Courier Lee News Service political reporter Ed Tibbetts is covering the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo.

DENVER, Colo. - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, got a big laugh from the Iowa delegation Thursday morning when he gave a shout out to Rob Hubler, who's running against Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.

King, who represents the western part of the state, is the guy Iowa Democrats love to hate.

Said Hoyer: "This guy King, he's a throwback. I don't know what he's a throwback to, but let's throw him back."

King is considered the favorite in heavily Republican western Iowa, and it should be noted that Hoyer, during his remarks, mentioned Becky Greenwald, the Democrat who's running against Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa.

He had to come back after his remarks had ended to talk up Hubler.

Right in the front row

Having a last name that starts with the letter "A" can have its advantages. Take Dennis Ahern of Moline, for example. A delegate from the Illinois Quad-Cities, he has sat in the first seat in the first row in the Land of Lincoln section on the floor - which is right up front, given it is Barack Obama's home state.

Ahern has enjoyed the prime real estate.

He wasn't sure that he would keep his spot at Invesco Field Thursday night, but "it's been a good three days," he said.

Bettendorf man lands gig

Ron Freidhof, the undecided Bettendorf voter called at work by Barack Obama, has another call to take.

National Public Radio has recruited him for a call-in roundtable discussion this morning with undecided voters across the nation.

Freidhof was contacted after his Obama call was broadcast over the news and YouTube. His wife, Cynthia, was among those at Obama's forum Monday at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds in Davenport. When she told the senator her husband hadn't made up his mind, Obama grabbed a cell phone and talked to him at Ross' Restaurant, owned by the Freidhofs.

Today, Ron Freidhof said he's impressed by Obama's attention, but he's still not swayed.

"I'd like to hear the how-to," he said. "I like things I'm hearing but question how it can be accomplished."

Freidhof said he would probably be working nights or watching a Cubs game if it was on, instead of the convention. But since the Obama call, he's been tuned in to Denver.

"I pretty much stayed with it, everybody left me alone."

NPR asked him to keep watching this week, and the upcoming Republican National Convention as well, then report back on his decision.