The Iowa Caucuses - The Sausage Being Made

[JimC]

I like the wit of the thread title...

(however, I actually like watching sausages being made, as well as eating them when BBQ'd...)

[Callan]

I was wakeful last night and watched all this shit on the BBC - in between coughing.
Heavens, what a terrifying collection of asshats.

[Coito ergo sum]

Santorum and Romney are tied.

I was blindsided by Santorum. Why? WHY????!!!

I oppose him strenuously.

[Ian]

Santorum and Romney are tied.

I was blindsided by Santorum. Why? WHY????!!!

I oppose him strenuously.

No worries, his campaign will be history in a few weeks.

A little Santorum mess isn't too hard to clean up...
http://spreadingsantorum.com/
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... 20Santorum

[Coito ergo sum]

Wow, totally neck-and-neck.

The nominee will be Romney. The process stories over the next few days will discuss the reasons for Santorum's surprise surge - namely, that he's a repressive Christian jerk who spent all his time in Iowa and appealed to the evangelicals there. He's the New Huckabee. And in a couple weeks he'll be absolutely demolished in New Hampshire, where his sort of social conservatism doesn't fit at all well with the New England crowd; he might, however, stick it out as far as South Carolina. Romney should take NH in a walk (though Ron Paul may pull a surprisingly strong showing in this quirky state), and he'll have the money and organization to keep going. Perry is destined to drop out (probably no later than after NH, if not after Super Tuesday), as is Bachmann (probably within days). Huntsman - he's like the anti-Santorum, so he's ignoring Iowa and focusing on New Hampshire. But he can't last too long after that. He's only running for name recognition for 2016, IMO. Gingrich, I think, will keep fighting and get a few surprise showings here and there in other states, but he won't end up with the nomination. Ditto Ron Paul - except that he's the Wild Card. He won't get the nomination, surely knows it, but he also isn't running for Congress again. This election is his last hurrah, and he might pull a Nader and run as a 3rd party candidate.

Look out for Jon Huntsman in New Hampshire. He's been spending his whole campaign there, and if he can take New Hampshire, then he may have a chance to get in the mix.

If fucking Santorum can come out of nowhere in Iowa, then Huntsman can do the same in NH.

It's not likely, but it is possible. And, Huntsman is my favorite of the GOP lineup. Accomplished. Intelligent. Pro-science. And, ecumenical in terms of religiosity. Two adopted children, in addition to a bunch of biologicals, one from China and one from India. Successful businessman. Popular governor. Ambassador and trade representative, and diplomat, with 30 years of active experience.

He is the most qualified GOP candidate, bar none. For some reason, the media isn't interested.

[Svartalf]

Doesn't Romeney, as a Mass guy, have home turf advantage in NH?

[Coito ergo sum]

I like the wit of the thread title...

(however, I actually like watching sausages being made, as well as eating them when BBQ'd...)

Do you mean grilled? Or, do you actually barbecue sausages...?

I like the caucus system in general. It could use some modernizing. But, the idea of interested people taking time to listen to the candidates first-hand, and to discuss the issues at a caucus, and to submit votes (on paper) and in person. As it happens, it's a tad archaic, but it does have its advantages.

[Callan]

I was aghast to learn, during the small hours of this morning, that Mitt is actually his real (middle) name.
There is something profoundly disturbing about hearing a room full of eager voters all chanting "Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!" like a horde of zombies.
Though not quite as scary as the - er - mitt spewing out of his mouth...

[Ian]

Wow, totally neck-and-neck.

The nominee will be Romney. The process stories over the next few days will discuss the reasons for Santorum's surprise surge - namely, that he's a repressive Christian jerk who spent all his time in Iowa and appealed to the evangelicals there. He's the New Huckabee. And in a couple weeks he'll be absolutely demolished in New Hampshire, where his sort of social conservatism doesn't fit at all well with the New England crowd; he might, however, stick it out as far as South Carolina. Romney should take NH in a walk (though Ron Paul may pull a surprisingly strong showing in this quirky state), and he'll have the money and organization to keep going. Perry is destined to drop out (probably no later than after NH, if not after Super Tuesday), as is Bachmann (probably within days). Huntsman - he's like the anti-Santorum, so he's ignoring Iowa and focusing on New Hampshire. But he can't last too long after that. He's only running for name recognition for 2016, IMO. Gingrich, I think, will keep fighting and get a few surprise showings here and there in other states, but he won't end up with the nomination. Ditto Ron Paul - except that he's the Wild Card. He won't get the nomination, surely knows it, but he also isn't running for Congress again. This election is his last hurrah, and he might pull a Nader and run as a 3rd party candidate.

