jmdrake
01-03-2008, 10:43 PM
Really folks get a freakin grip! Do I wish we had come in 4th or even 3rd? You bet! But I was personally expecting to at least come in 5th and we did that. Also the last Iowa poll I saw prior to the caucuses had us at 8% with most somewhat less than that. We ended up getting 10%! Sure that's not the big "cell phone only user" bump some were predicting, but it's still a bump. We gain nothing from jumping the gun on "vote fraud". Hey, I'm as much a "truther" as anybody and if any hard evidence surfaces like it did after the straw poll that's one thing. But saying "we expected to do better based on our cell phone polling theory" won't gain us anything. Also whining that the "GOP has lost its way" or being made at Iowa voters for "loving the war and the IRS" isn't helpful. You never gain anything by criticizing the very voters you're trying to reach. So here's what I know so far that is POSITIVE about tonight.
1) We beat Giuliani and Hunter by a LONG shot. I expect Hunter to drop out soon.
2) From what I've heard the Paul campaign has spent comparatively little time and money in Iowa. Both Paul and Giuliani where not in Iowa on caucus day. So Paul wins the "I can do ok without camping out in Iowa" contest by a landslide.
3) Third place was really a 2 way tie with Paul just 3 percentage points back. (By contrast on the democratic side 2nd place was a 2 way tie with the next person WAAAY in the background).
4) Paul is really the only true antiwar candidate to get any traction. (Kucinich and Gravel came in at 0%. Obama, Hillary and Edwards all failed to promise to get the troops out by 2013. Richardson who's moderately anti war got a tiny 2%.)
A couple of other things to note. There were FAR MORE democrats voting than republicans. But in 2000 there ware FAR MORE republican voters. A lot of people that SHOULD have been voting for us likely voted for the democrats. Really I cringe everytime I see someone stress that "we need republican voters to win". No, we need voters! Paul's message has broad appeal but I think we need to do more to reach disgruntled dems and former republicans.
Regards,
John M. Drake
1) We beat Giuliani and Hunter by a LONG shot. I expect Hunter to drop out soon.
2) From what I've heard the Paul campaign has spent comparatively little time and money in Iowa. Both Paul and Giuliani where not in Iowa on caucus day. So Paul wins the "I can do ok without camping out in Iowa" contest by a landslide.
3) Third place was really a 2 way tie with Paul just 3 percentage points back. (By contrast on the democratic side 2nd place was a 2 way tie with the next person WAAAY in the background).
4) Paul is really the only true antiwar candidate to get any traction. (Kucinich and Gravel came in at 0%. Obama, Hillary and Edwards all failed to promise to get the troops out by 2013. Richardson who's moderately anti war got a tiny 2%.)
A couple of other things to note. There were FAR MORE democrats voting than republicans. But in 2000 there ware FAR MORE republican voters. A lot of people that SHOULD have been voting for us likely voted for the democrats. Really I cringe everytime I see someone stress that "we need republican voters to win". No, we need voters! Paul's message has broad appeal but I think we need to do more to reach disgruntled dems and former republicans.
Regards,
John M. Drake