Gore makes a low key entry into Iowa

Former Vice President Al Gore is in Iowa, preparing to deliver a speech tonight in Des Moines. Gore flew into Burlington Friday morning, called a local supporter and went out for breakfast. With a cell phone and a rental car, Gore then made his way to Davenport, where he’d called Jerry Messer to round up some friends for lunch. Messer says they talked about all sorts of things: the war, whether Gore will run again, and, of course, Gore’s beard. He says the beard looks a little better in person than it does on TV.A group of eight, including Gore, sat down for lunch at the “Family Restaurant” in Davenport. Gore ordered a Greek salad, and Messer says it was a relaxed atmosphere and they had a lot of laughs.Messer is director of political affairs for the local United Food and Commercial Workers Union. He is also president of the Quad Cities Federation of Labor. Gore is to speak tonight, at about 8:30, at the Iowa Democratic Party’s annual Jefferson/Jackson Day fundraising banquet.