Ames Straw Poll Will Catapult Ron Paul into the national spotlight

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RaiderJ

Diamond Member
Apr 29, 2001
7,582
1
76
Everyone who I've shown Ron Paul videos to has been really impressed with him as a candidate - especially those who dislike Republicans in general. Ron Paul may be a fringe candidate with no chance, but he has some excellent ideas that ring true with a lot of people. He also comes across as honest and principled - which is why I think people favor Obama as well.
 

alchemize

Lifer
Mar 24, 2000
11,486
0
0
RaiderJ: He's got a lot going for him, honestly. I can't understand why he'd screw it all up and alienate most of America with the conspiracy theory crap. But he did, and there's not turning back in politics. Once you've said something bizarre/controversial, it sticks with you forever.

I did notice this on his wiki page:

"Some people try to twist what I say and turn it into that, and I think some of my supporters lean in that direction, but that's not my position. I do think government's basically inept. I mean we were spending $40 billion a year collecting intelligence and a lot of information was out there. We had one FBI agent, I think sent dozens and dozens of memos to his superiors saying that there are people trying to fly airplanes but not land them, and nobody would pay any attention. So, I don't think that's a conspiracy. I think that's a lot of bureaucracy that doesn't work very well. And, then when we have government investigations, whether it's 9/11 or assassinations, I think the main goal is to protect the government and to protect their ineptness - not - and that is a lot different than saying 'Oh they conspired to do this so they can use this as an excuse to spread the war in the Middle East whether they had anything to do with 9/11 or not.' I don't see it that way. But, I believe some who did want to spread the war would use it as an opportunity. But, it wasn't something that was deliberately done."
 

Phokus

Lifer
Nov 20, 1999
22,994
779
126
Leave it to some idiot like CADsortaGUY who quotes Reagan in their sig yet rejects the candidate who's closest to Reagan politically. Have fun supporting another 0 principled authoritarian asshat Bush clone.
 

CADsortaGUY

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
25,162
1
76
www.ShawCAD.com
Originally posted by: Phokus
Leave it to some idiot like CADsortaGUY who quotes Reagan in their sig yet rejects the candidate who's closest to Reagan politically. Have fun supporting another 0 principled authoritarian asshat Bush clone.

You have no idea who I am going to support and it's funny that you think you know who I'll support when I haven't even made a decision for the primary(caucus) yet.

And as far as RP being the closest to Reagan - nice try. RP doesn't come close no matter what his supporters keep trying to claim.
 

Siddhartha

Lifer
Oct 17, 1999
12,505
3
81
Who thinks that Mr Paul will ever get more than 9% approval in a scientifically conducted poll?
 

HeXploiT

Diamond Member
Jun 11, 2004
4,359
1
76
Originally posted by: Siddhartha
Who thinks that Mr Paul will ever get more than 9% approval in a scientifically conducted poll?

I think there's a good chance if he continues to pick up momentum at the same pace. A few in the mainstream media like Tucker Carlson have come to understand his views are are beginning to invite him on more frequently.
 

Pabster

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
16,986
1
0
Originally posted by: Duddy
Ron Paul will place 1st in the Iowa poll.

...Among a small, vocal tent of supporters :laugh:

The rest of us here in Iowa will pick the straw of someone who actually has a chance :D
 

HeXploiT

Diamond Member
Jun 11, 2004
4,359
1
76
Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: Duddy
Ron Paul will place 1st in the Iowa poll.

...Among a small, vocal tent of supporters :laugh:

The rest of us here in Iowa will pick the straw of someone who actually has a chance :D

He'll place second. That i will bet on.:D
 

CADsortaGUY

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
25,162
1
76
www.ShawCAD.com
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: Duddy
Ron Paul will place 1st in the Iowa poll.

...Among a small, vocal tent of supporters :laugh:

The rest of us here in Iowa will pick the straw of someone who actually has a chance :D

He'll place second. That i will bet on.:D

I'm not so sure on the second place thing. Immigration is a huge issue to a lot of caucus goers so Tancredo stands half a chance at piling up some support. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the caucus this time around but if I were able to, I'd be taking my camcorder just to get the RP supporters reaction to losing. :D
 

HeXploiT

Diamond Member
Jun 11, 2004
4,359
1
76
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: Duddy
Ron Paul will place 1st in the Iowa poll.

