In a truly bold move the Gingrich campaign is featuring Callista, The Other Woman 2.0

Friday’s session of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was crucial for Republican presidential candidates, but it started with an audition for Vice President.

Our own Gov. Bob McDonnell proved once again if you want a VP candidate who is not teleprompter dependent and has not expressed strong feelings regarding the very poor, McDonnell is just your man.

Much of McDonnell’s speech obliquely stressed his Vice Presidential qualifications by running through his resume and focusing on his administration’s record.

McDonnell characterized the election as choice between Constitutionally limited government and a constantly expanding federal government. McDonnell concluded by saying his family came to the US from Ireland, and 100 years later he sits in the governor’s office holding the same position held by Thomas Jefferson.

Which, come to think of it, also applies to the office of Vice President.

Four years ago Mitt Romney withdrew from the race during his speech at the conference, this year he wanted to use a CPAC speech to revive it. After suffering three consecutive primary losses to Rick Santorum, Romney needed a strong rebound and straw poll victory before an audience filled with many people skeptical of his conservatism and commitment to the cause.

Romney described the Obama administration as the “last gasp of liberalism’s great failure.” And he urged the participants to “reaffirm what it means to be conservative.”

This involves a reverence for the founding document, “Conservatives aren’t just proud to cling to our guns and religion, we are also proud to cling to our Constitution,” Romney declared to enthusiastic applause.

One of the biggest applause lines of the afternoon came when he declared he’s been successful in business and he’s not ashamed to say so. Romney assured the audience, “I’ve served in government, but I didn’t inhale. I’m still a business guy.”

Santorum’s goal was to establish himself as the only viable alternative to Romney and consolidate the ABM (anyone but Mitt) vote. Santorum explained, “Conservatism did not fail our country. Conservatives failed conservatism.” Specifically by adopting the philosophy that winning is more important than staying true to your principles, a veiled reference to John McCain. “We’ve learned our lesson,” Santorum said. “We will no longer abandon and apologize for the principles that made this country great.”

Santorum addressed his chances by downplaying the influence of money, of which he has little, and stressing the power of contrasts. “We aren’t going to win with money. We’re going to win with contrasts, by making Barack Obama and his failed policies the issue in this race.”

For Newt Gingrich the presidential campaign is a four–letter word and that word is BOLD. Bold ideas. Bold plans. Bold solutions. Bold politics.

“When the conservative movement offers bold solutions, it wins decisively. I want to talk about bold solutions to get America working again,” Newt boldly announced.

Gingrich intends for the entire GOP congressional establishment to campaign with him this fall, which will require a large fleet of buses and a huge block of rooms on the cruise ship. And in the few days between the swearing in of the new Congress and Newt’s Bold presidential oath of office, he has a to–do list for Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader (he hopes) Mitch McConnell. Newt expects both houses to pass bills repealing Obamacare, Sarbanes–Oxley and Dodd–Frank.

So by signing these bills in the first 20 minutes of his new administration Newt can expunge 40 percent of the late Obama administration. Then Gingrich can really get to work with Bold executive orders: approve the Keystone pipeline, move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, reinstate the Mexico City policy banning the expenditure of tax dollars for abortions in other countries and break ground on the moon colony.

Then he plans to pause for lunch.

Gingrich’s speech also included a larger role for Callista, the new wife, who introduced him to a tepid audience response. This probably marks the first time in campaign history The Other Woman 2.0 has been brought out of hiding and used in a prominent role, which really does qualify as Bold.

The result of Saturday’s straw poll was good for two of the three candidates. Romney won with 38 percent of the vote, followed by Santorum at 31 percent. Gingrich was a very poor third, barely beating Ron Paul — who did not attend the conference — 15 percent to 12 percent.

The conclusion is Romney can speak “conservative;” and head–to–head in a setting where ad spending and organization does not matter; Santorum is a viable ABM alternative.

Unfortunately for Santorum those conditions don’t apply in the vast majority of remaining primaries.

Sadly, this is what Liberals do.  They will try to discredit and ruin the lives of fellow citizens just to win a game.  Everyone is a pawn or a useful idiot to them.  In my mind, their disregard for the well being of their fellow man is on par with the mentality that goes behind human trafficking.  But, I digress…  Here is a video I made summing up my thoughts on Morgan Freeman’s cruel and inaccurate charges.  I hope he sees it.  Better yet, I hope he apologizes for demonizing people that don’t agree with him.  I won’t hold my breath.

