Clinton visiting Iowa soon: Democratic National Convention Reporters’ Notebook, Day 1

A roundup of news items from the Democratic National Convention:

CLINTON TO IOWA: A Hillary for America staffer said Iowans will 'soon” have the chance to see Hillary Clinton again after the first-in-the-nation state gave her a razor-thin caucus win over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

National Battleground State Director Meg Ansara also said it's possible Clinton will appear with Sanders.

'The New Hampshire event was a huge success and an opportunity to bring people together,” Ansara said about a July 12 campaign appearance where he endorsed Clinton. The Clinton campaign has been in talks with Sanders' people 'and we're very eager to do that in other places. Iowa is a place where we hope to see that happen.”

GETTING THE HOOK: Tuesday won't mark the first time retired Sen. Tom Harkin has addressed the Democratic National Convention. He hopes it goes better than the first.

As a U.S. House member running for the Senate in 1984, Harkin was given a speaking slot along with several other candidates at the San Francisco convention.

'I got to going and I kind of got going,” Harkin said. 'And two or three minutes went to four to five minutes or six minutes.

'There were these potted plants along the front and I looked down and saw this guy crawling underneath the plants and reaching up on the podium and putting a piece of paper in front of me: ‘Stop talking.'”

He said he's been allotted four minutes starting at 3 p.m. Iowa time.

WORSE THAN BRANSTAD: AFSCME Local 61 President Danny Homan has never been shy about criticizing Gov. Terry Branstad.

But always with respect for the office, Homan told Iowa delegates Monday.

'I disagree with our governor every day of the week,” he said to applause, 'without calling him names in public and the press because I have to respect the office.”

That was right after he warned that state employees he represents in contract negotiations will retire with decent benefits only 'if you can keep Branstad's grubby hands off your pension.”

Homan warned that as bad as Branstad has been for state employees, there's someone who poses a bigger threat: Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.

'Two years from now, folks, I believe you will have a choice between a Democrat … and Kim Reynolds,” Homan said, acknowledging 'there are several folks who may be looking at running for governor,” including Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Andy McGuire and Sen. Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids, who were in the room.

'God help us all if we elect Kim Reynolds,' Homan said. 'I believe she's even more dangerous that Branstad, if that's possible.”

TOO PRICEY: Retired Sen. Tom Harkin expressed concern that some Democrats may have been priced out of the Democratic National Convention because of the high price of hotel accommodations.

'It is criminal what they're doing here,” he said about the room rates of as much as $700 a night in Philadelphia.

'I got a matchbox that's 600-and-some bucks a night,” the Cumming Democrat told reporters. 'Look, I can afford it, but my God there's a lot of people who come here who can't afford that kind of money, not just from Iowa, but I'm hearing from other states, too.”

Delegates to both the Democratic and Republican conventions said they had to raise between $3,000 to $8,000 per person to cover travel, lodging and meals.

GOP VIEW FROM AFAR: Iowa Republicans believe their presidential candidate, Donald Trump, is being aided by disarray that has marked the start of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said the delegate discontent during last week's Republican convention paled in comparison to the 'deep divisions” among Democrats over a 'bald-face rigging of the system” to make certain Hillary Clinton was nominated over Bernie Sanders.

'The DNC chair has resigned the convention, the attendees have taken over the welcome party; I mean this is significant,” said Kaufmann, who characterized the Democrats' gathering as 'descending into chaos.”

Gov. Terry Branstad said Iowa is a battleground state and a clear choice has emerged.

The GOP governor predicted Trump would have 'an excellent chance to win in Iowa.”

Compiled by the Des Moines Bureau