...Among a small, vocal tent of supporters :laugh:

The rest of us here in Iowa will pick the straw of someone who actually has a chance :D

He'll place second. That i will bet on.:D

I'm not so sure on the second place thing. Immigration is a huge issue to a lot of caucus goers so Tancredo stands half a chance at piling up some support. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the caucus this time around but if I were able to, I'd be taking my camcorder just to get the RP supporters reaction to losing. :D

They were happy with this.
http://schotlinepress.wordpres...own-county-straw-poll/
Paul is the only man gaining support.
 

CADsortaGUY

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
25,162
1
76
www.ShawCAD.com
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: Duddy
Ron Paul will place 1st in the Iowa poll.

...Among a small, vocal tent of supporters :laugh:

The rest of us here in Iowa will pick the straw of someone who actually has a chance :D

He'll place second. That i will bet on.:D

I'm not so sure on the second place thing. Immigration is a huge issue to a lot of caucus goers so Tancredo stands half a chance at piling up some support. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the caucus this time around but if I were able to, I'd be taking my camcorder just to get the RP supporters reaction to losing. :D

They were happy with this.
http://schotlinepress.wordpres...own-county-straw-poll/
Paul is the only man gaining support.


WOW!!!:Q Up to 40 supporters now!? WOOT!!! WOOT!!!

:roll:


On the caucus though, it seems that even though some of the "big names" are skipping it - their names will still be on the ballots. RP had half a chance at getting 2nd if there were only 3 names there (mitt, RP, and Tancredo) but if all the names are going to be on there he doesn't stand a chance at getting 2nd or even 3rd. Hell, FDT isn't even in the race(officially) yet and he beat your guy in the straw poll you linked.:laugh:
 

HeXploiT

Diamond Member
Jun 11, 2004
4,359
1
76
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: Duddy
Ron Paul will place 1st in the Iowa poll.

...Among a small, vocal tent of supporters :laugh:

The rest of us here in Iowa will pick the straw of someone who actually has a chance :D

He'll place second. That i will bet on.:D

I'm not so sure on the second place thing. Immigration is a huge issue to a lot of caucus goers so Tancredo stands half a chance at piling up some support. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the caucus this time around but if I were able to, I'd be taking my camcorder just to get the RP supporters reaction to losing. :D

They were happy with this.
http://schotlinepress.wordpres...own-county-straw-poll/
Paul is the only man gaining support.


WOW!!!:Q Up to 40 supporters now!? WOOT!!! WOOT!!!

:roll:


On the caucus though, it seems that even though some of the "big names" are skipping it - their names will still be on the ballots. RP had half a chance at getting 2nd if there were only 3 names there (mitt, RP, and Tancredo) but if all the names are going to be on there he doesn't stand a chance at getting 2nd or even 3rd. Hell, FDT isn't even in the race(officially) yet and he beat your guy in the straw poll you linked.:laugh:

I think i can pretty much assure you they aren't skipping polls because they anticipate doing well.
 

CADsortaGUY

Lifer
Oct 19, 2001
25,162
1
76
www.ShawCAD.com
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: Duddy
Ron Paul will place 1st in the Iowa poll.

...Among a small, vocal tent of supporters :laugh:

The rest of us here in Iowa will pick the straw of someone who actually has a chance :D

He'll place second. That i will bet on.:D

I'm not so sure on the second place thing. Immigration is a huge issue to a lot of caucus goers so Tancredo stands half a chance at piling up some support. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the caucus this time around but if I were able to, I'd be taking my camcorder just to get the RP supporters reaction to losing. :D

They were happy with this.
http://schotlinepress.wordpres...own-county-straw-poll/
Paul is the only man gaining support.


WOW!!!:Q Up to 40 supporters now!? WOOT!!! WOOT!!!

:roll:


On the caucus though, it seems that even though some of the "big names" are skipping it - their names will still be on the ballots. RP had half a chance at getting 2nd if there were only 3 names there (mitt, RP, and Tancredo) but if all the names are going to be on there he doesn't stand a chance at getting 2nd or even 3rd. Hell, FDT isn't even in the race(officially) yet and he beat your guy in the straw poll you linked.:laugh:

I think i can pretty much assure you they aren't skipping polls because they anticipate doing well.

