Harkin Institute

[everyyard]

Exactly right. It's no coincidence that Branstad gets elected, remakes the Board of Regents in his image, and ISU is mired in political controversy ever since. Between the Harkin issue, the tuition set-aside, and Agrisol it's been a pretty embarrassing 18 months or so.

This is what happens when you appoint people because they're good friends of your campaign, rather than their actual interest in, you know, governing.

Brandstad is not, and never will be, a friend of Iowa State. Political party aside, ISU would be better served with anyone else in office. This is the same guy that came close to making us a branch of a state wide University of Iowa system and put one of the most anti-ISU regent boards in history together.

[cloneluke80]

hmmm...so a lifetime senator with a GIGANTIC ego? not surprised in the least... He wanted Leath to cave to his every need and kiss his *** and when Leath didnt, Harkin seemed to start throwing a little 2 year old tantrum... harkin is weak...

[DistrictCyclone]

So, exactly what day did Harkin start running for the 1992 election? Just curious.

I think he announced during the summer of 91, a few months before the caucus. I'm sure he'd been thinking about it since the day he was elected to the Senate, though. There's some saying about how every Senator looks in the mirror and sees a future President, but I don't remember exactly what it is.

EDIT: I know it was before September, because he usually hosts a steak fry in September. He used to do it at one of his friends' farms, but due to all of the hoopla surrounding his presidential run that year, there were way more people and security at the steak fry than usual so they moved it to another venue in the years after that.

[chuckd4735]

One of Tom Harkins more famous moments...

[dafarmer]

If you are going to stick up for Bumstad and his politics, get all the facts. His friend Pomerantz (IU grad) stripped WOI from ISU. The university shouldn't be in the broadcasting business. Way to use foresight, No one could forsee a sports network EVER making money. Wife was at a meeting and heard the Gov. speak. She thought he was drunk but I told her he makes G. W. sound like a Shakespearian actor. The only thing he is interested in is money in his pocket.

[trigger1]

Here's an article:

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/d...to-isu/article

A rather inaccurate statement from the Senator. iIRC, his wife, and BOR member, initiated the idea of the senator's papers being donated to ISU nd etablishing the institute. It was not that ISU approached the senator. Posturing plain and simple.

[ISUAgronomist]

I asked why it's such a bad thing to have an institute like this named after a sitting senator. And I haven't gotten one response that stands up to even the slightest logical challenge. So I guess my original hunch, that the opposition to this is not because it's a sitting senator but because it's a Democrat, is probably on the mark.

I don't get too wrapped in politics/parties but having a facility/"insitute" named after a current, powerful Senator seems out of place. Harkin/Grassley/D/R...etc. Wait until they've retired from public service before establishing a public "institute" in their name.

Isn't this also the place that got through the BOR with some internal dealings from his wife IIRC? If so, that also makes it seem a little "odd".

[c.y.c.l.o.n.e.s]

Interesting that everyone is accusing Brandstad of playing politics when the original problem with this "institute" was all about politics. Ruth Harkin tried to secretly railroad this through the regents with the help of her Democratic cronies Bonnie Campbell and Michael Gartner. She tried to push this through a few days before Branstad made his appointments to the board of regents. She was accused of ethics violations. Lets put it this way... when was last time the Harkins did ANYTHING without first calling the media to help trumpet their accomplishments. That fact that they were concerned about their ethics being compared to Charlie Rangel (they were trying to do the exact same thing as he did) should tell you all you need to know.

Ruth Harkin pushed for Iowa State institute honoring husband, emails reveal | TheGazette

[everyyard]

Interesting that everyone is accusing Brandstad of playing politics when the original problem with this "institute" was all about politics. Ruth Harkin tried to secretly railroad this through the regents with the help of her Democratic cronies Bonnie Campbell and Michael Gartner. She tried to push this through a few days before Branstad made his appointments to the board of regents. She was accused of ethics violations. Lets put it this way... when was last time the Harkins did ANYTHING without first calling the media to help trumpet their accomplishments. That fact that they were concerned about their ethics being compared to Charlie Rangel (they were trying to do the exact same thing as he did) should tell you all you need to know.

Ruth Harkin pushed for Iowa State institute honoring husband, emails reveal | TheGazette

I think the problem is some people are not separating the issues. Harken and his papers might be political and I could care less either way. But Branstad has never convinced me he has given up on his anti-ISU stance and regardless of his other politics I will never be a supporter of his because in my opinion, ISU comes before politics.

[othercy]

Who would want Harkin's papers? Give them to a school in the Bahamas. Doesn't he live there?

Yes he does. Always amazes me how these guys go into politics for "public service" and emerge as multimillionaires.

[DistrictCyclone]

Yes he does. Always amazes me how these guys go into politics for "public service" and emerge as multimillionaires.

Most of them anymore are multimillionaires before they even get in...you almost need to be in order to make a successful run, which is a damned disgrace.

[norcalcy]

Just saw on the news that Harkin will remove his 'papers' from Iowa State and the Harkin Institute will be no longer here. What does this mean? Should I care? Channel 13 made a big deal of it.

In short, it means nothing. You should not care. Five years from now, no one will know who Tom Harkin is. Can't imagine what among his "papers" would be worth studying. A very inconsequential man.

[othercy]

Most of them anymore are multimillionaires before they even get in...you almost need to be in order to make a successful run, which is a damned disgrace.

He was not before he entered politics. Neither was Harry Reid, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, nor Barak Obama for that matter. Always amazed at how these folks that are supposedly for the little guy get so rich off their "public service". Kind of makes a person cyncical.

[clone136]

In short, it means nothing. You should not care. Five years from now, no one will know who Tom Harkin is. Can't imagine what among his "papers" would be worth studying. A very inconsequential man.

I guess the American with Disabilities Act will have no long term effect on society.

[kcdc4isu]

This is politics and nothing more and anyone who says it is not is only siding with their party. The Gov could not stand having it named after a Democrat.