IOWA Caucus

[JoeChalupa]

It is a tight race right now. The three..Paul, Romney, Santorum are neck and neck right now at about 23% each. Gingrich is hanging with 13%, Perry at 10% and Bachman at 6%. I've heard some pundits saying Bachman will/needs to drop out.

[JoeChalupa]

Damn, now Romney 24%, Santorum 24% and Paul at 22%!

[JoeChalupa]

Gingrich and Bachman are going to make statements soon. Still tight with Santorum and Romney battling it out but there is still like 54% of the vote still out.

[boutons_deux]

That Santorum is getting anything, esp so much, shows how fucked up ignorant right-wing Iowans are.

[boutons_deux]

Iowans Collected More Federal Benefits Than They Paid In Federal Taxes

http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/iowa.jpg

While the Republican candidates have been trying to outdo each other on the amount of government that they would cut — with several of them advocating the elimination of entire cabinet agencies — it’s worth noting how much government aid the citizens of those states receive, in everything from federal infrastructure money to Pell Grants. The National Priorities Project laid it out:

On average, every New Hampshire resident received $4,850 in direct assistance from federal programs in 2010 — that’s everything from the Medicare prescription drug benefit to Pell grants. According to a 2011 Census Bureau report, federal money also accounted for 30 cents of every dollar of New Hampshire state revenue in fiscal 2009, the most recent year for which comprehensive data are available. Federal money helps states pay for building roads and fixing bridges, among numerous other kinds of projects. [...]

Iowa received more federal money than New Hampshire in 2009. Thirty-three percent ($5.4 billion) of state revenue came from federal sources in that year…In addition to the billions of federal dollars that helped finance the state’s government, Iowa residents received substantial direct federal assistance. On average in 2010, residents of the state each received $5,400 from all federal programs. Iowans paid on average $5,175 in federal taxes that year — that includes income taxes as well as excise and other kinds of taxes, but excludes corporate incomes taxes. On balance, that means Iowans collected more federal benefits than they paid in federal taxes.

The slash and burn budgeting advocated by the GOP field would mean an end to many of the programs upon which Americans all across the country — including in Iowa and New Hampshire — depend. Of course, Iowa’s own budget priorities have been a bit out of whack recently, as they’ve cut business taxes while reducing pre-school funding and attempting to close unemployment offices.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/01/03/397053/iowa-new-hampshire-government-funds/

[Halberto]

That Santorum is getting anything, esp so much, shows how fucked up ignorant right-wing Iowans are.

this.


I don't want to live on this planet anymore

[4>0rings]

That Santorum is getting anything, esp so much, shows how fucked up ignorant right-wing Iowans are.

If your mind can be swayed by the commercials of a politician that only comes around MAYBE every 4 years means you're a redneck corn shucking fucktard Iowan.

Shit's embarrassing as an American.

[mavs>spurs]

rick fucking santorum

[4>0rings]

rick fucking santorum

What a fucking joke. Repugs are going to get their ass reamed hard by a Muslim Kenyan.

Can't wait till Ran Paul throws his hat in the ring, much better debator and speaker than Ron.

[mavs>spurs]

the guy who ron paul NEUTERED right here in the iowa debate, wins/almost wins iowa? K

[JoeChalupa]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/405860_2099306741185_1800912682_1344797_1213858541 _n.jpg

[JoeChalupa]

Just watched Paul speak and now Newts.

[JoeChalupa]

What a fucking joke. Repugs are going to get their ass reamed hard by a Muslim Kenyan.

Can't wait till Ran Paul throws his hat in the ring, much better debator and speaker than Ron.

Well, there are some debates coming up and Newt and Santorum will go at Romney like never before.

[JoeChalupa]

Newt is giving props to Santorum for NOT running a negative campaign. A direct hit at Romney but his whining about is getting old. Deal with it and attack!!

[JoeChalupa]

So Newt just stated again that he will NOT run 30 second negative ads but.....he does reserve his right to tell the truth! The gloves are coming off baby! He is hitting Romney hard.

[4>0rings]

Loving the guy who is constantly booing Newt at his rally speech :lol

[JoeChalupa]

Now Bachman is speaking....enjoy it because you won't get many more of these....but she did get her "Make Obama a One Term President" signature statement out right away.

[JoeChalupa]

Perry says he is going back to Texas to reasses his campaign....hes out.

