1 Wait for Florida, Mitt.

2 My inside baseball on the Iowa Straw Poll:

Straw Polls are becoming more and more irrelevant. The Paulbots have ruined them and nobody gives them any credibility anymore.

As for Iowa itself, the first three primaries are now of low value for anything but advertising. This latest rule change is insane.

3 While it's just me and you here, Vic, could I interest you in some literature?

4 Yeah, I am not buying the whole; Bush was from Texas, Perry IS from Texas ridiculousness. Perry's list of accomplishments and outspoken style will win the day by itself.

He ain't Bush.

And who cares about Iowa except Iowans?

5 With Romney, I don't blame him for skipping Iowa because it's not exactly a state that's been receptive to him in the past.  Granted, I'm also one of the first people to show up in every thread to talk about how they shouldn't be a gatekeeper in the first place because of their entitlement mentality when it comes to candidates.


As far as Perry goes, he has his good points and his bad points.  Holding office for 10+ years, including serving out Bush's last term and getting elected to three of his own, speak well for him.  That's even with there being a primary challenge by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson the last time around. 

He's a little squishy on immigration, but you get that from time to time from most border state politicians.  The HPV vaccine requirement for all girls of a certain age was a bit of a clusterf*ck, however.

As far as economics goes, he and the Texas legislature have presided over massive gains in jobs within Texas over his time as Governor.  Also, he's likely pro-drilling because of what the oil industry means to Texas and the Gulf South in general, which means he won't be a cap-and-trade idiot like Romney.

There may be better candidates out there than Perry, but he's certainly a high-tier one if he gets into the race.

6 On the rap-ups of the first 3 evals

Romney:

So in summary, out of the 6 major conservative issues he has flip-flopped on 3, total fail on 2, and at best mixed on one. Note that most of these updates are from the “On The Issues” site which tracks a lot of this shit down.

Gingrich

3 fail; 2 donÂ’t know/neutral; 1 good

So in summary I don't even know why he is in the race. He is toast because he has managed to piss off everyone and he can't even claim he is reaching out to independents (liberals).  They will NEVER vote for him anyway. 

Pawlenty

1 Fail, 3 Good (low good), 2 Nuetral

His biggest hit is support for cap and trade and ethanol mandates. He is now trying to walk that back which is a huge “row to hoe” after so much support for so long. On the other issues his record has good and bad.

From my prospective because of the cap and tax he would not go on my short list but I could support him if it boils down to the end. He is NOT a huge RINO, but neither is he a huge conservative.

7

I don't mention this very often, but my grand-dad was an ear of corn.

8 Posted by: Ron Paul at June 10, 2011 11:46 AM (vPa8F)

For White House Janitor!

9 Can I get some help? I am cleaning out my closet of all my old protest posters. Which of these should I keep? No war for OIL! Keep your laws off my body! BushHitler! I support the troops who shoot their officers! Out of the Middle East Now! Bring our troops home! Not in my name! Lied us into war! The last one I might be able to keep because most of my buddies were too high to remember Obama saying the Libyan war would last "days not weeks", but other than that I think I have to trash them all.

10 From Politico: Iowa is a "crucial test of organizational strength..."

Really? Why? according to whom?

It's early in the race, and these organizations tend to grow organically and in response to external events. Forcing the issue in a straw poll (which doesn't mean much) won't do much, unless the organization is laughably amateurish and incapable.

And screw Politico. We shouldn't allow them to control the message.

11 Hi. This isn't spam.

I have a few job openings.

Please email me. Please.

12 Or Romney is trying to distance himself from his subsidies comment.

13

I'm guessing he made the Ethonal statement with the general election in mind.

I said over a year ago that Romney was going to be our candidate and I'm sticking to that. I think he feels pretty sure he's got this bitch locked up and he's keeping an eye on the generals.

If Mitt is our candidate,  he will need to vy hard in Iowa, Wisconsin, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Nevada and Michigan.

I think those states are going to tip the election one way or another.

I am fairly confident that Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio and Florida will come back into the Republican fold in 2012.

