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Subscribe to RSSCOUNCIL BLUFFS, IA –- During his two-week tour of Iowa, Republican presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty made it a point to stick around and talk to voters after his speeches and town halls.
While the former Minnesota governor stayed to ask voters about the issues that are most important to them, a handful of Pawlenty campaign interns stuck around to ask Iowa voters a different question: Are you going to the Ames straw poll on Aug. 13?
And: Do you need a free ticket or a ride?
Over the past two weeks, Pawlenty has covered about 1,700 miles of Iowa, with his campaign staff estimating to have reached 1,600 voters. In each stop, he has urged voters to support him in Ames, which has traditionally been the summer indicator of which candidates will do well in the Iowa caucuses.
But despite the ground effort that is being put into getting people to next month’s straw poll, his campaign isn't specific about what results they want to see next month.
The goal for Ames is to “show big movement,” Pawlenty campaign manager Nick Ayers told NBC News after a meet and greet here this morning.
“Moving one place is not real movement,” Ayers added. “Moving three to four places is real movement.”
National polls show Pawlenty hovering towards the bottom of the pack of Republicans seeking the presidential nomination. The latest Gallup poll shows him garnering just 2% support from Republicans.
On the stump, Pawlenty has been touting his executive record and national electability against that of his GOP competitors –- including some not-so-subtle jabs at Minnesota rival Michele Bachmann.
In Carroll yesterday, Pawlenty told voters, “I think an important question for you as you consider who to vote for in the Ames straw poll and the caucuses or beyond is: Has this person actually done any of it? Because after Barack Obama, I’m sick and tired of listening to people flap their jaw.”
Regardless of what the polls show (Gallup has Bachmann with 11% support from Republicans), the Pawlenty campaign argues the miles they covered in Iowa will pay off –- both at Ames and beyond.
“Our ultimate goal here in Iowa is to win the caucus,” Ayers said.
Leave a Comment:
Sounds like we might need to light a big match ...when he's done !
LoL Great minds think alike.
My advice: Drink fiber. And that about sums up the Pawlenty campaign.
Courtesy flush please.
Tim is so full of it, it shouldn't be a problem!
People just ain't feelin' ya Guvna.
If Executive experience caused shutdowns in MN and under the current conditions the President is headed for the same type of chaos dealing with the knuckleheads in the Congress, what fresh anything exactly would you be bringing to the table when he has been the President and you have not?
Name me 1 member of the Congress who has even mentioned the name Pawlenty when not being asked a direct question about you. Exactly. To me, that equates to being 100% irrelevant.
Try metamusal, that usually works!
So does an extra helping of broccoli - just ask Mr. Me First Blll from Fairfax, VA... it worked wonders for him the other evening.... ;o)
You should of seen the 'dump' he left over on First Thoughts the next morning...
Feisty,
Have i ever told you i like your style?
*blushes*
Why, I believe you have - doesn't mean I don't appreciate a reminder now & then? ;o)
Thanks Bryan!
Me too. You make a me laugh!
Good on you guys. Girls love hearing it now and then and in between. ;-)
Thanks devie - that's why I'm #2 - I try harder... ;o)
You KNOW it! lol
You gonna stop by the DDI tonight for those Buffalo wings?
He's bound to have a big movement he's Pawlenty full of it!
Good one, devie. ;-)
Yes, thanks.
I'm bringing chipotle potato salad and chicken quesadillas.
OMG - now you're talking! ;o)
Two of my absolute favorites - YUM!
Poor T-Paw, he just provided comedians with more good material--he should have said Big Momentum. Now linked forever is Pawlenty and lots of fiber in the diet.
Nothing against straw polls but they are a big fraud and cost campaigns a sizable chunk of cash. The GOP has a straw poll every few months. Romney learned the expense isn't worth it in 2007 so he's skipping it this year; so is Huntsman. The only thing democrats do which is remotely like the multiple straw polls of the GOP is the Jefferson/Jackson dinner where every candidate gives a speech. Just think about who has won the straw polls--McCain didn't, Romney didn't. It's been Ron Paul, Sarah Palin.
P.S. I'll be glad when the Ames straw poll is over--tired of the phone calls asking me who I'll vote for, will I come, do I need a ride and I'm not a registered republican.
Hey after his campaign wagon high sides the first turn in Iowa maybe he could become a pitch man for metamusal or activa.
John, I was thinking the same thing myself. That is funny!
Please stop reporting on Pawlenty! Only 2% of republicans care and zero of the rest of us do.
Report on him when he drops out, other than that just stop!
About 50 showed up for his Monday town hall in my town--out of about 25,000 population. The paper didn't say how many went to see Bachmann the day before but the picture revealed plenty of empty seats but I don't live in TP territory.
Slip sliding away... It's all or nothing in Iowa for Michele "I wannabe President" Bachmann. i think she's angling for one of those open Fox Political Commentator jobs!
And in other news, Chris Christie is fat!
And has asthma.
And can't waddle 100 yards...
Nope, he uses a helicopter for that!
I heard he is on two diets! I guess he wasn't getting enough to eat on just one.
is Fisty Redhead actually the comedian Carrot Top? I heard it on another post didn't know Carrot Top was such a freakish liberal moron
Pathuntington: Christie = (many movements ago)
Needs a "big movement" too? Just saying..
I've been missing in action here for about a month now as a result of being "realigned" out of work. It has been like reading a bad comic book with no resolution, no end in sight, watching Republican representatives bicker over the self inflicted wound they hatched while aiming to force the failure of the black man in the white house.
