What’s that today on the front page of the New York Times?That’s right – an article about how Kansans love Dick Cheney.Reporter Mark Leibovich accompanied the vice president to last week’s fund-raiser for Rep. Jim Ryun in Topeka, and was apparently impressed by the support Cheney gets from Republicans here. The article, “Cheney Hits Heartland, and He Can Feel the Love,” calls Kansas “the heart of Cheney Country.”_He raises a lot of cash for the Republican Party and its candidates – more than $40 million at 114 events since January 2005, many of them in off-Broadway political settings like Topeka.__And he reaps a full helping of love.__”How about a big Kansas welcome for Vice President Dick Cheney?” Representative Jim Ryun, a five-term Republican, says at a lunchtime fund-raiser on Thursday.__And a big Kansas welcome he gets: cheers, sustained applause, even some war whoops – yes, war whoops. Loving ones.__”Well, that warm welcome is almost enough to make me want to run for office again,” the vice president responds. “Almost.” _Some Kansas notables weighed in:_”We love him here,” Susan Wagle, a state senator (and, the Times failed to note, GOP candidate for lieutenant governor), says of Mr. Cheney._And:_”There was a peacefulness and a truthfulness to this man that really caught my heart,” says the congressman’s wife, Anne Ryun, who is clutching a Bush-Cheney placard from the 2000 campaign that the vice president has just autographed._Other news:Sen. Sam Brownback (R) !(Grand Rapids Press) Brownback won’t back down: U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback said he “doesn’t relish” stepping in the middle of a hard-fought compromise to fill three key federal judge positions in Michigan. But the Kansas Republican and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee said his block on the nomination of Janet Neff to a seat on the U.S. District Court will continue until he gets more answers, and that communication from Neff on Friday did not answer his questions. …Neff has served on the Michigan Court of Appeals since 1989 and is one of three area judges nominated by President George Bush to fill critical vacancies for the federal court in Michigan’s Western District. The appointments were made under a compromise reached between Democratic and Republican senators and the White House. By putting Neff’s nomination on hold, Brownback stalls the appointment of all three individuals. “There’s been a five-year fight to get judges appointed from West Michigan and I don’t relish getting into the middle of this,” said Brownback, an opponent of gay marriages and a presidential hopeful. “But I’m pursuing this and trying to get information factually as to what exactly happened, and whether this was a legal or illegal ceremony at the time, and what it reveals about (Neff’s) judicial philosophy.”(Auto Service World) Congress Shows Steely Resolve: The six largest automobile companies with manufacturing facilities in the United States today applauded the efforts of 10 U.S. Senators who recently called upon the International Trade Commission (ITC) to revoke anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders on “corrosion resistant” (coated) steel. The duties on this steel product, used extensively in the manufacturing of automobiles as well as a variety of household appliances, have been in place since 1993 and were last renewed by the ITC in 2000. The ITC will hold a hearing on October 17 as part of a “sunset review” to determine whether or not the duties should be revoked. A final decision is expected in December. The letter to the ITC, initiated by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and signed by Senators Kit Bond (R-MO), Sam Brownback (R-KS), Tom Carper (D-DE), Jim DeMint (R-NC), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), William Frist, (R-TN) Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and David Vitter (R-LA), states, “Canceling these outdated orders would recognize the fundamental restructuring of the steel industry as well as the importance of this product to the competitiveness of America’s manufacturing sector.”(Des Moines Register) Politicos shower Iowa candidates with donations: Donations are also flowing into the campaign coffers of Iowa candidates from the PACs of these other Republicans: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, New York Gov. George Pataki, Sen. George Allen of Virginia and Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas. All have been mentioned as possible presidential candidates. Pataki beat his party rivals to the punch by being the first to open an Iowa office for his PAC.