Maybe they won't do well but their names will still show up and so will their supporters. "conventional" wisdom had put Mitt on top because there was no one else to support and thus people might vote for him but this puts things in a different light. People will still support their candidate of choice even if they didn't spend a bunch of money and time here in hopes of "winning" the straw poll. You never know, one of them could poll well and then come out smelling like roses because they didn't put many resources towards it. We'll have to see.
 

HeXploiT

Diamond Member
Jun 11, 2004
4,359
1
76
Ames Straw Poll Taking Shape

by Todd Beeton, Mon Jul 23, 2007 at 06:42:18 PM EST

The Ames, Iowa Straw Poll is coming up on August 11 and gives the Republican presidential campaigns a chance to flex their on the ground organizing muscle by buying tickets for supporters and bussing them in from around the state. The event consists of a non-binding vote taken at an Iowa Republican Party fundraising dinner at which the candidates speak. While the vote is non-binding, the straw poll is traditionally predictive of the actual results of the Iowa caucus. Hence, the reason Giuliani and McCain dropped out of the straw poll and why Thompson decided not to officially announce until after it: you can't lose if you don't compete and if a Romney win in the straw poll gives him an aura of inevitability in the caucus, then the only way he can go is down and the only way they can go is up.

Race42008 is announcing that the line-up for speakers and the order of the ballot are set:

Speaking Order (chosen randomly)

Mitt Romney
Tom Tancredo
John Cox
Ron Paul
Mike Huckabee
Duncan Hunter
Tommy Thompson
Sam Brownback

Straw Poll Ballot (alphabetical order)

Brownback
Cox
Giuliani
Huckabee
Hunter
McCain
Paul
Romney
Tancredo
Fred Thompson
Tommy Thompson

While the winner is essentially a foregone conclusion (to the point where Romney has announced he's scaling back his organization for the event), the results among the rest of the field will be decisive. Chris Cilizza has an interesting article that breaks it down.

More over the flip...

If history is any guide, the straw poll will winnow the field of GOP candidates. In the month after the 1999 Straw poll, the field was pared by four with Lamar(!) Alexander, Dan Quayle, Elizabeth Dole and Pat Buchanan all stepping aside.

This time around several leading candidates -- including former Govs. Mike Huckabee (Ark.) and Tommy Thompson (Wisc.) as well as Sen. Sam Brownback (Kans.) -- have painted Ames as a make or break moment in their campaigns. If any of these candidates finish below third at Ames, it's hard to imagine them continuing on in any serious way.

[snip]

Tom Tancredo/John Cox/Ron Paul: All three of these men are running more of a cause than a campaign. For Tancredo it's illegal immigration, for Paul it's libertarianism, for Cox it's who knows what. As a result, it's hard to analyze what impact if a stronger or weaker than expected showing could have on their candidacies. Paul could be something of a sleeper; his performances in the debates has created a national following of sorts around him and he has enough money to play semi-seriously in the straw vote if he is so inclined. Tancredo has said unless he finishes in the top five at the straw poll, he will likely end his candidacy.

http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/7/23/184218/623
 

SP33Demon

Lifer
Jun 22, 2001
27,928
143
106
I think Ron Paul has a good shot at a top 3 finish. I normally would never vote Repub, but I'm making an exception this year for RP.
 

HeXploiT

Diamond Member
Jun 11, 2004
4,359
1
76
Judgment day is upon us. By tomorrow evening I'll either be eating crow or dishing it out. Results are due tomorrow at 7:00pm central time.
 

b0mbrman

Lifer
Jun 1, 2001
29,470
1
81
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: Duddy
Ron Paul will place 1st in the Iowa poll.

...Among a small, vocal tent of supporters :laugh:

The rest of us here in Iowa will pick the straw of someone who actually has a chance :D

He'll place second. That i will bet on.:D

I'm not so sure on the second place thing. Immigration is a huge issue to a lot of caucus goers so Tancredo stands half a chance at piling up some support. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the caucus this time around but if I were able to, I'd be taking my camcorder just to get the RP supporters reaction to losing. :D

They were happy with this.
http://schotlinepress.wordpres...own-county-straw-poll/
Paul is the only man gaining support.