[Bill_Brasky]

America fails again.

[JoeChalupa]

No, this is what makes America freakin' great!!

[CubanMustGo]

Iowans can apparently tell a bullshitter better than Texans can. We'll probably elect that idiot again if he keeps running.

[4>0rings]

Tim Pawlenty kicking the fuck outta himself. :lmao

[baseline bum]

Anyone who votes for Santorum should be forced to send his kids in to invade Iran.

[CubanMustGo]

I've heard some pundits saying Bachman will/needs to drop out.

Why, Sarah Palin was saying that very thing earlier today, and if there's one thing she's good at, it's knowing when to quit. :lol

[Spurminator]

No, this is what makes America freakin' great!!

Media circuses over a contest representing about 100,000 voters where the winner is guaranteed absolutely nothing in terms of candidacy are what make America great? Your standards for this country are too low.

This is an embarrassing spectacle, tbh. I put it right there with The Bachelor. And at least most people who watch that realize they're watching contrived bullshit.

[JoeChalupa]

Santorum, regardless of what you think of his politics, hit it out of the park tonight. Just watched his speech and the man has awesome speaking talents. He had me cheering. WTF!?!?

[JoeChalupa]

Watching Romney now and there is no way in hell he can speak like Sanorum.

[hitmanyr2k]

Watching Romney now and there is no way in hell he can speak like Sanorum.

Well Romney is a Mormon so it's no use sucking up to the religious right and mentioning "God" 50 times :lol

[DJ Mbenga]

solid coverage. liking erin burnett's ass in that dress. perry would be smart to just get out, he will just waste money at this point. bachman will stay until she can broker a vice president or administration position. ron paul" watch ill be relevant."

[SA210]

Santorum, regardless of what you think of his politics, hit it out of the park tonight. Just watched his speech and the man has awesome speaking talents. He had me cheering. WTF!?!?

Well we know where speeches get us.

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188936

[Nbadan]

Santorum

:lol

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/imgs/home/120103-gop-frontrunners-make-closing-arguments-in-iowa.jpg

[SnakeBoy]

I just heard this story about what Santorum did with his "almost" stillborn child. Pretty weird...


The childbirth in 1996 was a source of terrible heartbreak -- the couple were told by doctors early in the pregnancy that the baby Karen was carrying had a fatal defect and would survive only for a short time outside the womb. According to Karen Santorum's book, ''Letters to Gabriel: The True Story of Gabriel Michael Santorum,'' she later developed a life-threatening intrauterine infection and a fever that reached nearly 105 degrees. She went into labor when she was 20 weeks pregnant. After resisting at first, she allowed doctors to give her the drug Pitocin to speed the birth. Gabriel lived just two hours.

What happened after the death is a kind of snapshot of a cultural divide. Some would find it discomforting, strange, even ghoulish -- others brave and deeply spiritual. Rick and Karen Santorum would not let the morgue take the corpse of their newborn; they slept that night in the hospital with their lifeless baby between them. The next day, they took him home. ''Your siblings could not have been more excited about you!'' Karen writes in the book, which takes the form of letters to Gabriel, mostly while he is in utero. ''Elizabeth and Johnny held you with so much love and tenderness. Elizabeth proudly announced to everyone as she cuddled you, 'This is my baby brother, Gabriel; he is an angel.' ''
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/22/magazine/22SANTORUM.html?ei=5088&en=83d72ed75fbada1d&ex=1274414400&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

[Wild Cobra]

By 8 votes:

Romney narrowly wins Iowa caucuses (http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2012-01-03/republican-iowa-caucuses/52367932/1)

[Jacob1983]

CNN needs more sexy ladies like Erin Burnett and less manly looking women like that woman that looks like the lead singer of Seether.


Ron Paul got 3rd place. He basically knocked Bachmann and Perry out of the field. Good job!

[Wild Cobra]

CNN needs more sexy ladies like Erin Burnett and less manly looking women like that woman that looks like the lead singer of Seether.


Ron Paul got 3rd place. He basically knocked Bachmann and Perry out of the field. Good job!
I think it's safe to believe that Paul could have had first place of the media treated him more fair.

[ChumpDumper]

Paul will never get the Jesus vote.

[Jacob1983]

What about the Devil vote?

[ChumpDumper]

What about the Devil vote?We're not talking about the Democratic caucus.