 

14 Mitt(ens), fuck off and die.  Sincerely, everyone in America who wants this great nation to survive.

15 We'll know Rick Perry is a serious contender when the mainstream media rev up the SCARY CHRISTIANS! narrative. Expect every crime show to have a Jesus bigot racist murderer in every single episode. Expect 60 Minutes to run a report on the threat from Christian terrorists. And, of course, nonstop flood-the-zone investigations of every single bad thing that happens or has happened or might conceivably happen in Texas.

16

Pollutico just making shit up about Palin. Imagine that...

Hey, pre-cooked hobos in Philly per Ben!  It may just be me, but it appears that the hobo population in Philly has doubled since Emperor Barky I ushed in HopenChange.  they're even pitching tents on parks, right of ways and along the rail lines.  good eatin, morons!

17 O/T but interesting:  Seems the White House's top CT guy is resigning.

Things that make you go, 'Hmmmmm...'

18

Is it true that investment opportunities are rapidly disappearing?

 

Answer: It's so bad that even the post about them has disappeared!

19 H/T to da Jawa Report, btw.

20 Romney was for ethanol before he was against it.

Sounds kinda like healthcare- doesn't it?

Mr Duality.

No thanks, we don't need another Republican nominee who spends his entire campaign with a stalking horse named "contradictions".

21 And, of course, nonstop flood-the-zone investigations of every single bad thing that happens or has happened or might conceivably happen in Texas.

What did you think that incident on Tuesday was?

22

Pollutico just making shit up about Palin. Imagine that...

Hey, pre-cooked hobos in Philly per Ben!  It may just be me, but it appears that the hobo population in Philly has doubled since Emperor Barky I ushed in HopenChange.  they're even pitching tents on parks, right of ways and along the rail lines.  good eatin, morons!

 

all the sweating is helping clean the drugs out of their system too! Nothing is worse than eating hobo flesh and tweaking as a result .

23 He spent a million dollars on a straw poll, before the caucuses, before the primaries... do we have a fucked up system or what? "He forgot to flip the Magic Coin in Dubuque while blinking three times under a rainbow"

24 Has Michelle Bachman fired that asshole Rollins yet? What the hell is wrong with that woman?

25 18 O/T but interesting:  Seems the White House's top CT guy is resigning.

Things that make you go, 'Hmmmmm...'

Hell, you don't have to be me to think one of two things:

1. We're about to get hit
OR
2. Obama isn't taking things seriously

26 O/T but interesting:  Seems the White House's top CT guy is resigning.

Things that make you go, 'Hmmmmm...'

Posted by: AoSHQ's *second* worst commenter, DarkLord©

 

I just couldn't take it....Everything was so flashy and crude. I'm very frail.

27

With perpetual wars and perpetual unemployment, the collapse of the dollar, the stupidity of smart diplomacy, deficits that are uncontrollable, debt that nobody can comprehend paying back...

perhaps even Mitt could beat Obama.  Doubtful but...

The MFM sure want him, that's clear.

28

The MFM sure want him, that's clear.

 

Really? I haven't exactly noticed the MSM being on the Romney band wagon

I've seen puff pieces for Huntsman, but not Romney.

29 Contradictions says Nehhh to Romney!

30 What's the progress on making this primary season more national? Fuck Iowa and NH. Wasn't there some plan to have a quarter of the states go on Day 1, another quarter a month later. Make this thing more diverse. Any progress towards closing the primaries either?

31 /wild speculation stuff Aliens endorse Bat Boy! (I think Mitt is officially The Guy You Support Because You Have to Support Somebody. If Perry actually generates some enthusiasm he can slowly push Mitt out.)

32 28

With perpetual wars and perpetual unemployment, the collapse of the dollar, the stupidity of smart diplomacy, deficits that are uncontrollable, debt that nobody can comprehend paying back...

perhaps even Mitt could beat Obama.  Doubtful but...

The MFM sure want him, that's clear.

The reason for that is clear, IMHO.  Much like McCain, they see him as beatable as well as their best case scenario if a Republican actually wins.

They may think Palin is beatable but would be scared shitless of her winning because they know she'd come at a lot of liberal sacred cows with a vengeance.