In happier news, congratulations, Herman Cain, for winning the P5 straw poll in Florida last weekend.  You truly had  a breakout week in Florida to include your inspiring performance at the Google/Fox News debate.  We salute you.

The problem with straw polls is the very nature of a straw poll; that it’s basically the opinion of a group of like minded people at any given time. You can’t ask people at a cake convention which deserts they prefer more because the answer is most likely going to be cake, and you can easily apply this same principle to a straw poll taken at any political gathering or conference. In Ames case, the most popular conservative will win hands down, and Bachmann has taken said cake.

You’ll recall that the CPAC 2011 straw poll had Ron Paul out ahead of the pack with 30% of the vote and Romney at 23%. You’ll also recall that at that time Michelle Bachmann only had a measly 4%, and while that’s all well and good, the outcome of these straw polls will have next to no effect in the coming elections. They never do.

Ron Paul’s popularity for one stemmed from the fact that he was a stark contrast to our current sitting “Whiner in Chief.” He’s heavily principled in Conservatism and a die hard constitutionalist, and to many in the conservative movement this is a fresh breath of much needed, red blooded, American air. The main problem Ron is seeing now is that he’s getting “out-conservatived” by the congresswoman who is riding on the “mama grizzly” wave that Palin had created. She’s able to stand on a record that she freely touts to any camera that focuses on her and it’s served her very well in conservative circles. She’s also the poster child for a strong woman; motherly yet not afraid to get down to business.

So what does this mean for her in the coming elections where she is slated to run? Probably nothing, if we take the past as an example.

2007 CPAC straw polls had Romney in a dominating 1^st place. In fact, Romney won the CPAC straw poll 3 years in a row. He was the man to beat in the primaries…and John McCain did. Even the most famous American Conservative, Reagan was trounced by George H.W. Bush in the 79’ Ames straw polls and we all know how that ended up. As you can see, the straw polls aren’t the best predictors because they don’t tell the whole story.

For instance, while Bachmann is making some serious headway in the conservative movement she has recently had a new obstacle placed in her path to the top in the form of Texas Governor Rick Perry, who was nothing but a write in at Ames this year. As big a player as Bachmann has become, Perry is the more widely supported across the political board and will most likely be the candidate who wins the primary. Not only is Perry liked amongst a vast array of Conservatives, he’s popular amongst independents and establishment types. No conservative straw poll could tell you that.

Everyone’s favorite Congresswoman can stand on her stellar voting record and squeaky clean personal history, but the one thing she can’t say is “I won a Conservative straw poll once” then ride that like its the last bat out of hell. Her predecessors certainly didn’t, and it’s not wise for her supporters to do it either. Winning a straw poll really only means that harder work now has to be done to put the ideas that candidate into motion, and doing that means getting them into a position where those ideas can take effect, and that’s where Bachmann and her supporters are really going to have their work cut out for them.

Bachmann has a long way to go if she wants the presidency which means she’ll have to go through Perry to get it, and while Bachmann’s record is behind her, Perry has a lot of experience, a very well run state, and both the support of the tea party and the establishment behind his. Perry is a political Goliath and no straw poll can give you a good read on the size of any one candidate because it just doesn’t factor in every aspect with the exception of one; what conservatives favor today, and conservatives favor Bachmann…for now.

In a Sunday morning conference call with supporters, Pawlenty said, “We cannot envision a path forward to victory, and so therefore we made a decision to end the campaign.”

Pawlenty expected to get a boost from the Iowa straw poll results for his struggling campaign. As he stated on “This Week”, “We needed to get some lift to continue on and have a pathway forward. That didn’t happen, so I’m announcing this morning on your show that I’m going to be ending my campaign for president.

Rep. Michele Bachmann, also a Presidential candidate, release this comment on Pawlenty’s decision:

This morning I spoke with Governor Pawlenty to express my respect and admiration for him, and to wish him and his family well. Running for the presidency requires enormous self-sacrifice. Governor Pawlenty brought an important voice and ideas to the campaign, and he served the people of Minnesota and our country well. Our party and our country are better as a result of his service and commitment.

