Republican National Convention: Convention Notebook

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By Ed Tibbetts | Wednesday, September 03, 2008 |

Bolton visits Iowa delegation

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton visited the Iowa delegation Wednesday morning to make a foreign policy case for John McCain over Barack Obama.

He also praised McCain’s pick for vice president, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Critics have raised questions about Palin’s qualifications. She was elected governor less than two years ago. Bolton, however, said her credentials can clearly be seen on the question of energy.

“You can’t be governor of Alaska and not understand that this is not only an economic issue, energy is a national security issue as well,” he said.

McCain and Palin have a plan to solve the problem of energy independence, he added.

“It’s that kind of appreciation for the broad implications of energy policy that demonstrate in just one way why she is completely qualified to be on the ticket and God forbid there’s any need to step up to the larger responsibility,” he said.

Bolton said he had a discussion with Palin last year, while on a trip through Alaska, about missile defense questions and the state’s role in it.

“No doubt she was completely up to speed on it,” he said.

The former ambassador was part of a lineup of speakers that included McCain’s

96-year-old mother, Roberta; U.S. Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz.; former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele; and Bud Day, a retired colonel and a native of Sioux City who was imprisoned with McCain in Vietnam.

Ethanol and the GOP

The platform the Republican Party approved Monday includes these words: “The U.S. government should end mandates for ethanol and let the free market work.”

Not the kind of thing that is likely to play well in Iowa. In fact, state Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, who objected to the language, said the language — and other statements John McCain has made about agriculture — could cost him votes in Iowa.

“I think it’s possible,” Northey said. “We’ve got another couple months to play out. It does depend on what he says here on out.”

McCain has said he would have vetoed the farm bill, which Barack Obama’s campaign has criticized.

Northey, who is an alternate delegate to the convention, said McCain is better than Obama on trade and regulatory issues, and those could weigh in his favor.

The mandate the platform refers to is what’s called a Renewable Fuel Standard, which was included in the 2005 energy bill. It requires the use of 7.5 billion gallons of ethanol by 2012.

Monte Shaw, the executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, said the plank is much ado over little.

“It’s a yawner,” he said. Past platforms have objected to ethanol subsidies, he said.

Still, he adds other fuel sources get help. “That inconsistency is more annoying to us than the plank itself,” he said.

McCain’s mom

McCain’s 96-year-old mother was the belle of the ballroom Wednesday when she met with the Iowa delegation.

Roberta McCain, with a brisk walk and a strong voice, fired up a roomful of Iowans in a short speech. And she got a big round of applause when she noted that her late husband, Adm. John McCain Jr., was born in Council Bluffs. “He was always so proud he was from Iowa,” she said.

Ed Tibbetts can be contacted at (563) 383-2327 or etibbetts@qctimes.com.