33 LOL.  I just heard Beck say one of his listeners has photo-shopped a pic of a shirtless Barry sitting behind the Resolute desk.  heh

34 Hey, I found the problem! It's right...uh, I resign. Gotta go.

35 If you bit Perry, he will bite you back. Maybe even shoot you.

If you bite Romney, you get doused with hairspray and some congenial, girly insistence like- "please stop your assault on my person, cad".

36 I agree with Drew's analysis which is why I said the same thing in the previous thread. Romney can't change his positions because of the flip flopper tag. >>Romney was for ethanol before he was against it. On the other hand, since he will apparently get hacked by some people regardless of what he says, they assume he flip flops even when he doesn't, why not say the most expedient thing possible?

37

Perry might hurt Mitt though too. One of the problems alot of the "Not Mitt" canidates have is the electability/experience/persona problem. Perry could really suck the wind out from under them. He's electable (unlike a lot of the Tier IIs), has experience (see Cain and Palin(!) (flame on but I personally have a problem with her quitting)) and he can give good speeches (Paw(*yawn*)lenty)

 

38 34 LOL.  I just heard Beck say one of his listeners has photo-shopped a pic of a shirtless Barry sitting behind the Resolute desk.  heh

Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 10, 2011 11:57 AM (UOM4

It's lunchtime and suddenly- I am not hungry anymore.

39
This year's contest will also feature a new twist: Iowans who will be of voting age by November 2012 will be able to participate, meaning that high school students are sure to be targeted by each campaign.




Watching a pack of middle-aged white shoe Republican candidates trying to connect with today's teen voters by being "hip" ought to be amusing...

40 Rick Perry was still a democrat in 1988, when he was 38 years old, after 8 years of Reagan. Let that sink in.

41 This year's contest will also feature a new twist: Iowans who will be of voting age by November 2012 will be able to participate, meaning that high school students are sure to be targeted by each campaign. Voting age of 17...such a good idea.

42 And, of course, nonstop flood-the-zone investigations of every single bad thing that happens or has happened or might conceivably happen in Texas.

As I was saying in Rick's living room the other day just before I climbed the tower....

43

Posted by: PR at June 10, 2011 12:02 PM (WvcAo)

I think a fair number of us admit to being politically stupid back in the day.  I wouldn't hold that against him now.

But, yeah, after 8 years of Reagan all you needed to do was look at the record and wonder why you were still a Dem.

44

;">I've seen puff pieces for Huntsman, but not Romney.

Posted by: Ben at June 10, 2011 11:55 AM (wuv1c)

Dated but relevant, imo.  Coverage is coverage, puff pieces or not.  If repub candidates are being talked about, odds are it will only be a couple and Mitt will likely be one.  I donÂ’t follow MFM that much but I see Mitt a lot.  Not trying to start an argument.  Merely an observation.

45 This year's contest will also feature a new twist: Iowans who will be of voting age by November 2012 will be able to participate, meaning that high school students are sure to be targeted by each campaign.

Voting age of 17...such a good idea.

Posted by: t-bird

 

And I'm experiened at voter 'reach-out'. That demographic is special to me.

46
crikey!

wood yoo look at awl the beauuuutiful concern trolls

aren't they gorgeous!

47 I'd love to see Herman Cain debate Romney. 
Romney:  "I saved the Salt Lake City Olympics.  :->"
Cain:  "You mean the one that cost this country almost a couple billion $? 
<-<  >->"
Romney: "I also provided free health care to every resident of Massachusetts.  Of course, it needs to be tweaked, but what have you done?"
Cain:  "Other than work my way up from the bottom, make one company stronger, save another company, and all this while being twice as black as our current president?"
Romney:  "I have great hair"

48 Who cares about Perry anyway? He is just another Tex_ASS idiot like Bush. Why would we want to go back to the Bush years...No way I am sticking with pesident Obama and his leadershit.

49 Rick Perry was still a democrat in 1988, when he was 38 years old, after 8 years of Reagan. Was he an Obama-type Democrat?

50 Wow. This could really help Pawlenty by default. And if he wins Iowa- or at least makes a strong showing- that could be a Big fricking deal, given his anti-subsidy statements. Or, heck, early momentum for Cain. Or both.

