Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will be "ambassador-in-residence" at Drake University, meeting with students and planning to host a yearly conference about U.S. and China relations. Branstad, who was President Donald Trump's Ambassador to China, graduated from Drake's law school 50 years … [Read more...]
Former Iowa Congressman Neal Smith dies at age 101
Former Iowa Congressman Neal Smith of Des Moines has died at the age of 101. Smith, a Democrat, was first elected to the U.S. House in 1958. During an appearnace on Iowa PBS in 2013, Smith said during his 36-year career in the House, he never personally asked for a campaign contribution. "In my … [Read more...]
Former Senator Tom Harkin marks anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act
The woman who is the world's first and only armless pilot will be flying over the Washington, D.C. area this morning with former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin as her copilot. Jessica Cox, who was born without arms, is a motivational speaker and disability rights advocate. The 80-year-old Harkin served … [Read more...]
Lives of the late Leonard and Dody Boswell celebrated in Lamoni
Former Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell and his wife, Dody, were buried side-by-side on Saturday afternoon in Lamoni. Eighty-four-year-old Leonard Boswell died August 17 after a long battle with a rare form of cancer. His 82-year-old wife, Dody -- a retired teacher, died early Saturday morning … [Read more...]
Harkin calls on young people to ‘raise the bar’ and run for office
Former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin is lamenting the "lost art of human relations" in the United States Senate. Harkin, a Democrat who served 30 years in the U.S. Senate, did not run for reelection in 2014. Harkin said these days senators spend little time listening to one another in private or in … [Read more...]
Options unclear for Iowans enrolled in now-closed ITT Technical Institute
One of the largest for-profit colleges in the country is closing immediately, but it's not clear how many Iowa students may be affected. ITT Technical Institute offered courses on-line and has operated attendance centers in the Des Moines suburb of Clive and Cedar Rapids, but the Cedar Rapids … [Read more...]
Harkin: ‘no one is left out’ in the ASL sign for ‘America’ (AUDIO)
Former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin was the first speaker to take the stage this afternoon at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. "Twenty-six years ago today, our nation won a hard- fought battle to end discrimination for over 50 million people when we signed into law the Americans … [Read more...]
Iowa’s DNC roll call: 30 delegates for Clinton, 21 for Sanders
Thirty of the 51 delegates from Iowa will cast their votes for Hillary Clinton tonight when roll call is taken at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Christina Blackcloud, a member of the Mesquakie Settlement in Tama, is one of those Clinton delegates. "She supports everything … [Read more...]
Harkin reveals he got a stop talking sign during 1984 convention speech
Former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin is scheduled to speak at the Democratic National Convention this afternoon, at about three o'clock Iowa time. Harkin is promising to make it brief. "I've only got four minutes," Harkin told Iowa reporters Sunday evening, "so don't hold your breath." But … [Read more...]
Harkin: Philly hotels charging ‘criminal’ rates this week
Former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin is calling on party officials planning the next Democratic National Convention in 2020 to negotiate better hotel deals. Many hotels for this week's convention in Philadelphia have raised rates. "Somebody's got to get to the site selection committee," Harkin says. … [Read more...]