[JoeChalupa]

CNN needs more sexy ladies like Erin Burnett and less manly looking women like that woman that looks like the lead singer of Seether.


Ron Paul got 3rd place. He basically knocked Bachmann and Perry out of the field. Good job!

Yeah, Erin Burnett is sexy but so is Soledad O'brien. I concur, Bachman and Perry are gone.

[AFBlue]

Iowa caucus isn't supposed to decide the eventual winner, but it is supposed to narrow the field. With Bachmann and Perry "reassessing", it seems to have done just that. Santorum succeeded as the latest "flavor of the month" when it started to count, but New Hampshire may not be as welcoming.

As for the Pawlenty comment earlier in the thread, I laughed out loud. What a curious decision to exit so early from a wide open field. Maybe there's a back rooom deal with Mitt if/when he gets the nomination.

[Winehole23]

Santorum succeeded as the latest "flavor of the month" when it started to count, but New Hampshire may not be as welcoming.

BTW, man of the hour Rick Santorum did not file petitions in Virginia. Not "didn't file enough signatures"; didn't turn them in at all.http://twitter.com/#!/jimgeraghty/status/154421232035573760

[Winehole23]

http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web03/2012/1/3/14/enhanced-buzz-30516-1325620414-29.jpg

[boutons_deux]

I bet an iota that only in weird Iowa will InSaneTorum sniff a result so high.

Just another extreme right-wing Catholic homophobe/misogynist weird-assed fuckoff.

[Winehole23]

Santorum's main appeal is not being Mitt Romney or pro-choice.

Lack of money and political organization -- along with the increased media scrutiny that comes with a top tier finish in Iowa -- should do him in before long. The life cycle of not-Romney frontrunners seems to be about six weeks.

[boutons_deux]

The Iowa results seem to suggest a close three-way race – 25-25-21. Yet among self-identified Republicans, the totals were actually 28-27-14, showing that Santorum and Romney lead the base, while independents and new voters propelled Paul. That makes Paul more likely to fade, because other states do not have same-day registration like Iowa. In a Republican primary, Republicans matter.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-melber/the-four-most-important-r_b_1182619.html?ref=daily-brief?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=010412&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BlogEntry&utm_term=Daily%20Brief

[boutons_deux]

Dead Heat with Walking Joke in Sweater Vest

DES MOINES (The Borowitz Report) – Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was overjoyed today after finishing the Iowa caucuses in a virtual tie with a walking joke who wears sweater vests.

“The eight people have spoken!” exclaimed Mr. Romney, who was joined by supporters celebrating his .0006% margin of victory.

The former Massachusetts governor put the best face on his razor-thin lead, telling supporters, “Say what you will, but eight votes is still six more than Rick Perry can count.”

Historians noted that the last time so few people decided a Presidential race they were all on the Supreme Court.

As for the other candidates, runner-up Rick Santorum said that he had received a phone call from President Obama: “He stopped laughing just long enough to say congratulations.”

And former House Speaker Newt Gingrich addressed speculation about whether he would leave the race: “Not unless it gets cancer.”

http://www.borowitzreport.com/

[DarkReign]

As for the other candidates, runner-up Rick Santorum said that he had received a phone call from President Obama: “He stopped laughing just long enough to say congratulations.”

And former House Speaker Newt Gingrich addressed speculation about whether he would leave the race: “Not unless it gets cancer.”

I lol-ed.

[Spurminator]

Wall to wall coverage of a less-than-100K ballot vote.

[Winehole23]

Santorum has an opportunity to do the unthinkable as the anti-Romney. Republicans have been telling us for months that they don't want to nominate Mitt Romney. Now we are about to learn how much they really mean it.http://spectator.org/archives/2012/01/04/mitt-and-the-anti-romney

[AFBlue]

Wall to wall coverage of a less-than-100K ballot vote.

It's American news media covering American politics. What'd you expect?

[boutons_deux]

Our Guide to the Best Coverage on Rick Santorum and His Record

http://www.propublica.org/article/our-guide-to-the-best-coverage-of-rick-santorum-and-his-record

hatin' "Christian" assholes/homophobes love this guy more and more.

[DMX7]

Wall to wall coverage of a less-than-100K ballot vote.

Yes, laughable. 30,015 votes wins an Iowa Caucus. Does the media know it's going to take around 75 million to win the general election? Of course they do, and the only fools here are the ones actually paying attention.