51 Posted by: PR at June 10, 2011 12:02 PM (WvcAo)

I believe Perry's record shows he was an old-time Democrat and a very aggressive fiscal conservative. When the party started changing he left to run for Agriculture Secretary.

Facts are friends.

And by the way, his record as governor is what folks will finds relevant and intriguing.

And Reagan was a Democrat. Not that Perry is Reagan.

52 I'm not a Mitt guy.

I could be a Perry guy, or a Pawlenty guy.   I like what Pawlenty's saying.  I like Perry's record.

I don't think Palin's in (and much as I'd love to see her sweeping out the Augean stables that are this administration, I don't think she could get elected.)

I don't see anyone else in the field who's ready, able, and acceptable on policy.

I was a Rudy guy last time but I don't think he can live down his half-effort.

I'd vote for Obama before I'd vote for Huntsman.  Huntsman can go relieve himself in a rolling doughnut.

I like Cain but I'm not convinced he's ready to be President.

53 Rush just opened his program saying he got an email from newt saying that he is in it and not explaining what happened.  He then said what the "drive by's" are saying about the entire incident.

54 Who cares about Perry anyway? He is just another Tex_ASS idiot like Bush. Why would we want to go back to the Bush years...No way I am sticking with pesident Obama and his leadershit.

Posted by: Mary Clogginstein -- Proud Resident of Brattleboro, VT

 

True, so true. We need someone who can emulate the plan that made VT the thriving, growing land of opportunity that it is today.

(Yes, I know that this is a sock, but it's a great one.)

55 41 Rick Perry was still a democrat in 1988, when he was 38 years old, after 8 years of Reagan.

Let that sink in.

Posted by: PR at June 10, 2011 12:02 PM (WvcAo)

Texas. We still have what I call "Dixiecrats."

In my county there wasn't a Republican canidate for Sherriff until the late '70s. He didn't win. Local elections are still won often by the Democrat. And thats ok, because they're really Republicans.

I know my dad is still a registered Dem even though he has never to my knowledge voted for a Dem at the national level.

56 OT

Have you all talked about the Politico hit piece on S Palin, yet?

Beck mentioned it this morning.

They credited her as saying:

Palin’s bus tour had some of the hallmarks of a primal scream: “I built this constituency, not Bachmann, not anyone else.” Looking at it through her eyes, she has a point.

then they had to issue a correction (at the bottom of the 2nd page of the article):

CORRECTION: An editing error caused a false attribution in an earlier version of this column. A comment by the authors was transformed into a direct quote from Sarah Palin. She never said the words attributed to her. Those words were written by the authors.

57

In other words, Mitt in 2012 is what McCain was in 2008.

And if Romney gets the nomination, I'm staying home for the general election. He's not a real conservative.

(Kidding, of course.)

58
BTW - apparently the Florida GOP also has a straw poll in September, and Romney announced he's pulling out of that contest too.

59 So while there will be some initial excitement when/if Perry gets in the speculation will be how this impact Romney.

There has been some speculation (at HotAir?) that Palin might stay out, and endorse Perry.  If that happens, this is a whole different ballgame.

60 52 Posted by: PR at June 10, 2011 12:02 PM (WvcAo)

I believe Perry's record shows he was an old-time Democrat and a very aggressive fiscal conservative. When the party started changing he left to run for Agriculture Secretary.

Facts are friends.

Apreed, he seems to have been in the same situation as many Louisiana politicians, who may have been Dems at the state level but would definitely be considered Republicans at the national level.

Remember, as red as Texas has been in Presidential elections for the past 30+ years, it took until the 2000s for a lot of the state-level pols to flip parties.

61 Romney, please just drop out.

I hated voting for McCain (I voted for Palin) and I think it will be much harder to vote for you.

62 Sorry about the caps-fail there. I meant BIG FRICKIN' DEAL, no sarcasm. Mind, if Mitt did well there, after skipping it, that'd be all kinds of hilarious. (Instead, watch this campaign turn super-boring in a few weeks.)

63 Rush just opened his program saying he got an email from newt saying that he is in it and not explaining what happened. He then said what the "drive by's" are saying about the entire incident. "Campaign Headquarters" for Newt is going to be run from a hotmail account in a Starbucks.

