[codercpc]

To tell you the truth, when Tommy was the Gov here, most of his public appearances that I saw him at were more one on one. He is truly on of the most “down home” mid west guys you ever want to meet. I remember a few appearances where he was drunker than a skunk, but he was always so loveable that nobody seemed to mind. We also went from a welfare state to becoming the nations leading welfare to work state. And he was behind that. Since he went “national” he has changed. He is stiff, and funny looking, but for the small town Wisconsin he fit right in.

[George W. Bush]

Drudge is running a Obama "from Jane Fonda to Dr. Strangelove" headline. There's a direct link to the ABC poll there too for voting on who won this ABC Iowa debate (poll link is right above the rocket launch pic). Spam away!

Currently:

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Now that the debate's over, it's time to consider the winners and losers.

Who do you think won the Republican debate?

Ron Paul

6,407

Mitt Romney

1,154

Mike Huckabee

1,039

Rudy Giuliani

919

Nobody won. I'm voting Democratic.

678

Nobody. I'm waiting for Fred Thompson or Newt Gingrich to enter the race.

524

Tom Tancredo

274

John McCain

226

Duncan Hunter

110

Tommy Thompson

67

Sam Brownback

64

Total Vote: 11,462

Not a scientific survey.

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[George W. Bush]

when Tommy was the Gov here, ... I remember a few appearances where he was drunker than a skunk, but he was always so loveable that nobody seemed to mind.

Your post reminded me of a bit of humor from the Ames Tribune. Notice Tommy gets mentioned at the end:

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DES MOINES - The Iowa Republican Party's straw poll in Ames is just days away. You can already feel the electricity.

The straw poll will be a pivotal test in the race for the GOP nomination, according to a high-ranking Republican who took time out from raking cash into piles. There will be high drama and patriotic pageantry.

Skeptical? Just feast your eyes on this (fake) schedule of straw poll events.

9 a.m. - Flat Tax Flapjacks Feed, sponsored by the American Federation of Tax Flatteners. Church-basement-strength coffee provided by Concerned Americans for Caffeine-free Worship.

9:30 a.m. - Ceremonial inflation of a five-stories-tall Mitt Romney colossus.       Location: Just west of Hilton Coliseum.

10 a.m. - Straw poll voting begins.

10: 15 a.m. - Ann Coulter's "Cooking with Liberals" class. CANCELED.

10:30 a.m. - "Up with Moderates" rally. Location: Public phone booth on the west side of Hilton Coliseum.

10:45 a.m. - "A Convenient Truth - The Myth of Climate Change" rally. Location: Future site of Iowa State University's banana plantation on Elwood Drive.

11 a.m. - "Freedom to be Fashionable" An American Flag Necktie Fashion Show. Location: Scheman Building.

11 a.m. - "Impeach Hillary" rally at Jack Trice Stadium. Hey, it's never too early to get started, just in case.

11 a.m. - Fox News Truth Booth opens. First 1,000 visitors can register for a dream date with Brit Hume.

11:05 a.m. - Unveiling of the new and improved Wall Street Journal. Meet Candy Cassady, the Journal's new Page 3 Patriot Girl, live and in person.

11:10 a.m. Workshops.

      "How to defeat a Clinton" - former House speaker Newt Gingrich. Location: American Solutions Tent.

      "Openness in American Democracy" - Vice President Dick Cheney. Location: None of your bee's wax. CANCELED

11:30 a.m. - The Rapture occurs.

11:35 a.m. - Sam Brownback drops out of the presidential race.

11:40 a.m. - Rudy Giuliani reconsiders and arrives at the straw poll.

11:45 a.m. - Fred Thompson skydives into the straw poll with the world famous flying Elvises. Location: Hilton parking lot C3.

11:55 a.m. - John McCain campaign jet flyover.

Noon - Program begins, Hilton Coliseum.

12:45 p.m. - Candidate speeches:

      Mitt Romney - "Fake Left, Run Right and Cross the Goal Line to Victory."

      Tom Tancredo - "Good, Heavily Armed, Very High, Razor-Wired, Fully Electrified Fences Make Good Neighbors."

      John Cox - "A Good Time to Head for the Concession Stand."

      Ron Paul - "Hey, Don't You Dare Groan When I'm Talking to You."

      Mike Huckabee - "I'm Reasonable, Articulate, Conservative, Smart and This is Probably My Last Speech as a Candidate."

      Duncan Hunter - "Geez, Quit Checking Your Watches."

      Tommy Thompson - "I've Been to All 99 Counties, I Ate 127 Tenderloins, and I Know How to Pronounce Nevada. You Owe Me."

6 p.m. - Voting Ends.

7 p.m. - Results are announced.

7:15 p.m. - Ron Paul Victory Party.

7:20 p.m. - Romney colossus deflation.

8 p.m. - Tommy Thompson spends the last remaining dollars in his campaign's war chest buying the house a round at Whiskey River in downtown Ames.

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All in good fun folks, it's a college town paper. I like the 7:15pm Ron Paul Victory Party but without any mention of who actually won it. LOL. RP supporters are a lively crowd all right.

There will be one or two surprises in Ames, I think. And some of the candidates will drop out or, more often, just "suspend" their campaigns.