Duelling narratives on Iowa ground game?

http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

… but having actual caucus leaders who can get everything else done strikes me as the most important part of Iowa organization.

sta46

that when Bachmann flames out she will turn into a massive hypocrite and “support” Romney. I have long thought that he is picking up her campaign expenses in order to keep her in the race so she draws voters and evangelicals away from Rick Perry.

papabear

/sarc
Rollins, her campaign adviser, actually admitted that Bahmann’s lack of attacks on Romney was because she was angling for the VP slot: http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/301286/no-title?SESS9ce6cdbef8492e117d44dc89d9148bae=google

Voting for Bachmann would be … um … (said with as much respect as possible) … STUPID

lizzie

as Iowa Gov. Branstad has said on two of this morning’s news talk shows: Gov. Perry is going to do better than expected, my spin due to failing memory branstad just called Huntsman “toast”, but Branstad has yet to remind all Iowans of his disdain for Romney when Romney dissed Iowa by skipping the Nov. 4 Iowa GOP Ronald Reagan dinner. (I vote in NY, and I was insulted by that!) Noticed that point IS being tweeted today.

Read the Full DMReg Poll – all six pages to understand why the topline % are wrong
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/assets/pdf/FullTopLineResults.pdf

Even tho I am also not in the ?betting business?, I am positive that today?s training for the Perry Iowa Strike Force will be honing their caucus presentations to focus on Perry?s ?least likely? poll numbers, which are terrific ? and that Perry is a strong #2 choice for the 40-50% still persuadable.

And, as Perry himself noted on FOX w/ Chris Wallace today, Perry is going after ALL Iowans,

The New York Times is expert at “duelling narratives”. All you have to do is read the NYT coverage of Israel and the palestinians, especially since 2006. It is bizarre, because the NYT coverage of most of the rest of the world usually bears resemblance to actual facts. Which is why I stopped reading the NYT except for the occasional Gardening feature.

The WSJ is eating the NYT for lunch in the NY metro area ever since the WSJ added Metro NY and NYC real estate sections.

missourirancher

Now listen up all RedState Conservatives!!!! It just occured to me yesterday that Rick Perry has the Best Background, Qualifications, Experience, and Resume of any Candidate that has ran for President since Ronald Reagan. An yes, many of you will find this as a shock, but I believe he is even better than Reagan. So come on let’s quit debating and get to work and get him elected.
Let’s make this a better year in 2012,
The Consevative Missourian Rancher

RealQuiet

An endorsement by Steve King could really help generate some last minute momentum for Perry. These next 48 hours are going to be something else.

carolynr

I wrote this on my thread…which was like a book…but Ron Paul is in effect running a third party campaign within this one. He is splitting the vote…and I believe he will be the winner of the caucus…and I don’t like Paul.

nancysabet

if they look at the candidates’ records and electability, they vote their common sense, they’ll vote Gov. Perry.
Elected 9 times w/o loss. TX House 3 terms, Ag Commis 2, Lt. Gov 2, Gov 3 in 2nd largest state. That’s electable!

Scope

from what I’ve read Perry has more than 400 people going to Iowa to represent him at the caucuses. That covers all of the locations, and leaves some locations with more than one Perry supporter. I also liked reading that many of those precinct captains caucusing for Perry are in strong leadership positions in their communities.

Speaking about the reports about infighting amongst the Perry campaign staff, the so lovable and fuzzy Chris Wallace (sarc) asked Perry about that Politico story (that has been carried around the webosphere as fact). Perry was fantastic when he asked Chris Wallace for the name of the staffer leaking the story to Politico, and Wallace said well the story just mentions a Sr. staffer. Perry replied, yeah right, talk to me when you have a name. Perry said that anyone can write these stories, and say whatever they want, and that they do all the time. Perry was strong, upbeat, and had his feet firmly beneath him in the interview. Geez I can’t wait for those like Wallace to get their noses rubbed in their own piles they are leaving on the floor everywhere.

nancysabet

I wanted to say that Perry has the best quakifications, even better than Reagan, but I was concerned that some of my conservative friends here would be offended.

nancysabet

that is why he will make it in Iowa.

SoFiMil

I would be proud to call Governor Perry the leader of the Free World. Perry, like Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush, is a good and honorable man.

Carol Tarasewicz

I read yesterday that Perry had 1500 on the ground for the caucus on CNN of all places. I might have to add CNN to one of the websites I open to and drop Fox. I read weeks ago that Rollins said Bachmann was angling for VP.
I do not trust Romney because he has his surrogates do the attacks and he has the websites to attack Perry and now Gingrich. Has he set up a new one for Santorum and Paul?
Go Rick Perry!

http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

.

SoFiMil

A requirement should be to explicitly state one will not run as a 3rd party candidate.

Scope

Anyone sitting on the top in the unreliable polls gets the MSM slam machine out against them. It’s Santorum’s turn now. If Perry was projected in any way by the pundits or anyone, to be a very possible and plausible winner, or who can place in the top three in Iowa, guaranteed there would be more made up stories like the rock story. The Politico, staff infighting article was just another hit piece with no facts. As Perry said himself, the article names a Sr. staffer, and when you read a story that won’t name names, chances are really great that the story is a made up fabrication only meant to hurt the subject.

http://www.liberty-freedom.org victor_cocchia

a third party campaign here. He is running in sixth place with Republicans in nearly every poll. The only way he wins is if he brings in enough Democrats and anti-troop independents. That is actually factually correct and can happen. It is horrible because Ron Paul is the single most dangerous man to run for President in modern history. He actually hates America. Has anyone ever heard Ron Paul say anything good about America?

Regardless, even if Paul wins, as long as Perry does well amongst the actual Republican candidates that is what matters.

Carol Tarasewicz

I stopped watching FNS unless they have someone on I want to see, today it was Perry. I saw that clip, he is a jerk. I wish they would get another host.
My brother never watches in but told me Wallace is a registered dem, I am not surprised,
Quite a few of the articles I have read originate from the Perry team.

flgal208

I lost ALL respect for Michelle after she threw that nad kick at Perry about the HPV vaccine. It showed she’s not an honorable person, doesn’t care about playing fair, plays fast and loose with the truth and that she would do ANYTHING to make herself relevant. Licking Romney’s bootstraps to make it happen seems feasible. What’s unfathomable to me is how she got in the race in the first place…for that matter, the same goes to Newt & RS, too. These people have not one iota of governing experience and in RS & Newt’s instances, they haven’t even done anything in years and NONE have done anything notable during BO’s tenure.

flgal208

Chris Wallace is only doing the bidding of his bosses…here’s their formula: talk about Romney, Romney, Romney, then pick a candidate you think doesn’t have a chance and talk about that person until they rise (camouflaging their Romney slant) and then when they get even or close to his numbers, get the analysts to trash them, repeat Romney, Romney, Romney every hour on the hour and then move on to the next candidate….do this for all but the other two Governors with real experience… if you think back to when Perry entered, you will see they NEVER gave him any fanfare, it was more a footnote, then they gleefully piled on his bad first performance (never mentioning his back surgery) …

http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

May disagree with W on some things, but golly, I loved him as a person–and I still do. When 9/11 happened I was just a child, and I can say without hesitation that it was the most traumatic thing that I’d ever seen up to that point. It was the first time I realized that there were people out there who hated ME and my family just because we were Americans. I was scared stiff and horrified. But I’d say that President Bush’s example of cool, quiet courage and defiance encouraged me as a child to move on and love my country even more.

I wasn’t even born when Reagan was president, but the way my parents and grandparents talk about him you’d think he hung the moon. I’ve read so many books about him to know what a brave, patriotic, Christian man he was. I love his legacy, too, and enjoy watching any videos/speeches of him.

So yes, I lump Perry in with those American (cowboy) presidents. I pray that he far surpasses George W. Bush in constitutional principles, and that he surpasses Ronald Reagan in…well, can anyone surpass Ronald Reagan? Hmm. Well, I hope he EQUALS Ronald Reagan. Good enough.

http://www.planettron.com NickDeringer

Gingrich could pull the Hindenburg out of his but at the next debate. Sure. Anything could happen, but what is LIKELY to happen? Romney has always had a strong ground organization. Santorum has not. The experience advantage goes to Romney. Paul commands a fanatical group who are demonstrating that it’s easy to game the system in Iowa. The Des Moines Register has had a lot of experience in polling the caucus so I suspect the result will fall pretty much the way it came out in the Register.

http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

Yeah, I was wondering too, “You know, they never mentioned the name of that staffer…hmm.” For all we know Pollutico could be making that up. Yes, that’s right, I question their integrity and “journalistic professionalism.”