64 Fuck Iowa. Anything that diminishes their early stranglehold on the process is music to my ears. The "frontrunner" tells them to screw? Diminishes the importance of the whole process there, to the benefit of the rest of the nation.

65 64 Rush just opened his program saying he got an email from newt saying that he is in it and not explaining what happened. He then said what the "drive by's" are saying about the entire incident.

"Campaign Headquarters" for Newt is going to be run from a hotmail account in a Starbucks.

Dammit, stop stealing my campaign strategy!  I've staked out the Starbucks at the Baton Rouge midtown Barnes And Noble for the past 15 years for this run!

66 The thing is, beyond some hardcore conservative activist types, do a lot of GOP voters know anything about Perry?


My hubby is not into politics, but he can't wait for Perry to inter the race

He is on many boat, fishing, hunting, fire arms message boards and even those are filled with 'Perry, please run' threads.

So, yes, even those they aren't has into politics as we are, know who Perry is, and want him to run.

67 I like Perry.  What I like about him is that he doesn't seem to do much.  What he does do, what he gets behind tends to be good for Texas and by extention, him.  He doesn't seem to mess with stuff that is working.  The fact that Texas has added 1/3 of all of the jobs since the Emperor of Emptiness took office says a lot about a lot that is being talked about - income taxes, regulation, and tort reform to mention a few.

68 CORRECTION: An editing error caused a false attribution... And with 24,000 emails to go thru, mistakes will be made and we may not have to time to keep up with all the retractions. But keep reading!

69 I want there to be Pawlenty of Cain in the White House in 2013.

70 58 Mitt will never get my vote. I have voted for my last RINO. Never again.

71 If I have to vote for Romney, I will.

Then I will immediately jump of a bridge.

Because voting twice in a lifetime for unqualified Republican candidates, in an effort to hopelessly beat the opposition is enough.

72 You know, every time someone posts a new thread, the previous one should post an announcement, New Thread Posted! Attention Challenged Moron Herd has Moved On!

73 If I have to vote for Romney, I will.

Then I will immediately jump of a bridge.

Because voting twice in a lifetime for unqualified Republican candidates, in an effort to hopelessly beat the opposition is enough.

Posted by: Marcus

 

I sense an enthusiasm gap.

74 My hubby is not into politics, but he can't wait for Perry to inter the race

Posted by: momma at June 10, 2011 12:13 PM (nWikJ) 

Hope that's what he does!

75
Ah, Team Mitt has announced that they won't be participating in any straw polls:

Despite his frontrunner status, the Romney campaign has elected not to compete in any GOP straw polls, including Iowa.

“Our campaign has made the decision to not participate in any straw polls, whether it’s in Florida, Iowa, Michigan or someplace else,” said Matt Rhoades in a written statement. "We respect the straw poll process. In the last presidential campaign we were both strengthened as an organization and learned some important lessons by participating in them. This time we will focus our energies and resources on winning primaries and caucuses.



Given that these straw polls are major fundraisers for the state party, this seems like a questionable strategy for building support at the state level for the actual primaries.

76 >>In my county there wasn't a Republican canidate for Sherriff until the late '70s. He didn't win. Local elections are still won often by the Democrat. And thats ok, because they're really Republicans. Bingo. This is one aspect that never gets enough attention. I don't think anyone will dispute that Texas is a conservative state by and large. As someone said yesterday, even Democrats in Texas are more conservative than Republicans in MA. Probably a slight exaggeration but overall Texas is a conservative state. Politicians records should be considered in the context of the states they governed in. Its easy to be conservative in a conservative state. Not so much in liberal states. Perry may be great but I want to see more before I throw my support that way. That is unless he has Texas secede before the election.

77 71 58 Mitt will never get my vote. I have voted for my last RINO. Never again. Posted by: SurferDoc at June 10, 2011 12:14 PM (STdkO) For the Love of God, Take That BACK! I don't care for RINO's much, but do you REALLY want to keep a FREAKING MARXIST in the White House? Don't give me any of that "what's the difference" CRAP!!!! It FUCKING MATTERS!!!!!! We may not have any country AT ALL if Obama stays in office, and I will hold those that failed to vote against him partially responsible. And I don't care if we run a brain damaged gerbil against Obama.

