from a political perspective, I dont have a problem voting for a Mormon like Mitt.

[alanmolstad]

ok......time to start summing up Iowa and look ahead to NH....




First everyone...I did not see a dead heat as an outcome.
I did not predict it would end up in a tie....I did not foresee that outcome at all.

But actually.....it doesn't matter in the long run.

It's just very odd.
It's an odd , interesting outcome that is unexpected.

I dont think it matters squat to Mitt.
I believe Mitt did great in Iowa, and is very much on-track to take NH and do very good in SC too.

But there are a few things that are now going to happen because of Iowa.
PHONE CALLS.......thats what is going on now.
Lots and lots of phone calls between the people left in the race and the people who now are looking for the best way out of this race.

Right now there is a lot of dealing going on.

Cabinet positions are being handed out like we are dealing Blackjack.

Im told that already Perry is pulling out of the race.
The phone calls to him all day today are going to keep him very busy cutting a deal.

It will be very interesting to see what person he ends up standing next to and giving his support to in the next few days?

The chick in the race is toast.
She lacks money and support.....and I expect her to drop out very soon too.
She also will be getting the phone calls....

Ron Paul did way better than many wanted.
Ron Paul has the money and supporters he needs to keep in this race all the way to the end.

Now as for Rick?

Rick had a good night.
Rick stood toe to toe against Mitt and did great.
If there is a winner as such in iowa, then it's clearly Rick.

But does that matter?
Not that much....
Rick showed the Party that a lot of people will vote for him.
Rick clearly now is the "Anyone but Mitt" guy.

But Rick is in danger now of running out of money and really has no org in NH to push his name in the media.

Right now, Rick has to get out there all on his own, hit all the talk shows, and keep his name in the news for the next week all due to the fre media hype that comes with winning Iowa.

Will that be enough to help him take NH?
Well, thats hard to say, its a long shot right now.
Its very hard to overcome Mitt's money with anything but lots of money.

NEWT?
Got his *** kicked.

Newt is the loser in Iowa.
Newt is now going to be shown the door and told to go home and watch the election from there.

It will be over the next 2 weeks when we will finally see on TV that Newt is standing next to someone.....and after that Newt will fade away.....sorta.

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

Right now Mitt has to come in a close 2nd in Iowa to clear the field of the lower 3 people in the race.
If Mitt comes in 2nd in Iowa i would expect all 3 of the other people to drop out right away.


.

Over the next few days we shall see how this works out....

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

I dont know the future, and so I can only offer a guess, and then go back later as see how my guess worked out?

My current "guess" is that Mitt comes in a close 2nd in Iowa...
and that this leads to one or two names dropping out before the next week in NH.

.

We shall see now if this turns out to be true?....

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

And guess what?
Should Newt fall, should he say something so bad that he drops out of the race, there will be such a swing by the the evangelical right to one of the others left in the race that it will be stunning.

My guess right now would be that if Newt falls in the next month that all the people who support him would suddenly switch to Rick Santorum.

This prediction turned out to be right on the money!

[alanmolstad]

So far as I have went back over my posts of the time leading up to Iowa, and looking closely at my predictions....I got to say i was very close.

I have said that if Mitt won Iowa that the field would thin out very fast.
Due to the tie results in Iowa this seems a bit murky right now...But I still believe noting important has changed.

Mitt did very good in Iowa....the only person that did Great is Rick, and thats a small victory as Rick has no money to work with in NH and SC where Mitt has a huge team on the ground all ready to go.

Newt is going to be pushed off the stage in NH.....that's the thing that everyone left in the race has to try to do now.
They all know they each need the voters who support Newt if they want to win NH......so Newt has got to cut a deal and get out fast.

Mitt would LOVE for Newt to stay in the race now....Mitt will want to cut a deal with Newt that keeps Newt in the race until after SC has voted.....

we shall see.....we shall see..
\

But for the most part my predictions so far have been nice and close

[alanmolstad]

How do I think the "Anyone but Mitt" forces did in Iowa?

Not too bad,



The results show that even after so much effort that Mitt got about the same percent of the vote as the last time he ran there....

The results show us that there is a huge issue with young and conservative voters that simply have not every supported Mitt in Iowa.


