PPP: Ron Paul now second in Iowa

[realtonygoodwin]

Iowans and New Hampshire -ites seem to be mostly unaware about RomneyCare... If they stay ignorant, Romney is polling way ahead in both states.

 

[eduardo89]

What?

RP has the second highest favorables in NH.

But Romney is polling over 40%

 

[nate895]

What?

RP has the second highest favorables in NH.

But Romney is so far out ahead there that it's like Buchanan vs. Bush in 1992 there. Bush was so far out ahead that 52 for Bush vs. 37 for Buchanan seemed like a win for Buchanan. Same thing with Romney today. It's not outside the range of possibility, but it would be an uphill battle. Not an impossible battle, but an uphill battle.

 

[low preference guy]

But Romney is so far out ahead there that it's like Buchanan vs. Bush in 1992 there. Bush was so far out ahead that 52 for Bush vs. 37 for Buchanan seemed like a win for Buchanan. Same thing with Romney today. It's not outside the range of possibility, but it would be an uphill battle. Not an impossible battle, but an uphill battle.

My prediction: Romney campaign will be over or almost over by the time of the NH primaries.

Even without that, NH is nowhere near the most unlikely state for RP to win. One reason is that it's one he'll try really hard to do well in.

 

[South Park Fan]

Ron Paul really lucked out by Huckabee dropping out. Paul has the highest favorability margin out of all the candidates in Iowa. We really need to ignore all national polls in the meantime and focus on getting in the top two in the Ames Straw Poll this August. That was key to Huckabee breaking out of the second tier four years ago and will be critical for Ron Paul to pose a serious threat to Romney. Romney will likely collapse once his health care position becomes well known, so it is important that we make sure Ron Paul fills the gap rather than someone like Tim Pawlenty, Herman Cain, or Mitch Daniels.

 

[Chester Copperpot]

Romney should be lowr after his atrocious speech. And Palin won't run, so her votes wil be split between Ron and Cain probably. Same with Bachmann

What speech did Mitt RobMe give?

 

[Flash]

What about Ron Paul spending from now until August campaigning in Iowa non-stop? To ensure he wins the straw poll. Would this be a good idea or would that be putting all of our eggs in one basket.

 

[AuH20]

If Ron didn't say anything stupid, he'd be leading Iowa.

 

[QueenB4Liberty]

who would have f-ing thought Ron Paul would be at 15% anywhere?! This is just awesome news. FRONT RUNNER.

Exactly!

 

[nate895]

If Ron didn't say anything stupid, he'd be leading Iowa.

He can recover. It's still early. If he runs a professional campaign and doesn't make this a crusade for libertarianism. If this is a crusade for libertarianism, it will mark libertarianism's high tide in the GOP, and that's it.

 

[nate895]

What about Ron Paul spending from now until August campaigning in Iowa non-stop? To ensure he wins the straw poll. Would this be a good idea or would that be putting all of our eggs in one basket.

All our eggs are already in one basket, might as well commit to it.

 

[schiffheadbaby]

He can recover. It's still early. If he runs a professional campaign and doesn't make this a crusade for libertarianism. If this is a crusade for libertarianism, it will mark libertarianism's high tide in the GOP, and that's it.

nate please don't be so serious about your "future political career." RP became famous for his libertarian bent, I HOPE HE DOESNT LOSE THAT

 

[McBell]

He should have said something along the lines of: The drug war hasn't worked. We are wasting our money there. That money can be better spent by others to attack the drug problem without using the police.

He still would have been attacked, because people would put the words in his mouth. Might as well be blunt if they're going to treat you like you were no matter what.

Just because the media offers the bait doesn't mean one has to take it.

What, exactly, do you believe he should have said?

 

[HarryBrowneLives]

He can recover. It's still early. If he runs a professional campaign and doesn't make this a crusade for libertarianism. If this is a crusade for libertarianism, it will mark libertarianism's high tide in the GOP, and that's it.

Agreed +1776. Hopefully, that bad gaffe the other day was early enough to wear off some as we go along. We can't afford another one of those now.

 

[McBell]

He can recover. It's still early. If he runs a professional campaign and doesn't make this a crusade for libertarianism. If this is a crusade for libertarianism, it will mark libertarianism's high tide in the GOP, and that's it.

It is a crusade for libertarianism, I hope. It will be fantastic if Ron is elected, but that isn't the entire point.

 

[Flash]

nate please don't be so serious about your "future political career." RP became famous for his libertarian bent, I HOPE HE DOESNT LOSE THAT

That's true. Without Ron Paul's bluntness we wouldn't be where we are. However, to advance to the next stage (winning) we need to change strategy. We have to take back America, even if it means campaigning as Moderates, Conservatives, or Neo-Cons. That's what Libertarians need to understand.

 

[low preference guy]

However, to advance to the next stage (winning) we need to change strategy.

Ron will not change strategy. He will keep doing what he is doing. He will answer questions honestly and candidly and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[AuH20]

He can recover. It's still early. If he runs a professional campaign and doesn't make this a crusade for libertarianism. If this is a crusade for libertarianism, it will mark libertarianism's high tide in the GOP, and that's it.

He can embark on his crusade for libertarianism on relevant issues. The other stuff is irrelevant. It's intentionally brought up to trip up his campaign.

 

[HarryBrowneLives]

He still would have been attacked, because people would put the words in his mouth. Might as well be blunt if they're going to treat you like you were no matter what.

What, exactly, do you believe he should have said?

"I'm glad Bin Laden is gone and if the government would have followed what I said in 2001, we could have gotten him then without all the lost time and the massive cost."

 

[nate895]

nate please don't be so serious about your "future political career." RP became famous for his libertarian bent, I HOPE HE DOESNT LOSE THAT

Libertarianism has been a dead ideology for a long time. It has its highs and lows, but conservatives have been warned by Russell Kirk and the like to be weary of libertarians, and they have heeded their advice ever since. I'm not embarking on a libertarian crusade, not so much because of any political future I might have, but because I'm not a libertarian and I don't want to be associated with someone who is such a fierce one so as to miss the golden opportunity. This is Ron Paul's golden opportunity. He need only reach out and try to understand where conservatives are coming from.