One of Iowa’s delegates at the Republican National Convention has a storied history in the G-O-P. Ed Failor, Senior, of Muscatine went to his first Republican convention in 1960, where he was called “The Godfather” of the Young Republican National Federation.In 1964, he was one of a handful of Republicans who orchestrated the nomination of Barry Goldwater. And at 1972’s convention, Failor was the “issues coordinator” for the Nixon campaign.Failor is the highest-ranking Nixon campaign official to have escaped indictment in Watergate’s aftermath. He started working for Nixon on June 19th, the break in at the Watergate was on June 26th, the Friday night before. This time around, Failor, who is now 72, is an Iowa delegate who’s watching not acting in this year’s political script. Failor is socializing with old and new friends, and he brought his 35-year-old son along as a companion for this trip. Failor is now the C-E-O and president of the Iowa Taxpayers Association, a group that’s influential in Iowa Republican Party politics. This afternoon, New Jersey state police notified Iowa GOP officials to beware because three thousand protestors from New York City were headed for Philadelphia. On Monday, about two thousand protested in Philly, but didn’t disrupt much more than traffic. Two New Jersey police officers and a U-S Marshall are stationed at Iowa’s hotel in the metro, and hundreds of other officers are patrolling the area.