Matthew Morris

When I get home tonight from family Christmas / New Years travels, I am intending to rest a little and head up to IA from north Texas ASAP. I hope I can get there in time for requisite training, etc. and to be put to use.

Yes, I have to miss out on a couple of days of work when I already have catching up to do. Yes, this puts extra burden on the wife and kids. But stakes are high. Need to boost Perry, and diminish others… Notably Santorum and Paul.

Anyone care to follow suit?

flgal208

they don’t need to trash RS or Paul, common sense will dawn and RS will slide as fast as Pawlenty and Paul’s racist past will sink him; HOWEVER, he has the capability to sink our country by handing the vote to BO by going independent like the spoiled child he’s turned into. ROmney/FNC/GOP establishment are probably right now sharpening their axes to use on Perry in underhanded ways.

ctredstater

As a long time supporter of Governor Perry, the Most Qualified Conservative to run for the Presidency since then Governor Reagan in 1980, I knew that he would have the kitchen sink thrown at him by the left if he got into the race. But I simply didn’t factor in the vitriol and pervasiveness of the Beltway Republicans and their media allies. it has been intense and persistent.

Richard Nixon said that political destiny is won in the fighting and winning of close elections. So true. In this case “winning” for Governor Perry is Beating the Expectations Game, and hopefully being the “suprise story” of Tuesday night. If he does, and I have every hope that he will, the dynamics of the race change dramatically.

If he heads to SC for a showdown with Santorum and Newt to become the “Not Romney”, I like his chances. I hope and pray that when crunch time comes, Iowans will realize that this sacred act, participating in such an important electoral process, should not be wasted on casting a protest vote – supporting someone whom you might personally like and whose issues stance you like, but who has zero chance to get the nomination and even less to be elected President.

I hope and pray that Iowans turn to a governor, not a legislator, and that they turn to the Governor whose state has an economic record that is a model for a national turnaround. A man of faith, family and freedom. A man who served his country honorably in the military.

Governor Rick Perry for President. Go Governor Perry Go!!!

rickperryreport

…on what’s happening in Iowa right now. We worry about polls, but not as much as political pundits do.

Day 13 on the Perry Bus Tour “Moving to Larger Venues”

Momentum for Perry Described

ctredstater

and may you have the wind at your back. A wonderful sign of support.

natedogg

that as organizing-intensive as caucus contests are, having a perfect ground game in and of itself doesn’t guarantee victory or even a good showing. Howard Dean had an excellent ground organization in Iowa leading up to the 2004 caucus, and he placed a disappointing third (down from first). That’s because campaign volunteers can only remind their supporters to vote, and maybe give them a ride to the caucus location. They can’t force people to vote for a candidate they don’t like. You wouldn’t vote for a candidate you didn’t support just because someone posted a doorhanger on your front door or called you the evening of the caucuses or knocked on your door. That’s all that campaign volunteers/organizers can do at this point, and they are most likely simply focusing on turning out the people who are already confirmed supporters, not necessarily expanding their universe of support. If anything Perry will get a bump in the low single digits, but not enough to compete with the big boys. This caucus will be between those who have the momentum, namely Romney and Santorum.

oldlady

Who would have thought that I, a FOX fan from their beginning, would instead be watching CNN and MSNBC to get ”fair and balanced” reporting of the Iowa campaigns. FOX forced me off themselves and onto these other channels so that I could actually get some news on the Perry campaign. Meanwhile it’s obvious that the entire staff at FOX has gotten orders not to even mention Perry’s name.

Like others I know, I believe this has come about because the powers that be at FOX have already decided that Romney is their man and that of all the other candidates Perry is the only guy who poses a real threat to Romney should he get the bit in his mouth. Perry is the only candidate with a ”total package” of solid conservative accomplishments in leading his state to the most thriving state in the union, plus the fact that he has the funding, staffing and ground game that could actually compete with the Romney machine.

Shame of FOX! I’m left with wondering how many other former FOX fans have left them for the other cable news channels over this more than obvious bias.

veto

Reading from some sources that their might have been a mistake in the reporting of the santorum surges numbers, will keep you guys posted.

nativetexan41

I am praying he comes in third place. I encourage Iowans to go out on Tuesday and support Gov. Perry. He is the conservative we need.
Thanks to all Redstaters going to Iowa to help Perry. Wish I could but I will be praying for everyone!!
That was good to hear he has a good ground group.
Go Perry!!

oldlady

If I was younger I would be there too. Please report back to us here at RS about your adventure.

Scope

These last few days have been nail biting days for me as a Perry supporter. When I read these kinds of posts, and the great closing arguments for Perry diaries popping up here at RS, I am actually getting teary eyed at the amount of solid support Gov. Perry is gathering. There was some guy on CNN today that remarked on the fact that so many from out of state are going to Iowa to help with the Perry efforts. He didn’t say that about any other candidate.

Mr. Morris, I’m quite sure that someone will catch you up on what you may have missed with the Perry Strike Force meetings, and with much enthusiasm. God Bless you Mr. Morris. I wish I could do the same.

pttx333

due to their obvious bias. Their channel used to be on almost 24/7 in my house, but no longer. In fact, the TV just isn’t on all that often any more – just like most of the newspapers, they have gone the way of the libtards and RINOs. I’m sick of their so-called “fair and balanced” routine – they have lied to me, and I do not appreciate it one bit!

The only candidate for me – ever – has been my Governor Perry, and nothing will get in the way of my support. Absolutely n-o-t-h-i-n-g!

mccoypauley

In the “Santorum Bump” CNN poll last week, Paul was second with 22% in what I think was mostly Republicans polled, hence how they bumped Santorum, who has zero appeal to Independents and soft Dems.

On all these polls, the crosstabs are where the good info is. They all have little insights below the headline numbers.

oldlady

I will be watching on CNN and MSNBC because FOX will continue trying to suppress any good news about Perry. Hopefully we Perry supporters will be able to do a bit of celebrating while watching the results on CNN and MSNBC.

Carol Tarasewicz

I do not think that Ron Paul will sink Rand’s career with an third party run, but I could be wrong.
I remember someone commenting after one of the debates that Paul looked as though he was in the midst of getting Alzheimer’s. I was going to watch that clip again but forgot about it and now don’t remember which debate it was.
FNC/Establishment hate Perry because Romney is next in line and he’s a threat to him. I think FNC is following Rove’s instructions, the fued goes back years.

I had a rather nasty email exchange with Karl myself ove Rick Perry. I told him we would like to pick our candidate this time, without the medai throwing him on us like they did with McCain.
He was not pleasant in his response.

pttx333

see come Tuesday night. Our guy Perry is a true winner in every way, and we must remain focused on that as we trudge through the next months.

Do you mind if I call you “lady” instead of oldlady? I feel like I’m insulting you or something. I’m 71 years old and probably older than you, but, hon, I ain’t and old lady! There is nothing in my mind and heart that will allow me to wither away.

Scope

Rick Santorum is a “big boy” but Perry isn’t? Your post is D E S P E R A T I O N on steriods. But it’s good for the laugh factor.

Carol Tarasewicz

Rick Perry was my choice before he announced and I have not thought about changing at all!
I have the tv on in the kitchen, but am in the living room, FNC is on and one said Perry had the most on the ground. I get my news from here and talk radio and a few other websites.
I sent Wallace an emial months ago when he brought up that Rock in TX to Cain but he has not responded. I haven’t watched FNS since then. I like Hannity but he’s all over Romney, even though he always says he likes them all and hasn’t made up his mind.
ABC has a good article on Perry, I linked it from Perry’s campaign email for today.
I live in MA, I know firsthand what Romneycare has done here!