WOW!!!:Q Up to 40 supporters now!? WOOT!!! WOOT!!!

:roll:


On the caucus though, it seems that even though some of the "big names" are skipping it - their names will still be on the ballots. RP had half a chance at getting 2nd if there were only 3 names there (mitt, RP, and Tancredo) but if all the names are going to be on there he doesn't stand a chance at getting 2nd or even 3rd. Hell, FDT isn't even in the race(officially) yet and he beat your guy in the straw poll you linked.:laugh:

I think i can pretty much assure you they aren't skipping polls because they anticipate doing well.

Doing well in relation to Mitt Romney, not in relation to Ron Paul...
 

HeXploiT

Diamond Member
Jun 11, 2004
4,359
1
76
Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: Duddy
Ron Paul will place 1st in the Iowa poll.

...Among a small, vocal tent of supporters :laugh:

The rest of us here in Iowa will pick the straw of someone who actually has a chance :D

He'll place second. That i will bet on.:D

I'm not so sure on the second place thing. Immigration is a huge issue to a lot of caucus goers so Tancredo stands half a chance at piling up some support. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the caucus this time around but if I were able to, I'd be taking my camcorder just to get the RP supporters reaction to losing. :D

They were happy with this.
http://schotlinepress.wordpres...own-county-straw-poll/
Paul is the only man gaining support.


WOW!!!:Q Up to 40 supporters now!? WOOT!!! WOOT!!!

:roll:


On the caucus though, it seems that even though some of the "big names" are skipping it - their names will still be on the ballots. RP had half a chance at getting 2nd if there were only 3 names there (mitt, RP, and Tancredo) but if all the names are going to be on there he doesn't stand a chance at getting 2nd or even 3rd. Hell, FDT isn't even in the race(officially) yet and he beat your guy in the straw poll you linked.:laugh:

I think i can pretty much assure you they aren't skipping polls because they anticipate doing well.

Doing well in relation to Mitt Romney, not in relation to Ron Paul...

Well duh.
 

ProfJohn

Lifer
Jul 28, 2006
18,161
7
0
Originally posted by: Perry404
Judgment day is upon us. By tomorrow evening I'll either be eating crow or dishing it out. Results are due tomorrow at 7:00pm central time.
I suggest you skip lunch so you have an empty stomach at 7pm.

If Paul does better than 4th it will be a surprise.
I see it as Mitt, Brownback or Huckabee then F. Thompson. But that is not based on a scientific reading, but what the news stories seem to be saying.
 

b0mbrman

Lifer
Jun 1, 2001
29,470
1
81
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY
Originally posted by: Perry404
Originally posted by: Pabster
Originally posted by: Duddy
Ron Paul will place 1st in the Iowa poll.

...Among a small, vocal tent of supporters :laugh:

The rest of us here in Iowa will pick the straw of someone who actually has a chance :D

He'll place second. That i will bet on.:D

I'm not so sure on the second place thing. Immigration is a huge issue to a lot of caucus goers so Tancredo stands half a chance at piling up some support. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend the caucus this time around but if I were able to, I'd be taking my camcorder just to get the RP supporters reaction to losing. :D

They were happy with this.
http://schotlinepress.wordpres...own-county-straw-poll/
Paul is the only man gaining support.


WOW!!!:Q Up to 40 supporters now!? WOOT!!! WOOT!!!

:roll:


On the caucus though, it seems that even though some of the "big names" are skipping it - their names will still be on the ballots. RP had half a chance at getting 2nd if there were only 3 names there (mitt, RP, and Tancredo) but if all the names are going to be on there he doesn't stand a chance at getting 2nd or even 3rd. Hell, FDT isn't even in the race(officially) yet and he beat your guy in the straw poll you linked.:laugh:

I think i can pretty much assure you they aren't skipping polls because they anticipate doing well.

Doing well in relation to Mitt Romney, not in relation to Ron Paul...

Well duh.

Duh indeed. I thought Ron Paul was the point of this thread. I guess not