Wonder if they were bussed in?
Posted on 07/08/2007 9:43:18 PM PDT by iowamark
The Young Republican National Federation's annual convention ends tonight in Ft. Lauderdale with the announcement of its straw poll results -- a poll that, in all likelihood, Mitt Romney will win, and then use to tout as an example of how Young Republicans are enthusiastic about his campaign.
But Romney had a few legs up. For one thing, the Young Republican's executive director, Jon Woodward, is the St. John's County chair for Romney. The convention's chief organizer is Brian Graham, who is also a Romney backer. Romney's campaign helped to sponsor tonight's dinner. And the YRNF convention corporation, according to Erick Erickson at RedState, decided for some reason to allow non YRers to vote in the straw poll. That allows organized and well-monied campaigns to bring in supporters, so they should choose.
The perception among YRs I've been corresponding with tonight is that Romney is trying to pack the straw poll. Maybe it's not true. But that's what these YRers believe.
One real, dues-paying Young Republican e-mailed to note that his identification was not checked when he cast his ballot. Another noticed that reams of Romney supporters, many of them not terribly young, had "flooded" the convention on Saturday. One delegate... wrote a resolution urging the bifurcaton of straw poll results into credentialed convention attendees and visitors...
All that effort, and the reports I'm getting suggest that Fred Thompson's Friday night appearance was the piece de resistance of the conference. He was introduced by Mary Matalin, who, in what attendees assumed was a swipe at Romney, called Thompson the race's true "principled" conservative. After his speech, Thompson spent a half hour shaking hands with the crowd...
Two independent witnesses, one of whom was a Romney backer before tonight, e-mailed me to say that Thompson heard more applause than Romney.
(Excerpt) Read more at marcambinder.theatlantic.com ...
fred’s the man!
“fred’s the man!”
YES, he is.
Romney is on his way out. He had his 15 minutes of glory.
I can attest that Romney is working is working intensively to win the Iowa Straw Poll August 11.I can attest that Mitt Romney is to the GOP what a bedbug infestation is to a dormitory for recovering crystal meth addicts. The man is like the US submarine corps: there is no depth to which he will not sink.
“For one thing, the Young Republican’s executive director, Jon Woodward, is the St. John’s County chair for Romney.”
I know politics is politics. But frankly, I don’t think Romney needs to cheat to win straw polls. If he won it, he won it fair and square and the rest of us will just have to deal with it!
Romney is on his way out. He had his 15 minutes of glory.He didn't deserve those 15 minutes. That a loser like Romney even got 15 minutes testifies to the weakness of the GOP at this precise historical moment.
I am OK with that, sort of.
I’d rather have him as Prez than that psycho shrew who has the blessings of just about every person that you will ever see on the TV during the next 16 months.
This is like complaining that the Girl Scouts weren't allowed to vote in a Boy Scout poll.
How Fred rising when he started ahead?
I love to hear that video talk on the Young Republican again of Fred speech but it seem to disappeared!
If he won it, he won it fair and square and the rest of us will just have to deal with it!Indeed. We can all vote Libertarian. Which would be far better than registering a vote for Mitt Romney.
I suppose some people have to find a conspiracy theory in anything, even something as meaningless as a straw poll.
The Republican party apparatus out here in southwest Washington State had a meeting at which a straw poll was taken. Fred Thompson won going away, and that was two and a half months ago.
So instead of saying something positive for Thompson (whom I admire btw), they have to trash a good man like Romney?
This smells of Democrat infestation.
Young GOP straw poll results tallied*
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2007/07/young-gop-straw.html
I sorta like Romney....I understand he was a great manager in business, he saved the Salt Lake Olympics, has done extremely well in business, great resume, great family - since he isn’t Muslim his religion doesn’t bother me. I don’t know enough about his record as governor however. So far I don’t think I’d be holding my nose to vote for him.
That being said...I might sorta like Romney but I LOVE Fred.
meanwhile, noone can explain why Fred should be 'the' choice for the GOP. He didn't do much leading as a senator. And as far as I can tell, he's just another playa from Hollywood.
I'm guessing HRClinton and crew would love to have him to run against. Compared to Thompson, in a debate HRClinton would look like the sharpest knife in the box.
what, exactly, did he lead the way on? what innovations did he spearhead?
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