The interesting fact of the night was that Ron Paul got something like 70% of the youth vote.

[BigJulie]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

How do I think the "Anyone but Mitt" forces did in Iowa?

Not too bad,



The results show that even after so much effort that Mitt got about the same percent of the vote as the last time he ran there....

The results show us that there is a huge issue with young and conservative voters that simply have not every supported Mitt in Iowa.


The interesting fact of the night was that Ron Paul got something like 70% of the youth vote.

From CNN:

At the same time, Santorum ran best among the state's influential born-again and evangelical voters. Nearly six in 10 caucus-goers identified with this segment of the electorate, and a plurality of that group went with the former senator.

As one poster said--evangelicals seem to think this election is about abortion.

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by BigJulie

From CNN:



As one poster said--evangelicals seem to think this election is about abortion.

Its weird how the conservative issues that were missing from the media's coverage of Iowa, turned out to be so very important to the voters there...

I know a lot of people that support Mitt feel that the main issue is ***s and the economy, but while there is some merit to that idea, the real truth for the conservative voter is that social issues are still at the top of the list.

abortion
prayer,
worship of God,
Gay marriage
The ability to raise children as our grandparents did..
etc.

These are the core conservative issues that drive lots of Republicans to vote for someone.

They were completely missing in Mitt's campaign but turned up all the time in the campain of the 4 conservatives in the race.

Time will tell what this means in the long run....

So far?......so far this seems to suggest that there is a huge opening for Rick to enter if he can stay in the limelight long enough to overcome Mitt's money in NH and SC.

What Rick has to do over the next few days is work the phone and get all the lower ranking guys and girls in the race to drop out and stand next to him in front of the TV cameras.

Rick needs......REALLY needs the following:

Rick needs Michele Bachmann to drop out, then give all her support to him.
Rick needs this to happen fast...very fast....

Rick needs Newt Gingrich to drop out after NH....
Im not sure it helps to get Newt's support...but Newt does have to go.

Rick needs Ron Paul to say something very crazy....

Ron Paul is just not going to go away...so this means that the best hope for Rick right now in dealing with the whole support there is for Ron Paul is for someone to dig up more dirt on Paul, or for someone to ask paul a question that leads to Ron saying something that goes too far over the line...

So what Rick needs is for Ron Paul to look crazy....and this has to happen before we get to SC.
As it stands now, Ron Paul can expect to get between 12% and 17% of the vote in SC.....
Rick needs that 12 to 17% in order to overcome the money that Mitt has behind him and the lead he may have by then from NH.

So Rick has to have Ron Paul pushed off to the side, while looking just like Ron to Ron's supporters.

Rick needs every voter that right now Ron Paul is getting.

Now....as for Mitt?
Mitt needs to appear as the winner .
Mitt should start appearing as though he was the front runner, and start making the phone calls to get as many people to stand next to him in NH as he can.

The idea Mitt needs is to mow them all down in NH....Dont let anyone in the race going into NH think that have any way to beat him or out spend him.

it's time for the Republican leaders to walk out onto the stage and put their arms around Mitt.

[BigJulie]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

Its weird how the conservative issues that were missing from the media's coverage of Iowa, turned out to be so very important to the voters there...

I know a lot of people that support Mitt feel that the main issue is ***s and the economy, but while there is some merit to that idea, the real truth for the conservative voter is that social issues are still at the top of the list.

abortion
prayer,
worship of God,
Gay marriage
The ability to raise children as our grandparents did..
etc.

Mitt Romney will stand behind this issues--he is just not a radical about it. In interesting interview about Santorum--his wife got pregnant, her life was a stake---the doctor admitted oxytoxin and the baby was born at 22 weeks and died. I have no problem with this because I am okay with saving the life of the mother. On the other hand, if morality is the top issue and "evangelicals" see this as an abortion--I wonder how they reconcile this.

Mitt Romney is conservative on these issues but not radical. In other words he is smart enough to realize that if you open Pandorah's box, you may not like what you get. An example is the right fighting to have "christian clubs" in public schools. They won, but now their argument is what is used to allow "gay clubs" in school. The gay, lesbian, straight alliance has used these laws demanded by christians to support their own cause (and have won every time.) So, let's be smart and not radical about these issues.

