WATERLOO - Sen. Tom Harkin was greeted by a relatively civil crowd at a town hall meeting on health care Monday morning, two days after a similar gathering in Des Moines was disrupted by protesters.

Several dozen people, some of whom said they had sent Harkin's office an e-mail confirming their attendance, were turned away at the entrance to Peoples Community Clinic because of limited space. About 60 attended the meeting in a second floor conference room.

A handful of people brought in signs, and all featured slogans supporting Harkin's efforts to pass health care reform.

A staffer for the senator said they did not take any special precautions to keep out possible protesters or limit crowd size.

Speaking to reporters after the event, Harkin said he believed those who disrupted his meeting on Saturday represent a distinct minority of Iowans. He also lamented the lack of civil discussion at the forum.

"American citizens are learning bad habits from television. That's why I don't go on those programs anymore like (cable news show) Hardball and stuff, where they interrupt everybody and they yell at one another and cut each other off. I've been asked to go on them and I say, 'No, I won't do it.' I think people see that and they think that is normal behavior," he said.