Carol Tarasewicz

Thank you!

natedogg

To me Santorum is a completely unelectable entity. So I suggest you re-read what I wrote and keep in mind that I have no horse in this race and I’m trying to be as objective as possible.

http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

A couple of points for you. For a while it would be good to start your posts with something on the order of “As a Democrat…” just so you aren’t accused of trolling (I’m assuming you really do want to engage in conversation). Also, it’s always good to label “opinion” as such and back them up with your rationale. When saying something is a “fact”, provide a link to back up your claim.

I look forward to crossing swords with you.

Bill S

because you clearly imply that Santorum is one of the “big boys” and Perry is not…and that’s absurd. Santorum hasn’t won an election or held office in years. He’s a wannabe. Rick Perry is a sitting governor of one of the largest states in the union and basically has not lost a significant election…unlike Santorum. The only thing Rick Santorum has going for him is that Iowans are apparently brain-dead. Any state that takes both Santorum and Ron Paul seriously must have some sort of chemical imbalance in the water or something.

waitaminute

Right now there?s the mother of all selection bias going on out there, and everybody ? and I mean everybody ? is more than happy to ignore the evidence that doesn?t favor their own side.

Someone needs to tell this to Erick.

Scope

and go for what the Democrats see as our least electable candidates. Thanks for weighing in. Your comment backs up what most conservatives knew all along. Get the GOP candidate that is the weakest against your completely incompetent current pres. Thanks for the verification.

texastaxpayer

They have been using this little game if theirs quite effectively. I spent new years eve with family and friends, my favorite cousin who was for Bauchman then Cain then Newt is now rallying for Santorum as the “true conservative”. I find it depressing having to argue with my own cousin and fellow Texan who is repeating the Romney attack lines about Perry. Sad how many people let the media do their thinking.

Scope

natedog is a Democrat looking for the weakest GOP candidates to run against his boy Obama. It’s really sad that some states will allow this retard to vote in our GOP primaries, just to infect the vote.

Matthew Morris

Thanks for the responses all. I will try to provide on-the-ground insight to offer encouragement to others when and where possible.

natedogg

Yes, by “big boys” I only meant in Iowa. Sorry for the confusion. I don’t think Santorum has a snowball’s chance in hell of getting the nomination. But the big momentum within Iowa belongs to Santorum, who surged from mid single digits to 15%. Rick Perry is also gaining, but too late to come in in the first three slots. (I’ve worked on campaigns by the way).

The main point I was trying to make is that having a ground game doesn’t mean you will win. It can only nudge you a few percentage points up. That means that Perry will not come out of Iowa with the “big mo” and therefore will not get the nomination. I understand that Iowa doesn’t mean victory, but Perry is the kind of candidate who *needed* some showing in Iowa to have a victory because there are other things he simply doesn’t have going for him, namely a commanding presence in the other states the way Romney does. Do I think Perry would be a strong contender against Obama? Yes, better than the other anti-Romney candidates. But that doesn’t mean he will get the nomination.

natedogg

I guess I’m a “retard” now. But I don’t live in Iowa and don’t vote in GOP primaries. And I also don’t think I or anyone else posting here has enough clout to impact the election (no offense to Red State). I was just trying to call it like I saw it.

penhall99

Reading about Perry’s ground game in Iowa and large crowds, I’m getting more hopeful for him to place in the top 3. Come on, Rick!

penhall99

Reading about Perry’s ground game in Iowa and large crowds, I’m getting more hopeful for him to place in the top 3. Come on, Rick!

btpull

Rule 1 – Never says anything negative about Perry. You have to understand his supporters are a little nervous about his prospects right now and they can only handle positive rah-rah Perry comments.

Rule 2 – A non-endorsement endorsement is a non-endorsement – really it is

Rule 3 – A poll is only valid if it supports Perry momentum. Otherwise it is flawed with too many Democrats and Independents who are confused about being able to vote in the Iowa caucus.

lineholder

If Perry pulls in a top three position coming out of Iowa, what would you say of his chances then?

annie54

I’m making phone calls for Perry.

God Bless You !

natedogg

Especially because:
(a) He would have significantly exceeded expectations
(b) He could replace Gingrich’s standing in South Carolina, and could win South Carolina.
(c) Bachman would drop out by then and support would likely go to Perry. Assuming Santorum doesn’t place third, Santorum might gracefully bow out and throw his support behind Perry. This would consolidate the anti-Romney vote in Perry’s favor.

My opinion only.

WA_Cowboy

nt

elayman

?The fact is, government doesn?t create jobs, otherwise the last two-and-a-half years of stimulus would have worked.?

So the candidate governor is loud and cocky against Washington in 2012 ? Maybe feeling darn lucky he was able to have the stimulus effect during his tenure to create hundreds of thousands of government jobs in Texas, which just happened to grow at more than double the rate of private-sector employment. What a difference two years can make to a capital-H Hypocrite..

woggie

says it could be game of feet for RP. I believe he’s really @13-14% with Paul fading If ground game produces a 2-3 pts bounce he’s a now a close 3rd and if 3-4 pts a solid second as those pts probably come from Rommey/ Santorum. That’s good for “Rommey hearing footsteps” scenario and drastically changes preceptions in voter’s and media’s minds.

lineholder

That’s my opinion as well, but I’m something of a cynic, don’t like the way things have been going so far, and have very much so gotten in a frame of mind that I’ll believe it when it comes to pass.

But I think it’s possible all the same. And I think Perry has the potential to succeed in it as well.

WA_Cowboy

teachers count as public employees. So do firemen, police, etc. Growing population = more public jobs

from izoneguy:
http://www.redstate.com/chrysostom15/2011/12/15/us-census-data-shows-perry-increased-texas-government-twice-as-much-as-the-federal-government-grew-over-a-similar-period/#comment-561

In 2001 ? Texas had 1,209,448 state employees
In 2001 ? The population of Texas was 20,851,820

In 2010 ? Texas had 1,452,324 state employees
In 2010 ? The population of Texas was 25,145,561

Both 17% Increases ? the number of employees was reflected
by the states population.

Actually ?

in 2001 each state employee served 17.2 Texans
in 2010 each state employee served 17.3 Texans

elayman

So I have no problem with Perry using it to plug a budgeting gap or cover public sector employees (I am also a librarian at the mercy of govt. funding) but he shouldn’t then go around all principled talking about the stimulus as a failed Washington experiment. That is where the hypocrisy comes in.

votemout2012

Look at the crowds Perry is bringing in in IA compared to Newt, Santorum, or Bachmann. Something very fishy going on. Notice how Foxnews and MSM not reporting the obvious Perry has the excitement and momentum to win. I will never trust Fox again when it comes to news after this election cycle.

votemout2012

Wallace, Bret Hume, Krauthammer, Brett Baire, AB Sotter The whole fox crew need to have equal time rubbing their noses in the pile of garbage they have been dishing on Perry.

votemout2012

The only time Perry is mention on Fox is to slam him. I watch but am constantly channel surfing when Romney’s name come up. Santorum only getting attention from them to draw attention from Perry. The crowd and enthusiasm in IA for Perry is hard to hide but notice it is never mentioned on fox. Thank God we have the internet and sites like this so we can get to know candidates and not rely on TV. I think Brandstad right don’t count Perry out. B/C I think he will win or come close to it.

nancysabet

I try not to watch any more, you right , thanks got for internet.

nancysabet

for helping Gov. Perry, may force be with you!
God bless

http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

ignore punks line btpull. He’s an idiot with an agenda and I’m guessing he won’t be around long.

votemout2012

Santorum Please? Very convient for Romney that Santorum suddenly has surge. don’t buy it and don’t believe it. Not for a second. I guess we will see on Tues. Or better yet after the final Primary. 15 million reasons Perry in it for the long haul.

http://conservativemountaineer.blogspot.com/ conservativemountaineer

*not* to win, given the Hawkeye Caucii hasn’t always been kind in predicting the eventual nominee?

I’m a Perry supporter, btw, even though I’m here in PA, I’ve given $350 so far.. may give another $100 or so tomorrow. Wish I could have taken the time to go to Iowa to help.. I gave it serious thought as I am someone who could have, but some other things popped-up recently.

IMHO, Perry is in it for the long-haul. Perry *will* be the anti-Romney candidate left standing.