Look out for Jon Huntsman in New Hampshire. He's been spending his whole campaign there, and if he can take New Hampshire, then he may have a chance to get in the mix.

If fucking Santorum can come out of nowhere in Iowa, then Huntsman can do the same in NH.

It's not likely, but it is possible. And, Huntsman is my favorite of the GOP lineup. Accomplished. Intelligent. Pro-science. And, ecumenical in terms of religiosity. Two adopted children, in addition to a bunch of biologicals, one from China and one from India. Successful businessman. Popular governor. Ambassador and trade representative, and diplomat, with 30 years of active experience.

He is the most qualified GOP candidate, bar none. For some reason, the media isn't interested.

The media isn't interested firstly because GOP primary voters aren't interested. As a result, he gets little continual media exposure. He'll get some more after New Hampshire, assuming he comes in the top three (and that's a big if), but he won't survive places like South Carolina and Florida (too expensive to campaign there, even if it's not quite as conservative as other states).

Look for Huntsman in 2016.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I was aghast to learn, during the small hours of this morning, that Mitt is actually his real (middle) name.
There is something profoundly disturbing about hearing a room full of eager voters all chanting "Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!" like a horde of zombies.
Though not quite as scary as the - er - mitt spewing out of his mouth...

[Coito ergo sum]

Doesn't Romeney, as a Mass guy, have home turf advantage in NH?

I don't know. NH is sort of its own animal. It's State motto is "Live Free, Or Die." It has a cultural tradition of self-sufficiency. They are less religious than Americans at-large, and are less likely than other Americans to attend weekly services and only 54% say that they are "absolutely certain there is a God" compared to 71% in the rest of the nation. Thirty-six percent said religion is very important to them (56% nationally). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hampshire#Demographics

[Coito ergo sum]

I was aghast to learn, during the small hours of this morning, that Mitt is actually his real (middle) name.
There is something profoundly disturbing about hearing a room full of eager voters all chanting "Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!" like a horde of zombies.
Though not quite as scary as the - er - mitt spewing out of his mouth...

What's wrong with them chanting his name? Don't supporters do that at rallies all over?

What was it that he was saying that you felt was "mitt" specifically? Any prime examples?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I was aghast to learn, during the small hours of this morning, that Mitt is actually his real (middle) name.
There is something profoundly disturbing about hearing a room full of eager voters all chanting "Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!" like a horde of zombies.
Though not quite as scary as the - er - mitt spewing out of his mouth...

What's wrong with them chanting his name? Don't supporters do that at rallies all over?

What was it that he was saying that you felt was "mitt" specifically? Any prime examples?

And you have to admit, that name fits him like a glove.

[Coito ergo sum]

I was aghast to learn, during the small hours of this morning, that Mitt is actually his real (middle) name.
There is something profoundly disturbing about hearing a room full of eager voters all chanting "Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!" like a horde of zombies.
Though not quite as scary as the - er - mitt spewing out of his mouth...

What's wrong with them chanting his name? Don't supporters do that at rallies all over?

What was it that he was saying that you felt was "mitt" specifically? Any prime examples?

And you have to admit, that name fits him like a glove.

I think you're just smitten...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I was aghast to learn, during the small hours of this morning, that Mitt is actually his real (middle) name.
There is something profoundly disturbing about hearing a room full of eager voters all chanting "Mitt! Mitt! Mitt!" like a horde of zombies.
Though not quite as scary as the - er - mitt spewing out of his mouth...

What's wrong with them chanting his name? Don't supporters do that at rallies all over?

What was it that he was saying that you felt was "mitt" specifically? Any prime examples?

And you have to admit, that name fits him like a glove.

I think you're just smitten...

Balls.