WHILE VILSACK ADDRESSES THE LIBERAL ‘TAKE BACK AMERICA CONFERENCE’ WE TAKE A LOOK AT TRAVELING TOM’S WEEK IN REVIEW

Iowans rejected the 08 candidate they know best

 
DES MOINES – Looking back, last week was not a good one for Presidential hopeful and sometimes Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack.  First a Des Moines Register poll shows that half of all Democrats believe that the state is moving in the wrong direction, then two of Vilsack’s picks for the primary lose, and finally a poll of Iowa Democrats (the people who know him best) put him fourth on their list of 2008 Presidential picks.

“It will be hard for the dejected Governor to make a case today that we need to ‘take back America’ when Iowans want to take back Iowa from his poor leadership.  After 50% of Iowa Democrats polled by the Des Moines Register stated they are looking for a change in direction, they backed it up on Primary day by rejecting his two favorite candidates by well over 50%,” said Republican Party of Iowa Executive Director Cullen Sheehan.  “To top it off, his Democrat base in Iowa prefers three other national Democrats over him for President.  Iowa Democrats, in fact all Iowans, know that Tom Vilsack has not handled the job of Governor well and they certainly don’t want him running the country.”

Sheehan continued, “The Governor’s own strategists were trying to spin that Vilsack hasn’t begun to campaign in Iowa.  After being Governor for eight years, should he have to? Vilsack was invisible during the legislative session and mismanaged state government, Iowans now want to take back Iowa.”

Iowa Democrats are looking for a change, not the same administration of corruption and mismanagement.  A Des Moines Register poll taken last week showed 50 percent of Democratic primary voters were ready for a change, while 41 percent wanted the next governor to continue in the same direction as Vilsack.  (Des Moines Register, 6/6/06)

Vilsack’s primary picks lost on June 6th.  Governor Vilsack endorsed Secretary of Agriculture candidate Dusky Terry.  It has also been widely reported that Vilsack was supporting Mike Blouin for Governor, his former Economic Development Director.

Democrat Strategist Jeff Link tried to come to Vilsack’s defense. “…But Link, a top consultant to Vilsack's Heartland PAC, said Vilsack has not yet begun to campaign in Iowa, where Edwards and others have already begun testing the waters.  ‘No Iowan has had that opportunity with Tom Vilsack at this point,’ Link said.  (Des Moines Register, 6/12/06).

Last year, the Republican Party of Iowa launched TravelingTom.com, which features include a video of Vilsack’s travels, Tom’s to do list, a map of states he has traveled to, Guess which state Traveling Tom will visit next, Governor Tom vs. Candidate Tom, the latest news and press releases.  The site is updated regularly.