I even gopt an email from my distinguished Senator from Texas to support their disfunctional approaches since Obama came into office. I responded with one sentence. "For the good of the country...compromise." I will repeat here with a perspective adjustment: "For the wellfare of the American middle class get off the talking points and on to a balanced solution.
No one gets everything they want in Washington except T people and RINOs these days. This will change in the next election but America needs logic to prevail in the 21st century sooner rather than later. Raise taxes and the age for SS & medicare eligibility and be done with this until after the 2012 election. Not to assist this president's re-election chances but for our survival as the strongest country on the face of the earth.
Bullheadedness is no substitute for character, knowing how to do the right thing and compromise. America is not as taken by talking points as T-Republican might think. We see their hypocrisy and will remember by getting out the Democratic vote in 2012 so that NO ONE can grab us by the short hairs again.
Good to see you back Missy - I was wondering where you ran off to....
Sorry to hear about the job loss - there's a lot of that going around these days! ;o(
Welcome back, Missy!
Thank for your supportive comment ladies. It is tough out there right now. It will be nothing compared to the disaster that the T-Pubs are trying to hoist upon the masses of middle class voters out there with their nasty intrangency.
I told my T-person of a sister this week that I'd have to pitch a pup tent on her lawn in Nashville if her co-horts do not relent and soon. That is, if she even has a lawn by the time they are through pitching this hissy fit. What ever happened to the uncertaqinty mantra the T-Pubs were hawking. Do they think this parody of governing they are forcing will bring certainty. I think not. No jobs are to be had until certainty is acheived they were saying just a few months ago. Now they are the proprietors of uncertainty.
Just one more instance of the 2 faces of T-pubs. AND the media let them get away with it all while questioning Obama and the Democrats every move. They need to get out of the way and let Obama and Democrats do what only they do best:Govern, Lead and Share the sacrifice to do so.
Missy,
Raise taxes and the age for SS & medicare eligibility and be done with this until after the 2012 election. Not to assist this president's re-election chances but for our survival as the strongest country on the face of the earth.
I can agree with you except for putting off any debate until after the 2012 election. They should be addressed now, and through out, and up to the 2012 election. There are so many issues that needs to be addressed, and what better time to do it. Put their cards on the table and let the voters decide in November.
Missy,
Good to read your posts again. Some time off has refreshed you?
Missy, Tx,
I sent a long letter to my congressmen to vote for a Bill that has a balanced solution increasing revenues and adding spending reforms and cuts. I asked him to compromise for the good of the country. Sent similiar emails to Sens. Hutchinson and Cornyn. As expected I got a chain letter back. Received email responses thanking me for me concern about the out of control spending in Washington in it they praised the normal folks and Tea Party that is taking our country back. They could have at least sent me a letter saying "while I disagree with you I thank you for your note". I did however find out that Hutchinson supports a balanced budget amendment. What a joke. Our representatives don't represent us.
Yellowdog - why would you agree to give more money to this out of control beast of a government that has completely confused real leadership with wonton spending of other people's money throwing it at every problem that comes up?
Especially when the spending has tripled in the last few years and we know (even they report..) that the government wastes hundreds and hundreds of billions in duplicate programs, waste and fraud?
we can do better, we deserve better as a country
dude gregor---if you voted for bush twice and come on here and said out of control sending....how was the 8 year coma....
All I have to say is, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo will be president in 2016!
Just to be clear, these posts commenting on big movements have to do with going doody poo poo plop?
Pat,
I think that goes without saying.
He would be a Great choice.
I'm sure you meant Cuomo not Pawlenty!
It's easy to have a big movement when you are full of SHIITE
pawlenty your man if you want to borrow money from down the road and put fees on everything but the kitchen sink to balance the budget thats how he balanced minnesotas budget. Part of the reason we had the recent state shutdown we were still paying the bills when he was governor. Just ask our schools about the delayed payments!!!
It's not surprising that the TEA/GOP primary candidates have offered any real fixes to the "Debt Ceiling". The radicals have taken over this GOP and there are no moderates to work with. This wasn't done in two years and it won't be fixed in two years! This is where the US is going and all the blame belongs to the TEA party led GOP and the intransigent elite saving the top 2%-ers tax deductions. Everyone should share the pain! What should have been a "Congressional Housekeeping" Debt increase has turned into a "partisan three-ring circus" directly effecting the credit rating of the federal government. The partisanship of the TEA party making threats and holding Boehner's feet to the fire has proven they are not going to compromise!
Go Tea Party! Keep fighting and don't let the - professional fat cat, bought and paid for lying, liberal idiots who regurgitate the same old tax and spend crap that continues to take our economy into the toilet - beat you down.
This is exactly what the country needed and wanted that's why we tossed out Democrats in historic numbers in Nov '10. Part 2 of 2 coming in Nov '10
Yes please do and take the GOP with you!
root for them fast if we default...it'll be open season on the meparty....
the republican don't want to fix anything they're just the foot soliders of the rich who want to keep it the same....fix if they wanted to truely fix anything they would have jumped on obama's 4.5 trillion....fix stop you're killing me kinda like the teaparty killed the market 547 this week down....thank god they're only trying to fix the economy....
his state that he managed to ruin had to close .....sure that looks good on his resume 5 billion dollars def... yes sing his praises he who knows little...i mean is this the best field you can buy rich people...
hey greo or whatever i'll sent your email to the seniors who lost their asses in 401 K's this week i'm sure most of the old teapartyer's can read their financial statement.....which means they won't be teapartyer's long....