My main takeaway from this story about Mitt Romney’s ridiculous spending on the Ames, Iowa straw poll is that he kind of screwed himself. If Romney wins, as is likely, that’s going to be expected - he’s spent the most, organized the most, and none of the other serious contenders are competing there with him. But if he loses, or it’s close, doesn’t he look really stupid and weak? This is, I think, why Mitt Romney has to keep shoveling so much of his own vast personal wealth into his campaign - he’s not very smart about managing money. He’s spent millions on ads, and has been unable to move the needle nationally, while in some polls he’s been left as an also-ran by Hollywood actor Fred Thompson’s not-yet real campaign.
Mitt Romney’s spent a buttload of cash on a non binding poll that doesn’t seem to have any upside potential for his campaign, but he’s the guy we’re supposed to trust on fiscal sanity (when he’s not flip flopping)? Ooooookay.
I read an analyst who said he might need to win by 20 points just to be considered a victory and anything less than 10 points would be nearly fatal to his campaign.
God I hope he wins big.
Well, I think Romney is smarter than you think. Let’s see what happens
I’ve been attending the Iowa Caucus since 1980 & will attest to the importance of winning the Iowa Straw Poll. You can spin it anyway you like but in 1999 it gave GWB a nice boost.
Romney knows that after months of national single-digit polling and millions spent by the GOP and by donors, this is probably his only and last chance to make it to a candidacy.
I hope he does win, and continues to split the GOP’s efforts and denies them the chance to unite behind one candidate, as they must, to have any chance at all.
I also think he is spending way to much money and the other top tier Republicans are also trying to make him look dumb by doing so. But did you check out the blog Iowa Values Not For Sale mentioned in the story? They have a great YouTube video on Romney that I’ve also shared on my blog Blue NoVA
He spent a buttload of cash to be Governor of MA.
…during which time teh gay’s started getting married and employer funded health insurance was mandated by the state.
I think he may just be Trojan rather than Mormon.
Fiscal responibility? Never heard of it.
Romney leads in Iowa. McCain and Giuliani have all but given Iowa up, but this was before Romney started investing a lot of money in Ames.
Romney doesn’t actually need to win by a lot, but he does need to win to lock up Iowa. Even if he loses to Tommy Thompson, Paul, or Huckabee(the three most likely to topple him in Ames), he’s still the frontrunner in Iowa, he just will have to work harder(and will also have introduced a new candidate to the top tier).
Now if McCain or Giuliani win Ames or come close despite putting no effort into it, that would be fatal to Romney.
I totally agree, Mitt’s not very smart at managing his money… wait a sec if he’s such an idiot when it comes to money, how did he manage to make a “Butt Load” of money in the first place? oh thats right , he was top of his class at Harvard Law and Business, and has made his fortune by managing other peoples money for 20 years… Attacking Romney on his understanding of money is probably the most ignorant thing I’ve ever heard you say. And thats saying a lot.
Even a moron can make money by buying up companies and firing good American workers then flipping the companies like Romney did.
Hey! Who let the MittBots out?
I think Romney is smarter than you think.
He’d just about have to be.
I don’t know Oliver Willis - who is this guy anyway? - but I must say his article above smacks strongly of shoody journalism (if he is a journalist) and lots of personal biases - most revealing are his phrases “rdiculous spending on the Ames Straw Poll”, and “non-binding poll” reflects his lack of political understanding and significance of the straw poll - and also his lack of understanding of the strategy that Romney’s campaign is embarking on.
I have a new theory for the Straw Poll. Romney only really wins in Iowa if it leads to a significant bounce in the national polls.
“reflects his lack of political understanding and significance of the straw poll”
When was the last time the Iowa straw poll was taken without two of the three leaders in the national polls even bothering to show up?
It might have been significant in years past, but this year is very, very different.
None of the non-Romney candidates in Iowa today were serious? What were they shaking hands with prank palm buzzers and squirting people in the eye with water from a plastic flower on the lapels?