For the record, the front page of the New York Times and this thread is about all the coverage of the event I absorbed.

[boutons_deux]

enough fools watching for the TV advertizing depts and their corporate advertizers.

Like everything else in America, elections are a business, not a democracy.

[Winehole23]

For the record, the front page of the New York Times and this thread is about all the coverage of the event I absorbed.For the record, you were paying attention too, if only to state your preference with resting content with reading the front page of the NYT and nothing else.

[boutons_deux]

Rick Santorum's Top 10 Most Outrageous Campaign Statements

1) ANNUL ALL SAME-SEX MARRIAGES: Arguing that gay relationships “destabilize” society, Santorum wouldn’t offer any legal protections to gay relationships and has pledged to annul all same-sex marriages if elected president. During his 99-country tour of Iowa, Santorum frequently compared same-sex relationships to inanimate objects like trees, basketballs, beer, and paper towels and even tried to blame the economic crisis on gay people. As Santorum explained back in August, religious people have a constitutional right to discriminate against gays: “We have a right the Constitution of religious liberty but now the courts have created a super-right that’s above a right that’s actually in the Constitution, and that’s of sexual liberty. And I think that’s a wrong, that’s a destructive element.”

2) ‘I’M FOR INCOME INEQUALITY’: “They talk about income inequality. I’m for income inequality,” Santorum said during an event in Pella, Iowa in December. “I think some people should make more than other people, because some people work harder and have better ideas and take more risk, and they should be rewarded for it. I have no problem with income inequality.”

3) CONTRACEPTION IS ‘A LICENSE TO DO THINGS’: Santorum has pledged to repeal all federal funding for contraception and allow the states to outlaw birth control, insisting that “it’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”

4) GAY SOLDIERS ‘CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN CLOSE QUARTERS’: During an appearance on Fox News Sunday in October, Santorum defended his support for Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by arguing that gay soldiers would disrupt the military because “they’re in close quarters, they live with people, they obviously shower with people.” He also suggested that “there are people who were gay and lived the gay lifestyle and aren’t anymore.”

5) OBAMA SHOULD OPPOSE ABORTION BECAUSE HE’S BLACK: During an appearance on Christian television in January, Santorum said he was surprised that President Obama didn’t know when life began — given his skin color. “I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say ‘now we are going to decide who are people and who are not people,” he explained.

6) WE DON’T NEED FOOD STAMPS BECAUSE OBESITY RATES ARE SO HIGH: Speaking in Le Mars, Iowa in December, Santorum promised to significantly reduce federal funding for food stamps, arguing that the nation’s increasing obesity rates render the program unnecessary.

7) ABORTION EXCEPTIONS TO PROTECT WOMEN’S HEALTH ARE ‘PHONY’: While discussing his track record as a champion of the partial birth abortion ban in June, Santorum dismissed exceptions other senators wanted to carve out to protect the life and health of mothers, calling such exceptions “phony.” “They wanted a health exception, which of course is a phony exceptionwhich would make the ban ineffective,” he said.

8) HEALTH REFORM WILL KILL MY CHILD: Santorum, who claims that Obamacare motivated him to run for president, told reporters in April that his daughter Bella — who was born with a genetic abnormality — wouldn’t survive in a country with “socialized medicine.” “Children like Bella are not given the treatment that other children are given.”

9) UNINSURED AMERICANS SHOULD SPEND LESS ON CELL-PHONE BILLS: During a meeting with the editorial board of the Des Moines Register in August, Santorum said that people who can’t afford health care should stop whining about the high costs of medical treatments and medications and spend less on non essentials. Answering a question about the uninsured, Santorum explained that health care, like a car, is a luxury resource that is rationed by society and recalled the story of a woman who said she was spending $200 a month on life-saving prescriptions. Santorum told her to stop complaining and instead lower her cable and cell phone bills.

10) INSURERS SHOULD DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS: Santorum sounded like a representative from the health insurance industry when he addressed a small group of high school students in Merrimack, New Hampshire in December. The former Pennsylvania senator not only defended insurers for denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, he also argued that individuals who are sick should pay higher premiums because they cost more money to insure.

http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/newsandviews/758876

========

Iowans just demonstrated, esp the hatin "Christians", how ignorant and hateful they are.

