From The Morning Grind

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Indiana) sent an e-mail yesterday to his political supporters telling them about his recent visit to Iowa to campaign and help raise money for no fewer than 10 Hawkeye State Democrats.

Bayh made no mention of his own future political plans. He didn't have to. It is a given the Indiana Democrat is likely to run for president.

Bayh is one of half a dozen or more Democrats beating a path to this Midwestern state to solicit support for a 2008 presidential bid. As the lead off for the presidential nominating process, a win in Iowa is critical if not altogether needed, to win the Democratic nomination. Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) is in the state today. Sen. John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) announced this morning he will visit Iowa in late July. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) spends time in the state this weekend, while former Sen. John Edwards (D-North Carolina) just wrapped up a visit. And Gov. Tom Vilsack (D), well he doesn't have to visit the state because he lives there.

Visits to Iowa by these potential presidential candidates are no longer news. Rather it is an afterthought. The next big splash will come when Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-Iowa) decides to visit the state. So far, the "Goliath" of the Democratic presidential primary contest is steering clear of Iowa, focusing instead on her Senate re-election. But when she takes her first step into the state, the media wave will be gigantic. Dr. Selden Spencer, a Democratic challenging Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa) in November, told CNN's Sasha Johnson that people are talking about Clinton's first visit.

"That does come up every now and then," he said. "It's going to be interesting, because I expect she'll come by somewhere along the way."

But this weekend, Spencer, while not endorsing Bayh, offered words of praise for the Indiana Democrat. "Obviously, he would be a very special candidate and in the Midwest he would resonate very well," he said.

And for Bayh, highlighting his Midwestern roots and success of being re-elected several times in a 'red state' appears to be major themes we will hear from the Indiana Democrat in the coming months.

"If we are going to set a better course, you have to win," Bayh said in a very candid interview with CNN's Candy Crowley and Johnson during his Iowa visit. "So it might be better to have someone who's proven they can win in a red state, not just once or twice but hopefully several times."

Bayh didn't mention Warner by name, nor did he single out any of his other potential rivals. But clearly he is trying to distinguish himself from a very crowded pack. Warner is heralded for winning one term in the red state of Virginia and helping to get Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine (D) elected. Bayh must also differentiate himself from the handful of senators who are also eyeing bids.

"It would be helpful to have a nominee who has a track record as a governor with actually getting things done," he said. "Not just giving speeches and talking about things, but actually doing them."

Then there is the early frontrunner: Clinton. "Is it a little bit of a David versus Goliath situation?" Bayh said. "Yeah probably. But as I recall, David did OK."

Bayh said for the Democratic Party to be successful it must convince Americans that Democrats will help keep them safe.

"As much as we want to have a conversation about health care and education and jobs and the environment and all those other important things, we're not going to get to have that conversation until people first trust us with their lives," he said.

When will Bayh be back in Iowa? "Soon," he told his political supporters yesterday. "And I'll be sure to e-mail you before I head out."

Round II of immigration hearings

The debate over how to reform the nation's immigration laws rages on and Congress remains ground zero for the issue. House Republican leaders, who oppose President Bush's proposal to allow many illegal immigrants to earn citizenship, will announce a new round of hearings later this morning. Meanwhile, Republican and Democratic senators who support Bush's immigration reform plan will attend an "Interfaith Conference" on the issue. And Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez was scheduled to begin testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee at 9:30 a.m. ET in a hearing titled "Examining the Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Part II."

While the Senate has proven to be Bush's biggest obstacle as he tries to advance his legislative agenda through Congress, on this issue it is his otherwise reliable, likeminded, conservative House leadership that is blocking it. House Republicans argue that Bush's proposal is akin to giving amnesty to the illegal immigrants who are now living and working in the country.

A well placed Republican House source provided the Grind with an early look at what the next round of House hearings will address and when they will happen:

July 18th. Do the Reid-Kennedy bill's amnesty provisions repeat the mistakes of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986? House Judiciary Committee

July 19th. What is the impact of the Reid-Kennedy bill on American workers and their workplaces? House Education and the Workforce Committee

July 20th. How does the Reid-Kennedy bill compare to the House Border Security bill when it comes to enhancing border infrastructure? House Homeland Security Committee

July 26th. What is the role of English in American education and society, and does the Reid-Kennedy bill undermine, rather than encourage, this role? House Education and the Workforce Committee

July 27th. Will the Reid-Kennedy bill's amnesty provisions overwhelm the already overburdened U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services? Will 10-20 million new applicants for citizenship make it easier for criminals and terrorists to evade background checks? House Judiciary Committee

July 27th. Does the Reid-Kennedy bill make it more difficult for law enforcement to expedite the removal of illegal aliens from the United States? House Homeland Security Committee

July 27th. To what degree is illegal immigration an issue for countries in the Western Hemisphere, and does the Reid-Kennedy bill undercut American diplomatic efforts aimed at curbing illegal immigration? House International Relations Committee