Ames, Iowa, straw poll

[BenGarrett]

Anyone keep up with the goings on in Ames today and, if so, what's your take? Obviously everyone knew that Romney was going to win, but it was probably not as large a win as everyone expected.

The big surprise was Huckabee finishing second at 18%. He's got to be considered the big winner of the poll. Some among the GOP had been calling for him to go ahead and drop out of the race, but I'd say this solidifies his status as a candidate until after the first primaries.

Tommy Thompson will be gone, since he said he would withdraw from the race if he didn't finish second (he finished sixth). Who else will be gone in the very near future?

It was interesting to see Ron Paul finish fifth with 9% of the vote. This massive Internet support, I thought, was supposed to be a precursor of things to come? Maybe none of the Grand Ole Party supporters in Iowa own a computer.

The biggest story of the night, IMO, was the turnout. Only 14,000 votes cast, compared to 24,000 cast when Bush won the Ames poll in 1999. That speaks of Republican and conservative apathy in Iowa. If that's indicative of the entire country (and it probably is, since it is what many analysts had predicted heading into this election season), it likely doesn't speak well for the GOP heading into next fall (although I gotta say, nothing is likely to mobilize the conservative base like a Clinton nomination by the Democrats ).

[BenGarrett]

Incredible. According to the Marc Anbinder blog that Drudge has linked on his site, Paul supporters are already claiming that the results were rigged, and there's "whispering" that they may fork up the $184,000 required for a recount. Apparently, the Paul camp had already gone before a judge yesterday to request that all paper ballots be used.

Mark my words: This is what we're going to have to deal with in every state's caucus or primary in the first few months of next year: Claims by the Paul camp that the results were rigged. Apparently, the vast conspiracy to squelch Ron Paul now not only involves the opinion polling groups and mass media, but these pollworkers themselves. These people are nuts!

[Whitehorse]

I'm not sure how the straw poll resulte are going to affect the grand scheme of things. It does seem that *some* Ron Paul supporters are showing themselves to be the unhinged of the fringe lately...

[Champlain Islander]

That will certainly give Mitt a running start which was something he was obviously counting on. He got what he paid for and now to see how it plays out with the other states. I found it interesting how far back McCain was. His fund raising has been behind expectations all along and I wouldn't be surprised to see him drop out if his results don't get better. Thompson got some votes and he isn't even running. If he planned to enter he made a mistake by waiting. I think I know wht he is hedging...his wife. Typical old actor with the trophy blond wife who is old enough to be his daughter. When the onion is finally peeled back I don't see her as being the first lady. I feel the American public would want somebody refined, gracious and more in line with the mold from previous first ladies. I don't see him getting the women's vote for that reason. Kerrymight have won in 2004 if he wasn't married to the Katsup lady....thank God for small favors.

[BenGarrett]

ORIGINAL: Champlain Islander

Thompson got some votes and he isn't even running. If he planned to enter he made a mistake by waiting.

I agree. He definitely has let the momentum ebb, not to mention the further along we get, the further behind on fundraising he's going to get, etc. He had the whole country talking, and at this point pretty much seems to have managed to waste that.

No one should underestimate Romney. Even though he would've liked a better showing in Ames, I think if I had to pick a winner of the GOP nomination at this point, it would be Romney. And, as a more central candidate, he's probably best equipped to go head-to-head with Clinton and win a lot of the moderates who will refuse to vote for her, and thus compete well. The problem is that he won't mobilize the conservative base very well because he is seen as wishy-washy on certain conservative values.

[falcon]

"That will certainly give Mitt a running start which was something he was obviously counting on."

Mitt Romney is an anti-gunner of the very worst kind. Romney is the only one out of the current bunch who has signed anti-gun legislation
into law. When thenational AWB expired,old Mitt insisted on an AWB for PRMA. It was passed and he signed it into law.

It is just toobad thatthefront runners ofboth partys are anti-gunners. We, as Americans,deserve better than this sleazy bunch of anti gun opportunists. Where are the candidates who share true American values?
Looks like i will write in the name of the town idiot on election day, no morechoosing the lesser oftwo anti-gun evils forme.

Pardon me, i gotta puke.

[biscuit jake]

I agree w/ the nausea. I had thought I would attend much earlier in the year as I have others... but the candidates, generally, do not flip my switch. It would have been more interesting with national poll leaders attending. My best estimate is that Romney will not take 2nd place in the caucuses. The attendance figure to this straw poll is the key! Party activists are just not real crazy about the lineup. I am looking at Brownback and Huckabee... I am just not sure how Fred Thompson's Mrs is going to play out nationally. In Iowa, activists tend to be pretty conservative. Juliani will definitely pull some crossover votes from the Dems here, which says alot about his positions.

[tangozulu]

I was going to hijack this thread a bit by asking if everyone was a little sick of the endless election process. No wonder it costs so much.
It seems like there is no end to one election before the start of the next.
I think I have my answer though, as this room is obviously full of political junkies.

[C. Davis]

ORIGINAL: tangozulu

I was going to hijack this thread a bit by asking if everyone was a little sick of the endless election process. No wonder it costs so much.
It seems like there is no end to one election before the start of the next.
I think I have my answer though, as this room is obviously full of political junkies.

Tang,
This is an honest question maybe you can answer. I am going to assume that you are a Canadian citizen. Just howclosely does the Canadian population follow the American election process?

I personally am a tired of the seemingly endless presidential campaign, but at the same, I feel like I have to follow what is happening because there are so many people in the U.S. who think it is a good thing to becomelike other countries in the world.
They want universal health care, paid for by the govt., (If they get that wish, I can tell you that people would quit coming to our country for the best health care in the world, because it would be like everybody else's)
They want to penalize achievers by taking more of their money and giving it to people who don't work.
The only good thing they see about capitalism is how much tax they get from it... and theywant more and more at the same time campaigning on how greedy "big this" and "big that" are.
They think our gun laws are archaic.
They think our right to freedom of religion is a threat.
They think it is unfair for us to stand and take an offensive fight to an enemywho hates us and who have attacked us, and want us gone. After all, we should be like the rest of the world. We should be no better.

This list can be added to.

They call their desire to change and be like the rest of the world "progressive" at the same time ignoring the fact that we are the only country I know of where people risk their lives to get to it. Heck, maybe that is their untold plan to fight illegal immagration. I got news for them. That plan will work. Illegal, or legal, why would anybody bother to come to a country that is no different than the rest of the world?

We are and should be different,
We are the United States of America!

Well anyway Tang, that is what I am tuning in to hear. Sadly, from one side I am hearing just the opposite and from my side there are a few candidates who I don't think get it.This isthe message that will break through the nonsence, but it will take a strong deliverer to get it across.I am just hoping to hear it.

C. Davis

[falcon]

C. Davis, i totally agree with you and can add only one thing to your list:

They want to give away taxpayer money in the form of welfare for corporate farmers.