December 14, 1999
Web posted at: 10:51 a.m. EST (1551 GMT)

DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) Local forecasters began to get the word out late Monday night. The first signs of central Iowa's notoriously harsh winters were in the air, and the first snow of the year was expected to fall Tuesday morning.

The air in downtown Des Moines even smelled like an imminent snowfall. Not that the locals were the least bit perturbed. Snow survival is a way of life in this northern portion of the heartland, and this forecast, many said, simply meant nothing. A dusting was on the way, perhaps some scattered flurries. Nothing at all to worry about, given the trial and glare of the national spotlight cast over Iowa's capital city earlier Monday night.

The worst had come and gone, many Des Moines residents surmised. The city had played host to six nationally prominent politicians, had accommodated scores of staffers and Republican Party loyalists, had stared down the length of hundreds of camera lenses, and had survived the onslaught. This was the practice run for the Iowa caucuses, scheduled for January 23 and 24, 2000, and the city seemed to be quite ready for the real thing -- even if that real thing is enhanced with a thick covering of the white stuff.

The crowds in this city are hearty. Steve Forbes' campaign drew the loudest assemblage, with perhaps 100 to 150 high school- and college-age youths in bright orange "Forbes 2000" t-shirts held back by a police barricade across from the south entrance of the Greater Des Moines Civic Center, the debate's venue. Forbes' crowd was a boisterous lot, and at times before the debate could be heard from blocks away.

Nonetheless, many of the youths, who shouted at passing cars and gently chided those sporting George W. Bush paraphernalia, looked completely exhausted by the end of the night, and a handful were sighted inside the Civic Center, desperately clutching forms that they said had to be signed by a debate organizer -- though for some of them, any signature would have sufficed.

"We had to do this for our government class," said one clearly frustrated orange t-shirt-clad high schooler. "I just need a signature on this thing so I can get out of here."

Arizona Senator John McCain showed flashes of the sense of humor that has won him rave reviews from the press and political observers alike in the course of the last two-and-a-half weeks. McCain, who managed to gently crack wise in recent debates in Phoenix and Manchester, New Hampshire, made light of a minor slip-up when he was given his first opportunity to speak in Des Moines on Monday night.

Co-moderator Tom Brokaw of NBC welcomed McCain to Iowa as the first round of questions opened. "It's nice to be back," McCain replied, before taking stock of the irony of his response.

McCain has decided to forego campaigning in Iowa to boost his pre-caucus standings, choosing instead to give front-running Texas Governor George W. Bush a spirited fight in the first primary state of New Hampshire. Many Iowa Republicans have taken note of McCain's absence, and he is not held in high regard by many in the state party as a result.

According to the official Iowa Caucus Web site, (www.iowacaucus.org), McCain has made only three visits to Iowa since the 2000 presidential race began in earnest. Even some in the McCain camp might dispute that number, saying it may be too high.

As soon as McCain responded to Brokaw's greeting, he blushed, smiled, and shrugged his shoulders. His gaffe was noted by the 2,400 party faithful in attendance, many of whom offered a smattering of guffaws.

As was to be expected, the true opposition sent a handful of operatives into the fray Monday to stir up trouble.

The Democratic National Committee circulated press releases to members of the media at the Des Moines Convention Center on Monday night that touted their latest gag -- the "Bush Stump Speech Search Engine."

Indeed, the Democrats have launched a searchable database on the DNC's Web Site (www.democrats.org) that allows users to enter a key word or phrase they think may have slipped past the front-running Texas governor's lips one too many times, then click "search" and see just how many times the phrase comes back.

"Voters can now check how many times Bush resorts to canned remarks," said DNC National Chairman Joe Andrew.

The search engine trolls a database of recent speeches made by Bush, but is not 100 percent accurate. Enter something as simple as the word "taxes," and you'll be given multiple hits. Enter a complex phrase, such as "second largest," and you're presented with only one matched item -- this despite the fact that Bush has used the words "second largest" numerous times in three debates when speaking of his election to the governor's post in the union's "second largest" state, Texas.

Officials of the Iowa Republican Party didn't seem the least bit concerned that debate moderators Tom Brokaw and WHO television news anchor John Bachman chose to highlight portions of the state party's platform that might just raise some eyebrows in other parts of the country among certain sectors of the population.

Brokaw and Bachman tried to corner the six Republican participants on their views of certain of the platform's provisions, among them: elimination of the minimum wage, elimination of the Environmental Protection Agency, the teaching of creationism in state schools, and a prohibition on combat participation for women in the armed services.

State party Executive Director Dee Stewart said these were the issues on the minds of Iowa voters, rather than broader issues such as gun control.

"Not everyone thinks like Washington journalists," Stewart said. "For the candidates to be questioned repeatedly about gun control, that's just out of step with the voters in Iowa, and raises questions about the objectivity of the person asking the question."

"Party platforms are simply reflective of the core values of the (state's) voters," Stewart said, adding that he had no qualms about the manner in which the state GOP's platform was presented Monday night.

Orrin Hatch demonstrated a bit of a fixation Monday night with the amount of money other people in the room might be making on a yearly basis. When quizzed by Brokaw about the need for a Medicare "means test" -- an assessment of earnings that would determine benefits eligibility -- Hatch hit Brokaw right in the wallet.

"I don't think you need to worry about Medicare with the amount of money you make," Hatch joked, addressing Brokaw. Sensing he was on to something, the Utah senator kept at it. "You could take care of all of us onstage with the money you make," Hatch said to a chorus of audience laughter. "You could take care of everyone in the audience with the money you make," Hatch continued, before he abruptly ran out of potential Brokaw benefactors.

But Hatch knew to stick to a good thing when he had it, and hit publisher Steve Forbes square in the wallet later in the debate.

As Hatch prepared to ask Forbes a question during the debate's candidate-to-candidate phase, Forbes cut him off, saying, "This sounds to me like a warning to hold on to my wallet."

"I don't think I could lift your wallet, Steve," Hatch responded quickly.

Tuesday, December 14, 1999

• Alexander endorses Bush
• Bradley attacks Gore's record on campaign finance
• Panel mulls recommendations to Congress on Internet sales tax
• Iowa notebook: Snow forecast of little concern after debate storm
• GOP candidates agree on problems, disagree on solutions in Iowa debate
• McCain proposes health care overhaul
• Des Moines Register: McCain downplays role in forum
• Poll: Gore erases Bradley's lead in New York
• Candidates struggle to define when the personal should become political
• White House 'scandal spokesman' to step down; won't be replaced
• Polls open as Brown seeks re-election in San Francisco
• Judge rules Tripp lacks immunity in case
• In speech, Bradley gives Gore ethics a one-two punch
• Major campaign donor accused of shredding documents to thwart probe
• Pentagon reminds candidates that 'don't ask, don't tell' is law - December
• Corporations help pay for improvements to Gore's residence

ARCHIVES