The vote count is irrelevant: Romney’s already the big winner in Iowa
It’s because the Iowa caucuses do not pick winners as much as they eliminate losers. And the Iowa caucuses Tuesday are likely to eliminate from serious contention the only two men who might have blocked Romney’s path to victory: Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry…
“Santorum has run here like he was running for governor of Iowa,” a senior Romney aide told me Sunday evening. “He can’t replicate that in other states.”
The Romney campaign believes its game plan is working here.
“Iowa is about eliminating Gingrich and Perry without us having to spend a lot of money to do so,” the aide said. “Last time, we spent $2 million just on the [Ames] straw poll, $10 million on television and had over 30 paid staffers. This year we’ve been on TV for only a month and have not spent much on ads, we’ve have five paid staffers and we didn’t do the straw poll.”
Blowback
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Why bother with voting then? Lets just install PutiN thrn
davemason2k on January 2, 2012 at 1:06 PM
If a conservative even Santorum which is doubtful beats out Mitt Romney – ABR lives, and points out that folks would vote for a flavor of the week before Mitt Romney.
But I give points to Roger Simon, for establishing Romney team’s trash talking points
They know that Iowa isn’t the conservative firewall.
Dr Evil on January 2, 2012 at 1:08 PM
Yes, Republicans, why bother with the exercise of voting? We should just declare a Romney victory. Afterall it’s all just a ruse anyway, this whole idea of voting to make you think you still matter.
/Chicago machine
GeorgiaBuckeye on January 2, 2012 at 1:11 PM
ROMNEY WINS
ROMNEY WINS
ROMNEY WINS
ROMNEY WINS
Skandia Recluse on January 2, 2012 at 1:14 PM
Yeah, but what if he actually loses?
Rixon on January 2, 2012 at 1:15 PM
Reminds me of the healthcare law that was “DEEMED” into existence.
Will Romney be “Deemed” the GOP nominee and then Obama “Deemed” the winner Nov 6th?
Who needs votes when you can deem your way into oblivion!
lib-or-tea on January 2, 2012 at 1:19 PM
The problem for Mitt Romney is that this primary process is going to be slow and not fast. If he could have closed the deal he would have moved up in the polls from 25% by now. It’s going to require him to actually work for the nomination no matter how much the establishment republicans want a coronation.
Dr Evil on January 2, 2012 at 1:20 PM
the writing is on the wall ladies and gets. Fall in line, not in love!! This is just so great!!! [sarc]
Can.I.be.in.the.middle on January 2, 2012 at 1:22 PM
ROMNEY DEFEATS TRUMAN!
esnap on January 2, 2012 at 1:24 PM
Paul needs to win Iowa only so the establishment GOP will learn to close the primaries/caucuses to Democrats.
Valiant on January 2, 2012 at 1:28 PM
Translation: “ROMNEY IS ENTITLED! Fall into line like the ignorant flyover-country rabble you are and obey the ruling class, you ill-bred domestic-beer-drinking state-college-educated rubes!”
Walter Sobchak on January 2, 2012 at 1:32 PM
Establishment and Romney…whats new?
liberal4life on January 2, 2012 at 1:34 PM
I think Ron Paul acts like a way for frustrated voters to vent. I will be surprised if he has as much support as the media is reporting, but if he does it’s a symptom of a frustrated electorate. And both parties should pay attention, because Paul pulls support from both party’s fringe on the left and right.
I do think his appeal is geographic, and will evaporate.
Dr Evil on January 2, 2012 at 1:36 PM
And America loses as Romney wins.
RJL on January 2, 2012 at 1:37 PM
If I were Romney, I would be deeply concerned that I had not managed to get above ~25% in the polling. The fact that EVERY candidate in the race (except Huntsman) has surged ahead and falling back and NOT ONE of those votes has moved Romney’s way should trouble him greatly. It says to me that 75% of the GOP voters are trying every flavor under the sun that isn’t Romney, in some cases prefering to try out a few flavors of roadkill rather than Romney.
With that in mind, I have to disagree with Mr. Simon. Romney hasnt shown that he can inherit even one vote from the surges and falls of the other candidates, which means as candidates fall out of the race their votes still arent likely to go his way. The non-Romney vote may very well start coalescing around a single candidate, rather than being spread among six candidates.
gravityman on January 2, 2012 at 1:45 PM
Walter Sobchak
Exactly right! You didn’t watch your buddies die face down in the mud in Nam just so an elitist jackass could become President.
Wonder if Romney bowls?
Horace on January 2, 2012 at 1:56 PM
To MSM and unnamed Romney aide:
Man, nothing makes me want to vote for Gingrich or Perry more than the MSM and an unnamed Romney aide talking about how they’re already out of the race.
Cheers,
A Florida GOP Primary Voter
Purple Fury on January 2, 2012 at 2:03 PM
People who would toy with giving Obama another 4 years by picking flavor of the weeks should not call themselves conservatives. There’s nothing conservative in that kind of petulance and imprudence.
haner on January 2, 2012 at 2:19 PM
I refuse to let those damn
Washington elitesGOP establishmentCountry club RepublicansLamestream Mediacandy-ass RINOsassorted boogeymen pick our candidate! Nevermind he’s the only candidate that’s consistently shown to have the competence and organization to win in November, we deserve better! SomeoneincoherentAuthentic,inexperiencedan Outsider,less richOne Of Us, andstupidGrassroots./Hotair loons
jjraines on January 2, 2012 at 2:55 PM
People who would toy with giving Obama another 4 years by picking
flavor of the weeksa gutless Rockefeller Republican moral coward like Romney, should not call themselves conservatives. There’s nothing conservative in that kind of petulance and imprudence.haner on January 2, 2012 at 2:19 PM
FIFY
ebrown2 on January 2, 2012 at 5:02 PM