78 And I don't care if we run a brain damaged gerbil against Obama.

Posted by: CoolCzech at June 10, 2011 12:18 PM (kUaEF)

aw come on, a brain damaged gerbil can't be elected, you don't know where he's been.

79 The Attention-Challenged Moron Herd has Moved On Again, I see! Jeesh, guys. Can't you linger around an older thread just a few minutes longer?

80

Politicians records should be considered in the context of the states they governed in.

That's what we think too!  Great minds think alike

81 Mitt should follow the Giuliani model and skip several states, in fact he could be a great American if he skipped at 57.

82

48--and all this while being twice as black as our current president?"

Not your most compelling argument, Herman

83

aw come on, a brain damaged gerbil can't be elected, you don't know where he's been.

No, but Richard Gere does and that's good enough for me.

84 Won't vote for Mitt.  Will vote downticket, but won't vote for Mitt.  I just can't do it.  I'll write somebody in before I vote for him.

85

Given that these straw polls are major fundraisers for the state party, this seems like a questionable strategy for building support at the state level for the actual primaries.

Unfortunately, making money for the state party is all that the straw polls are good for.

They're lousy at predicting support.  The state organizations pretend that they're a measure of organizational and fundraising abilities by the candidates, but in reality their sole purpose is to bilk candidates out of campaign dollars.

I don't know what the effect of skipping the straw polls will have on Romney's campaign, but if I had my way they'd be done away with completely.

86 aw come on, a brain damaged gerbil can't be elected, you don't know where he's been. Posted by: curious at June 10, 2011 12:19 PM (k1rwm) The damage was due to oxygen deprivation. IYKWIMAIKTYD

87 Romney supports ethanol from non-food crops. And he doesn't support tracing CO2. So stop the moronic bashing, please.

88 Ack, didn't see #1 since I was searching for "Giuliani"

Will vote downticket, but won't vote for Mitt

I might be voting for a couple of demoncrats downticket this time.  Never done that before but there are two "Republican" long term incumbents here who have gotten so far off the reservation that a fresh face, even a hard left socialist, would be an improvement.

89 Romney wont last. Iowa seems to be going pain if she gets in. I dont see whu he just does not attend it. Why piss off repubs there for the general?

90 11 From Politico: Iowa is a "crucial test of organizational strength..."

Really? Why? according to whom?

Any of you guys ever been to the straw poll?  You should go.

Regarding the actual straw poll itself, you have to be an Iowa resident to vote but not to volunteer for a candidate (or for that matter, to show up and enjoy the fun).

It's a carnival that takes place in the parking lot of the Iowa State basketball stadium/theater complex.

The candidates give speeches in the stadium in the morning and then there's a county fair-type atmosphere as people mill around, get swag and otherwise have a good time.  There're also the Paultards.  They bum it out for everyone.  Last time, Romney had a HUGE display.  Easily the biggest of any candidate.  He had t-shirt-clad volunteers all over the place.  Various candidates give away various things.  There're buttons and the usual paraphernalia, but the most popular ones are the ones who give away cold drinks or ice cream.

Ron Paul does very poorly at these because, again, to vote you have to (a) pay money, about a $40 donation to the Iowa GOP and (b) be an Iowa resident.

As Laurie said in 77, the reason the Republican party chair is so pissed is that this is a major fundraiser for the party.  That's why Mitt has essentially written off Iowa by doing this.  Nobody in the party is happy with him because now the party will have a harder time getting out the vote to, say, elect 3 out of 4 GOP congressmen or kick out Harkin in 2014.  Iowa is not a wealthy state (I'd really like to know where all this crazy ethanol money goes, because we lost a Congressman in the last census).

Mitt's really floundering here.  I think he could have won Iowa this time around, because there would be no Huckabee to play identity politics with evangelicals.  This also gives an opportunity for a no-name candidate to rise from the pack.  The straw poll is in August, while there is no political news going on, so a surprise finish by somebody is going to be a big story.  I guess Mitt hopes that's Bachmann, but if it's Perry or Pawlenty he's not going to want a rival.
 

