In CR, Culver's Slide Started in 2008

Former Gov. Terry Branstad once gave Gov. Chet Culver some sage advice.

A severe ice storm hit the state in early 2007. Culver was at a governor's conference in Washington D.C. just after taking office.

“I told him, ‘Get back here as quick as you can and be hands on. What you need to do as governor is reassure people that there's going to be help provided,'” Branstad said in an interview last month.

Now the adviser wants his old job back. According to a poll over the weekend in The Des Moines Register, Branstad would beat Culver 53-33 if the general election were held today. Fortunately for Culver, it's still 8 months away.

Culver's approval rating, according to the poll, is 36 percent, and just 57 percent among Democrats. He also loses narrowly to Republican Bob Vander Plaats in a head-to-head matchup.

This really isn't shocking. The trend lines have been clear. Around these parts, Culver's stock has been declining since autumn 2008.

For weeks after the June 2008 flood, Culver truly was a hands-on governor. I and others praised his post flood performance. He reassured us that he would call a special legislative session to deal with the crisis. We approved.

But as with so many other tough tests in his governorship, he backed away. Culver insisted the feds wouldn't like it. He denied thinking about politics, but calling lawmakers back just before an election carried risk. Safer to act alone.

When he could have sent a strong signal that the flood was worthy of a statewide, all-hands-on-deck response, he played it cautious. Rather than rally consensus, Culver flew solo. Unfortunately, it's been a persistent theme of his tenure - whether it's dealing with budget problems or taking days to react to a court ruling. Hesitation and isolation.

Branstad made mistakes aplenty, but he was always buoyed by relationships he cultivated while constantly traveling the state. The guy was everywhere. Culver has been much less accessible.

Tom Vilsack was what I'd call a passionate explainer when it came to staking out positions and policies. He played politics, certainly, but he also took risks. Culver sent Lt. Gov. Patty Judge to Postville after the immigration raid. Vilsack would have gone himself.

Previous governors used those instincts and skills to survive economic downturns, political troubles and budget woes. Now, despite all his caution and calculation, Culver finds himself in a very deep hole.

His only hope now is that Republicans blow it by splintering over social issues. That can't be very reassuring. He'd better take a hands-on approach to saving his governorship while there's still time.