Column - Mercy Rule

If Gov. Chet Culver's last month were a high-school football game, I think the mercy rule would have kicked in by now.

State budget problems are mounting while the economy continues to stagger. Mismanagement of the Iowa Film Office and millions of dollars in state tax credits to filmmakers has now spawned a criminal investigation.

The federal government is questioning Culver's management of voting reform dollars during his time as secretary of state, including more than $1 million spent on a curious, weeklong “celebration of voting.”

And on Wednesday, former four-term Republican Gov. Terry Branstad filed papers to form a campaign committee. Early polls show Branstad whipping Culver in a general election matchup.

Mercy.

But there is some good news for Culver.

Apparently there is no Iowa Democrat with the guts or bucks or both to stand up and say, “I could do better than this.” For all the talk of a mystery U.S. Senate candidate, there is no whispering about a mysterious Democrat fed up with the Terrace Hill circus.

There's no Fred Grandy out there with a D behind his name, willing to speak hard truth to incumbency. There's no fiscally responsible Democrat who can't stand seeing piles of taxpayer money accidentally misplaced like a cheap pair of sunglasses.

Apparently there's no i-dotting, t-crossing Democratic business executive out there who refuses to stand by and watch multimillion-dollar government programs managed like lemonade stands.

There's no tough-minded, fearless progressive Democrat who is tired of seeing so many tough, important issues he or she cares about sidestepped - like local control of hog confinements or campaign finance reform.

Nope. For all of Culver's problems, a primary won't be one of them.

Democrats are circling the wagons around their governor. They say it's too early to panic and surely voters won't blame Culver for all of these problems. Perhaps. It's true Culver can't be blamed directly for the film credit fiasco, and he can't control economic conditions that are battering the budget. But he was warned again and again that state spending is not sustainable.

He disputes the federal probe, although Culver often used the secretary of state's office as a promotional tool for his ambitions. He can explain and refute. But can he shake the idea now being forged into voters' minds that he's lost grip of the reins?

If not, the governor and his steadfast Democratic allies won't be celebrating voting in November 2010.

¦ Contact the writer at (319) 398-8452 or todd.dorman@gazcomm.com