91 Given McCain's rousing success against a guy who had spent all of two years laboring in the Senate and his trusty sidekick JoJo the idiot circus boy, maybe Iowans were on to something.  If the rest of the country had listened to the strawpoll results, we'd only be skidding toward socialist utopia under a President Mitt or President Mikey instead of lurching toward it.

92 Posted by: AmishDude at June 10, 2011 12:33 PM (73tyQ)

I think the problem with Iowa for Romney is that even if he did win the caucus there's a chance whoever came in 2nd would get the buzz. Sometimes "the surprisingly strong 2nd place showing by......." becomes the story more than "As expected the front runner won".

The danger is you win but still lose.

I don't think Romney is going for a quick knock out, he's going for long drawn out trench warfare so Iowa isn't that important. Plus, not having the front runner there, lowers the value of the win.

93 42 This year's contest will also feature a new twist: Iowans who will be of voting age by November 2012 will be able to participate, meaning that high school students are sure to be targeted by each campaign.

The only 17-year-old kids who will go to this thing will be hardcore conservative activists.

Have you ever gone to this thing?  It's (a) out of the way in Ames, a 40-minute drive from Des Moines where the (more fun) state fair will be going on and (b) a very adult event.  Believe me, no teenage kids except for the VERY well-informed will be going.

94 CORRECTION: An editing error caused a false attribution in an earlier version of this column. A comment by the authors was transformed into a direct quote from Sarah Palin. She never said the words attributed to her. Those words were written by the authors.

Posted by: momma at June 10, 2011 12:09 PM (nWikJ)

Oh. My. God.

I want names.  No goddam "editing error."  I want names.

95 It's already over. Mitt's the one.

96 Also:

So tight was the money that GingrichÂ’s team couldnÂ’t execute some of the basic plans they had agreed on earlier in the year. The campaign plan called for making a splash with a strong finish in the Iowa straw poll in August, but Gingrich didnÂ’t have the money required to pay the registration fee or to purchase the list of past caucus attendees from the state party.



*cough* Callista's Tiffany bill *cough*

97 I think the problem with Iowa for Romney is that even if he did win the caucus there's a chance whoever came in 2nd would get the buzz. Sometimes "the surprisingly strong 2nd place showing by......." becomes the story more than "As expected the front runner won".

The danger is you win but still lose.

Agreed.  At the same time, the frontrunner should act like a frontrunner and should have enough profile to manage expectations without skipping it.

I think that people really think that Iowa plays a bigger role than it does.  You have to finish in the top 3 in Iowa to move on.  Iowa basically weeds out the also-rans before they get to other states.

98 The way Newt always says "Callista and I" is creepy.

99 Saw this in the comments at Legal Insurrection (“So Tell Me About Rick Perry”) Personally calls the families of every Texas soldier killed in Iraq and Afghaistan and gives them him personal cell phone number, took in Marcus Luttrell of Lone Survivor fame to make sure that Marcus got the help for his broken body and shattered mind after losing his entire SEAL team, has taken in more veterans to do the same allowing those veterans to live with him and Anita so that they can monitor the help those veterans need. Is this for real? I can’t find anything to back it up on the web. Normally, I’d say that means it’s bullshit, but it isn’t like the MBM is going to report something like this, and the kind of person who would do it isn’t the kind of person to brag about it.

100 62 Romney, please just drop out. I hated voting for McCain (I voted for Palin) and I think it will be much harder to vote for you. Posted by: momma at June 10, 2011 12:10 PM (nWikJ) ---- I feel the exact same way. I wonder how much different things would be right now under McCain. He seems to have spent the last few years kicking conservatives in the damn teeth, at every opportunity. AND it put his troll daughter in the national spotlight.

101 At the same time, the frontrunner should act like a frontrunner and should have enough profile to manage expectations without skipping it.
Posted by: AmishDude at June 10, 2011 12:59 PM (73tyQ)

Maybe but it's no figure skating, there are no style points. The job of the frontrunner is to stay in front. How they do it is simply details.

Besides, when you consider Huckabee and Bob Dole (twice) have won there in the past, I'm leery of people that Iowans like.

