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Despite Clinton: O’Malley in Iowa amid 2016 talk

By WTOP Staff

KEN THOMAS
Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Martin O’Malley’s latest foray into Iowa began, appropriately, in a place called Clinton.

The Maryland governor is filling the void in Iowa, New Hampshire and beyond during the early stages of the 2016 presidential race, campaigning for fellow Democrats and making personal appeals while former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton remains the prohibitive — if yet undeclared — favorite.

In the summer before November’s mid-term elections, Clinton’s dominant position in a hypothetical field has limited Democrats’ activities in early presidential voting states even while an ambitious slate of Republicans descend. Active Democrats here say O’Malley has become an exception, cultivating relationships and developing a reputation as a loyal foot soldier for the party.

“He’s doing more than anybody else,” said Mike Gronstal, the Iowa Senate Democratic leader. “Others have indicated they are interested in doing some things. But we haven’t seen it yet.” He declined to name the other Democrats who have inquired.

O’Malley is laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign whether or not Clinton runs, although it remains unclear if he will challenge the popular former first lady. O’Malley was the second governor to endorse Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2007 and maintains ties to former President Bill Clinton, who brought the then-Baltimore mayor to Northern Ireland on a presidential delegation trip in 2000 and appeared in an ad for O’Malley during his first campaign for governor.

As his second term in Maryland ends, O’Malley has visited New Hampshire twice since November and raised money for Gov. Maggie Hassan, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen — a fellow alumnus of Gary Hart’s presidential campaigns — and Rep. Annie Kuster. In South Carolina, O’Malley has held events for Vincent Sheheen, who is challenging GOP Gov. Nikki Haley, and Bakari Sellers, who is running for lieutenant governor.

O’Malley returned to Iowa on Saturday, where he headlined a fundraiser for state Sen. Rita Hart in Clinton, a town on the banks of the Mississippi River, and another event in North Liberty for Kevin Kinney, a Johnson County sheriff’s deputy seeking an open state Senate seat. After a Saturday night speech in Omaha to help the Nebraska Democratic Party, O’Malley was joining with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Hatch, who is challenging Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, for fundraisers in western Iowa on Sunday and a canvassing kickoff in Sioux City.

O’Malley made a round of fundraising appearances for Hatch in Iowa last month, along with a speech at the state party convention. Iowa Democrats hold a narrow majority in the state Senate and party officials here said the governor’s willingness to wade into local races was appreciated — and duly noted.

“Helping out legislative races is a really smart strategy. It’s an easy way to come out and be helpful,” said Norm Sterzenbach, a former executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party. He noted that O’Malley got his political start in Iowa, as a field organizer for Gary Hart’s 1984 presidential campaign in eastern Iowa.

O’Malley’s fundraising and campaign travel has coincided with a policy fight with the Obama administration on the stream of unaccompanied immigrant children from Central America over the Mexican border. He recently criticized a White House proposal that could expedite the deportation of the children, saying it would “send them back to certain death.” Obama’s team pushed back, leaking a phone call in which the governor asked the White House not to have children brought to a Maryland facility.

In Nebraska, O’Malley stood firm, telling Democrats: “I believe in American generosity and the compassion of our people. We do not turn our back on innocent children who arrive at our doorstep fleeing death.”

O’Malley’s stance has won support within Latino groups and has marked a contrast with Clinton. She said at a televised forum that she felt the children needed to be reunited with their families but the U.S. needed to make clear that “just because your child gets across the border doesn’t mean your child gets to stay.”

To be sure, O’Malley is not the only Democrat extending feelers in the politically active state. Clinton, who placed a disappointing third in the 2008 caucus, recorded a humorous tribute to retiring Sen. Tom Harkin that aired at the state party convention dinner. Ready for Hillary, an unaffiliated organization laying the groundwork for a Clinton campaign, has been active in Iowa and Democrats are buzzing about whether Hillary Clinton — or the former president — will appear at Harkin’s annual steak fry in September, his last as a senator.

Biden, who headlined the steak fry last year, notably dropped by a Washington hotel in May to greet a group of Iowans attending the Greater Des Moines Partnership meeting. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar plans to campaign next month in Iowa for Rep. Bruce Braley, who is seeking Harkin’s seat.

Hart, the state senator and one of O’Malley’s beneficiaries this weekend, said she has never met the governor before or spoken to him — his staff reached out about the fundraiser. She said her husband’s aunt lives in Maryland, admires his record and urged her to get to know him. But like many Iowans, that’s the extent of her knowledge for now.

“I really don’t think many people know anything about him. I think he’s a pretty new name to a lot of people,” Hart said. “That’s probably why he’s coming — he wants to change that.”

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Thomas reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Catherine Lucey contributed from Des Moines.

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Follow Thomas at https://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas and Beaumont at https://twitter.com/TomBeaumont

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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