First the detailed results. Out of 16,584 votes cast:

1. Michele Bachmann 4,823 votes / 29.1%
2. Ron Paul 4,671 / 28.2%
3. Tim Pawlenty 2,293 / 13.8%
4. Rick Santorum 1,567 / 9.4%
5. Herman Cain 1,456 / 8.8%
6. Rick Perry 718 as a write-in / 4.3%
7. Mitt Romney 567 / 3.4%
8. Newt Gingrich 385 / 2.3%
9. Jon Huntsman 69 / .4%
10. Thad McCotter 35 / .2%

Neither Mitt Romney nor Rick Perry participated in the event, but Rick Perry showed much stronger than the former Massachusetts governor.

While Michelle Bachmann is a daughter of Iowa, has strong social Conservative beliefs and was strong in the polls entering the Iowa event, another important detail can be gleaned from her win: she has the organization to win caucuses.

There has been much made about her only being able to win at the district level in her own state of Minnesota. To win the straw poll she had to overtake significant spending by Tim Pawlenty and an always strong Ron Paul Ames straw poll organization.

Tim Pawlenty being in the top three will likely keep him going in the 2012 election cycle despite lackluster numbers in nationwide polls. Pawlenty admitted so much saying that he needed a strong finish in Iowa to jump start his campaign. After the results came out, his campaign released a statement:

Gingrich, Huntsman, and McCotter showed poorly. Newt’s campaign has dealt with numerous defections, mis-steps with Conservatives, and it has run out of money. Huntsman is far too liberal to survive the nomination process and McCotter has image, money and name recognition problems to overcome. It is highly likely that 2 or 3 of these candidates will withdraw from the race in coming weeks.

Rick Perry will be in Waterloo, Iowa tomorrow to officially kick off his 2012 Iowa campaign. Perry represents what might be the biggest threat to Bachmann in Iowa and should top Mitt Romney in most other states.

We may be looking at a tight race between Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry as the presidential race moves across the nation.

The poll is held in conjunction with the Iowa state fair. Candidate’s put up venues, give speeches, participate in a debate and otherwise plea for support in Saturday’s poll.

The poll is not scientific, in fact only 10 to 20 thousand votes are expected to be cast.

Commentators have been saying that the poll doesn’t matter. Pointing to the fact that only once in the last five polls did Iowans correctly call the actual nominee that would be selected.

To add fuel to the fire, a candidate that is expected to be a major factor in the Presidential race didn’t even go to the event – Texas Governor Rick Perry.

That doesn’t mean that the poll is all pomp and circumstance, it does have a purpose. While the poll rarely selects the actually nominee, it does cull the field. Candidates that are struggling in the polls often use a failed result in Iowa to indicate that their bid should end.

The least-popular candidates were all in attendance. Herman Cain, Rick Santorum, Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman were successful in gaining some name recognition, national air time and a chance to get their positions to the voters.

Now, as we await the results, we also await the first drop-outs of the 2012 GOP Presidential race.

Rick Perry, the long time Governor of Texas, is expected to officially throw his 10 gallon hat into the ring sometime today, joining eight others in the quest to knock President Obama off his perch in November of 2012.  If this were any other day, it would be the news event for the cycle and no one in the normally quiet mid-western state of Iowa would be put out.

But the state of corn, miracle baseball fields and a state fair where everything is fried is entering its 6 months of glory that it gets to experience during every presidential election cycle – and I am not sure they would take too kindly to someone stealing their thunder.

Today is the Iowa straw poll, where candidates basically bus in as many supporters from around the state as they can to rack up votes.  Not scientific, not binding, but significant nevertheless.

Governor Perry will not be on the ballot himself (Mitt Romney, the presumed leader in national polls has also elected to abstain from the poll), but his presence will be felt all the same.

They say in comedy, timing is everything.  A good joke at the wrong time can end a career, but if it is perfectly timed, it can also make one (ask Jay Leno).  Perry wants to leap onto the Iowa stage at the right time and land with a resounding and attention getting thud.  If in the process, however, he sends several to the hospital with toe-related injuries, he might be known in history for the shortest campaign for the Presidency.

Iowans are known for being straightforward, honest and not impressed by cameras and flashbulbs.  Perry would be wise to let them have their glory, even at the expense of a meaty opportunity for himself.  The Governor in one swoop could lock up the evangelical vote that is so prominent in the state.  That block of voters vaulted Mike Huckabee from the political minor leagues straight into the show and has been looking for a candidate to call home.

