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Alex Moe/NBC News
Newt Gingrich headquarters in Urbandale, Iowa.
DES MOINES, Iowa -- It may be nearly Christmas Eve, but its also just 11 days before the Iowa caucuses - an event that may make or break a candidacy for some of the Republican candidates seeking their party’s nomination.
So what are their campaigns doing while many other Americans are preparing for the holidays? Working.
At the campaign headquarters of each campaign in the Hawkeye State on Friday, it was hard to tell Christmas was just two days away. It wasn’t just the worker bees laboring away trying to reach caucus goers, the big bosses of the state operations were present as well.
The only candidate in the state on Friday was Michele Bachmann, who wrapped up the first leg of her 99-county bus tour. Her campaign headquarters in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale was still bustling with workers miles from where the bus tour was taking place.
Eight paid staffers including Bachmann’s Iowa campaign manager, Eric Woolson, were inside the office space making calls to their county chairs and finalizing her upcoming Iowa schedule.
“You have a very finite deadline and there are only so many hours left,” Woolson told NBC News about working this close to the holidays. “We are really at the point where every minute counts. We want to respect folks around the holidays - but we also want to make sure we get our ducks in a row.”
Ron Paul’s headquarters in Ankeny – just outside of Des Moines – also seemed to be utilizing every last minute until the Jan. 3rd caucuses. They had at least 10 workers doing “typical campaign stuff” according to the man who opened the door but was not allowed to speak with or let media inside. The Paul office had a wreath on the door, a Christmas tree near by and a menorah sitting in the window.
The Newt Gingrich campaign was not only busy working at the headquarters in Urbandale where 8 staffers were seen on conference calls and working on computers, but the campaign also opened it’s 4th office in the state today – out in Blackhawk County.
“We’re 11 days from caucus - it’s all hands on deck. The country runs 365 days a year,” Gingrich Iowa staffer, April Linder, told NBC News. “We’re not taking anything for granted - were going to work to get every voter out for Newt.”
It was Rick Santorum’s office that appeared to have the most hands-on work going on mid-day Friday. A large Christmas tree with cards to the staff and the former Pennsylvania Senator greeted people as they entered the office just a couple buildings over from the Gingrich campaign. Nine people were at work making phone calls to Iowans and putting together mail packets for caucus precinct captains in various rooms inside. Another handful of volunteers was expected at the office in the early afternoon to help, as well.
Alex Moe/NBC News
Workers at the Rick Santorum headquarters in Urbandale, Iowa.
Mitt Romney’s Iowa team in downtown Des Moines was also typing away at computers into the later hours of the afternoon Friday. Seven people could be seen inside the former Blockbuster video that now serves as the campaign’s headquarters.
Rick Perry’s headquarters in West Des Moines only had two people (plus one who was out at lunch) inside working as large tables with letters and envelopes to be stuffed sat empty.
Romney and Gingrich held events today in the other early states of New Hampshire and South Carolina. Both return to Iowa next week for bus tours across the state, along with Perry and Bachmann.
Leave a Comment:
Ah, nothing says "Merry Christmas" like politics.
Merry Christmas, Charlie.
How's that?
And a very merry Christmas to you too Anna.
Not to be bitchy or anything Alex, however, with everything else going on like;
The Justice Department blocking the SC voter ID law...
Ron Paul's racist comments from 20 years ago and biting him in his old wrinkly butt...
Fox pundits calling OUR President a skinny ghetto crackhead...
You post a thread about 99.9% EMPTY offices and call them 'humming'?
Huh?
In any event, I'm wishing you Happy Holidays and appreciate your contributions! ;o)
Feisty, another big story today was the Paul Krugman article where he calls Romney's campaign fraudulent. Which it is. This Williard guy is getting away with one lie after another and hardly anyone is calling him on it. He literally is making stuff up about President Obama as he goes along.
I went out for a Christmas lunch today and one of the people there was a man who raises money for politicians here in MA. He was telling us about a meeting that took place many years ago with Romney and some fundraisers when he was running for Governor. And he said that when the meeting was over and Romney left, the fundraisers went out for a few drinks and that they had all come to the same conclusion after speaking with Romney.
There was nothing behind Romney's eyes. He was a blank slate. There was nothing there.
Nothing.
Those kids working for Santorum better not be gay!
Huffington Post: South Carolina ACLU executive director Victoria Middleton applauded the Justice Department's decision, saying the "misguided" law represented "a dramatic setback to voting rights in our state and we are pleased to see it stopped in its tracks."
In keeping in line with the 2012 election theme, today's big news is that the Justice Department blocked South Carolina's Voter ID Legislation.
To be clear here, it's highly unlikely President Obama will win SC. So this wasn't about his candidacy. What this was about was our democracy and these damn Republican legislators who are on a defeat democracy spending spree all across our nation. I saw over the last few months a few cable hosts railing against these ID laws. I also saw thousands of Americans marching against these ID laws. In other words, voter suppression to stop voter fraud. That doesn't exist.
Juan Williams:
It was Thurgood Marshall who ended legal segregation in the United States. He won Supreme Court victories breaking the color line in housing, transportation and voting, all of which overturned the 'Separate-but-Equal' apartheid of American life in the first half of the century. It was Marshall who won the most important legal case of the century, Brown v. Board of Education, ending the legal separation of black and white children in public schools. The success of the Brown case sparked the 1960s civil rights movement, led to the increased number of black high school and college graduates and the incredible rise of the black middle-class in both numbers and political power in the second half of the century.
*****************************
If the GOP want to dismantle voting rights by crying voter fraud, then they have a fight on their hands. Too many fought and died for this right. People in this country are not going to ignore this issue. Not now in 2011/2012. Not ever.
“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” Thurgood Marshall
Pat,
Politics aside, I want to take a moment to wish you & your grandaughters as well as the rest of your family a Very MERRY Christmas!
Love & Joy to you my friend! ♥
Hello Feisty, my best internet friend. From Boston Massachusetts I send my very best wishes to you and your family this Holiday Season.
United We Will Stand in 2012 for our President. And hopefully we will Beat The House.
We will see you in Chicago on St. Paddy's day my dear friend & inspiration!
I Love you GF!
I leave these comments and the screen goes dark and that seems to be the end of it? Does Nicki Haley even realize that in the South Carolina of the infamous past she would have had to probably pass a literacy or government test or pay a poll tax? Certainly never would have been elected to high office. Is she so self-deluded that she doesn't realize she and her party have been seen thru? At least Eric Holder seems to have awakened from his nap and noticed what we have been loudly pointing out for a couple of years. BTW--can anyone confirm or (the opposit of confirm) if the Republican candidate for governor of Washington state, Rob McKenna is a member of ALEC?
What is all this stuff about using phony names to say hurtful things? Either use your own names, and drop the "Feisty" stuff, or we don't want to read your comments.
Ohhhh Look Gordo , is giving orders . LOL
Fiesty i liked your avatar so much , I stole it . Hope you don't mind terribly .