Rove Blasts Journalists' Role in Politics

White House political adviser Karl Rove delivers the keynote address at George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management's Commencement Saturday, July 29, 2006, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf) (Kevin Wolf - AP)

"Who you chose for your local races is going to have a profound impact on the country as a whole," said Kerry, who was making his fourth trip to Iowa since the state's leadoff caucuses in January 2004. He has been helping state-level candidates around the nation, and was in Story City for a $30-a-head brunch for Democrat Rich Olive, who is running for the Iowa state Senate.

Kerry insisted he's focused on helping other Democrats such as Olive win in 2006, and not on a potential run for president in 2008.

"I'm here because '06, not '08, is really important," said Kerry, who has raised and given $10 million to Democratic candidates and committees through his own political action committee.

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AMES, Iowa (AP) _ Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney says he took a huge political risk by taking control of the state's troubled "Big Dig" project but that he had to take action.

"The best thing politically would be to stay as far away from that tar baby as I can," he told a crowd of about 100 supporters gathered for indoor picnic.

"I'll get the blame for anything that goes wrong," he said. "But I'm sure tired of people who are nothing but talk. I'm willing to take action."

Saturday was the first out-of-state trip for Romney _ who is considering a bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 _ since he took control of the Big Dig.

Originally a $2.6 billion highway project that created a series of traffic tunnels through the heart of Boston, the cost of the Big Dig has swelled to more than $14 billion. The project has been dogged by problems, including leaks, falling debris, delays and cost overruns.

Romney's trip to Iowa Saturday has been planned for weeks _ long before the Big Dig crisis surfaced _ and he said he felt comfortable the Big Dig was at a point where he leave the state.

"There will always be critics," he said in an interview with The Associated Press. "This project is going to take months to correct and I will be available whenever I need to be there. It doesn't make a lot of sense to say home for several months. I'm not an engineer. I'm not a contractor."

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On the Net:

Sen. John Kerry: http://kerry.senate.gov/