The straw poll is the first important one of the campaign season and an early barometer for the caucuses in the winter of 2012.  Governor Perry could and probably will be a contender, if not THE contender for the nomination, without participating, but it would be in his best interest to tread lightly. 

Time your jump.  Landing on stage with a big thump and “ta da!!” might get you a news cycle, but it might cost you just a little more than a fried pickle…

Meanwhile, members of the Democratic party are at the GOP Iowa Straw Poll trying to sell Mr. Obama and his policies to the people of Iowa. Mr. Obama will be on his bus tour in Iowa on Monday.  Democrats there are spreading the usual rhetoric, suggesting the tea party and the republicans alone are responsible for the weak economy and the S & P downgrade. Did someone forget to tell them GOP Straw Poll?

The most obvious losers were Rick Santorum, Tim Pawlenty, and Jon “My Record in Utah” Huntsman.  Santorum and Pawlenty both carried the air of men who understood this debate was probably their last chance to distinguish themselves to voters and the media.  The two candidates came out strong, highlighting their records with solid, direct responses.  One of Pawlenty’s big mistakes of the night came when Chris Wallace offered him a “do-over” for his previous failure to stick it to Romney regarding Massachusetts “Obamneycare” during the first debate.  Even with the opportunity handed to him, Pawlenty could barely muster a direct jab at Romney and didn’t even use all his allotted time to respond.  And then there was his other big mistake – when he finally did summon a little pluck and decide to take on another candidate, he chose Michele Bachmann – the only woman on the stage.  Bachmann stood her ground, and Pawlenty made some salient points at her expense, but it didn’t seem like a wise strategy to let the first person he directly and forcefully engages be the only woman in the field.  Not good optics, as they say.

Santorum lost the debate because…well…he’s Rick Santorum – strong conservative, affable guy, but completely unmemorable.  His cause was not aided in any way by the moderators, who went as long as thirty minutes without directing a single question or comment toward Santorum.  As the night wore on it was obvious Santorum was frustrated with his screen time, but he was unable assert himself enough to demand more time.  He was just too…nice.

Jon Huntsman may have lost last night’s debate 2 months ago when he first announced his candidacy and many in the mainstream media picked him as a good opponent for Obama right away.  An endorsement from Jeb Bush didn’t help much either.  Has Huntsman never heard of Bush Fatigue?

And then there was Newt – no doubt the smartest guy in the room.  With his direct, thoughtful answers he ran circles around his competition.  However, Newt’s fatal flaw is his total confidence in his intelligence and stature.  Clearly irritated, Gingrich slapped away a question regarding the mass defection of his original campaign team.  The crowd seemed to enjoy Newt’s boldness at first, but ultimately his “cranky Uncle Newt at family Thanksgiving dinner” routine proved to be too much.  Newt didn’t lose, but he didn’t win anything either.

Herman Cain was fine.  He was given a moment to clarify his remarks about banning mosques and Sharia law.  His answers were not eloquent, but adequate.  He knows a lot about business and running a business and how businesses run and companies and such.  Cainiacs were no doubt pleased with his performance over all.

Ron Paul was Ron Paul.  He had his Ron Paul comb-over and wore his Ron Paul suit and read from his Ron Paul script.  He hit all his Ron Paul talking points.  The Ron Paul fans screamed at every Ron Paulism that came out of Ron Paul’s mouth.  Ron Paul probably raised a lot of money last night.

Michele Bachmann held her own but seemed somewhat subdued.  One wonders if her campaign advisors have been coaching her to avoid the “screeching woman” syndrome so many female candidates are accused of falling into. It was a pretty unremarkable night for Mrs. Bachmann until Byron York asked what was probably the most ridiculous, most bizarre question of the evening.  Without a hint of embarrassment, York asked Bachmann if, being a Bible-believing Christian, she would follow the commandment from 1Peter and submit to her husband even in the White House.  Bachmann seemed as stunned as the crowd for a brief second, then fired off a very sweet response about loving her husband and understanding that the verse is about mutual respect.  If Fox News were one of the players on stage last night, Byron York would have been the guy that lost the game for them.  It was an awful, silly question, which Bachmann handled with ease.  If she had a bright spot last night, that was it.

