Obama trip throws new obstacle in 2010 session adjournment

DES MOINES – A new hurdle was thrown Monday in state lawmakers' path to adjournment this week – a return trip to Iowa by President Barack Obama.

“It kind of puts a crimp in the whole ‘lets-get-out-of-here' discussion,” said Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, who was jubilant over the word the president planned to speak about health care in Iowa – the place where he proposed a health-care reform passage that Congress passed and he plans to sign this week.

Leaders of Democratic majorities that control the Iowa Legislature had indicated they hoped to adjourn this year's session as early as Thursday but they were reassessing Monday had they could adjust their timetable to enable those who wanted to see Obama to make the trip.

 “We're still hoping to look at Thursday (adjournment) but it doesn't hurt to make a quick drive to see the president of the United States and then come on back to finish bill. We can do both,” said Rep. David Jacoby, D-Coralville.

Sen. Bob Dvorsky, D-Iowa City, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and an early Obama supporter in the 2008 Iowa caucuses, said he was hopeful he could see the president, given that budget work likely will be in the time-consuming printing and drafting stages by Thursday.

“I was there when he gave his initial health-care speech at the University of Iowa. That's why he's returning as I understand it,” Dvorsky said. “We were early supporters. And, we were right.”

Another early support, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, said he was unaware Obama was making his second trip to Iowa since being elected the first African-American president in November 2008 because his cell phone had gone dead and that's usually how the White House contacted him.

Miller said he expected to be on hand when Obama makes his Iowa stop, noting “it's always great to have him back in Iowa.”

Aides to Gov. Chet Culver, who actively campaigned for Obama after staying neutral through the Iowa caucuses season, said it hadn't been decided whether the governor would go to Iowa City, but the governor shouted “yes, yes, yes” to reporters who asked as he was whisked away after by his handlers after a bill-signing ceremony Monday.

Rep. Jeff Kaufmann, R-Wilton, said many lawmakers have conflicts with family events or things involving their children during the session's final week that they forego to complete “the people's business” that they were elected to do. He said it was no different in foregoing a presidential visit.

“We're talking about a political event here. We're not talking about an event that's instrumental in any policy that we're passing,” he said. “To me, it's fairly simple, you've got to pick the people's business. That's what we're here for.”

Kaufmann said Thursday's visit has definite political overtones because Iowa is a swing state that will be important in the 2012 election and Johnson County presents a favorable backdrop to ballyhoo a health-care approach that Democrats championed and passed on a party-line vote.

“I don't think seeing the president in a political event trumps trying to get out early, especially when we've had to have to short cut so many other bills and things in the process,” he said. “This is a political event and to slow up the people's business that we're doing here, I couldn't justify that to my constituents.”

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