By Jeff Eckhoff, Des Moines Register, 28 January 2007
The most prominent voices in Saturday’s chorus belonged to Democratic politicians. Former Gov. Tom Vilsack, Sen. Tom Harkin and Rep. Leonard Boswell all sent letters voicing their support for the protesters, and all urged action against President Bush’s plans to send an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq.
“It will only tear away the fabric of our communities and will do nothing to bring peace to the streets of Baghdad,” Vilsack said via a letter read by former Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson.
Harkin, via another letter, called for Congress to block money for the troop surge, while Boswell’s letter urged a troop withdrawal “if Iraqis are ready.”
Conspicuous by her absence was Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton, whose crosstown presidential campaign event kept roughly 150 people away from the previously scheduled rally, organizers estimated.
Clinton’s campaign was contacted “seven or eight times” about the rally, but “they ignored us,” said Bruce Stone, spokesman for the Progressive Coalition. “We’re just the grass roots in Iowa. We don’t matter.”
In response, Des Moines organizers, who began their event by letting demonstrators view televised coverage of a Washington, D.C., protest rally, turned off C-SPAN when the network switched to coverage of Clinton’s event in Des Moines.
“The senator says she wants to begin having a conversation with Iowans,” said former State Rep. Ed Fallon. “I feel the best place to begin that dialogue would have been right here.”
Clinton’s campaign spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment Saturday afternoon. [More]