Ames, Iowa - Scrambling for straws (Iowa Straw Poll Today)

Ames Tribune ^ | August 11, 2007 | William Dillon

[HAL9000]

At a southeast Ames coffee shop Friday morning, U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter mingled with guests, telling stories of life on the campaign trail and why he is the best candidate to be president of the United States in 2008.

The gathering space was filled with a few undecided voters and a mob of Hunter supporters.

It was the sort of scene that replicated itself at restaurants, cafés and candidate headquarters in Mid-Iowa throughout the day Friday as Republican senators, congressmen and former governors sought to generate excitement and the last few votes that could lead them to a better than expected finish in today's straw poll.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback met with supporters at their Ames headquarters. U.S. Congressman Ron Paul joined a Campustown concert in his honor dubbed "Ronstock." And former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson met with motorcyclists and other supporters at a restaurant in downtown Ames.

~ snip ~

[EternalVigilance]

The circus is in town!

[CheyennePress]

>>>In Campustown, a party-like atmosphere complete with plastic straw umbrellas, live on-the-street “Ron Paul Radio” interviews and a red, white and blue painted RV with a live monkey inside took over a small section of the sidewalk outside of Bali Satay House for a concert party in support of Congressman Paul. <<<<

Somehow this seems all too appropriate...

[counterpunch]

Hopefully Fred Thompson will score an upset on Mitt Romney, and Duncan Hunter makes a surprisingly strong showing. And with any luck Tommy Thompson, Mike Huckabee, and Sam Brownback will all place way down and have to drop out.

[RealTeen]

Mittmentum!
No support for Fred until he fires his terrorist-sympathizer advisor!

[counterpunch]

I thought Fred already replaced Abraham with Bill Lacy.

[NRA2BFree]

The gathering space was filled with a few undecided voters and a mob of Hunter supporters.

That's what we like to hear! That's VERY encouraging.:o) The more people know about Duncan, the more they will support him!

[RealTeen]

No, Spence just is in a lesser role (adviser)

[counterpunch]

I thought he was a money raiser.

[RealTeen]

According to Thompson he’s an advisor and an “ambassador to Washington.” Either way, he’s an Islamist-apologist and I can’t vote for a man who hired him.

[counterpunch]

So Hillary is getting your vote instead?

[RealTeen]

No, Thompson’s not going to win the nomination.

[bcsco]

No, Thompson’s not going to win the nomination.

Uh, huh.

[counterpunch]

No, Thompson’s not going to win the nomination.

So you think it's going to be Rudy?

 

[RealTeen]

Mittmentum

[counterpunch]

Mitt only has enough money to buy votes in Iowa.
And apparently no one told him the votes today don’t actually count.

[RealTeen]

Mitt has plenty of cash and the snubbing of Ames by the bigger candidates shows their ignorance of the process.

[counterpunch]

The process has changed. The mad dash to the front by all the state primaries has rendered Iowa and New Hampshire both totally irrelevant.

[Theodore R.]

To paraphrase Fred Thompson’s former mentor, “What does Fred Thompson know and when did he know it?” He seems unable to make decisions. I understand he is also a weak speaker and would likely play Lazio2 to HRC. Time will tell.

[fetal heart beats by 21st day]

Perhaps that’s why his supporters keep hoping the Republican field is winnowed before he has to debate the issues.

Go, DUNCAN HUNTER!

[George W. Bush]

Mittmentum!

Isn't it a bit odd that Iowa GOP placed Fred on the ballot when he isn't even a candidate? Why not Newt who is as much a candidate and polls more strongly nationally than many on the ballot in Ames? Did anyone ask the Iowa GOP if they were requested by FDT to put him on the ballot?

And what about Rudi, saying he wouldn't compete in Ames but then sneaking in for the last ten days to campaign hard, so that he can say if he loses "well, I wasn't competing" but in the event of a strong finish he can say "I wasn't even competing and look how well I did". Seems underhanded. At least John McCain has kept his word and mostly stayed out of Iowa when he said he wasn't competing.

[trisham]

That’s quite a tagline, GWB. :)

[Swordfished]

Isn't it a bit odd that Iowa GOP placed Fred on the ballot when he isn't even a candidate? Why not Newt who is as much a candidate and polls more strongly nationally than many on the ballot in Ames? Did anyone ask the Iowa GOP if they were requested by FDT to put him on the ballot?

Good question. Wouldn't a candidate get to choose whether or not they wanted to be included? I just assume Thompson asked to be included - to see if he could pull off some kind of victory without even campaigning. He may be good, but he's not that good.

[George W. Bush]

That’s quite a tagline, GWB. :)

Hee-hee...

[George W. Bush]

I just assume Thompson asked to be included - to see if he could pull off some kind of victory without even campaigning. He may be good, but he's not that good.

Personally, I think it skews the results. We have no guarantee that Fred will ever run. So why is he on a ballot with actual candidates?

I'm surprised Romney's campaign hasn't made an issue out of it but I suppose they, pros that they are, know that would do more to help Fred's turnout than anything else.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Y’all watch out for ‘dark horse’ Tommy Thompson. ;)

[sionnsar]

the snubbing of Ames by the bigger candidates shows their ignorance of the process.

You should read yesterday's WSJ.

[Kimberly GG]

“And what about Rudi, saying he wouldn’t compete in Ames but then sneaking in for the last ten days to campaign hard, so that he can say if he loses “well, I wasn’t competing” but in the event of a strong finish he can say “I wasn’t even competing and look how well I did”. Seems underhanded.”

IMO, not so different than what F Thompson has been doing.

