This is the final Straw... at least it should be.
All the hype, all the money, all the bus fumes wafting from the parking lot.... for what?
Most of the major players... Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and the unannounced Fred Thompson... didn't pay to play. The turnout didn't turn out for the GOP Straw Poll in Ames, posting a measly 14,302 vote tally today.
The prediction two weeks ago of 40,000, was reduced before the event to 30,000..... not even close.
The final indignity, or perhaps irony, the voter-distrusted electronic machines "had difficulty" and the somewhat breathless main-stream media was left, and left, and left in front of the deadline altar for ninety minutes.
Now at last, however, it can be announced.... the winner as expected after investing millions of dollars and months of effort.... Mitt Romney with 4516 votes, or 31.5 percent.
In a close tussle for second, Mike Huckabee 2587, and, Sam Brownback third with 2192 votes.
Nipping at their heels in fourth place, Tom Tancredo who garnered 1961 votes, while the fifth place Ron Paul showing was a disappointing 1305 tally.
Wisconsin's Tommy Thompson, who vowed to quit if he didn't place high, may be the first to bow out of the competition after his 1039 sixth-place finish.
The numbers plummet from there... 7th Fred Thompson 203, 8th Rudy Giuliani 183, 9th Duncan Hunter 174, 10th John McCain 101, and 11th John Cox with 41 votes.
The GOP must be in a cold panic after the lukewarm showing in hot Iowa..... and, they must be asking of their lineup....is there no there, there? No candidate to set a fire in party bellies?
Romney's expensive win, instead of having the ring of success, seems instead to toll for a GOP brought low by Boy George and his nasty neocons.
Showing posts with label Ames Straw Poll. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ames Straw Poll. Show all posts
Saturday, August 11, 2007
The Turkey In The Straw
There was one common theme from all of the GOP presidential candidates who showed up in Ames for the Straw Poll... things would be different if there was a Republican president in the White House.
Wait a minute, there IS a Republican president in the White House. Along with no-shows Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and the coy Fred Thompson, The Decider was absent in the day's political palaver. It's as though the last almost 7 years never were.
No mention of the record of crazy Uncle George in the attic who has gutted our military, shipped jobs off shore, and allowed the invasion of millions of illegal aliens over our borders. Mostly the themes were oatmeal familiar... pro life, pro military, pro family, pro lower taxes.
A few observations you may not hear anywhere else. Laura Ingraham, the TV and radio shock-jockess, was in charge of introductions. All of the candidates got respectful comments from her except Ron Paul who she rudely ridiculed.
What was most remarkable about Ron Paul, besides the fact that he listed the many things he wouldn't do as president, was the youthfulness of his supporters. What was remarkable about Tom Tancredo's storm troopers was also their age... mostly old codgers.
Speaking of supporters, it was a white man's world. You could count the number of blacks among the supporters on the fingers of one hand.... actually three fingers. None appeared on the podium.
Mitt Romney gave his usual perfect performance, and after his speech paraded his perfect family onto the podium amidst perfect applause. Perfectly perfect.
Speaking of perfect, John Cox of no discernible resume, showed up with his perfect trophy wife on his arm, carrying in his arms what he termed his "trophy daughter." He never got out of the gate.
The most Wizard of Oz moment was Mike Huckabee's line.... "A straw poll isn't about electing a straw man." Seems a decent guy in an Ozish way.
Duncan Hunter was reliably commanding. Promising to marshal our military, economy, industrial base and build the border fence in 6 months.... and, the only one to call China out for cheating on trade as they "step into Russia's superpower shoes."
Tommy Thompson hung his speech on the "global medical diplomacy" peg, while Brownback hammered home the issues dear to the far-right base.
We are now waiting to see which candidate has the most straw, the largest bale.... who floats the vote boat.... and they're off.
Wait a minute, there IS a Republican president in the White House. Along with no-shows Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and the coy Fred Thompson, The Decider was absent in the day's political palaver. It's as though the last almost 7 years never were.
No mention of the record of crazy Uncle George in the attic who has gutted our military, shipped jobs off shore, and allowed the invasion of millions of illegal aliens over our borders. Mostly the themes were oatmeal familiar... pro life, pro military, pro family, pro lower taxes.
A few observations you may not hear anywhere else. Laura Ingraham, the TV and radio shock-jockess, was in charge of introductions. All of the candidates got respectful comments from her except Ron Paul who she rudely ridiculed.
What was most remarkable about Ron Paul, besides the fact that he listed the many things he wouldn't do as president, was the youthfulness of his supporters. What was remarkable about Tom Tancredo's storm troopers was also their age... mostly old codgers.
Speaking of supporters, it was a white man's world. You could count the number of blacks among the supporters on the fingers of one hand.... actually three fingers. None appeared on the podium.
Mitt Romney gave his usual perfect performance, and after his speech paraded his perfect family onto the podium amidst perfect applause. Perfectly perfect.
Speaking of perfect, John Cox of no discernible resume, showed up with his perfect trophy wife on his arm, carrying in his arms what he termed his "trophy daughter." He never got out of the gate.
The most Wizard of Oz moment was Mike Huckabee's line.... "A straw poll isn't about electing a straw man." Seems a decent guy in an Ozish way.
Duncan Hunter was reliably commanding. Promising to marshal our military, economy, industrial base and build the border fence in 6 months.... and, the only one to call China out for cheating on trade as they "step into Russia's superpower shoes."
Tommy Thompson hung his speech on the "global medical diplomacy" peg, while Brownback hammered home the issues dear to the far-right base.
We are now waiting to see which candidate has the most straw, the largest bale.... who floats the vote boat.... and they're off.
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