[boutons_deux]

Social Conservatives Huddle To Prevent Romney Victory

Conservative leaders James Dobson, Don Wildmon, and Gary Bauer are meeting again in Texas next weekend to build “consensus” and possibly rally around a presidential candidate who is not Mitt Romney

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/01/04/397626/social-conservatives-huddle-to-prevent-romney-victory/

=========

If not Willard Gecko, who?

[Agloco]

8. Tbh

[CosmicCowboy]

Rick Santorum's Top 10 Most Outrageous Campaign Statements

1) ANNUL ALL SAME-SEX MARRIAGES: Arguing that gay relationships “destabilize” society, Santorum wouldn’t offer any legal protections to gay relationships and has pledged to annul all same-sex marriages if elected president. During his 99-country tour of Iowa, Santorum frequently compared same-sex relationships to inanimate objects like trees, basketballs, beer, and paper towels and even tried to blame the economic crisis on gay people. As Santorum explained back in August, religious people have a constitutional right to discriminate against gays: “We have a right the Constitution of religious liberty but now the courts have created a super-right that’s above a right that’s actually in the Constitution, and that’s of sexual liberty. And I think that’s a wrong, that’s a destructive element.”

2) ‘I’M FOR INCOME INEQUALITY’: “They talk about income inequality. I’m for income inequality,” Santorum said during an event in Pella, Iowa in December. “I think some people should make more than other people, because some people work harder and have better ideas and take more risk, and they should be rewarded for it. I have no problem with income inequality.”

3) CONTRACEPTION IS ‘A LICENSE TO DO THINGS’: Santorum has pledged to repeal all federal funding for contraception and allow the states to outlaw birth control, insisting that “it’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”

4) GAY SOLDIERS ‘CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN CLOSE QUARTERS’: During an appearance on Fox News Sunday in October, Santorum defended his support for Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by arguing that gay soldiers would disrupt the military because “they’re in close quarters, they live with people, they obviously shower with people.” He also suggested that “there are people who were gay and lived the gay lifestyle and aren’t anymore.”

5) OBAMA SHOULD OPPOSE ABORTION BECAUSE HE’S BLACK: During an appearance on Christian television in January, Santorum said he was surprised that President Obama didn’t know when life began — given his skin color. “I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say ‘now we are going to decide who are people and who are not people,” he explained.

6) WE DON’T NEED FOOD STAMPS BECAUSE OBESITY RATES ARE SO HIGH: Speaking in Le Mars, Iowa in December, Santorum promised to significantly reduce federal funding for food stamps, arguing that the nation’s increasing obesity rates render the program unnecessary.

7) ABORTION EXCEPTIONS TO PROTECT WOMEN’S HEALTH ARE ‘PHONY’: While discussing his track record as a champion of the partial birth abortion ban in June, Santorum dismissed exceptions other senators wanted to carve out to protect the life and health of mothers, calling such exceptions “phony.” “They wanted a health exception, which of course is a phony exceptionwhich would make the ban ineffective,” he said.

8) HEALTH REFORM WILL KILL MY CHILD: Santorum, who claims that Obamacare motivated him to run for president, told reporters in April that his daughter Bella — who was born with a genetic abnormality — wouldn’t survive in a country with “socialized medicine.” “Children like Bella are not given the treatment that other children are given.”

9) UNINSURED AMERICANS SHOULD SPEND LESS ON CELL-PHONE BILLS: During a meeting with the editorial board of the Des Moines Register in August, Santorum said that people who can’t afford health care should stop whining about the high costs of medical treatments and medications and spend less on non essentials. Answering a question about the uninsured, Santorum explained that health care, like a car, is a luxury resource that is rationed by society and recalled the story of a woman who said she was spending $200 a month on life-saving prescriptions. Santorum told her to stop complaining and instead lower her cable and cell phone bills.

10) INSURERS SHOULD DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS: Santorum sounded like a representative from the health insurance industry when he addressed a small group of high school students in Merrimack, New Hampshire in December. The former Pennsylvania senator not only defended insurers for denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, he also argued that individuals who are sick should pay higher premiums because they cost more money to insure.

http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/newsandviews/758876

========

Iowans just demonstrated, esp the hatin "Christians", how ignorant and hateful they are.

Agree with 2, 8, 9, and 10.