That leaves us with Romney, and Romney’s hair, which has its very own campaign team, don’t you know?  Romney and his hair were the clear winners last night, but perhaps more for what didn’t happen than what did happen.  Romney’s hair let Mitt do all the talking, and he said all the right things.  Obviously, Mitt has been looking at the polls and seeing that people are afraid he’s too soft to take it to Obama when the time comes.  But while he was purposeful and calculated in his remarks, Romney wasn’t engaging.  He was wide open to attacks on his governing record and flip-flopping but no opponents seemed up to the task.  It seemed inevitable that someone other than the moderator would make hay out of his disappearance during the debt ceiling battle, but no one took it up.  The result was a missed opportunity by at least 3 or 4 candidates to take out their competition.  Without challenges, a mediocre performance on Mitt’s part looked strong.

Last night’s debate was rather weak.  The field seemed unsure of how hard to attack and how much to preen.  The moderators offered weak questions and topics.  At times the most exciting thing about the debate was the audience.  They, at least, seemed engaged and excited.  It’s still early, but these candidates seem to need a bit more fire under them.  With Rick Perry now in the mix and Sarah Palin lurking around the edges in her tour bus that surely comes equipped with its own ‘Jaws’ theme music, it’s going to be a tighter race than ever.

Today the Democratic National Committee announced its “Extreme Aims” Mediscare mistruthfest in the lead-up to Thursday’s Republican debate in Iowa and the Ames straw poll on Saturday. Calling the the 2012 Republican presidential field “extreme” and “out-of-touch” in response to public opinion that is using those very terms to describe the President’s policies.

Iowa Caucus// James Q. Lynch (“extreme” sure is prevalent – and yes, mention of Wasserman Shultz counts as an instance of “extreme”)

This week, however, the DNC will be highlighting what it calls the GOP candidates’ “extreme aims to please the far-right, Tea Party wing of their party and they are following the extreme agenda of congressional Republicans instead of leading – all while the country’s future hangs in the balance.” To counter the attention the straw poll will give the GOP 2012 hopefuls, the DNC will have a presence on the ground in Iowa beginning on Aug. 11 – the same day as the Republican Party of Iowa/Fox News debate atIowa State University – which will include DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse andWasserman Schultz, who will arrive Aug. 12, as well as other surrogates. In addition to her state fair visit,Wasserman Schultz will participate in a round-table discussion with Iowans the morning of Aug. 12 in Des Moines. Following her visit to the fair – where it’s rumored she will eat something on a stick – Wasserman Schultz will head to Ames to meet with national and local media.

CDNNews reponse: none needed. Shultz will eat something on a stick – Conservatives everywhere are shaking.

Dems plan weeklong blitz in Iowa to counter GOP straw poll

The Hill// Michael O’Brien

The DNC launched its weeklong blitz, “Extreme Aims: Wrong for Seniors. Wrong for the Middle Class,” with a Web video characterizing the different presidential candidates as extremists who would threaten to undo popular social programs. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the chairwoman of the DNC, will take that message on the road this week in Iowa ahead of Thursday’s GOP presidential debate and Saturday’s influential straw poll in Ames. Wasserman Schultz will participate in a roundtable, along with Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa), organized by the Iowa Democratic Party on Friday. (“Rumor has it she will also eat something fried on a stick,” a DNC official said about the chairwoman’s trip to Des Moines, from where she’ll head to Ames.)

Obama to reform ‘No Child’ by skirting the law – Geithner staying despite failure to protect U.S. currency

Politico// Mike Allen

“Iowa Democratic Party to Host Series of Roundtables On Disastrous GOP Agenda In Advance of GOP Debate, Straw Poll: Participants to include Rep. Leonard Boswell, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, local elected officials … In the lead up to the Republican debate and Straw Poll inAmes, GOP candidates are touting their support for disastrous policies like the Ryan Plan or Cut, Cap & Balance which would slash Social Security and end Medicare as we know it while protecting tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires.”

CDN response: Uh… wow. The president is directly allowing educators to not follow U.S. law simply because he doesn’t agree with it. If he wants education reform, he has to ask Congress. Those are the checks and balances in our form of government, whether he likes them or not. Tim Geithner staying after his abysmal performance as Treasury Secretary is merely indicative of another failure of leadership from the White House. It’s just too much trouble to go find someone that doesn’t have their head up their butt.