Hey, Mitt.. Sucks to be you! All that $$ and nobody wants you.
Newt… Not gonna happen. Perry *should* find a way for you to be involved.. it’s that little Pelosia/couch thingy and others that are a problem.
Santorum.. Pfft. I like Rick.. no fire in ’06. What has he *really* done sans his Senate time? Nothing of consequence.
Paul.. Nut. No. CLASS A NUT!
Bachmann.. Not ready. Never will be.

Carol Tarasewicz

Lineholder
Do you really think that Santorum would throw his support behind Perry? I don’t think he’s the type to endorse Rick Perry.
I think he’ll do what Pawlenty and others have done, let Romney pick up the campaign debt and endorse Romney.
I hope you are right, but what I did see of Santorum in the debates is an angry man.
Carol

nancysabet

Santorum who??? I am sorry he will be history on tue. Howard Dean had passionate supporters but they did not know how to caucus, and he lost to other candidates who had experience in election and especially in how the caucuses work. And here is the reason why Perry will make it on Tue.

Elected 9 times w/o loss. TX House 3 terms, Ag Commis 2, Lt. Gov 2, Gov 3 in 2nd largest state. That’s Gov. Perry

aesthete

is that you do not talk about Redstate. The second rule of Redstate…

Carol Tarasewicz

I watched the clip of Wallace going after Perry today again with the Politico story of his campaign and it’s more condescending the second time around.
Perry handled it very well, asking for a name. We’ve already discussed this but he looks better the second time and Wallace is worse.

wyowumin

Tammy Bruce has been saying for months that Bachmann is Romney’s stalking horse. I agreed but then thought that maybe Herman Cain was since he couldn’t praise him enough. But…we know how THAT turned out. She’ll probably pull a Huckabee and give her votes to Romney.

windwaker24

so my guess would be that he do the same if he were to drop out. I don’t think he has it in himself to endorse Perry, especially if Perry is the cause of his loss. Both he and Bachmann have what I call a “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha” complex. They can’t stand it when someone is just better than them. They whine incessantly and try to tear down others because of their own insecurities. I predict Bachmann and Santorum will go to Romney just for the sole purpose of spiting Perry (and some campaign debt pay-offs).

sta46

the pompous little Suck-Weasel-in-Chief Karl Rove and his little pal the Suck-Weasel-in-Training Dick Morris both of whom will be leading the attacks on Perry from the right (which I fear will be as bad as those coming from the left). Remember, when Perry first threw his hat in the ring some Dem from Texas came out and said there was absolutely NO dirt on Perry… that they had been looking for dirt on him for years to no avail… so all they can do is blackout any/all news about his campaign
They are ALL afraid of losing their cushy little slots in life if/when he gets elected. We just need to see that happens.

sta46

publishing said response here for all of RS to read so that when we call Fox and tell them we are no longer watching since every time they announce themselves as being “fair and balanced” it’s a lie we could use the unpleasant Rove as an example. Perhaps if there are enough complaints about him he will lose his job… a pleasing thought in and of itself.

btpull

Of course I was exaggerating with my rules, but you have to admit there is some truth to my rules. I’m still neutral for two reasons: whoever is the nominee will get my state’s, Georgia, electoral college votes and Romney should have this wrapped up before I get to vote on Super Tuesday.

Looking at the candidate’s:

Gingrich has faded. Bachmann appears to be out the door. Huntsman was never in it. Republicans are not crazy enough to nominate Paul; even Paul supports should know he cannot win a general election.

So that leaves Romney, Perry and Santorum. Romney has a good chance of winning Iowa, will win NH, and will be competitive if not the winner in every other state. Perry and Santorum are competing with each other to be the social conservative candidate.

Coming out of Iowa it will be Romney vs a social conservative candidate with Gingrich and Paul hanging around for awhile. The primary schedule disadvantages whoever the social conservative ends up being. After Iowa and before Super Tuesday the only social conservative state on the schedule is South Carolina.

Since the governor has endorsed Romney you’d have to assume he is the favorite to win that state. I’d assume the governor would not be foolish enough to endorse an unpopular/losing candidate in her state. Romney in my opinion is the odds on favorite to win majority if not sweep the January and February primary states.

natedogg

that Bachman would not support Perry, but I think Santorum just might. Either way, even if they both personally endorse Romney, their supporters would go behind Perry if he happened to have a strong candidacy. Those supporters are by the definition in the “anti-Romney” camp, they’re not tools of Bachman and Santorum per se.

I think if the caucus were held next week, Perry would get the nomination. But I think barring some act of God, it’s in the bag for Romney now.

buster93

I have been waiting for someone to come along that is like Ronald Reagan and yes it is Rick Perry. That was my first election in 1980.
This is it for America to get back on track and it will be just more of the same if Perry is not elected. Big spending , big gov’t , even if another Republican is elected not just Obama. This is it people this our only chance to get back to our Founding Father’s Principles.
As my dad told me for many years growing up .”Just do your best”!!
I think that is what we can tell Rick Perry and he will be our nominee.
I think Ronald and my dad would approve !!!
God Bless America!!!!!

http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

means the person could be in lots of trouble. Rick is getting evangelical, one he paid for (van plaster anyone), but he is tweeting begging Iowans to caucus for him. I think his lack of money is going to hurt him big time, and I’ve been on the ground in Iowa my whole life, everyone thought Romney was taking Iowa. Huck had money and momentum.

bzip

Leading Perry backers head to Iowa for final push
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/01/leading-perry-backers-head-to-iowa-for-final-push/

Sounds like all of the big Perry endorsers will be in Iowa at Perry’s last event in “Perry, Iowa”. .

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney, Steve Forbes, and Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst

http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

I started crying right there during prayer time and had to hurry out afterwards to compose myself. Dad was praying that God would bless Perry’s campaign. But at the same time, if it isn’t God’s Will that Perry become President, Dad prayed that God would use Perry in mighty ways and draw Perry closer to Himself. I think I cried simply because I want to see Perry become President SO bad–and yet, I’ve come to admire and love him as a person so much that I only want God’s best for him. So don’t feel bad if you get teary–you’re not alone.

I think these next few weeks are going to be very emotional for the Perry Posse, whether with excitement, disappointment, frustration, fear, and/or supreme joy and delight. I’m trying to brace myself but I’m not sure it’ll help too much! We’ll have to take it one step, one day at a time.

http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

*rubs hands in delight* And I didn’t even know…I find out more about my governor’s doings here than anywhere else! It’s just as well…Louisiana media is as bad as Texas’. Thanks for the heads-up, bzip!

http://www.changeforrickperry.org louisianapatriette

http://www.nationaljournal.com/2012-presidential-campaign/forbes-perry-will-get-a-boost-20120101#.TwEMW7_J_Eo.twitter

“Steve Forbes, the publishing tycoon and former presidential candidate who?s backing Rick Perry, said the roughly 30 percent of voters still showing undecided in pre-caucus polls could give Perry the kick he needs to carry him past Iowa and into New Hampshire and South Carolina.

“And, Forbes said, the onset of actual voter participation could mark an end to the seemingly interminable phase of the campaign when none of the other candidates has been able to scratch Mitt Romney?s frontrunner patina.”

aj_0000

I will admit I haven’t been following this site that closely. But after reading a few topics worth of posts, this is obviously mainly a Rick Perry enclave. Hopefully this is all genuine opinion, and not paid campaign operatives.

In any case…Rick Perry is not going to miraculously come out of nowhere and win the nomination. His poll numbers are far too low, and the voting is about to start. He may have money, but he has run out of time.

All genuine conservatives should know by now that our only hope is to unite behind one candidate. Perry, Santorum and Bachmann cannot win. It has to be Newt. Those of you who are still sitting here pining away for Gov. Perry are wasting valuable time. This kind of blind foolishness is going to sink us all.

votemout2012

Watching the caucus coverage on Fox for a little while. (All I can stand) Romney’s got this thing sown up. It is so pathetic that they call themselves a “news” network. Santorum and Romney now winners even thought the MOE on all these polls suggests a 4 way tie. I hope we will all take time to tune out the bias reporting and hit the internet for the “fair and balance coverage of the caucuses w/o the Fox spin.

http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

If you’d done any research, shortly after Perry announced he was taken to task for Gardisil, for his position on illegal immigrant college tuition and for about everything else you could think of. In fact, when you bother to look at the facts, Perry came out quite well, that’s why he’s regarded well here.

