Showing posts with label Iowa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iowa. Show all posts

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Former Chair of Iowa GOP Joins Herman Cain's Campaign

from the Cain Campaign

The Herman Cain presidential campaign announced Wednesday that former Republican Party of Iowa Chairman, Steve Grubbs, will join the campaign as the Iowa State Chairman.

“We tried a community organizer as president, maybe it's time we put a CEO in the White House,” said Grubbs. “I've had the good fortune to work with Bob Dole, Steve Forbes and Tommy Thompson and I can honestly say that I've never quite seen the groundswell of excitement that I'm seeing for Herman Cain.”

“Having Steve Grubbs join our team demonstrates the commitment the Cain campaign has for its state-by-state strategy. We believe in our national strategy, but we know that we will need a strong ground based organization to do well in Iowa,” said Mark Block, chief of staff for the Cain campaign. “Steve Grubbs has been a part of the Dole Presidential campaigns in '88 and '96 as well as the Forbes campaign in 2000. These presidential bids were well organized campaigns and that's our goal for the caucuses.”
Steve Grubbs is considered one of the leading Republican strategists in Iowa. He has worked on four presidential campaigns and more than 100 state and local campaigns in the state. He served as Chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa in '97-98 and served six years in the Iowa House of Representatives prior to that.

“I've looked at the Cain campaign organization and while there's a lot of work to do, it has the ingredients to win. Herman Cain has deep support in Iowa and that makes the job of finding precinct leaders easier,” said Grubbs. “Mitt Romney has five years behind his organization in Iowa and that makes him the frontrunner, but the momentum of the Cain campaign is only getting stronger and the enthusiasm for Herman’s vision to turn our country around is only getting louder.”

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

WH Pool: President Orders Magic Mountains and Volcano to Go

The president made an unannounced stop at Ross', a 24-hour local eatery in Bettendorf, Iowa, owned by a woman he met at an Aug. 25, 2008, town hall meeting.

Cynthia Freidhof, the owner, amused Obama at the town hall with her description of the sandwiches sold at Ross': the Magic Mountain (Texas toast grilled, loose steamed hamburger meat, choice of french fries or hash browns, homemade cheddar cheese, onions) and the Volcano (the Magic Mountain plus spicy hot chili on top).

During the 2008 town hall at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, which was for undecided voters, Obama said he would make it one day to Ross'.

Obama walked into the restaurant around 12:10 p.m., surprising the lunch crowd and the restaurant workers.

He greeted Freidhof, who was shocked and very excited.

"How are you doing? We came to order some food," Obama said.

He held up an enormous cinnamon roll, about six inches in diameter.

"I'm not sure I'm going to be able to eat one of these," Obama joked.

He was then given a description of the sandwiches.

"Anybody who wants one, I will buy it for you," Obama said. "Anybody in the press corps has to eat the whole thing. I already got some takers on the plane though, so we're going to order four Magic Mountains and two Volcanos."

"Any takers on the press?" Obama asked.

No one responded.

"You chickens," he said.

Obama then turned his attention to Freidhof.

"So business is going ok?" Obama asked her.

"It is going ok, it is ok, yeah," Freidhof said before quickly changing the subject. She said a woman told her Obama would stop by Ross' one day, that "he is a man of his word. I didn't believe her."

"I'm thrilled to be here," Obama said.

He worked his way through the restaurant, taking pictures and shaking hands.

Interview with Freidhof:

She said she wasn't given a heads up on the visit. She was standing outside the restaurant to watch the motorcade and saw it turn into her business, which was started by her father in 1940.

"I hope he brought his antacids because he said he's going to need one after he eats the Magic Mountain, he thinks, but I don't think so," she said.

She renamed it the "Presidential Magic Mountain" for the day.

"This is just beyond," Freidhof said.

She said she still supports the president and that she would do everything she can to help him win Iowa.

"I think he is doing the very best he can with the way things are," she said.

A local reporter said Guiliani stopped by Ross' a few years ago.
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The president arrived at 12:41 pm at the Alcoa factory. The streets were thick with onlookers.