IOWA INSIDER

Gordon Fischer set off a lot of buzz in Iowa political circles when he announced in a Facebook status update Wednesday he was permanently retiring from politics.

The former chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party led the Dems during Iowa’s 2004 presidential caucuses. He also had the wisdom to jump on the Barack Obama bandwagon early on in the last caucus cycle.

So can someone so plugged in step away?

Fischer thinks so.

“For 15 years basically I’ve been balancing my law practice and this political hobby or volunteerism… and it’s just time to do something else,” Fischer said.

He points out that when he began in politics he never would have imagined he would see a Democratic president, Congress, Iowa governor and Iowa Legislature.

“I would have not dared to hope for that in my wildest dreams but it does seem like a good time to step back,” Fischer said. “And there’s so many great young people in Des Moines and around Iowa that are involved in politics. Things are definitely, definitely trending heavily in the Democrat direction.”

Fischer said he’s ready to take some time off, and will likely find a cause eventually.

For the record, many of the comments on his Facebook page expressed doubt that he would truly retire from politics.

Months after the presidential election and I’m still getting e-mails from Barack Obama’s operation. But now instead of pushing his campaign message, they’re pushing his administration’s agenda.

The latest one sent today is seeking donations to help pay for a health care reform campaign.

An excerpt below —

Today, spiraling health care costs are pushing our families and businesses to the brink of ruin, while millions of Americans go without the care they desperately need. Fixing this broken system will be enormously difficult. But we can succeed. The chance to make fundamental change like this in people’s daily lives — that is why we did it.

President Barack Obama

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is scheduled to meet with Iowa school leaders Saturday to highlight money provided for education as part of the federal stimulus package.

Pelosi is scheduled appear with Congressman Leonard Boswell at Hiatt Middle School in Des Moines Saturday afternoon.

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Iowa already has received more than $94 million to support education. Another $316 million in stimulus dollars is expected to be available for Iowa to prevent the layoff of teachers, according to Boswell’s office.

Pelosi’s appearance will follow a private luncheon fundraiser at the home of Roxanne and James Conlin for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The event is being hosted by Boswell and congressmen Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack and is closed to the press.

Republican Party of Iowa Executive Director Jeff Boeyink said he’s surprised any Iowa congressional Democrats would want to appear with her. Pelosi has in recent weeks been embroiled in controversy after alleging Central Intelligence Agency officials lied to her about the use of enhanced interrogation techniques on terrorism suspects.

“We don’t think her values are Iowa values,” Boeyink said.