You were taking the opportunity to show off for a new poster who actually may have come here in good faith and all you did was show off what a raving jerk you are.

clowngirl

Y’all are so enthusiastic and passionate about your candidate, that I’m confident Governor Perry will still be strongly supported no matter what happens in Iowa.

And if RedState is at all representative, I would expect him to beat Santorum and finish in the top 4 – likely even the top three.

I agree with what several people posted with regard to a lot of the press coverage. Perry is statistically tied in at least 2 recent polls but in the article Moe is quoting his numbers are described as “mediocre” ( even though they’ve improved substantially in recent weeks) while Santorum is described as “surging” ( I think I’ve seen terms like that used more often in describing Santorum with his 15% only in Iowa than were used to describe Newt when he was at 33% in Iowa and 40% – but would have to check to make sure it’s not just a biased memory)

Too much blatant media favoritism could cause a backlash actually hurting Santorum and helping Newt and/or Perry.

RebelRoss0587

They sure seem giddy over at http://mittromneycentral.com/

Is Mitt Romney inevitable at this point?

trevorb

have to wait and see; a sizable number of voters could still change their minds, even though the vote is less than 48 hours away.

Personally, I don’t expect him to get first place, but he’ll have enough momentum to stay in the race. I think one of the reasons he stumbled is because he’s never run a national campaign before.

btpull

Keep calling me names

aj_0000

If Perry, Santorum and Bachmann drop out, it is far from over. Gingrich is in a statistical tie with Romney nationally, and the vast majority of those votes would go to him. But if the conservative vote remains divided, it probably is inevitable.

http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

nt..

greyeagle

I agree with your comments Votemount2012. FOX News is in the tank for Romney and avoid mentioning Perry at all costs. Eric Boling on the 5 seems to like Perry, at least he does not make disparaging remarks. The same for Gilfoil. Chris Wallace is a weasel and the rest of FOX is disappointing. Just don’t watch anymore.

natedogg

…I would love it if Gingrich got the nomination. It would be a dream, almost as good as a Bachman or a Santorum ticket. But I don’t think Republicans will give it to Gingrich. He lost his mo-jo, and after Iowa he won’t have the fundraising to contest S. Carolina, and he will drop in the polls there too.

Let me explain why he would lose in the general. Say what you want about President Obama, but he is a family man and he has always been up front about his policies and his ideology. He has kept most of his campaign promises (leaving Iraq, passing health care reform, DADT repeal, Lilly Ledbetter Act, etc.). He was elected on that platform. Unemployment is high, but trends will continue to improve slightly, which means it won’t be as simple as an “anybody but Obama” election. The only place Obama has broken promises is on closing Guantanamo and indefinite detention, and that doesn’t seem to bother a lot of independents. (No, the employment figure predicted by the stimulus was not a broken promise, because anyone who has taken basic econ knows you can only understand the scope of a recession in hindsight. Everyone underestimated the mess we were in.)

As for the value of Newt’s word… Well, I don’t even have to say anything about that, because we all know how much it’s worth.

bobguzzardi

dr. bob and I are in Des Moines, typing this from Sheraton, Rick Perry’s HQ. Lots of high energy. super bunch.

dr. bob and I went to an event with Joe Scarborough and Mika B and Joe, without any evidence, said no Republican can win Penna.

Our Gov is a Republican who won all but four counties and Pat Toomey won all but 7. Ronald Reagan won twice and Reagan’s success, George HW Bush won until we found out that he wasn’t Ronald Reagan.

Rick Perry is Reaganesque. Scarborough is a squish on the issues. He thinks Barack Obama’s Cairo speech was good policy. Superficial and shallow is being kind.

At HQ now, tomorrow is more training and some phone banking.

The Iowa electorate seems to be thoughtful and takes their role seriously. This leads me to think they will analyze the candidates and conclude Rick Perry is the The Guy.

We shall see.

bobguzzardi

I think Voters need a reason to vote for Rick Perry.They know the rest are phonies and media, including Fox, have undercut him. I think Rick Perry may be able to close the sale. Rick Perry connects.

pj2012

I switch the channel to CNN a lot now, trying not to give FoxyNews a rating boost… lol.

conservativemusician

Go and peddle your sickening fawning Obama talking points somewhere else. I’m sure Politico or Daily Kos or other similar sites would welcome this kind of drivel.

P.S. You really are dreaming if you think Newt will be the nominee. We’re not going to make it that easy for you.

bobguzzardi

And Ronald Reagan won Pennsylvania twice.

btpull

If that is your opinion….

I guess you agree Romney will wrap this up soon.

greyeagle

Take the time to go to this web site and read the events of today. Crowds are getting much larger. The Politico hit piece was mentioned briefly. If you haven’t read that, please do. It is a real piece of ugly trash. ABC had some nice comments. I was surprised, but pleased.

bobguzzardi

He knows Rick Santorum and despises him He is no Democrat. He is solid fiscal conservative.

bobguzzardi

thanks Cowboy this is good data.

APA Guy

You ARE correct on one point: Unemployment IS high. You forgot to include the fact that gas prices are sky-high and businesses won’t touch Obama with a 20-foot pole…but then again, that’s what you leftist turds want anyway…bicycles to your government jobs.

Get lost.

bobguzzardi

Obama is a good family man and Newt Gingrich isn’t. a broke promise is a broken promise.

Obama has done what his supporters want him. Rick Perry is the Bold alternative.

natedogg

…for people to call out the moderator or threaten people with banishment. You guys should really re-examine your approach to political discussion. You might actually learn something and become a better advocate for your side by not insulating yourself in an airtight ideological bubble.

pj2012

the same thing I’m doing… enough with the FoxyNews black out of Perry it’s payback time for them! If enough stop watching FoxyNews every time they put this baloney they will notice… with a ratings drop.

APA Guy

…is to dispatch with leftist trolls who are here to peddle useless narratives and pump their preferred GOP presidential candidates…just like you did in 2008.

Sell stupid someplace else…like the Daily Kos…they buy your brand, we don’t.

Carol Tarasewicz

One of my friends sent me an email that suggested Perry was gay, and she’s conservative. Nothing was found, it was something she heard on talk radio.
I had a nasty email exchange with Karl Rove when Perry made comments about Bernanke. Karl was over the top on one of the FNC shows. I sent him an email to tell him that we would like to pick our candidate this year. He was not happy with me.
Rove has quieted down about Perry lately, but if his #s go back up, Rove will write an editorial about him in the WSJ and go on the same shows.

http://www.timothy-bladel.com/ center77

ATLANTA ? Steve Forbes, the publishing tycoon and former presidential candidate who?s backing Rick Perry, said the roughly 30 percent of voters still showing undecided in pre-caucus polls could give Perry the kick he needs to carry him past Iowa and into New Hampshire and South Carolina.

(RELATED: Perry’s Fade Leaves Evangelicals and Tea Partiers With Muddle Choices)

And, Forbes said, the onset of actual voter participation could mark an end to the seemingly interminable phase of the campaign when none of the other candidates has been able to scratch Mitt Romney?s frontrunner patina.

?Everyone?s been giving him a bye,? Forbes said when encountered Sunday afternoon at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta.

?[On] taxes and health care, he?s very much out of the mainstream of the Republican Party,? Forbes, a longtime champion of the flat tax, said. Forbes, who campaigned for Perry last week in New Hampshire, has been criticizing Romney?s proposal to abolish capital gains taxes for those earning less than $200,000 a year. Perry wants to do away with all capital gains taxes.

Asked how much time Perry would spend in New Hampshire between Tuesday?s Iowa caucuses, where Perry sorely needs a healthy showing, and the Jan. 10 Granite State primary, Forbes indicated Perry would target Romney during a Jan. 7 debate.

?MUR makes a good forum,? Forbes said, referring to ABC?s Manchester affiliate.