What Rick has to do over the next few days is work the phone and get all the lower ranking guys and girls in the race to drop out and stand next to him in front of the TV cameras.

Rick does not have the political machine in place to beat Obama, nor the money. I guess we will see if the evangelicals can produce another Huckabee/McCain.

[alanmolstad]

Kids are off limits....always....



Unless you hold all the children of people seeking political office as "off-limits' you will soon end up with all your leaders being childless.

I read that some person asked Rick about his child...in my view that person who would bring up such a thing should be nailed to the wall by his *****....

[Libby]

An example is the right fighting to have "christian clubs" in public schools. They won, but now their argument is what is used to allow "gay clubs" in school. The gay, lesbian, straight alliance has used these laws demanded by christians to support their own cause (and have won every time.)

I don't understand why this is seen as a problem. Both should be allowed..no discrimination based on sexual orientation or religion. ugh. It is exactly these social issues that keep me (an Independent) voting Democrat. I did vote for George Bush, after 9/11, only because I really thought he would be tough on terrorism, but that was a bit of an illusion, and Obama is the one who got bin Laden, in the end.

Anyway, Republicans and their "social issues" drive me a little nuts. The government is not supposed to impose specific religious values.

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by Libby

I don't understand why this is seen as a problem. .

You dont understand why a Christian like myself thinks its worth defending the unborn, defending the concept of marriage, defending things like prayer, and the duty we have as parents to raise our own children in a manner that reflects traditional values?

That reminds me of another conversation I had a while ago...

LETS REVIEW:


Within the heart of a conservative (Like myself) there is a core of faith in the Christian teachings and truths of the bible.

I did not come up with the things that I hold as important truths on my own.

My views are not things I came up with on my own.

My views are not just my own conclusions based on my own 'standards"

Rather all that true Christian conservative defends should be based on the traditional Christian teachings as presented to us in the bible.

So when there is a point of view that a conservative hold fast to, (Like the conservative's views on the Gays , Abortion , etc) and there is well known support for this view in the Christian church's Bible, THEN it's not the fault of the Christian that a non-Christian might disagree with them on such issues.


Nor is it the Christian's fault that many non-Christians get so spitting-mad at Christians when traditional values are promoted in the modern world.

What simply has happened is that the Christian's views have gotten in the middle of a struggle the non-Christian has on-going with their Lord.




An Example:
A while ago I was locked in a debate with a non-Christian over the question of ABORTION.
This other person went on and on and on with one nasty comment after another......
Mostly she was on about "Keep your hands off of my body you filthy Christians!" type stuff.....

Oh she had so many arguments all lined up to use.

It was her anger that was the most distressing.
The anger that rose up in her, and took over her ability to have a conversation on the issue.

There was just too much to see as a result of my defense of the unborn child.

But when I started to question her things started to drop into place.
I learned that this was the main issue as to why she fell away from the church and why she now completely rejected the whole Christian faith!

It was the wall she had built between herself and her Lord.

It became clear to me as she talked more in depth about her own reasons, that this wall was her attempt to justify some unfortunate decisions she had made a few times in her past concerning her own personal life.

I had just wandered into the middle of her own little private war.

Her own little private hell...

All the justifications they revealed to me that she had worked on them over the years in a vain attempt to insulated herself from the guilt that was ALWAYS there, chained to her heart.

It wasn't really me or my conservative views she was upset with....
It was that I reminded her of some very personal matters that try as she might she could not get over.


And she is going to have to deal with that sooner or later.
My advice would be to give all that to the lord.

So I totally dismiss her arguements, for they simply come forth from her screwed up relationship with her Lord.
Her views have just colored her ability to see the real duty conservative Christians have in this world to "Stand up for what is RIGHT!"...in all places and in all times...

Even in the voting booth


So while the Conservative voter has no right to impose any religious 'teachings" on the country, such teachings like there is only one God, and that Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and that Mormonism is a CULT, yet that same conservative voter can seek to push Christians values in this world with his vote.

Things like defending life.

Promoting the idea of prayer.

and, defending the traditional marriage.




Remember it was Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!

[BigJulie]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

Kids are off limits....always....



