IOWA INSIDER

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney shrugged off a recent poll that showed him at the front of the GOP presidential field in Iowa.

During a taping of “Iowa Press” Wednesday, Romney sought to lower expectations for his campaign in the state.

“I’m still the underdog, and I think people recognize that,” Romney said. The show is slated to air this weekend on Iowa Public Television.

Romney promised to “compete aggressively” in the Iowa Straw Poll in August.

“I believe in the Iowa process. I think that people who are planning on running for president should really subject themselves to the process of getting known by voters in Iowa,” Romney said.

Romney also was ready with an answer to inevitable questions about how a Fred Thompson candidacy could change the race.

“I can tell you that he’s a good man. He’s served us well as a senator, and my only comment is, come on in, the water’s fine,” Romney said.

           Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, issued a scathing statement in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, which had been accused of discrimination by a longtime female employee who had complained she was paid far less than her male counterparts over the years. The court found she should have made her claim in a more timely manner.

            Here’s what Harkin had to say about the ruling:

           “I am extremely disappointed with the Supreme Court’s verdict in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.  It is astounding to me that in 2007, women still earn 77 cents for every dollar a man makes.  This decision further cements a woman’s disadvantage in the labor marketplace by ensuring a safe harbor for employers who have paid female workers less than men over a long period of time – basically giving the worst actors a free pass to go on with systemic gender discrimination.  It reflects a poor understanding of the real problems with long-term pay discrimination.  Generally new employees feel less comfortable challenging their salaries, and it is very difficult to determine when pay discrimination begins.  Furthermore, a small pay gap tends to widen over time, only becoming noticeable when there is systemic discrimination over a period of years.  Today’s news underscores the need for tighter legislative restrictions on discrimination against women in the workplace.”   

Sen. Joe Biden had been slated to give a keynote address in Iowa Tuesday at the National Security Network that ultimately was scrapped.

The campaign apparently forgot to tell the media it was called off. An aide said they made the decision last week not to participate because the Delaware Democrat was suffering from a “slight case” of bronchitis.

The campaign said Biden was still in Des Moines Tuesday during a six-day swing to the state, but had scheduled private meetings.

Biden will appear later this week at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Hall of Fame Dinner in Cedar Rapids. He’s also gearing up for a Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire on Sunday.