Iowa Democratic leaders downplay party leadership change

PHILADELPHIA - Iowa Democratic leaders downplayed a shake-up at the top of the Democratic National Committee on the eve of their party's national convention.

At a gathering of the 62-member Iowa delegation to the convention in Philadelphia Sunday evening, retired Sen. Tom Harkin said Florida U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's resignation is 'normal.”

It's standard operating procedure for the party chair to tender his or her resignation at the end of a four-year term, Harkin said.

However, Wasserman Shultz's announcement that she would let someone else chair the convent ion and then step down follows disclosure of leaked emails that suggest party officials conspired to sabotage the campaign of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

State Party Chairwoman Andy McGuire predicted the party 'won't miss a beat” because of the resignation following revelations that DNC staffers who supported Hillary Clinton were disparaging Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in emails.

'There are almost 5,000 delegates here, so this isn't about one person,” McGuire said. 'It's a big team.”

Clinton delegate and AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny rejected suggestions that the emails released by WikiLeaks that led to Wasserman Schultz's resignation will taint the convention.

'By the end of the day Monday it will blow over,” Homan predicted. 'A rocky start to a convention was what we witnessed in Cleveland last week with delegates walking off the floor and booing the chairman.”

Not everyone took the leaked emails so casually. Fourth District Sanders delegate Caleb Humphrey of Madrid said the DNC betrayed the party and 'a lot of hardworking Americans who don't have time to follow this.”

'The DNC played with fire by tipping the scales for Clinton,” the Iraq War veteran said. 'She not a strong candidate and Bernie polls better against Trump than she does. Who's going to tip the scale for her this fall?

'This is going to be an interesting convention,” Humphrey said. 'There's a lot of questions that need to be answered.”

Rocky start or not, Iowa delegates were in high spirits at a North Philadelphia bowling alley where they fortified themselves for a long week with beer, Tater Tots, salads and bruschetta.

Monday they go to work. Each day of the convention the delegates will come together for breakfast and to meet some Democratic dignitaries - some who are mentioned as future presidential candidates. Monday morning, Texas U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro will host the breakfast and NARAL President Ilyse Hogue will be the guest speaker. Iowa Fourth District candidate Kim Weaver also will speak.

Tuesday, it will be next-door neighbor Minnesota Sen. Amy Klouchar speaking at a breakfast hosted by the Blue Sky Alliance.

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who campaigned in the Iowa in the run-up to the caucuses, also will join the delegation Tuesday morning.

Castro will return Wednesday to speak to the delegation as the guest of Iowa 2nd District Rep. Dave Loebsack.

And Thursday, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and retired Gen. Wesley Clark will speak as guests of America's Renewable Future.

Monday evening, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and First Lady Michelle Obama will address the convention.

On Tuesday, which is the 26th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Harkin will speak about the signature legislation of his three decades in the U.S. Senate.

'Don't blink. They only gave me four minutes,” said Harkin, who took delight in pointing out the handicapped accessible ramp at the bowling alley.

Harkin, who retired from the Senate in 2014, said he was asked to speak that day to celebrate the legislation that created federal laws designed to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities.

In addition to the official convention session every afternoon and evening, Iowa delegates will be taking part in with various caucuses that bring together members of the African America, Native American, LGBT, faith, veterans, Hispanic, labor and rural communities.