2012: Extreme Aims 

NBC First Read// Staff Writers

Today, the Democratic National Committee is announcing a campaign  in the build-up to Saturday’s Ames Straw Poll. “When it comes to the GOP presidential candidates and what America will hear from them in Ames this week, they have extreme aims to please the far-right, Tea Party wing of their party and they are following the extreme agenda of Congressional Republicans instead of leading,” the DNC says in an email. “All this while our country’s future hangs in the balance.” The New Hampshire Democratic Party gets into the act, too. “Whether it is the candidates’ Duck, Dodge, Dismantle proposal, the GOP budget that ends Medicare as we know it or their insistence on keeping tax cuts for corporate jet owners while shifting the burden to working families and seniors, Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman and Tim Pawlenty are representing an agenda that is far outside the mainstream,” NH Dem Party Chairman Ray Buckley plans to say in a memo to reporters. “Most egregiously, almost without exception the GOP presidential candidates would have allowed America to default on its obligations and send our economy into calamity rather than upset their Tea Party base.”

CDN response: Huh, NBC isn’t unbiased afterall .. who knew?

Democrats seek to counter Republicans’ Iowa blitz –  and fail

LA Times// Michael A. Memoli

The Democratic National Committee produced a Web video saying the candidates running for the White House are, just like their counterparts in Congress, “offering no new ideas.” “Just like WashingtonRepublicans and the tea party, Republican presidential candidates want to end Medicare as we know it, slash funding for education and job creation [and] protect the wealthy, corporate CEOs and big oil,” an announcer says. Democratic surrogates, including the party chair, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz ofFlorida, will be on the ground – including a speaking slot on the “soapbox” at the Iowa State Fair.

CDNews Response: Democrats haven’t produced any ideas, new or not. Senate Democrats under Harry Reid’s leadership have failed to produce  a single budget in over 820 days, which includes the time period when Democrats held the House, Senate and the White House. For moderates .. that’s both houses of the legislative branch and the entirety of the executive branch. Where’s the budget Democrats?

Democrats launching Iowa campaign

CNN// Paul Steinhauser

From the first Republican presidential debate in two months, to the Iowa State Fair, to a crucial GOP presidential straw poll in Ames, the Hawkeye State will be firmly in the national political spotlight this week. Now, Democrats are trying to get in on some of the action. The Democratic National Committee announced Monday morning that it’s launching a campaign to define the Republican presidential candidates as extremists trying to please “the far-right Tea Party wing of their party and they are following the extreme agenda of Congressional Republicans instead of leading.” As part of the push, the DNC is putting up a Web video titled “Extreme Aims: Wrong for Seniors. Wrong for the Middle Class.” The party committee says to make its case it will put up a website that profiles the records of each GOP candidate. The DNC also promises an “innovative” Twitter campaign and events on the ground in Iowa throughout the week.

CDNews Response: Dems are aware that this is a primary.. right? One of the candidates will win. Ah never mind, if this is what the spendtastic liberals are spending their money on, the Senate could turn logical shortly.

DNC looks to organize in Iowa ahead of Ames Straw Poll event

Daily Caller// Amanda Carey

The Ames Straw Poll and debate is just days away, but Republican candidates aren’t the only ones who are gearing up for the event. The Democrat National Committee (DNC) is looking to sway the conversation in the Hawkeye State, too. On Monday, the DNC released a Web video titled, “Extreme Aims.” The goal, according to the release announcing the video, is to define the GOP candidates as ideologically extreme, out to undercut senior citizens and the middle class.

“As I have traveled across the state over the last two weeks, Iowans have voiced their frustration with President Obama and his failure to tackle our nation’s fiscal problems and create jobs,” Gov. Pawlenty said. “I’m working hard to meet as many Iowans as possible to share my record of conservative success in Minnesota. I believe Iowans are ready for a president with the courage to not just talk about solutions, but who actually has a record of results. At every stop of this tour, I will offer substantive solutions to overcome our nation’s economic hurdles.”

