Battleground States: Wisconsin and Iowa Reporters, pollsters, and political strategists discussed the states of Wisconsin and Iowa, which are two of the battlegrounds in this year’s presidential election. Guests joined the discussion via telephone or video uplink and responded to audience telephone calls, faxes, and electronic mail.

Don Ferree, at the University of Wisconsin Survey Center in Madison, talked by telephone about how Wisconsin voters stand on whom they will vote for and what their issues are. He is the project director of the “Badger Poll” for which the center regularly interviews voters for both the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Madison Capital Times. Mr. Buchen talked on video uplink and Ms. Dresser spoke by telephone from Madison, Wisconsin about what President Bush and Senator John Kerry’s proposals for job creation mean for residents of Wisconsin. The guests discussed unemployment rates, job creation, and the quality of those jobs. Ms. Henderson talked via uplink from Des Moines about the social, economic, and political factors that make Iowa a battleground state. Mr. Norris and Mr. Gold talked on video uplink from Des Moines, Iowa. They offered their perspectives on health care proposals made by both President Bush and John Kerry. They discussed topics including Medicare, prescription drugs, and the increasing costs of providing care. close