Iowa Rep Jim Leach will be on Al Franken Show on Air America today

[pstans]

It was on his intro that Iowa Representive Jim Leach will be on today. Franken said we have what many call the last honest Republican Jim Leach on the show the today. It should be interesting.

[Rambis]

1. Why this guy gets a pass I will never understand!

Integrity my ass! All of a sudden this guy looks like Mr. clean it is because he is surrounded by devils on every side. :wtf:

[terryg11]

2. he's a moderate

although I've always wondered if it's due to him wanting to keep his job. Iowa City is the biggest city in his district and it's steeped in liberals. If he was to change his vote on a few issues "the wrong way" he'd be looking for a job next term.

[Bluzmann57]

3. Um... not to quibble but

Cedar Rapids is bigger than Iowa City and it is in Leach's district. He was a moderate while he was here in the first district, despite what some may think. He is a voice of reason in the republican party.

[terryg11]

5. no, you're right

that's a big mistake on my part. I keep thinking there's nothing between IC and Waterloo.

[IowaGuy]

4. Generally speaking, he usually is a voice of moderation

and has a reasoned intellectual approach to most things..even if you don't always agree with him. He did lose me when he went through some incredibly tortured and twisted reasoning to vote for impeachment of Clinton. He totally folded to the repuke machine on that one, and I'll never forgive him for that. It shamed him and everything good he has attempted to do in the past. I think he is finding out now, the Republican party is leaving him, and he is just becoming a stranger in a strange land within his own party.

[rurallib]

7. I've said it before, I'll say it again

Leach is there for his party when they need him. He votes "his conscience" when it doesn't make a difference. Those are the votes that are pointed to as proof he's a moderate.
As I've said before look at who his two best friends are:
1) dick cheney
2) donald rumsfeild.

[Bluzmann57]

8. Ok I've had enough of your stuff

I now need proof of your accusations. Leach was in the First District for a long time and nobody ever saw any indication that Cheney and Rumsfeld were his "best friends". In fact, he tried to actually REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED HIM! Now that is a novel concept. Do you hate anyone with an R behind their name? I am beginning to think so. I had a chance to speak with him on numerous occasions and never ever did he treaty me or anyone rudely, even when people disagreed with him. He is truly a gentleman and a moderate. Yes he is a republican and he has done a few things to piss me off, like moving so that Nussle could have a relatively clear shot at the First District, but I certainly respect his politics and believe I know more about him than you ever will. FYI, he called the whole Whitewater investigation a mistake. But I guess since he's a republican, he must be a bad guy. One more time before this gets deleted, I need proof of the Cheney- Rumsfeld "best friends" connection. Quite frankly, I miss Leach here in the First District. And another FYI, I am a lifelong resident here. Are you?

[Rambis]

9. Worked for Rummy

1969-70 Special Assistant to Donald Rumsfeld, Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity

1968-69 Foreign Service Officer, Department of State

1965-66 Staff of Congressman Donald Rumsfeld

All on his website
http://www.house.gov/leach/biography.htm

CEDAR RAPIDS - Vice President Dick Cheney breezed through Cedar Rapids on Monday night for a $100-per-plate fund-raiser, using his high political profile to net approximately $35,000 for Rep. Jim Leach, the Republican running for re-election in Iowa's 2nd District in 2004

http://www.dailyiowan.com/news/2003/10/21/Metro/Cheney.Nets.35000.For.Leach.In.Cr-533947.shtml

[pstans]

6. I don't have much oppinion on Leach

since I don't live in his district. But I think that it is nice to have Iowa get some good pub on a national radio show.