kamala Harris, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Jay Inslee all went directly at Biden on his record in the Senate and as Vice President, statements he made in the past and his work on issues like racial […]
Sen. Cory Booker’s campaign seems primed for a breakout. He was the most-googled candidate during night one of the first debates, after which he saw a big jump in fundraising. He’s also secured a ton of endorsements from Iowa legislators and activists across the state. And most Iowa politics watchers praise his campaign’s ground game as one of the best. Yet, as August approaches, he’s still hanging out below the top tier of candidates in the polls. On Friday, Booker and his team made a swing through Iowa, starting the day with a stop in Council Bluffs and ending with […]
Health care discussions have proven to be a major flashpoint for the 2020 Democratic candidates, leading to unsure endorsements on the debate stage, redacting debate answers and nuanced hesitancy on Medicare for All. A majority of the candidates are now offering health care plans other than an immediate Medicare for All system, most choosing instead to support the position of developing a public option as sort of a test run at a larger single-payer care system. On Monday, AARP and the Des Moines Register kicked off a week full of candidate forums to discuss health care plans, combatting rising pharmaceutical […]
Former Vice President Joe Biden made waves Wednesday when he reaffirmed his support for the Hyde Amendment, a law that prevents federal funds being used to pay for abortions. On Thursday, after the other Democratic candidates sounded their support for repealing the amendment, Biden reversed his position at a fundraising event in Georgia. “I can’t justify leaving millions of women without access to care they need and the ability to exercise their constitutionally protected right. If I believe healthcare is a right, as I do, I can no longer support an amendment that would make that right dependent on someone’s […]
Kate Gronstal sat at her parents’ house, devastated and crying, when her phone rang. Kate was in no condition to be taking calls, but her mother answered and quickly brought it over. “You need to take this,” Connie Gronstal insisted, and handed the phone to her daughter. On the line was Vice President Joe Biden, calling to give his condolences over the sudden death of Kate’s husband, Dennis. The day before Kate had returned home from a trip to see friends in Chicago and quickly became worried when Dennis wasn’t at the airport to pick her up. Connie swung by […]
Vice President Joe Biden came to Des Moines yesterday, beginning his trip by talking with students at Drake University. And he talked. And talked. And then talked some more. He gave students a nearly two hour professorial class on economics, foreign relations and a little bit of everything else. But this is Iowa, so a speech is never just a speech. Once again, if you only read the headlines from the national news media, you’d think his Drake speech and the trip itself was a preview of a Biden presidential campaign. News outlets led with Biden’s assertion that Democrats should […]
The Des Moines Register and Bloomberg Politics released the newest Iowa Poll Saturday evening, which showed Hillary Clinton with a commanding 56% share of likely Democratic caucus-goers. Elizabeth Warren, who has said she won’t run, trails her at 16%. Vice President Joe Biden is at 9%. That’s a lead many Democratic presidential hopefuls would look at and think, “Eh, I’ll wait until next time.” That would be a mistake. 2016 cannot be an uncontested coronation for Clinton if Democrats care about their long-term future. They need only look to tonight’s Super Bowl to see why. New England Patriots quarterback Tom […]