Unless you hold all the children of people seeking political office as "off-limits' you will soon end up with all your leaders being childless.

I read that some person asked Rick about his child...in my view that person who would bring up such a thing should be nailed to the wall by his *****....

Wait--on one hand you want morality to be your top issue to determine which politician to vote for and on the other hand you can't see if this morality applies to their own decisions regarding their family?

[BigJulie]

Originally Posted by Libby

I don't understand why this is seen as a problem. Both should be allowed..no discrimination based on sexual orientation or religion. ugh. It is exactly these social issues that keep me (an Independent) voting Democrat. I did vote for George Bush, after 9/11, only because I really thought he would be tough on terrorism, but that was a bit of an illusion, and Obama is the one who got bin Laden, in the end.

Anyway, Republicans and their "social issues" drive me a little nuts. The government is not supposed to impose specific religious values.

Libby---I don't think either club has a place in our schools. I see school as a place for academic learning and we need to leave value training (other than honesty, etc.) at home. It is not that these clubs are a problem, but I think they become a distraction as kids try to find themselves and also begin to stereo-type, etc. based on these types of clubs. This is why I also support school uniforms. School is not about discovering your individuality (accept in academics), but about learning. To me, the less distractions the better. I think if I tried to go to a mostly evangelical school and set up a "Mormon club" and start handing out pamplets (which is what these other clubs do)--you would see a backlash of upset parents, etc. The school then becomes the stomping ground for a political contest rather than an academic setting. The frontal lobe doesn't develop until at least 16---so, leave it to the colleges to let kids explore their religious beliefs, sexual beliefs, etc.

[BigJulie]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

Even in the voting booth


So while the Conservative voter has no right to impose any religious 'teachings" on the country, such teachings like there is only one God, and that Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and that Mormonism is a CULT, yet that same conservative voter can seek to push Christians values in this world with his vote.

Let me get this straight---after this whole discussion--you see religions teachings as "one God" "Jesus Christ was resurrected" and "Mormonism as a CULT"---as part of religious teachings?

To me that is like saying something akin to "I believe in being honest" "I believe in being kind" and "I believe every Chinese person should be considered a threat to our society." What a strange belief system you have Alan.

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by BigJulie

Wait--on one hand you want morality to be your top issue to determine which politician to vote for and on the other hand you can't see if this morality applies to their own decisions regarding their family?

Yes....drop back and read the name of this topic and from it you should get a more clear understanding of my views.





I believe that it would be wrong to use Mitt's personal private life as a reason not to vote for him as our president.

While I think that there are better people in the race right now, the truth is that I have been very openly saying from the beginning that I expect that Mitt will win the nomination , and i have every intention to vote for him over Obama if he does win.


This is totally different that the voices you may hear on this topic that say that unless the Mormon wins they wont vote for anyone!


I believe my understanding is vastly superior than such voices.

Both the voices from the Blind Mormon camp, and the voices from the blind Christian camp are just a bunch of FAIL in my eyes.


So, I dont hold the personal life of Mitt against him when I consider him for the White House.

I dont judge Mitt or any of the rest of them by how good a husband or wife they are.
I dont judge them for being president based on how good they are at getting their pets to behave.
I dont judge them for being president based on their sex life, or how well they kept their personal vows to their mate.
I dont judge them for being president on if they were a virgin or not.
I dont judge them for being president by the type of god they worship, or their position on the tribulation.

Someone can totally disagree with me on all the non-Political issues of our private lives, and it would not matter a hoot to me.

So the fact that i consider his Mormon faith a joke, is moot.
So the fact I think Mitt's morality if be completely false and evil, is moot.
So the fact I believe Mitt's god to be Satan,is moot.
So the fact that Mitt's willingness to be part of a well-known CULT in spite of the clear warnings of scripture and the Christian church m,arks him out in my mind as a seriously spiritually flawed individual, is moot ,

Because I consider all that personal and private stuff to be off limits when I go into vote for the next President.

Thus, I dont care how many women Mitt has slept with,
or how many abortions his wife has had....

I dont care because all that type of personal stuff is not what I will judge his political ideas by.