Perry’s campaign said Saturday he would head directly to South Carolina after Tuesday’s Iowa vote.

http://908StraightSt.wordpress.com/ mbecker908

And relax. You wrote a good post, well presented and you tagged your opinions and provided backup. It just happens to be a “good post” that just about everybody – me included – is going to disagree with on the issues.

I would say that you don’t have much to worry about from moderators – and note that I don’t speak for the site, I’ve just survived here for longer that just about anybody posting tonight – as long as you’re up front and being, frankly, non-confrontational.

Take note that you’ll get lots of undeserved heat & crap simply because you’re a self-identified member of the enemy. Oh well. Just walk by it. Please note that the responder didn’t bother to argue any of your points.

Hang in there. Oh, and I’ll be back tomorrow (tired tonite) and deconstruct your post. Then we can throw fur at one another. Happy New Year. It’s gonna be fun.

David123

I am not a moderator, so it’s not up to me if you get blammed. I certainly don’t mind if you stay here and have a respectful discussion.

I did not like Clinton’s cheating, and I don’t like Gingrich’s either. I agree with your conclusion that Gingrich would be a weak candidate.

APA Guy

Yes, he is a family man…so am I. Does that qualify me to be president?

The man has so weakened our dollar that it has alternated values with the Euro at a time when most of the EU is basically bankrupt. Oil is at $100 a barrel during what should be a time of deflation.

His economic policies scare the s**t out of private businesses…and why wouldn’t they? Everything he says and hints at says taxes go up the moment he begins his second term.

Obama promised to change this country. On that he delivered, but for a terrible worse. I’d say his miserable record of political failure leaves him far less qualified to run this nation than someone who has a less appealing personal life.

greyeagle

about where you got your statistics and what stimulus money was spent for. I know Perry turned down some of that money because of the strings attached. Texas is a huge state, so there would be a larger number of state employees. Large Health Regions, Health Departments, Public Hospitals, Texas Rangers, Numerous colleges, I lived there until June of last year and some stimulus money was declined. By the way, that was money from Texas taxpayers that was taken by Washington and returned to the state.

stumpy

from Perry’s ground game in Iowa. You guys get them out for Perry. Perry can win if he can get out of Iowa with at least 3rd. Gingrich’s Iowa pattern will be repeated in SC if Perry is still available. Maybe MB will drop out. I’d like to see RS drop out too, but unless he finishes fifth or lower, I expect him to hang around.

Perry can unite the rank-and-file and conservatives if he can get another look. He lost so many with the early performances, they haven’t had a chance to get his record and story out there. If he can relieve the performance issues, he could easly beat Mittens. Perry would be acceptable to most of the party, inspire the base and will govern conservatively if elected. He is the best positioned candidate to thwart Obama’s attacks. He can rail on Washington, Obama and Wall Street. All the others are involved in that triangle at some level. The Republican congress is very unpopular. Our nominee needs to be very far from Washington.

lineholder

that Obama has been up front about his policies and ideology. When he was running for President in 2008, was he genuinely honest with the American people about the simple fact that he has a preference for socialistic-type policies over the type of policies that Americans have been accustomed to? No, he wasn’t. For all intents and purposes, he basically concealed that information behind ambiguous and vague promises of “Hope and Change”.

It’s only been since he was elected and his policies have been put into place that his personal preference in this regards has been revealed to the general public at large.

BTW, this is part of why so many people see themselves as having been “duped” by Obama.

stumpy

insulting Iowa. I know he is skipping it, but why attack them. I believe the statement was that NH picks Presidents and Iowa picks corn. Huntsman is either an idiot or a terrible judge of comedy. If tjat was rehearsed and approved by a campaign guy, he should be fired on the spot. Insulting rural people is not a way to win. Huntsman is my third choice at the moment, but that was stupid. A simple arguement that Iowa is nit representative, one state shouldn’t have that much control, etc.

This crap is why Huntsman is behind the MOE in most polls. He has to have the worst run campaign since at least Thompson. Speaking of Thompson, he had all the right ingredients except performance. Similar to Perry’s position in so many ways. They have different performance issues. Hopefully Perry won’t finish like Thompson.

aesthete

Whether it’s fair or not, most elections are referendums on the incumbent. It is rare to have the challenger be the one placed under scrutiny; that was not the case with Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, or Bill Clinton. Incumbents perceived to be successful tend to win re-election, even if their opponents run a flawless campaign. Incumbent perceived to have been unsuccessful have a harder time of it. Obama, like it or not, has been perceived to be unsuccessful: while he is personally liked, most of his domestic policies and “accomplishments” are loathed. The signs are there: an absolutely terrible result in the midterms, supporters couching their support in pity and regret, and a lack of enthusiasm among his base. In much the same way that Obama’s connections to Cold War-era extremists or a controversial church never became a real issue, it is unlikely that non-economy issues will be serious determinants in the upcoming election, unless they relate somehow to economic issues. Whatever else can be said about Gingrich, he is smart and has a legitimate claim to being responsible for the Clinton budgets and Contract with America reforms. He’ll also benefit from 90s nostalgia, when the economy was perceived as being generally good — and he definitely benefits from having not been in office when the Bush excesses were going on.

If I were you, I’d beg for Santorum or Bachmann — Gingrich, if he won, wouldn’t win because he was a great family man or particularly unblemished; he’d win based on 90s nostalgia and because he is a condescending jerk who would make sure that every voter out there is at least conversant with the general GOP narrative of How Liberals Screwed Up the Economy. Obama is somewhat intelligent, but he’s no Clinton: he’d get crucified by Gingrich in a debate setting, and isn’t particularly good at defending his own policies.

flgal208

is the worst analyst of all! He once named who he gives his advice to and who buys ads on his web and guess who wasn’t on that list? If you say, Perry you would be correct. And who does he almost completely ignore or gloss over? Yup. The person I am most upset with though is Sean Hannity. A few weeks ago he had Rick on who talked about cleaning up Washington and insider trader and jailing them and shrinking Congress, etc…The VERY NEXT night he’s talking with Palin and she says she wants any candidate that does something or even addresses insider trading and Sean didn’t even mention Perry!!!! Then on more than one occasion he ticks of the names of the candidates and doesn’t even mention Perry. Then again with Palin they’re talking about constitutional conservatives & 10th Amendment (after the Huckabee Forum that Perry nailed and the AGs practically hugged him) and she repeatability says that’s who she wants and mentions Santorum–twice!! HELLO, McFly, anyone there? Did Sean correct her or bring up Perry? No. Did not Newt say Rick PERRY is who he got the 10th Amendment passion from (paraphrasing)???? SO, Hannity is as much a sell-out as Coulter, Christie & Haley

aesthete

about why I also think that Obama’s base is so disillusioned, starting with his many and sundry broken campaign promises. I’m too lazy when it gets this late

flgal208

IF Paul puts Rand ahead of himself, he won’t tank his career; however, Paul seems to be on a crusade (use that word on purpose) and might not care who or what he burns down …Paul had TWO debates he looked out of it. One was a real debate and the other was the Family Focus one with Frank Luntz…then when he did the Huckabee Forum (the BEST “debate” of them all!), he was quite lucid…so I don’t know…Shame about Karl, he’s so smart and knowledgeable and could be an asset to Perry, instead he seems to be playing revenge…I also think the standard GOP want big government as much as the left and are afraid Perry will take their pacifiers away…

stumpy

is so little critism of Santorum’s tax break for manufacturing. Tax breaks are good, but the government chosing winners and losers is part of our problem. This illustraits the problems with him. He is a prolife big government guy. RS, MR and NG all believe that Tue government can solve our problems. Government is the problem, not the solution. If we can get government out of the way, Americans will turn it around. Rick Perry and Paul seem to be the only ones that really get it and Paul is unacceptable on foreign policy.

