Culver tells Decorah audience there's a "clear choice" in November

Iowa Governor told a Decorah audience of around 30 people on Wednesday that anyone who has trouble figuring out how to vote in November should remember a car's transmission--you put it to "R" for "reverse" and put it to "D" to "drive."

Culver stopped in Decorah as part of a 43-city campaign swing he and Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge are making this week.  At his Hotel Winneshiek speech, he drew sharp contrasts between their record and the record of the three Republican candidates for governor.

"The I-Jobs program is something that I care passionately about," Culver said.  He defended the program, saying it lead to "wise public investments" in 1,500 projects statewide.

Culver also boasted of the performance of the Iowa Power Fund.  The $100 million the program has spent has turned Iowa into "the Silicon Prairie," said the governor.  Culver said Iowa now gets 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources.

He also criticized the Republican gubernatorial candidates for opposing his drive to bring "public, universal preschool" to every 4-year-old in Iowa.  "I don't know if there's a better possible investment," he said.  And Culver criticized the Republican proposal to lower corporate income tax rates by making up the revenue difference by cutting out all state support of early childhood education.

Culver, who is running for a second term in office, also visited Dubuque, Mc Gregor, Charles City and Mason City on Wednesday.

Decorah State Representative John Beard, Iowa Governor Chet Culver and Cresco State Senator Mary Jo Wilhelm