I will judge Mitt by his POLITICAL RECORD.....
I will judge Mitt by his plans for the future of this country.
I will judge Mitt by the way he handles himself in the debates, and if he seems to have the political understandings that i think a president should have.

Im not going to judge him or anyone by the fact that his kids posed for Playboy...or got caught smoking crack.....etc, etc, etc.

The ***le of this topic should show you that I consider the personal life of people to not be all that important in that moment I enter into the voting booth.



But I reserve a special place in hell for anyone who brings up the children of people seeking office.
I attack them, I put them in my sights and they know that have made a life-time foe in me......(In short I try my best to get them banned)

The reason i truly deep-down hate the people that bring up the kids of our leaders is that unless we allow the family of our leaders to enjoy privacy, we will end up with only unmarried, childless, non-believers in office....for we had made it too hard to be a parent and a president....

[BigJulie]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

So, I dont hold the personal life of Mitt against him when I consider him for the White House.
The fact that i consider his Mormon faith a joke, his morality if be completely false and evil, his god to be Satan, and his willingness to be part of a well-known CULT, is all off limits when i go into vote for the next President.

Yes, I can see you are completely unbiased when it comes to Mitt.

Thus, i dont care

how many women Mitt has slept with,
or how many abortions his wife has had....

Really. That is surprising because you said you think Newt was a changed man and Mitt, not based on what again?

Im not going to judge him or anyone by the fact that his kids posed for Playboy...or got caught smoking crack.....etc, etc, etc.

THat is fine for you. My point was (if you remember) that I had no problem with what Santorum did regarding his baby--my point was that those who use moral judgements (including religion) as a way to decide like Rick Santorum---it seems like a double standard to me.

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by BigJulie

I think if I tried to go to a mostly evangelical school and set up a "Mormon club" and start handing out pamplets (which is what these other clubs do)--you would see a backlash of upset parents, etc. .

If your club meets after school, and stays within the guidlines of what you do there, (No damage to school property, provide a safe environment for all children....no starting fires etc.) then No one is going to raise a question.

We have many such after-school clubs in our schools..

I dont see the problem with a Mormon or JW or even a Moonie club.

On the other hand, a private christian school would not have to allow you to use their building for non-Christian events.

So if other faiths,want to start an after-school club?...good for them..

[alanmolstad]

[QUOTE=BigJulie;110356]

Really. That is surprising because you said you think Newt was a changed man and Mitt, not based on what again?

I believe I said that i do not hold Newt's lovers and the fact that he broke his wedding vows against him when I vote for president.

I believe that if a person has gotten married, and that the marriage is based on the right thngs, that i dont hold the fact that its a guy's 3rd or 4th wedding against him for that.

On the other hand, I have said that there is just this smell to Mitt....
its a smell of insincerity when he talks about his views on important issues.

I compared this "smell" i get from Mitt to a guy who breaks up with his wife to marry another woman because the 2nd women had won the Lotto.

That is a type of marriage i would not respect.

I would not respect that type of marriage just like I don't respect the views of Mitt that he comes barfing out with because they could not appear more insincere to my ears.

And this is a topic i have done my homework on.
I have heard Mitt out on this issue...

I have read the story of when and how Mitt claims to have flipped his positions on important issues...and Im convinced from just the evidence and the timing of such things, that his story is invented.....

When I look at Mitt, I see a guy who will flip positions when it becomes politically needed to do so.

This hints to me that Mitt has no conservative core compared to guys like Rick and newt.

With Rick and Newt you can see in their words the power their core conservative hearts to shape their ideas of the future.


The main problem i have with Newt is not based on his personal life, or his personal religion, rather its the fact they with Newt he tends to go off the rails and is just not there when you need him.

The main problem I have with Mitt as he has shown that on important issues, where I will need a strong conservative President to take a stand, that Mitt has shown in his record that he has left some people who supported him in the past hanging....

I dont want a president who is known to leave people hanging...

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by BigJulie

Let me get this straight---after this whole discussion--you see religions teachings as "one God" "Jesus Christ was resurrected" and "Mormonism as a CULT"---as part of religious teachings?

:

yes.....

The idea that Jesus is God Almighty is a Christian religious teaching.

this is different than the values I seek to support with my vote.
In the voting booth I will use my vote to support Christian values...
Such as hard work.
Advancement based on merit.
Defending innocent life...