[EVAY]

Social Conservatives Huddle To Prevent Romney Victory

Conservative leaders James Dobson, Don Wildmon, and Gary Bauer are meeting again in Texas next weekend to build “consensus” and possibly rally around a presidential candidate who is not Mitt Romney

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/01/04/397626/social-conservatives-huddle-to-prevent-romney-victory/

=========

If not Willard Gecko, who?

I read that article on Politico's web page, b-d, and was about to source it myself.

Does it seem to anyone else that Perry was about to drop out until this group decided to get together and try to help a religious-right candidate beat Romney?

Even Perry's staffers were surprised by his announcement that he was staying in. I think he hopes to get this group's endorsement in front of the South Carolina primary.

It all really smacks of folks who would love to have a theocracy, to me.

[CosmicCowboy]

Meh...I just think Perry has a strong ego/self image and it bounced back strong today after the butt whipping he took in Iowa. In the bigger scheme Iowa doesn't mean shit.

[SA210]

Paul will never get the Jesus vote.

Jesus doesn't vote

[ChumpDumper]

Agree with 2, 8, 9, and 10.What is your proof that children with trisomy 18 are killed in countries with socialized medicine?

[ChumpDumper]

Jesus doesn't voteYou really don't understand that term?

[CosmicCowboy]

What is your proof that children with trisomy 18 are killed in countries with socialized medicine?

None, but by definition when you have to limit cost by only treating conditions that are curable/treatable Santorums kid would probably not qualify. I'm not saying it's wrong, just that it's a sad fact.

[ChumpDumper]

None, but by definition when you have to limit cost by only treating conditions that are curable/treatable Santorums kid would probably not qualify. I'm not saying it's wrong, just that it's a sad fact.Well, Bella shouldn't be covered by any insurance ever according to her father. That's a sad fact.

lol none

[JoeChalupa]

Meh...I just think Perry has a strong ego/self image and it bounced back strong today after the butt whipping he took in Iowa. In the bigger scheme Iowa doesn't mean shit.

Ask Michelle Bachman if the Iowa Caucus means shit to her. :lol

[JoeChalupa]

I hope Santorum continues on his surge.

[DMX7]

For the record, you were paying attention too, if only to state your preference with resting content with reading the front page of the NYT and nothing else.

Clearly, by "paying attention", I meant paying attention in a substantive way (e.g., watching the talking heads on cable news feed us their opinions for an hour or even five minutes on the meaning and impact of the event).

[PublicOption]

GOP plan is to stop Ron Paul at all costs.

http://www.infowars.com/republican-insider-gop-establishment-planning-to-subvert-iowa-to-prevent-ron-paul-win/

[CosmicCowboy]

Ask Michelle Bachman if the Iowa Caucus means shit to her. :lol

Her campaign was already on life support before the final vote. She has no money and no organization. Perry can lose in Iowa and still raise money. He still won't win, but he didn't have to quit now if he didn't want to.

[PublicOption]

those dummy candidates in IOWA were there to take votes away from PAUL. the same for every primary going forward. candidates that are running are not even on the ballot in Virginia only Romney and Paul. The GOP is just making sure Paul, who represents the people more than any other candidate, is a not the GOP nominee.

so in really its

the GOP v. Ron Paul. in the GOP primary season......a tall task indeed.

[PublicOption]

you have to ask yourself......what are they afraid of?

[boutons_deux]

Rick Perry: The Man Who Never Was

He had been a governor of Texas for more than a decade and had the political positions that evangelicals and the Tea Party lusted over. Perry would have done better in this campaign if he had never spoken a word and simply walked around and waved his arm at the crowds.

But then he went and talked.

Sort of. His "oops" moment will be taught in political science books for generations to come. And young collegians will wonder how a man so stupid could ever think that he might become president. Hell, even Ronald Reagan learned his lines. But Perry couldn't be bothered. He'd never had to debate much to get where he was and it's clear he didn't read or think on complex issues. He just decided to run for the office and raise money.

He might say he is "reassessing" but he is done. The worst governor in the history of Texas may have set a new standard for the worst presidential candidate. Money and profile and reputation are not sufficient in the race to the White House. Perry has embarrassed himself and his state and is likely oblivious to the scope of his failure.

How does he explain the $17 million plus that he wasted, including about $4 million on TV ads in Iowa? One analysis indicates he spent $500 per vote. He has done worse than Texas Governor John Connally did here in 1980 and worse the Texas U.S. Senator Phil Gramm in '96. Rick Santorum did better with $500,000.

