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I agree that these descriptions are a little vague

In a nutshell, exactly. I hope my rare brevity impresses this point!

Some people misunderstand what Mormons consider success as a missionary. By our standards, he was a stellar success.

I gathered the impression that it was Mitt who considered his missionary work a failure. I never read anyone else criticizing his record in France. You see, I like the guy who looks to see why he failed at something. It shows a real capacity for reflection and growth. It shows determination. It shows that he doesn't like to lose. No one does, of course. But I like the guy who is bugged if he doesn't win. We need someone that determined.

LOL. Still, when it comes down to a close race in IA, will the Paul supporters stick with their guy, at the cost of seeing Huckabee win the nomination? I hope the supporters of all the lower-tier candidates are more sensible than that.

Now, do you really think we would give up in the very first state?

If Mitt somehow failed to live up to expectations, would you? I've overestimated you if that's true. But only a month ago, Romney was considered the kind of Iowa. And he's spent a fortune there. Yet, you haven't given up. And you won't no matter what.

And if Huck won, Ron Paul grabbed second and Mitt came in third, you still wouldn't quit and neither would Mitt. If that were the case, then Iowa would be the only primary in the nation and we'd just give the nomination to the winner of the strange little Iowa caucuses...caucusi...whatever. It's some kind of caca from Iowa anyway.

So, no, the Paulian Horde is staying in through Super-Tuesday. We do have a Blimp Of Death to fly after all. Now, my primary is mid-May. If RP can't make it and I think my vote can make a difference to help Mitt against Huck or Rudi (and those two may be working together already), then of course I would vote for Mitt. Symbolic votes don't mean much even if they make you feel all principled and stuff for a while.

~”I gathered the impression that it was Mitt who considered his missionary work a failure.”~

He certainly went through a period of frustration and discouragement on his mission; most Mormon missionaries do. I did. It’s all part of the crucible, and we’ve seen letters of his during that period where he expresses that discouragement. Additionally, he endured some challenges during his mission that are almost unheard of - specifically, after the death of his mission president’s wife and his own hospitalization, he and his companion were essentially placed in charge of the mission for about three months while his relieved president was replaced. Sink or swim. I think that experience is really what sparked his vitality and ambition in life.

If you asked him today, I think he would tell you that his years as a missionary were excellent and formative years of his life.

~”Now, do you really think we would give up in the very first state?”~

Of course not, if you were competitive. If that doesn’t change by the caucuses, will you cut off your nose to spite your face? Paul is, after all, polling in sixth place in Iowa. His best reasonable hope is to take fourth.

~”If Mitt somehow failed to live up to expectations, would you?”~

If Romney failed in Iowa and his campaign collapsed, I would cast the vote most likely to keep Giuliani and Huckabee off the ticket, particularly if that vote were cast in a race as tight as Romney vs. Huckabee in Iowa.

I guess it’s probably not very fair of me to ask you what Ron Paul Iowans would do, though.