Chinese Heir In Small Town Iowa
CROWLEY: It's an unlikely stop for the man likely to be China's next president. So what brings Xi Jinping to Muscatine, Iowa? CNN's Ted Rowlands is there for us with the answer. So those are just words I never thought I would hear in the same sentence, the future president of China and Muscatine, Iowa?</s>TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, people living here never thought that they would hear those words, either. The story basically is that he made a trip here 27 years ago, and in fact, he had dinner in the house behind me there. And he said he's come to the United States and he wanted to know could he come back and visit with the same people that he met back in 1985? It's quite a story.</s>ROWLANDS (voice-over): Cynthia and Dick Maeglin were thrilled when they found out that Xi Jinping is coming back to their small town of Muscatine, Iowa.</s>CYNTHIA MAEGLIN, MUSCATINE, IOWA HOST: I went upstairs and looked in my photo albums and found these pictures.</s>ROWLANDS: There he is the likely next leader of China standing in the Maeglin's kitchen back in 1985. He didn't speak much English, but that didn't matter.</s>DICK MAEGLIN, MUSCATINE, IOWA HOST: He has a smile and a piece of cake, it's not all that complicated.</s>ROWLANDS: She who met with President Obama on Tuesday wants to see the Maeglins again along with about 17 others he met on his trip 27 years ago.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, well, he had the itinerary from his visit.</s>ROWLANDS: Iowa Governor Terry Branstad was serving his first stint as governor when Xi came in '85. The two met again last fall in Beijing and Branstad says the next Chinese leader said he wanted to come back.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was so pleased with the warm and friendly welcome he received and he really considers Iowans his old friend.</s>ROWLANDS: Experts say for years, Xi was known mostly for his famous wife, a Chinese singer. While his lineage runs deep in the Communist Party, he represents a new generation of leaders, former ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman believe she could be good for American business.</s>JON HUNTSMAN, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA: He's gone out of his way in recent years to bone up on economics and trade, knowing full well that these are the issues that are going to determine whether or not the United States and China are able to get through the years to come.</s>ROWLANDS: China has been blamed for the loss of thousands of American jobs, some of them here, but China buys soybeans, pork, farm machinery and other products from Iowa. In fact, from 2000 to 2010, the state enjoyed a 1,200 percent increase in exports to China. Governor Branstad wants to expand that relationship and thinks Xi will help.</s>GOVERNOR TERRY BRANSTAD (R), IOWA: Personal relationships are really important to the Chinese people. Having this kind of relationship with the next leader of China, I think is very helpful to the state of Iowa.</s>ROWLANDS: In Muscatine, preparations are being made for Xi's arrival. People here are excited including the Maeglins who say they honored that the man standing in their kitchen 27 years ago wants to come back.</s>MAEGLIN: Just for a little time, spend an hour or hour and a half in a room with as he says his old friends. That's significant. That's significant if he weren't the president.</s>ROWLANDS: And Vice President Xi, Candy, is expected to be here for about an hour, hour and a half in that home. He's only meeting with the folks that he met with back 27 years ago, about 17 people although the weather is not cooperating. It's actually a very miserable day here, I'm sure that the folks, the good folks in Iowa will show the vice president -- future president of China a good time.</s>CROWLEY: Having lived there, Ted, I can tell you they will. The only solace I can give you, thank you for standing out in the rain. If this were a real winter, that would be snow. So you kind of look at something to be grateful for, thanks so much, Ted Rowlands. Here's a look at some of the other political headlines making news on the CNN Political Ticker. For the first time ever, the heavy metal band, "Megadeath" makes our political ticker. The founder and lead singer, Dave Mustaine, is endorsing Rick Santorum for president. He says he was impressed by Santorum's decision to leave the campaign trail to be with his sick daughter and how he's avoided attack ads against his rivals. Mustaine says he previously supported Newt Gingrich, but became disillusioned. Michele Bachmann on "Dancing with the Stars"? The former presidential candidate says don't believe it. Bachmann spoke out about rumors she'll be on a hit show next season. She said she loves ballroom dancing and did once win a polka contest, but she is focusing on her congressional work not "Dancing with the Stars." For a complete political coverage, be sure to read the ticker on cnnpolitics.com. She made a fortune over her troubled career. How much of it was left when Whitney Houston died? Plus coins that cost more to make than they're worth, a lot more. Now a push to change the penny and the nickel too.