Iowa's governor, the talk show host
YOU get a car! YOU get a car! YOU get a car! Remember the famous (not sure if the word, “famous,” is strong enough to describe her) television talk show host who delighted her audience with those words? It was 20 years ago and it was one of Oprah Winfrey’s legendary moments. Many in her audience were in tears with amazement after the dramatic announcement.
Take a drive down memory lane here.
Extra points if you remembered that each audience member received a new Pontiac G6 (and owed the taxes on it).
Here are more details about that famous day in 2004.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds hasn’t announced that she will give away new cars during her time at the State Fair this year. But she is giving away something else that could be valuable: her time and the media coverage that will come along with it.
The governor will give a dozen Republican presidential candidates a high-profile platform — with a one-on-one, interview-style event before a live audience — as they try to defeat former president Donald Trump in the January 15th, 2024 caucuses.
Trump is not coming, by the way. Well, he is coming to the fair but he declined to sit down with Reynolds, arguably the most popular Republican in the state. Trump is scheduled to visit the fair Saturday afternoon, according to his campaign.
Perhaps, it has something to do with the relationship between the two after Trump ripped Reynolds last month for declining to endorse him. The governor has said for months that she planned to remain neutral before the 2024 GOP caucuses. So this shouldn’t surprise anyone.
It’s no different than 2016 when she stayed neutral (she was still lieutenant governor back then). Governor Terry Branstad — who later worked for the Trump administration as ambassador to China — also declined to endorse a candidate during that cycle. So did both Iowa U.S. senators, Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley. They both said they don’t plan to endorse before the 2024 caucuses either. That’s tradition for the top office holders.
Now back to Governor Reynolds… she is hosting what her staff is calling “Fair-side chats” with the presidential candidates on the State Fairgrounds.
What type of questions can we expect from Governor Reynolds when she sits down with twelve members of the 2024 field? Good question.
(New Jersey Governor Chris Christie isn’t scheduled to sit down with the governor or attend the State Fair. Christie has yet to show that he plans to actively campaign in the state).
Doubtful that Reynolds’ line of questioning will make Mike Wallace, Lesley Stahl or Tim Russert blush because of her aggressiveness. However, Reynolds did solicit questions from Iowans for the series of interviews. And Iowa voters know how to bring the heat with a tough question. So, perhaps, she will ask some of those.
Here’s the schedule for her events that she will hold at JR’s SouthPork Ranch (near the Livestock Pavilion):
Thursday, August 10:
10:30 AM: California commentator Larry Elder
Friday, August 11:
8:30 AM: North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum
9:30 AM: Former Vice President Mike Pence
10:30 AM: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez
Saturday, August 12:
8:30 AM: Ohio business executive Vivek Ramaswamy
9:30 AM: Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley
10:30 AM: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
Tuesday, August 15:
8:30 AM: Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson
9:30 AM: Texas business owner/pastor Ryan Binkley
10:30 AM: South Carolina Senator Tim Scott
Friday, August 18:
9:30 AM: Michigan business executive Perry Johnson
10:30 AM: Former Texas Congressman Will Hurd
Let’s pay attention to how much the candidates praise the governor during their time together, how hard she presses them on their support for renewable fuels, how often we hear the word “freedom,” and whether she guides this conversation in a way that shows policy differences among the twelve.
That last thing could be more beneficial to caucus goers than a new car. O.K, maybe not. But it could still provide a lift to the undecideds.
Let’s face it, this is another very public auditioning for Vice President.
Please, let’s cut her loose.
Just for fun, I'd like the governor to talk to them about how the Iowa State Fair is not audited by the state.....and see what they think about the lack of oversight by her and our state government. 😊