Iowans Miffed at a Noncommittal Mitt Romney (and that's putting it mildly)

The Atlantic ^ | November 19, 2011 | Molly Ball

[Cincinatus' Wife]

DES MOINES -- On Saturday afternoon at a megachurch in Des Moines, the Republican presidential candidates will gather -- with a notable exception.

....To add insult to injury, he [Mitt Romney] will be spending the day in New Hampshire.

[SNIP]

"Governor Branstad has enormous respect for Governor Romney, but he has decided it's time to hold his feet to the fire," Albrecht said.

Steve Scheffler, head of another Iowa social conservative group, the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition, also hosted six candidates -- but no Romney -- at a forum last month. "I think he's arrogant," Scheffler said bluntly in an interview.

"It's becoming irritating to a lot of people that he's not showing up to things," said Scheffler, who is also the state's Republican National Committeeman. There were 1,200 attendees at his event, he noted, all of them likely caucus-goers. Hundreds also attended the Republican Party of Iowa's Nov. 4 Reagan Dinner, and hundreds are expected at Saturday's two events.

Scheffler vowed that the conservatives of Iowa would not take Romney's disrespect lying down, and indeed, anger at Romney appears to be the cause that unites the two pillars of the Iowa GOP -- the business-oriented establishment, represented by Branstad, and the social-conservative grassroots, represented by the FAMiLY LEADER, whose head, Bob Vander Plaats, ran against Branstad in the 2010 gubernatorial primary.

"For him to deliberately shun these events is an insult to Iowans," Scheffler said. And despite early polls showing Romney near the top of the pack, Iowans, he vowed, will have their revenge.

"There is a really strong desire among people who don't want to see Romney win this state," he said. "Don't discount the possibility that people will coalesce around one or two other candidates just to ensure Mitt Romney doesn't win the state by default."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

TODAY

Nov 19, 2011: Since tickets have sold out, please join the Thanksgiving Family Forum streaming live from 3:30-6:00 PM CST: Here

[Old Retired Army Guy]

I am not a political strategist, but I am puzzled why Romney would deliberately kick sand in the face of Iowa Voters. Can any of you experts out there tell me the logic in this?

[TexasFreeper2009]

because he knows he can’t win it, and he doesn’t want to make it sound like he tried and lost, it’s better in his mind to have refused to participate and lose.

[DJ MacWoW]

Did You Know?

The Current FReepathon Pays For The Current Quarters Expenses?

Now That You Do, Donate And Keep FR Running

[Old Retired Army Guy]

Pretty big gamble. If he stmbles in NH after losing Iowa, he’s gone, because he wont win SC and FL is a coin flip.

[dirtboy]

I think you nailed it. Romney is setting up the spin as to why he won’t do well in Iowa, as he is putting all his eggs into the New Hampshire primary basket.

[TexasFreeper2009]

yep, Rudy played the same game in 2008 and crapped out.

You have to fight for every state.

[Beagle8U]

“I am not a political strategist, but I am puzzled why Romney would deliberately kick sand in the face of Iowa Voters. Can any of you experts out there tell me the logic in this?”

Last time Romney went all in on Iowa spending millions and lost badly. He doesn't want to waste time and money to again look like the fool he is. If Gingrich can kick is ash in NH he is finished.

[greatvikingone]

Cain wins IA
Gingrich wins NH
Cain wins SC
Cain wins FL

Maybe then the MSM will stop calling Romney the “frontrunner”.

[bert]

——why Romney would deliberately kick sand in the face of Iowa Voters——

So he can make a mind blowing triumphal comeback in New Hampshire

[Beagle8U]

Last time Romney all but lived in Iowa for a year, still lost big time.

[bigdirty]

Whatever state Romney wins, the MSM will say it shows he’s the frontrunner and it gives him momentum going forward to the nomination. Whatever state Cain, Gingrich, Perry or Paul win the MSM will ignore or write off on the way to Romney’s inevitable nomination.

“Oh Iowa was never in play for Romney, he’ll take the rest though!”

[Cincinatus' Wife]

There is a paragraph in the article that begins:

"To be sure,........"

Which seems to try and cover your question.

But it may also be due to comments in this article:

"You can't win this state without showing up," said Phil Stone, a retired high school history teacher and current Perry city councilman. The lifelong Republican favors former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney,....

...........Neither the tea party nor evangelical Republicans have made much of a splash in Perry. "That's mostly the mega-churches over in Des Moines," Pattee said.

Bob VanderPlaats, the minister and evangelical activist who organized Saturday's Thanksgiving Family Forum in Des Moines, doesn't play well in Perry [Iowa]."....Source

[Caipirabob]

I hardly consider New Hampshire anywhere near representative of a national consensus on leadership. They certainly have a voice, but not anything that resembles a decisive factor in a national election. That romney[care] is placing anywhere in the top 10 sustains my opinion on this.

[maine-iac7]

Romney knows if he doesn't carry NH - considered his ‘other’ home state - he has a house there - he'll be toast.

What to do? What to do?

gotta love his dilemma.

hopefully it'll be bye bye for the wooden candidate

[Sprite518]

I think the slime at the MSM is attempting to salvage their credibility by admitting that Mitt Romney only appeals to the Elitist Inside the Beltway Republicans.

Make no mistake about it. Mitt Romney is a flip flopping liberal. Why else do you think the Media and Press do not attack him?

Whoever the Media and Press attack politically in this race, then you can bet that candidate is a conservative. However, once the Republican candidate is decided... Expect the Media and Press to attack them and defend Obama.

[Last Dakotan]

Screw Iowa - all the state has given us is ethanol mandates...

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Perry wants a “level playing field” & an end to ethanol mandate (audio)

......"“We don’t need to have government picking winners and losers in this business,” Perry said during a news conference in Des Moines. “Let the folks get out there with the regulations off their back. I have a good idea that the farmers in Iowa can compete with anybody in the world.”.......

[Cincinatus' Wife]

You’ve pegged that 1000% right!

[af_vet_rr]

I am not a political strategist, but I am puzzled why Romney would deliberately kick sand in the face of Iowa Voters. Can any of you experts out there tell me the logic in this?

It's strange. Even though Huckabee won and picked up 17 delegates, Romney still got 12 delegates out of Iowa - Thompson and McCain each got 3. Unless Iowa became a winner take all state for 2012.

In this instance, it maybe that Mitt feels the evangelicals will be hostile to him or his religious beliefs. Given the forum, he would probably be asked about his beliefs at some point.

And he maybe worried that Newt will take New Hampshire.