ChetChase 2010 -- The Week

Iowa's race for governor. Where it stops, nobody knows.

1. The Gambler vs. The Nanny -- Sound the sirens, throw the confetti, roast the fatted calf, Gov. Chet Culver took a strong, timely stand on a contentious public policy issue.

Word is the governor finally found a decent, affordable bully pulpit on Craigslist. Then he had to borrow a buddy's truck. You know how it goes.

Culver sent a letter this week to the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission urging them to get on with it already and approve new casino licenses for Wapello, Webster, Lyon and Tama counties.

The commisison is moving slowly, trying to figure out how to please exisiting casinos that don't want more competition and still look like they're being fair and deliberative etc. After all, our current casinos are like delicate orchids. Open that door to new casinos, and you just might let in a deadly, chilling breeze of competition. Horrors.

Culver says pish and posh.

These communities voted for gambling, an industry that's now two decades old in this state. Give it to them:

In the seventeen other Iowa communities where casinos have already been established, they have proven to be immediate job-creating ventures and, in most instances, have become strong generators of jobs in other businesses and enterprises...

...Opportunities to create new jobs are difficult to come by and shouldn't be dismissed easily. I want to bring these kinds of jobs to Lyon, Webster, Tama and Wapello Counties. The economic impact of these jobs will be enormous, bringing in, by some estimates, more than a quarter of a billion dollars in economic activity and far more in additional, indirect spending in these communities.

Competition is a good thing. Local community decisions and the dynamics of the financial marketplace should not be unduly outweighed by arguments that favor the status quo. If, in the past, the interests of existing casino establishments had been allowed unduly to prevail over the interests of other communities, as expressed in successful referendum elections, whose citizens wished to create local opportunities for new casinos, Iowa would never have allowed the construction of more than a handful of casinos.

But wait, I hear hoof beats in the distance. It's Republican candidate for governor Bob Vander Plaats.

He's here to save us from gambling. He's very late!

“Taking more money from people hooked on gambling by our state officials isn't leadership, it's just plain irresponsible. We don't need to increase the number of individuals or communities dependent on gambling and we sure don't need to increase the state budget's addiction to it, either,” he said. “These moves to allow internet gambling and open casinos in four more places are just two more steps along the path that Terry Branstad set us on in the 1980s when he joined with Democratic legislators to create the state lottery, open casinos and destroy the lives of many Iowans for the sake of generating more revenue for state government to spend.”

Sorry, voters in those communities, Vander Plaats only cares about your right to vote when you're wise enough to approve things he likes, such as banning gay marriage. Otherwise, he knows better. He's making an intervention to save you from yourselves. He'd like you to thank him now.

Regardless what you think of gambling, the bottom line for me is that Iowans with eyes wide open voted to allow this industry to come into their community. That message is clear. All the rest of this noise is about protecting turf and playing politics.

And the ironic thing about Vander Plaats' anti-gambling lecture is that it will draw loudest applause from existing casino interests who like things just the way they are. I bet he gets free buffets for life. Lucky duck.

As for the political implications, gambling may be a fighting word in the GOP primary, but most Iowans don't really see it as flash point anymore. Warts and all, it's just part of the landscape.

2. Throwing Bull -- Republican hopeful Rod Roberts wants two debates with his fellow GOP travelers to be set in rural locales. One in Roberts' hometown of Carroll and another in Eastern Iowa.

Carroll? Rural? Do you know how many stop lights it has?

I say we really go rural. Here are a few suggested settings.

Albert the Bull -- Set up the stage next to Audubon's famous bovine resident. What could be a better setting for a political debate than a giant load of bull?

Duncan Community Hall -- I saw the Litterer Band play a few times in this cozy little burg between Garner and Britt. 

The New Providence Roundhouse -- Sample joke: I know this is a roundhouse, but I stand squarely on conservative principles." Comedy gold.

Luick Memorial Auditorium in Belmond -- A hallowed hall with deep political significance ever since I gave what proved to be the winning speech in the 1988 race for student body president.

American Legion in Roland -- Boasts the "Coldest Beer in Iowa." What could be bad about that?

American Gothic House in Eldon -- Three very serious looking guys, holding pitchforks. Perfect.

On the other side of the political fence, Jonathan Narcisse, who is challenging Culver in the Democratic primary, says the governor would be crazy to debate him. Although he should. But he should never do it!

“I think that there's a better chance that a Prairie Meadows jockey will agree to a cage fight with Quinton ‘Rampage' Jackson than Chet Culver will debate Jonathan Narcisse,” Narcisse said when I asked if he thought Culver would go toe-to-toe with him. “I think that if his people let him debate me, I would sue his people for political malpractice.”

"Chet Culver is unusually unprepared to discuss state issues," Narcisse said.

You gonna take that, guv?

“We'll see is I have an opponent first,” Culver said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference where he also defended his recent Iraq visit as consistent with his duties as commander-in-chief of the Iowa National Guard.

“The filing deadline in March 16, so I'll probably have more to say, in terms of who is actually on the ballot, who's not, at that time,” the former Iowa secretary of state said. The deadline for filing nomination papers to be on the primary ballot is March 19.

Yeah. Until you file the petitions, cool your ambitions.

The Democrats could also debate in rural Iowa. Narcisse is ready.

"You can't run in Iowa without knowing manure," said Narcisse, arguing he's done his homework on rural issues. Clearly.

3. Convention Race -- I wrote a while back that Cedar Rapids is among cities bidding on the Republican state convention in June.

That's where the party will anoint its gubernatorial nominee. Unless the three way primary leaves no candidate with enough votes to win outright. Then the convention will be much, much more than a  celebration of flag neckties and predictable speeches. Odds favor anointment.

But The Iowa Republican, one year old this week btw, says Sioux City is the front-runner. Figures.  

The convention would bring 3,000 people to town, and Cedar Rapids could really use the business.

And a crowded Eastern Iowa 2nd District GOP congressional primary could be decided at the convention if the primary can't settle it. Why make easterly Republicans drive all the way to SUX?

But, I can understand why the GOP would have its convention in Sioux City. It's likely the centerpiece of the party's bold effort to finally make some inroads in Northwest Iowa, where it has struggled for years to gain a foothold. (Snark)

The party is expected to announce it's choice any day now.