The “Road to Results” will be at the following:

Mason City Meet and Greet
Clarion Inn, 2101 4th Street SW (Highway 122W), Mason City, Iowa 50401
8:30 a.m. CDT

Black Hawk County GOP Women’s Lunch
Beck’s Sports Brewery, 3295 University Avenue, Waterloo, Iowa 50701
11:30 a.m. CDT

Dyersville Meet and Greet
County Junction, 913 15th Avenue SE, Dyersville, Iowa 52040
1:30 p.m. CDT

Manchester Meet and Greet
Pizza Ranch, 1100 West Main Street, Manchester, Iowa 52057
3:30 p.m. CDT

5 County Fundraiser
Clear Creek Amana High School, 311 West Marengo Road, Tiffin, Iowa 52340
7:00 p.m. CDT

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Grinnell Meet and Greet
Poweshiek County GOP HQ, 901 Main Street, Grinnell, Iowa 50112
9:30 a.m. CDT
Spirit Fest Concert
Jordan Park Camp, 2251 Fuller Road, West Des Moines, Iowa 50265
11:30 a.m. CDT

Jewell House Party
Home of Rick and Janet Young, 525 Edwards Street, Jewell, Iowa 50130
2:30 p.m. CDT

Grundy Meet and Greet
Johnny Ray’s All-American Grill, 2103 Commerce Drive, Grundy Center, Iowa 50638
4:30 p.m. CDT

Monday, August 8, 2011

Visit with Viking Magazine Employees
Viking, 715 E Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa, 50010
10:00 a.m. CDT

Johnston Meet and Greet
Rich’s Brew, 5800 Merle Hay Road, Johnston, Iowa 50131
4:00 p.m. CDT

IFFC House Party
Home of Jim and Rhonda Dilley, 2092 NW 134th Street, Clive, Iowa 50325
5:30 p.m. CDT

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Sully Meet and Greet
Coffee Cup Café, 616 4th Avenue, Sully, Iowa 50251
8:00 a.m. CDT

Boone Meet and Greet
Boone Public Library, 702 Greene Street, Boone, Iowa 50036
1:00 p.m. CDT

Chantland-MHS Visit and Tour
Chantland-MHS, 2512 Lincoln Avenue, Humboldt, Iowa 50548
3:30 p.m. CDT

Humboldt GOP Meeting
311 6th Ave. North, Humboldt, Iowa 50548
6:00 p.m. CDT

Fort Dodge Picnic
Kennedy Park – Bob Huen Shelter, 1415 Nelson Avenue (2 miles north of Fort Dodge Airport), Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501
7:00 p.m. CDT

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Adel Meet and Greet
Brick Street Books & Café, 803 Main Street, Adel, Iowa 50010
8:00 a.m. CDT

Winterset Meet and Greet
Northside Café, 61 E Jefferson Street, Winterset, Iowa 50273
10:00 a.m. CDT

Atlantic Town Hall
Family Table Restaurant, 609 West 7th Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022
12:30 p.m. CDT

Harlan Town Hall
Pizza Ranch – Harlan, 613 Court Street, Harlan, Iowa 51537
2:30 p.m. CDT

Denison Town Hall
Cronk’s Café, 812 4th Avenue South (Junction of Highways 30 & 59), Denison, Iowa 51442
4:30 p.m. CDT

Ames Rally
Zekes, 3329 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa 50014
7:00 p.m. CDT

Well, CPAC’s straw poll was an irrelevant mess. Let’s see what the CDN readers come up with. Pick up to three of the following candidates that you would prefer to see on the Republican ticket for President in the 2012 election. If you would like more information on the candidates, check out CDN’s Election 2012 page.

[poll id="15"]

Ron Paul ran in the 2008 Presidential race but was never much of a contender for the Republican nomination. To top it all off a Public Policy Poll of the top eight prospective candidates has him much closer to the bottom.

Graphic from CDN, Data from Public Policy Polling 1/21/11

While the Ronulans boisterously supported their favorite candidate at the conference, it is likely that his base was more motivated to participate in the straw poll as Sarah Palin didn’t even attend. With no truly announced candidates in the race, this poll was nothing more than a way to keep Paul’s supporters energized.

Further proof of CPAC’s poll’s worthlessness is seeing Mitt Romney (he who created socialized health care in Massachusettes) come in with a very strong second place finish (23%). Romney had managed to win the CPAC straw poll in 2007, 2008 and 2009 but still didn’t manage the 2008 Republican nomination. That’s 0 for 2 there CPAC pollsters.

Paul and Romney are the last two candidates that have a chance at the Republican nomination .. well, other than Newt Gingrich.