[George W. Bush]

IMO, not so different than what F Thompson has been doing.

Thompson should have asked to have his name removed. He is not a candidate, has not participated in the race, won't declare. What about all the other candidates and their supporters who have worked so hard and spent so much just to watch some Fred supporters coming in to poach votes?

I think less of Fred for having his name on that ballot. I like Fred just fine but it is just wrong to let a non-candidate on the ballot.

[Brices Crossroads]

They did not ask Fred whether they could put his name on the ballot. In fact, when they did so, I got the distinct impression that his campaign would have preferred not to be on the ballot. That said, if the Iowa Republican Party made a decision to put him on the ballot, I do not know how anyone can quarrel with it. He has run a consistent and strong second to Rudy for the last 2 months, far ahead of Romney, who will certainly win the Straw poll in virtue of having virtually lived in Iowa for the last year and spent 3 million dollars in the state, about .5 million just on the straw poll.

[Artemis Webb]

bookmark

[Texas Patriot]

It would be truly great if Duncan Hunter actually won the straw poll. The publicity for him would be great, and who know stranger things have happened.

[Sun]

Laura Ingraham on now - C-Span!

The Rep. from Iowa who just spoke now said we lost last year because we put power over PRINCIPLE.

Remember that, folks, when voting in the PRIMARIES. Vote for the strongest CONSERVATIVE!

Rudy McRomney are RINOs, and imo, RINOs can’t beat the Dem candidate, because conservatives will stay home, or vote 3rd party, just like they did in 2006.

Vote the Duncan Hunter, a TRUE CONSERVATIVE!

[Sun]

I am listening to the Iowa straw poll on the internet. If you’re interested, and don’t have cable, either, here’s a link for C-Span:

http://www.cspan.org/watch/cspan_rm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS

Coming up the candidates will speak - 1st Romney, who spent millions on this, and last Brownback.

[Sun]

“It would be truly great if Duncan Hunter actually won the straw poll.”

It would be great, but Duncan Hunter campaigned in Iowa late, because he was WORKING on issues pertaining to Iraq, but you never can tell. Anyway, this straw poll won’t make or break any candidate. :)

[Sun]

I THINK Duncan Hunter will be on after Huckabee on C-Span, if they speak according to the order in which were introduced by Laura Ingraham.

Hunter is the strongest conservative, from the social issues to borders, understanding the Red China threat, etc.

Right now, Romney is speaking (who spent millions it has been said just on this straw poll).

[JerseyDvl]

Mitt is getting good jabs in about the Dumocrat candidates.

[HAL9000]

Right now, Romney is speaking (who spent millions it has been said just on this straw poll).

It would be interesting to rank the candidates by cost-effectiveness, i.e., dollars per vote received.

[Sun]

Yes, he is giving the Dems good jabs.

I’m afraid that Romney is a RINO, though.

[Theodore R.]

Romney’s parents were among the original RINOS. George W. Romney was MI governor from 1963-1969, and Lenore Romney lost the 1970 Senate election to Philip A. Hart.

[JHBowden]

“So you think it’s going to be Rudy?”

I’m pulling for Rudy, though it is dangerous to do so in these parts.

;)

[Sun]

Ranking the candidates by cost-effectiveness certainly WOULD BE interesting.

btw, Romney might have to give some campaign $$ back, imo, because his finance guy got into some trouble, but I’m not blaming Romney for that unless I hear more.

Major Romney Fundraiser Indicted for Massive Fraud
The Right’s Field ^ | August 9, 2007

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1879589/posts?page=1#1

[Sun]

“Romney’s parents were among the original RINOS.”

That explains some of it.

Rudy McRomney = RINOs

[bnelson44]

In Praise of Retail Politics [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

Mitt-supporting D.C. mom in Ames for the straw poll e-mails:

Overall, I have to say, I was impressed with the quality of the “retail politics” — lots of people were out in force in the 90-degree sun touting their candidates and their ideas - intelligently, passionately, and politely. The kind of crowd where, even if your kid gets lost, you aren’t thinking “Amber Alert,” but rather, “I just need to get the PA system to tell whoever finds him to bring him to the Mittmobile.” While in line for the Fair Tax Ferris Wheel, a Ron Paul supporter calls out, “Ron Paul has been pro-life his whole life.” The response of some Mitt Romney supporters: “God Bless him!”. Paul supporter: “Mitt Romney hasn’t!” Romney supporter: “I know. But he is now, and he is the only one who can beat Hillary Clinton, and she has never been pro-life.”

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YjFiM2U4M2RjZWM3YTY4MmZmNzA3YjcwMjkwYmI3MjU=

[George W. Bush]

While in line for the Fair Tax Ferris Wheel, a Ron Paul supporter calls out, “Ron Paul has been pro-life his whole life.” The response of some Mitt Romney supporters: “God Bless him!”. Paul supporter: “Mitt Romney hasn’t!” Romney supporter: “I know. But he is now, and he is the only one who can beat Hillary Clinton, and she has never been pro-life.”

A good anecdote. Mitt's lucky to have such supporters.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Either way, he’s an Islamist-apologist and I can’t vote for a man who hired him.

Has no bearing whatever on Fred's own policies.

The guy was hired to help with the campaign.

You're old enough to be on here?

[George W. Bush]

Mitt taking little Wyatt on the inflatable slide.

Did you guys see this one:

Romney pigs out at Iowa State Fair - Roger Simon - Politico.com

Mitt caught putting a dropped pork chop back on the grill!!! He really is...frugal, just like his boys tell us. LOL.

[bnelson44]

A Low Turnout: About 14,000

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/08/ames_a_low_turnout_about_14000.php