102

If I have to vote for Romney I will.  Then I will immediately jump off a bridge.  Because voting twice in a lifetime for unqualified Rebublican candidates in an effort to hopelessly beat the opposition is enough.

Cut.  Jib.  Newsletter.

103 I suppose it's too much to hope that Mitt'd get knocked down hard in a couple early primaries.  Hair's too good and the wallet's too thick.

104 Back from temporary baby-sitting:

Then I will immediately jump off a bridge.  Because voting twice in a lifetime for unqualified Rebublican candidates in an effort to hopelessly beat the opposition is enough.

Think about my stuff here. I have been voting since I got out of the Navy in 1977. I have only got to vote FOR one candidate since that time. Every other time it has been for the lesser of the evils, either a communist asshole or a squishy go along to get along. Think about that, in 33 years we had one decent candidate. This is what the Republican "rules" and "electability" has got us.

And some of you wonder why I draw the line at some of the candidates in this pile of muck. 

105 Why can't there be some kind of rotation of states during primary season? Why the hell do Iowans get to have so much power every 4 years. Those people haven't done shit for me ever.

106

Perry was a Democrat and Al Gore's former campaign manager in TX.

NO.

Plus, he tried to force the poisonous Gardasil onto teenage girls.

If you like RINOS you'll love Perry.   He seems conservative until you look below the surface.

107

Anyone that thika Romney is worth a crap should watch this all the way through.

http://tinyurl.com/3luzteb

108 Why is Mitt Romney trying to break my heart? Here I was, ready to go to the prom with him, and he keeps flapping his lips about "global warming" and the "environment". It was going to be a tough road just with "RomneyCare" but he must like the pain -- he keeps sticking more pins in. Since he's said little about taxes and spending reductions, I'm going to be forced to conclude one of his "solutions" to the current crisis will be a tax increase (perhaps temporary but doesn't matter).

Just when I thought he was the solution to The Won, he's trying desperately to sound like The Won Also.

If down the road he drops another Taxachusetts Euphemism, then I'm breaking up with him.

**
Elliot Garfield: [after hearing that his play has closed] That's okay. Now I'm free to support that other candidate.
Lucy McFadden: What other candidate?
Elliot Garfield: I'm looking, I'm looking!
**

109

I'd vote for anything short of Cynthia McKinney over Zero, but Mitt's not making the bitter pill go down any easier by making Mavericky mating calls to the establishment press every damned day.

Still on team anybody-but-Mitt, presently captained by Paws, but only by default.

Someone please tell me Perry isn't Texas' answer to J.D. Hayworth and I'll consider it my good news for the day.

110

106 Vic: 

You have a point.  My statement at 111 means Mitt's strategists know they can count on my vote no matter how much of an jellyfish he is - and that allows him to kowtow even more.

But Barry's so bad for the country that I can't bring myself to not vote against him, even if only by staying home.  The idea of what an out-of-control socialist ass-weasel he will be as a lame duck is just too awful. 

I feel like a Cubs fan.  Go to the park - get taken for granted and watch more shitty ball at Wrigley.  Stay away - team cries poverty, cuts payroll - watch more shitty ball on TV.

111 Fuck that Rino Mitt. That Is All. I mean that statement in a nice way of course. This declaration should by no means be misconstrued as (1) a prank via Mr. Weiner and his weiner (2) hate speech of any kind. (3) Please note, no Hobos, Progressive Liberals, Delta Smelt or any other endangered species were killed/maimed/hurt while dispensing this statement. By the way, I hereby cast my Moron vote (written in crayon) for the next president of the United States of America 2012, to the current Governor of the Great State of Texas, Rick Perry

112 @misty, "Perry was a Democrat and Al Gore's former campaign manager in TX. NO. Plus, he tried to force the poisonous Gardasil onto teenage girls. If you like RINOS you'll love Perry. He seems conservative until you look below the surface." ... sigh, I did not know if this info. Thank you very much for bringing it to my attention. Please add Mr. Perry to my Fuck You very much list.

113 i have liked this site too much i need more informative and helpful and nice topics here ...
thanks for having nice time