Rick Perry can reassess all he wants, but his campaign, which was mangled as poorly as his syntax, is finished.

And if he doesn't know that, he is even stupider than he appeared during the debates.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-moore/rick-perry-the-man-who-ne_b_1182658.html

[PublicOption]

Rick Perry: The Man Who Never Was

He had been a governor of Texas for more than a decade and had the political positions that evangelicals and the Tea Party lusted over. Perry would have done better in this campaign if he had never spoken a word and simply walked around and waved his arm at the crowds.

But then he went and talked.

Sort of. His "oops" moment will be taught in political science books for generations to come. And young collegians will wonder how a man so stupid could ever think that he might become president. Hell, even Ronald Reagan learned his lines. But Perry couldn't be bothered. He'd never had to debate much to get where he was and it's clear he didn't read or think on complex issues. He just decided to run for the office and raise money.

He might say he is "reassessing" but he is done. The worst governor in the history of Texas may have set a new standard for the worst presidential candidate. Money and profile and reputation are not sufficient in the race to the White House. Perry has embarrassed himself and his state and is likely oblivious to the scope of his failure.

How does he explain the $17 million plus that he wasted, including about $4 million on TV ads in Iowa? One analysis indicates he spent $500 per vote. He has done worse than Texas Governor John Connally did here in 1980 and worse the Texas U.S. Senator Phil Gramm in '96. Rick Santorum did better with $500,000.

Rick Perry can reassess all he wants, but his campaign, which was mangled as poorly as his syntax, is finished.

And if he doesn't know that, he is even stupider than he appeared during the debates.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-moore/rick-perry-the-man- (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-moore/rick-perry-the-man-who-ne_b_1182658.html)
who-ne_b_1182658.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-moore/rick-perry-the-man-who-ne_b_1182658.html)



...again these losers are in it only to take your eye off the ball, they are not legit and they know it.

[Winehole23]

Clearly, by "paying attention", I meant paying attention in a substantive way (e.g., watching the talking heads on cable news feed us their opinions for an hour or even five minutes on the meaning and impact of the event).Oh, you don't watch TV. That's totally different.

If you've got better things to pay attention to, hey, everyone's time is limited. I just don't see why you took time out of your busy day to put down anyone who happened to have paid attention.

[boutons_deux]

Wall St and SuperPACs flood the lying Willard Gecko with $100Ms and trash JimmyRicky with nastiest attack ads. JimmyRicky won't have a chance. Repug politics is filthier, stinkier than the worst venereal diseases.

[SA210]

You really don't understand that term?

:lol Yes I do, I guess you didn't understand my sarcasm

[ChumpDumper]

:lol Yes I do, I guess you didn't understand my sarcasmOften difficult to tell on this board.

[Winehole23]

http://newsone.com/nation/tjstarr/rick-santorum-black-welfare-denies-blah/

[Spurminator]

http://newsone.com/nation/tjstarr/rick-santorum-black-welfare-denies-blah/

You know what? Call me crazy, but watching the video I believe him. It didn't sound like "blah" but it sounds even less like "black." It sounds like he mixed up "people's" and "lives" like everyone sometimes does with two words, and it came out something like "pbligh".

[ChumpDumper]

I actually believe him too.

Only Bachmann would be that stupid.

OTOH, the number of black Republicans who voted in the last caucus: 0.

lol @ the journalist scribbling furiously after he said it though.

[Winehole23]

You know what? Call me crazy, but watching the video I believe him. It didn't sound like "blah" but it sounds even less like "black." It sounds like he mixed up "people's" and "lives" like everyone sometimes does with two words, and it came out something like "pbligh".after listening, I agree

[CosmicCowboy]

Well, I'm really glad that he wants to give the Blah People a chance to get off welfare. He certainly has my vote.

[boutons_deux]

InSaneTorum won, 20 votes for Gecko were wrong.

[boutons_deux]

Iowa Caucus 2012 Results: Vote-Counter Says Mistake Gave Mitt Romney 20 Extra Votes [UPDATED]

Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum said he was "not surprised to hear" that the vote total for ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney may have been overcounted by 20 in the final tally of Iowa caucus-goers, but both he and his campaign were declining to weigh in on the story that broke Thursday night.