The two biggest problems facing us now are spending and government size/control. Rick Perry is the strongest on these and has the record to prove it.

flgal208

I can stomach CNN, but NOT MSNBC, that goes too far, but Fox Business is a little better because they’re more interested in the bottom line—hence Neil Cavuto being so kind about Perry at the last debate…the money people are way less enchanted with Newt and Romney than their pals over on FNC…at least for now, we’ll see what happens if Perry leaves Iowa in 3rd and hits SC running…and who knows, Perry MIGHT make a play in NH if his numbers look good. I saw him give a speech at the NH Statehouse and I was shocked at the applause he got throughout his speech. so they’re not all in the tank for Romney…

1bunny

dedication to Gov Perry’s election. You are doing what many of us wish we could do – hop in the car and go to Iowa. Sigh… unfortunately some of us can’t do that but we wish those who can blessings and good fortune in their efforts. May all of the Perry Posse and Perry Strike Force be succesful in convincing the Iowans to vote for Perry. God speed and safe travel for you.

jayjayson

I rememeber 9/11 like it was yesterday. I also remember W’s reaction. I never understood why the press was attacking him from the first moment. I saw it a different way. He may have not been the best President we have had, but he was the right one at that moment. Just like Obama is the wrong President at this moment.

jayjayson

Isn’t that like turning from a friend because they like a different flavor of ice cream? I may not trust Fox news as much as I once did, but I know you can’t trust whar CNN is putting out.

lizzie

well, that was the long header.

natedogg: my direct involvement in the Obama campaign March-Sept 2008 led me to vote GOP for president for the first time since my first vote in 1972 (my excuse in 1972 was that i was in college in Massachusetts and paid no attention to anything except peer pressure and that Watergate was already in the news)

Obama did NOT win because of his platform. He won because the media and pundits were in the tank over, as presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin gushed, the opportunity to redeem America by finally voting for a black president. She actually said that on a pundit-head tv show.
Plus, Bush43 derangement syndrome over Iraq and the jumping deficit.
A lot of voters actually thought the Democratic Party had retained the lessons learned about fiscal discipline from the 1990′s. The Dem majorities in Congress were because of Blue Dog fiscal conservatives.

No one except Paul Krugman and die-hard liberals thought health care reform was the #1 priority, NOT after the financial meltdown after Lehman Bros. was allowed to fail Sept 15, 2008.

The list of natedogg’s “he kept his campaign promises” is exactly what I read at The New Republic, except then I have to read the idiocy about Obama’s successful foreign policy achievements.

The point is that Obama is a Failure in Presidential Leadership, and also in leading the liberal rump that remains of the Democratic Party.

The biggest promise he broke was to unite America (that 2004 DNC speech lifted from President Coolidge’s 1925 speech to the American Legion in Omaha, Nebraska.)

Obama has negative coattails. No Democrat wants him in their state or Congressional District unless it is super-safe. The Blue Dogs who did not lose or retire in 2010 are now retiring one by one.

Anyway, while RedStaters are very sane and courteous, this is not the place to explain Obama except, as I do, to explain why he is so very beatable, but not necessarily by Romney, and certainly NOT by Ron Paul. Ron Paul would guarantee Obama’s re-election as the lesser of two evils. Romney just can NOT generate enthusiasm, and is an out of touch private equity job-killer – I could actually see Obama getting Romney confirmed as SecTreas. I despair at that thought, as someone who used to forecast the economy, and knows how detached and uninterested Obama is about the real economy.

I am starting to ramble.

So, I shall return to Rick Perry in Iowa. natedogg does not seem to understand that, at the GOP caucus sites, surogates first pitch their candidate, and then the caucusees decide. It is NOT just about contact and driving people to their site.

Moving on to Rick Perry’s campaign 1) I only started watching FOX this year, and still switch back to CNN even tho they time their commercials. I usually have Bloomberg Business News on as default, but have not been able to stomach the European crisis past few months because no one really has a clue as to what will happen.

But, it does seem like a Perry media black-out.

I was very happy to hear Candy Crowley say that CNN will be featuring Rick Perry on Jan. 3 – I assume at 5 pm ET. CNN is still balanced enough to know that Ron Paul is a real danger, and they actually still have some good reporters .

Anyone who read the details of the DMReg pol this morning understands that Perry does exceptionally well once you drill down into intensity, and the “least” catgories. You start realizing that he he has the lowest objections and is strongest second choice if you do not want Romney.

And Perry will have a surrogate/precinct captain in every single caucus site to make the pitch, which will be about all three legs, but, interesting, re-focus on jobs and debt/cut spending.

On a separate note, I watched first half of Chris Wallace twice today, and the second time, really listened to Ron Paul and Bachmann. I could not believe Bachmann LIED about having big crowds at every stop on her 99-country drive-by bus tour.

ell, I promised to stay offline for most of the week, so that’s almost all tonight.

Just wanted to make sure everyone knows that some of us are still working through what it means to be a dem or GOP – because I do not agree with the emphasis on abortion. I am so pragmatic – women will do it as they have for thousands of years, so it should be safe, legal, and rare. And NOT with tax dollars. Planned Parenthood made a hige mistake when they stopped asking for donations to fund their clinics and cchanged to asking for money to lobby state and federal government. I wrote a history paper on this in gard school, and understand the public health issues.

But, I do understand and respect those for whom it is a personal moral imperative. Someday, maybe they shall respect my view.

We can agree on JOBS and DEBT and repealling PPACA aka Obamacare.
I could not believe the dems wasted their long sought majorities on THAT.

flgal208

issues. First, it won’t matter if santorum finishes first in Iowa (which I highly doubt because they say they really want to pick a winner this time), he will be done. He just doesn’t have enough money and no way to get more—this guy only has his social views to run on and you need more, plus the big bundlers are business people—what business person would back santorum?!?!!?

Second, Huntsman is going to give Romney BIG time fits in NH no matter what FNC says, Huntsman has the money and ground force to make Romney spend more time/money/energy than he wants, taking some more wind out of his sails when he hits SC. Perry will probably ignore NH and hit SC big time and finish 1st because Jim DeMInt and not Nikki Haley is the big cheese to get. I can’t believe Jim would sell out & back Romney and he won’t Newt.

Third, FLorida. IF Rubio, West & GOV Scott stay true to their values and endorse Perry, he takes FL with Romney flapping in the breeze. Perry’s views are most in line with theirs and GOV Scott & Rick are friends AND FL is a HUGE military state. It also has 60 red counties and 7 blue (S FL, plus Orlando, Tampa & Tally) and JOBS are the #1 issue, so Newt doesn’t have a chance and Romney is a tough sell, plus he’s a Yank.

Fourth, TEXAS the mother lode for PERRY….I have no clue about NV…so don’t count Perry out UNLESS he loses BIG to Romney in FL—our state is the KEY to stopping Romney

Fifth, In the General election, Perry has better chance of getting more FL voters to the polls than Romney (Hispanics like Perry way better than Romney AND if Rubio looks like his VP, it’s a TKO), plus TEXAS is picking up FOUR additional electoral votes and the NE is losing 5-6.

Sixth, VA. I believe the AG will get it fixed and Perry takes it, especially since the GOV likes Perry and it’s a big military state which will translate to big numbers coming out for the GE.

And that’s the key, Perry can deliver FL, TX, VA by getting out more voters than Romney and take the win. Romney did not finish first in any of those states in their primaries 3 years ago…

pj2012

speech too. He received a standing O at the end, it was nice to see. It didn’t boost his numbers there though. If Perry does well in Iowa, it should help him in NH… Steve Forbes thinks so too.

flgal208

stimulus money, including the Fed GOv’t, so why didn’t they have a huge surge in jobs? They had the same chance as Texas…the difference was the GOV and their Congress…and I’d gladly fork over every single dime in stimulus money to TX because the return on investment is better than winning with Secretariat, back in the day!

flgal208

than most Paulbots, so be kind. He hasn’t been disrespectful, he just has a 180 view from us and that’s ok as long as he understands he’s on a Red state site. With that said, Newt would be a DISASTER, I’d vote for him LASTLY. He is too undisciplined, too wishy-washy, has way too much baggage, lacks leadership skills (he even said in his book he was bad) AND he and his wife are BOTH cheaters. Remember she was the “other” woman, so she lacks character, too. Just because he’s a grandpa and needs Viagra to even get the urge to cheat, doesn’t mean it’s not part of who he is. I believe Perry is who the DEMS fear most, hence wanting to push Romney & Newt on us. They know Newt would lose and if milktoast were to beat BO, they feel they wouldn’t be losing that much as he’s BO-lite….but Perry IS 180 and can lead…when he starts really winning, buckle up boys, because it’s going to get bumpy!

racetraitor

on this journey and always.

flgal208

it will depend on his Iowa number…if he finishes 3rd, I predict he will rake in a ton of cash and could use it in NH, where a 3rd would be outstanding and give him the momentum into SC/FL…

racetraitor

n/t

racetraitor

(1) The support here for Perry is genuine, and
(2) None of the “Perry Posse” is being paid. I wouldn’t ever even think of patronizing (let alone posting on) a site that would pay me to support a candidate; and I believe I can safely make that claim for the other Perry supporters as well.

racetraitor

I realize that “ain’t” is bad grammar (my father is a retired English teacher), but you get the drift.

racetraitor

I see no problem with you respectfully stated opinions. I think you’re dead wrong, but that’s my respectfully stated opinion. Ain’t free speech grand?

