Posted on 06/07/2007 4:51:02 AM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007
Hours after former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) announced that he would skip the Iowa straw poll, the campaign of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said Wednesday that it would follow suit.
“In light of today’s news, it is clear that the Ames Straw Poll will not be a meaningful test of the leading candidates’ organizational abilities, so we have decided to forego our participation in the event,” said McCain’s campaign manager Terry Nelson.
Nelson pointed out that McCain has built a solid organization in Iowa and “intends to win the state’s caucuses.”
Giuliani’s camp had announced earlier that the current GOP frontrunner would skip the August straw poll to focus resources on the January caucuses.
Ping of interest.
I would actually like to see the Republican nominee, whoever it is, be someone who did not campaign in Iowa. I’m tired of the ethanol lobby picking our presidents. As far as traditions go, this one is both bogus and sad.
Wanna bet McCain or Giuliani win the Iowa Caucus?
And you are both ugly and rude.
Bingo - the Iowa straw poll is a joke - always has been.
I think you have described it well - I might add that it’s a competition for the campaign with the most buses, etc.
Straw polls are silly in the end.
Right now, Romney may win the straw poll by default.
Giuliani doesn’t play well in fly-over country. He should stay in Iowa to get a measure of how much work his has to do in fly-over country.
McCain tanked, per Frank Luntz, politicial analyst on Fox&Friends yesterday. Luntz’s metered group did not respond well to McCain’s response to immigration questions.
it’s a competition for the campaign with the most busesExactly.
Somebody has to go first. Right. But after an initial lottery, we could have a system of orderly rotation (6 primary dates, 8-9 states in each primary, rotating in turn after the initial lottery set-up, as an example). THAT would be Democracy in action.
Bingo
Well said.
Seems to me that Iowa has now gotten rid of McCain and Rudy but without them having to support the party and I can't blame them for that.
I believe McCain is DONE. Rudy probably still has some life--especially in the NE but his numbers are on the way down.
So this tells me Rudy has no grassroots support and McCain’s will soon be moving to camp FRed.
Good question - good observations.
History is the answer to Iowa - so many years of precedent made it a force to be dealt with.
But no more - the entire primary process is being redefined and Iowa is NOT what it once was.
The rule book does not exist right now - it’s in the process of being written.
Good or bad - that remains to be seen.
I actually see Rudy as gaining strength after about 4 weeks of tough going - he is regaining his footing. In my opinion.
Mitt is taking a lot of blows - Fred Thompson is about to get into the fight - and he will be bombarded for “not playing by the rules”.
I think (I think) it’s Rudy vs. Fred in the end - and I think Rudy wins the GOP nomination.
But - as I have said before - I supported Perot - so my vision is not 20-20.
We had an event with representatives from the campaigns Sunday and one asked how many there had not made up their minds and most hands went up.
I'm extremely plugged in politically and so far there is little firm support for anyone. That doesn't necessarily mean we're dissatisfied with the field but that we're just waiting to see what happens before we make up our minds.
Maybe they’re afraid of Dave Yepsen.
It is possible that in the future you may be correct but for this year, I think that if anything, Iowa's influence is even greater. This Straw Poll is a big deal and Rudy and McCain pulling out says a lot.
Now, if others would leave, then my opinion changes.
I doubt it.
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