So this means?
It means that I will seek out people to vote for that support my Christian values, such as protecting my right to worship God and pray....

But I will not vote for a person who thinks that the State should write my prayer.

There is a difference in protecting a right to worship God.
And using the State to force the worship of God.

[alanmolstad]

Originally Posted by BigJulie

Let me get this straight---after this whole discussion--you see religions teachings as "one God" "Jesus Christ was resurrected" and "Mormonism as a CULT"---as part of religious teachings?

:

yes.....

The idea that Jesus is God Almighty is a Christian religious teaching.

this is different than the values I seek to support with my vote.
In the voting booth I will use my vote to support Christian values...
Such as hard work.
Advancement based on merit.
Defending innocent life...


So this means?
It means that I will seek out people to vote for that support my Christian values, such as protecting my right to worship God and pray....

But I will not vote for a person who thinks that the State should write my prayer.

There is a difference in protecting a right to worship God, and using the State to force the worship of God.

[BigJulie]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by alanmolstad

I believe I said that i do not hold Newt's lovers and the fact that he broke his wedding vows against him when I vote for president.

I believe that if a person has gotten married, and that the marriage is based on the right thngs, that i dont hold the fact that its a guy's 3rd or 4th wedding against him for that.

On the other hand, I have said that there is just this smell to Mitt....
its a smell of insincerity when he talks about his views on important issues.

I compared this "smell" i get from Mitt to a guy who breaks up with his wife to marry another woman because the 2nd women had won the Lotto.

That is a type of marriage i would not respect.

So, you can forgive one of adultery and being changed, but the other, you cannot forgive because it smells fishy to you. I am sure this has absolutely nothing to do with your beliefs regarding my religion as a cult.

The main problem I have with Mitt as he has shown that on important issues, where I will need a strong conservative President to take a stand, that Mitt has shown in his record that he has left some people who supported him in the past hanging....

I dont want a president who is known to leave people hanging...

You know all I see, Alan---is another Mike Huckabee. Another person that the evangelicals are going to throw out there that has no chance to beat Obama because he doesn't have the organization to win. It would be great if we were having a cooking contest, but this type of contest takes a lot of preparation, money, and organization. Mitt has been preparing for years to take on Obama (the establishment, the unions)...and you want to throw out someone whose chances are limited because Mitt smells "fishy" to you. Okay.

So, to me, I see once again, the evangelicals cutting off their nose to spite their face all because, while they can forgive other candidates of all types of things---Mitt just smells fishy (and it has nothing to do with prejudice...I am sure. )

[Libby]

Originally Posted by BigJulie

Libby---I don't think either club has a place in our schools. I see school as a place for academic learning and we need to leave value training (other than honesty, etc.) at home. It is not that these clubs are a problem, but I think they become a distraction as kids try to find themselves and also begin to stereo-type, etc. based on these types of clubs. This is why I also support school uniforms. School is not about discovering your individuality (accept in academics), but about learning. To me, the less distractions the better. I think if I tried to go to a mostly evangelical school and set up a "Mormon club" and start handing out pamplets (which is what these other clubs do)--you would see a backlash of upset parents, etc. The school then becomes the stomping ground for a political contest rather than an academic setting. The frontal lobe doesn't develop until at least 16---so, leave it to the colleges to let kids explore their religious beliefs, sexual beliefs, etc.

Yeah, private schools are different, though...different rules. Basically, they can make their own rules. But, in public school we have to be fair to everyone. I agree that the clubs either have to go, altogether, or they have to allow diversity. I don't really see them as a distraction. They meet after school or at lunch time, on their own time. I think they are a part of socialization, in highschool, especially. I belonged to a couple of clubs in highschool, and it helps to meet friends who share your values and interests, I think. In the case of gay adolescents, I can't think of a group of kids who more need that kind of support.

[alanmolstad]

Well the election now moves to NH and this is the moment when we will see in Rick can muster support or not?

The most important factor in the race right now is money.

Rick needs a lot of money, so much that at every event in the next few days he has got to raise some cash.
rick also has to start really working the phones to try to get the endorcements he needs to swing voters away from Mitt.