Happy New Year!

racetraitor

and thanks for the update. Please keep us informed!

pttx333

of Perry supporters on RS! We are a dedicated bunch by our own free will and common sense – not one cent of “payola” is given to us, nor would it be accepted.

Rick Perry has been my Governor for 3 terms now, and I have voted for him willingly and with great enthusiam lo his many successful elections here. Do I always agree with him? No, but neither would I ever agree with anyone 100% of the time. He is a good, honest, decent, hard-working, common-sense, smart man with natural, in-born conservative instincts. He has served us well, and I will support him all the way to 1600 Pennsylania Avenue – he and his lovely Anita will make us proud of our White House once again.

Thanks for your comments, race – they are much appreciated.

bs61

But I like Fox Business channel, they report some good stuff in the evenings!

pttx333

absolutely not a quitter. He is like the tortoise in the tortoise/hare story – he just keeps on keepin’ on, plugging along, and then VOILA he wins! Steady as she goes, if you will.

Hon, of course “ain’t” is a perfectly acceptable word used for special emphasis on an as-need basis. Just ask any Texan …

bs61

They’ve become the MSM elite we all detest!

Adjoran

Romney, Santorum, and Perry are the top three (probably in that order, but I’m not confident of that), Paul a disappointing 4th, Gingrich 5th.

Adjoran

since none of this alleged support has been disclosed by either.

Do you have evidence, or is it just slander?

bs61

When he wouldn’t call out John McCain on flying to Libya to be with the Muslim Brotherhood rebels! He’s no conservative for sure!

Adjoran

It’s too late to make much of an impact, and would only alienate some of his friends.

pttx333

“hungry” for the latest news out of IA, and the both of you are a blessing to us.

Our guy Perry is the only true leader, IMHO, to guide us through the maze we are forced to endure. Prayers for his success – always!

Adjoran

every cycle since he ran as LP candidate in ’88 and came back to Congress in ’96.

But he will have a hard time trying it this time, since the LP already nominated Johnson, the Greens won’t nominate Paul, and no other parties are on most state ballots. It’s very late in the game to qualify – Perot had his organization in place a year ahead of time.

Adjoran

Getting later than you think to qualify for ballots. The LP already nominated Gary Johnson.

bs61

Totally agree about Fox Business channel!

trickamsterdam

It never is as simple as an “anybody but…” when you’re dealing w/ a sitting president. It took two enormously skilled politicians to bring down J. Carter and G. Bush 41.

But you underestimate the trouble Pres Obama is in. See, It’s not the approval rating that matters: it’s the DISAPPROVAL rating.

It averages over 50%.. That’s what indicates how much trouble he’s in. Even when he had a temporary spike in popularity (it’s already fallen off) it was just his approval rating going up.

In other words, Democrats liked that he appeared to win the payroll tax cut battle w/ Speaker Boehner (considering that Boehner and Cantor are basically like “the Skipper and Giligan get off the island and go to Washington DC”, that’s not exactly a hard thing to do).

But he will be beaten by any R candidate who doesn’t make mistakes. Granted, there seems to be only one in the bunch who can achieve that modest requirement, but it looks more and more like he’ll be the guy.

Quite frankly, Sen McCain might have beaten Pres Obama, if the stockmarket hadn’t crashed. McCain had a lead and it had hardened. Obama couldn’t even address the most ludicrous charges like “lipstick on a pig”.

Pres Obama has some great political skills (e.g., his ability to fund raise, his oratory) but as a strategist he’s only average, and he’s more left wing than the country he governs.

He is takable.

bs61

I’m not buying that the recession was worse than Obama could imagine! He ran for Prez saying he would unite us and get us out of the recession. He’s done everything to make it worse!

dirlie

This man is obviously a Romney stalking horse. He has run the worst Presidential campaign of all time yet you continue to praise the ground he walks on. It is clear that he was drafted late in the process to dissuade other true conservatives from running for President. He was also used to split the conservative vote. He is the master stroke of the Republican establishment and the Mittbott army. Oh I know what follows this comment-you are a moron, a fool, a troll, or Paulbot. Yeah you Perry supporters are brilliant. Debates don’t matter, Calling conservatives heartless don’t matter, being a speech impaired zombie don’t matter, not if it’s my guy Perry…..cause I am a freaking genius. Wake up people, you have been used. The establishment RINOS have used and abused you again. Perry will finish no higher than 4th in Iowa, he will tread some water until after super Tuesday (after he muddies the water a bit) when suddenly his “back condition” will get worse and he will drop out. He will always be your idol and you will buy his books by the thousands. In the meantime that big fat check will come in from Romney incorporated and he will be like a pig in slop back on the farm in Texas.

Now think a little more. What media/political entity would help nationally launch a person’s political campaign and then immediately distance themselves from them? Just following orders boss !!!!

http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

Paul below third would surprise me. He’s not getting nearly as many Indys as some think, but he’ll get SOME to show up.

bs61

would stop trying to be funny! He’s not!!

bs61

would stop trying to be funny! He’s not!!

texastaxpayer

Perry’s last four debates where outstanding.
Perry called Rick Santorum heartless not conservatives. It’s been a useful attack line used by Mittens and his supporters to rile up the simple minded but that doesn’t make it true. Look at the video he was responding to Rick *I have never ran anything in my life* Santorum.
It must be sad for you to hear considering your venom but Rick Perry has the absolute best record in the field bar none.
#1 economic record
#1 jobs record
Largest tax cut in state history (real dollars spent less year over year no fuzzy accounting tricks)
Over a BILLION dollar budget surplus this year alone
Loser pays tort reform
Medical malpractice tort reform
Voter ID law
Constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage
This is just few of my favorites from Rick Perry’s record. His legislative accomplishments are a conservatives Christmas wish list. I would suggest your the fool for chasing mirages pretending to be Rick Perry instead of recognizing the reality of the situation. We need a strong proven leader who has experience leading a government and its economy to success in these trying times. The only one who qualifies is Rick *undefeated* Perry…..

pttx333

Would you like to produce some evidence to prove up your claims?

BTW, who is it that you support?

pj2012

that causes you to not think clearly. You should really get that checked out before it becomes terminal. Thank god befuddlement isn’t contagious.

pttx333

It must be terrible that he/she/it must live with such impairments.

Thanks for helping me see that, pj!

pj2012

Perry truth slaps Mike Allen…

pj2012

lizzie

http://www.c-span.org/Campaign2012/Rick-Perry-Continues-Bus-Tour-with-Stop-in-Fort-Dodge-Iowa/10737426755-1/

just in case anyone wants to see what a Meet ‘n Greet in Iowa that is standing room only is like. The entire Perry family was there.

It was really good, especially the Q&A.

which was cognitive disconnect because The New Republic’s Alec McGillis posted HIS report on Perry’s next stop in Boone, Iowa, which made it sound like Perry was dying on the spot. Then Alec changed the title to something so disparaging that my final comment was “Dewey beats Truman”

Duelling narratives indeed – I just wish C-Span had filmed the Boone event, so I could make a direct comparison between the video and the report of same.

antidote to having just read latest NYT on how Iowans are resigned to settling.
Perry got five words in a two-page report.

and the new PPP tracking poll this afternoon.

and still not getting to sleep earlier.

By the way, Perry’s last event is a campaign rally at the historic Hotel Partee in Perry, Iowa at 6:30 pm (I assume Iowa time) on Monday.