Speaking to a large gathering of New Hampshire voters at Windham High School, the Pennsylvania Republican said he was unaware that a local television station in Iowa had aired a report on a potential vote count discrepancy that would alter the winner of the caucus two days ago.

The station, KCCI, reported that in Appanoose County, a vote-counter had discovered an inconsistency between the number of the 50 votes he had monitored and what the Republican Party of Iowa had recorded.

"When Mitt Romney won Iowa by eight votes and I've got a 20-vote discrepancy here, that right there says Rick Santorum won Iowa," said the vote-counter, Edward True, 28. "Not Mitt Romney."

A spokeswoman with the Iowa Republican Party did not immediately address True's assertion, but stressed that he was not a precinct captain and was not authorized to discuss the vote. The 20-vote discrepancy remained, late Thursday, unconfirmed.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/05/iowa-caucus-2012-results_n_1188074.html?view=print

====

This changes everything! :lol

[Wild Cobra]

This changes everything! :lol

If you wish you believe so.

[boutons_deux]

Iowa changes nothing, no matter who won/wins, it's irrelevant except to TV companies selling ads.

[boutons_deux]

Paul will never get the Jesus vote.

The self-annointed Jesus candidate announces himself:


“My answer to that was, we always need a Jesus candidate,” Santorum, who is a Catholic, recalled.

“I don’t mean that in saying we need a Jesus candidate, someone who’s a Christian, but we need someone who believes in something more than themselves, some higher power, some god,” he added.

www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/06/santorum-americans-need-a-jesus-candidate/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+(The+Raw+Story)

==

Yep, we need a Jesus candidate, who, like just Jesus, hates queers, lesbos, trannies, Muslims

[Spurminator]

“I don’t mean that in saying we need a Jesus candidate, someone who’s a Christian, but we need someone who believes in something more than themselves, some higher power, some god,” he added.

... as long as it's the same god he worships, no doubt.

[boutons_deux]

yep, MUST BE the Christian God, not any Hindu, Jewish, Muslim gods allowed.

[Winehole23]

Caucus night was chaotic in many places, with hundreds of voters, candidates showing up and the throngs of media who followed. The world's eyes were on Iowa. But in the quiet town of Moulton, Appanoose County, a caucus of 53 people may just blow up the results.

Edward True, 28, of Moulton, said he helped count the votes and jotted the results down on a piece of paper to post to his Facebook page. He said when he checked to make sure the Republican Party of Iowa got the count right, he said he was shocked to find they hadn't."When Mitt Romney won Iowa by eight votes and I've got a 20-vote discrepancy here, that right there says Rick Santorum won Iowa," True said. "Not Mitt Romney."

Read more: http://www.kcci.com/news/30144582/detail.html#ixzz1ihGhVR8B

[Winehole23]

Appanoose County Republican Chairman Lyle Brinegar said Friday that his records indicate Romney did indeed only receive 2 votes in True's precinct. He told KCCI the county's paperwork is in order and he's confident the mistake will be corrected before the vote is certified.

Precinct caucus chair, Tony Seibert also said yes, Mitt Romney only received two votes in his precinct, not the 22 the GOP is reporting.

Read more: http://www.kcci.com/news/30144582/detail.html#ixzz1ina1OToP

[Winehole23]

Iowa GOP Chairman Matt Strawn declined to comment on the specific precinct vote total, but said in an interview with ABC News that “the result of Appanoose will not change the outcome of Tuesday’s vote.”http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/did-rick-santorum-actually-win-the-iowa-caucuses/

[Winehole23]

Santorum wins, sort of:


THE RESULTS: Santorum finished ahead by 34 votes
MISSING DATA: 8 precincts’ numbers will never be certified
PARTY VERDICT: GOP official says, ‘It’s a split decision’ Rick Santorum – Final total: 29,839 Change: -168
Mitt Romney – Final total: 29,805 Change: -210


It’s a tie for the ages.


There are too many holes in the certified totals from the Iowa caucuses to know for certain who won, but Rick Santorum wound up with a 34-vote advantage.
http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2012/01/19/register-exclusive-2012-gop-caucus-count-unresolved/

[JoeChalupa]

Not that it matters.

[Winehole23]

hurts Romney, helps Gingrich

[Winehole23]

even if it is of no consequence, it is history. Santorum won, but Romney got to wear the laurels.