The first thing Rick really has to do is look real hard at the numbers coming out of Iowa and think about how to use them.

Lets look at Iowa and see what it could mean under the right circumstances in NH...

Mitt Romney only got 24% of the Iowa vote after out spending everyone else in the race...at times he was out spending 10 to 1.

24% is what Mitt has been stuck at for months.
No matter what happened to anyone else in this race, Mitt was stuck at 24%.

This hints that 24% might actually all Mitt can expect from the Republican voters, and so this means that there is a HUGE number of solidly "Anyone but Mitt" type of people out there that are voting, and are unmoved by all of Mitt's organization and cash.

Ron Paul got over 21% of the Iowa vote.
Ron has enough money, enough organization and support within the younger members of the Party to stay in this until the ending.

21% is higher that i would have expected...and shows just how loved the guy is among the Party members.
There is very little chance Rick can grasp the Ron Paul voters unless Ron hits some type of self-destruct and drives his own supporters away.

So Ron Paul's 20% is spoken for and off the table

Newt Gingrich got around 13% of the Iowa vote.
This is what Rick has to get on the phone with Newt and get that guy to drop out after next week.
Rick needs every last one of the people who support Newt.
If Rick and cut a deal/push Newt into dropping out after NH votes, then it would show that Rick is ready for the hard battles and arm-twisting in Washington that is part of being President.

Newt and getting Newt to drop out next week, is how we will learn how forceful Rick can be.
Rick needs to look Newt in the eyes and tell him that "It's over. It's been fun, but now it's time for you to throw your support to me, then get off the stage"

Time will tell is Rick has the stones to do this?

Rick Perry has sorta dropped off the radar already.
But Perry still has an important role to play in this election.Perry has to stand on a stage and offer his supprt to Rick,,,then Perry has to work in SC to bring in the strong Christian vote for Rick.

In SC, it would be in Rick's interest to allow Perry to introduce him at a few stops.

Michele Bachmann is holding out for a cabinet position.
Im thinking that she wants Rick to offer her the *** of Sec Of State or Defense.
Michele has been playing it very cool the last few days....and thats got to worry Rick.

Rick needs Michele to help him connect with the Tea Party...
I think the Tea Party has been sitting around waiting for people to start paying attention to them, and that the spark they need would be to see Michele Bachmann surround herself with all the Tea Party leaders and then put her endorsement to Rick...

Rick needs it to look like the Tea Party has officially got behind him.

So to sum up:
Iowa showed us a path that Rick needs to walk if he wants to have any chance at all of overcoming Mitt's cash.
Rick needs to get all the other conservatives in the race to drop out and swing their support and CASH to him....
Rick needs every last dollar they can give him, and every last vote they can swing his way.


Things to look for this week?

Rick needs to get Michele Bachmann to come out strongly supporting him as soon as it can be done.

Next Rick needs a statement of support from Perry.

and after that?
Then Rick has to call Newt after NH votes and tell Newt that "It's time to go"

[alanmolstad]

[QUOTE=BigJulie;110390]

So, you can forgive one of adultery and being changed, but the other, you cannot forgive because it smells fishy to you. ))

Yes,
I can forgive anyone and know my offer of forgiveness is for the best because I can see the honesty of man's words when speaking about his better half.

Does this mean he cant fall again?
No....

Heck the smart money is on Newt falling again in his relationships with his woman....

But i judge the man's heart as sinsere and so I forgive him if he asked me to.

But remember,,,,no matter I forgive his chealing on his wife or not, I dont take his sex life into account when thinking of who i want as President.

Newt could cheat tomorrow, or do other things in his personal life I disagree with, and yet it would be a moot point to the question "Should he be President?"

I allow Newt is private life....
Im not interested in Newt's faith.
Im not interested in his marriage.

Im only interested in Newt's goals for this country should he become president.
Im only interested in Newts political track record with the core issues I think are most important in this election....(abortion, prayer, etc)


As for the smell that I detect Mitt giving off everytime he talks about his many flip-flops?

It's part of the whole issue that Conservatives like myself have with Mitt....

It's not just me,,,,there are a lot of voting members of the Republican Party that look at Mitt and just see "insincerity" and "political expediency"