Skip Iowa Next Time (Barf Alert)

The New York Sun ^ | August 13, 2007 | Ryan Sager

[2ndDivisionVet]

To revise the old Woody Allen line: Eighty percent of success is not showing up. While Mitt Romney may have nominally "won" the Iowa Straw Poll over the weekend, the real victors were the ones who stayed away from Ames: Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Fred Thompson (who has made something of an art of not showing up, in recent months). The paradox could mean the end of the straw poll as a GOP touchstone. And that would be nothing but good news for the Republican Party.

Let's look first at how Mr. Romney comes out of all of this. Mr. Romney's margin of victory -- 13% over Mike Huckabee -- wasn't particularly stunning. But the price he paid for each vote was. The Romney campaign won't disclose numbers, but plenty have come to light: in excess of $2 million on TV ads, more than $150,000 on tickets, roughly $300,000 on buses, $25,000 for a prime tent, $50,000 for lunch, roughly $1 million in Iowa-related expenditures as of the close of the campaign's second-quarter Federal Election Commission reports (which only cover up through June 30). All told, he easily spent more than $4 million preparing for Ames, or significantly more than $800 a vote.

By way of comparison, according to figures compiled by the Des Moines Register, George Bush spent roughly $825,000 for 7,418 votes, or $111 a vote, at Ames in 1999. And he had well-financed competition from Steve Forbes, who spent $2 million to get 4,921 votes ($406 a vote). So, what has Mr. Romney purchased at this high price? A couple days of good headlines and a new rival for the Christian-conservative vote.

[2ndDivisionVet]

No bias here, no siree! He may be correct from a tactical standpoint, but what an anti-Christian, pro-illegal immigration screed!

[gondramB]

They have a point - if you are gonna get your ass kicked in Iowa but have a chance in liberal states you might want to skip Iowa.

Iowa is also a little nutty on the ethanol issue. A candidate with a rational energy outlook can have trouble in Iowa.

[JohnnyZ]

So did anyone vote for Romney who WASN’T bought and paid for?

[ConservativeDude]

in excess of $2 million on TV ads”

Whiner.

[Red Badger]

Winning the Iowa straw Poll and $5 will get you a cup of latte at starbucks,...........

[2ndDivisionVet]

I’m betting some of Romney’s “rent-a-voters” actually voted for someone else. IIRC, the Paulestinians were hitching a ride on Romney buses to go and vote for their Oberfuhrer at the straw poll.

[Jokelahoma]

The article was dead on until the last two paragraphs.

Hell, reading the thing, it looked as though he had some sort of seizure right before those last two paragraphs, to be honest. Even keeled, good, substantive breakdown of what happened in Iowa and what it means, and then WHAM! He loses his mind entirely and goes off on this weirdly out-of-place diatribe. Guess he had to prove his leftist credentials or risk not getting his byline in the next edition.

[Ingtar]

So, what has Mr. Romney purchased at this high price? A couple days of good headlines and a new rival for the Christian-conservative vote.

This could be quite true unless/until Romney can build on a victory and gain something substantial. It reinforces the idea that the straw poll means less and less to the real campaign.

[Weeedley]

A Christian-Conservative will be inclined to vote for a Mormon?

How delusional can the MSM get?

[newgeezer]

...Woody Allen...

Only five words into it, you know it's going to be crap not worth reading.

I like that.

[KC_Conspirator]

I think the Iowa straw poll is becoming worthless. Spend alot of money and say you love ethanol and you will win. I believe Steve Forbes won it a couple times.

[elizabetty]

So did anyone vote for Romney who WASN’T bought and paid for?

Bought with a BBQ sandwich and a miserably hot bus ride?

Are you really that addle or just so blinded by hate you are incapable of clear thought?

[MplsSteve]

Here’s a list of the winners:

August 1979 - George H.W. Bush

August 1987 - Pat Robertson

August 1995 - TIE between Bob Dole and Phil Gramm

August 1999 - George W. Bush

If you want specific numbers, click here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_straw_poll

[Lexinom]

Yes it is a screed. His ideal would be to have New York, LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, and D.C. elect the president, with the rest of the nation to be seen but not heard.

What this piece reveals more than anything is the latent tension between secularist blue staters (want U.S. to be more like Denmark or some other insignificant Western European nation) and red staters (want U.S. to retain its roots as codified in founding documents).

[JohnnyZ]

I’m betting some of Romney’s “rent-a-voters” actually voted for someone else.

That's my question: did Romney actually pay for more votes than he actually got?

[Rameumptom]

>>>>Mr. Romney's margin of victory -- 13% over Mike Huckabee -- wasn't particularly stunning.

Until you compare it to George W. who in 04 had the also got 30% and who's margin of victroy was only 10% over the second place candidate.

[Rameumptom]

>>>>but it's his name Mr. Romney is cursing as he goes to bed tonight. After all, it was Mr. Giuliani who pulled the rug out from under Mr. Romney's Iowa strategy back in June by simply refusing to play.

Nice liberal spin.

Romney sent Rudy And McCain running with their tail between their legs. Back in April Romney chartered every commercial bus in the State of Iowa. IOW, Rudy and McCain had to pay out of the nose to stay and play in Iowa, by chartering out of state busses. They read the writing on the wall. Besdies not being able to compete organizationally "Refusing to play" with the GOP base is will be their undoing.