Posted on 01/04/2008 3:01:19 PM PST by PlainOleAmerican
What We Learned From The Iowa Caucuses By John Ziegler
That where candidates stand on the issues matter far less (if at all) than how likable they are and how nice their skin looks. That all the old rules of Presidential politics no longer apply.
That strong and real opposition to illegal immigration is not as important to Republicans in Iowa as we were told.
That even some liberals really can’t stand Hillary Clinton.
That Oprah’s endorsement is more powerful to Democrats than Bill Clinton’s.
That when you are bombarded with too many political ads and candidate visits for too long a time it apparently makes you completely unable to engage your brain when it finally comes time to vote, either that or the people of Iowa are just plain dumb.
That far too many Evangelical Christians are irrational in their voting preferences.
That Mitt Romney’s religion makes him unelectable.
That Fred Thompson would have to get photographed coming out of a limo with no underwear on to get any mainstream media coverage.
That Rudy Giuliani can get 4% and still someone be perceived by the news media to be in better shape than Fred Thompson who got 14%.
That we are now somehow in a situation where we are looking to the people of South Carolina to restore some sanity to the race.
That John Edwards is still able to fool a lot of poor people into think that he cares about them and Hillary Clinton is thankful as hell that he is still in the race to split the “totally wacky” vote.
That so how the pro-amnesty, anti-tax cut, anti-free speech John McCain is now the best hope for “conservatives” to stop Mike Huckabee.
That the only real conservative in the Republican field (Fred Thompson) can only get 14% and barely finish third, and he is happy about it.
That, if you are John McCain, it is possible to finish fourth behind a guy who is thought to be on life supports (Fred Thompson) in a state where you ran before and somehow come out as the big winner.
That Fred Thompson and John McCain only outpolled Ron Paul by about three points each, and they are happy about it.
That only MSNBC would consider a panel with a former Tip O’Neil staffer moderating an Air America host, a black Washington Post reporter, a liberal Jew and a Bush-hating “Republican” to be “balanced.”
That when you give Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, Greta Van Susteren and Shepard Smith lots of time to talk, lots of incredibly stupid things will be said (we already knew that about three of those four).
That Barack Obama can give a hell of a speech without saying a damn thing.
That it is possible for a black guy named Barack Hussein Obama, who has been in the U.S. Senate for only three years and done absolutely nothing of note, to be perceived as being on the verge of being the Democratic Presidential nominee.
That it is possible for an undistinguished former Governor of Arkansas who no one had ever heard of a year, who has a liberal record on immigration, crime, taxes, and spending, who doesn’t believe in evolution, who almost sounds like Nancy Pelosi on the war, to be a Republican front-runner all because he likes Jesus and can tell a decent joke.
That is now possible, just over six years since 9/11 to have two frontrunners for the Presidency who have absolutely no experience or apparent knowledge in the area of foreign policy.
That is it possible for Mike Huckabee to call a press conference to announce that he is NOT going to run a negative ad (which had actually already had run) and then show that ad he wasn’t going to run (but did) to the press, have them literally laugh at him, and then have his support SURGE in the final days.
That our media and politics have become far more frivolous and feminized than anyone had yet to fully realize.
Could not have summed it up any better myself!
American Idle.
For what it's worth, I'm not voting for a President with the name of "Huckabee". Maybe I'm indulging in "funny name" discrimination...so be it.
Needs to be repeated.
That only MSNBC would consider a panel with a former Tip O’Neil staffer moderating an Air America host, a black Washington Post reporter, a liberal Jew and a Bush-hating “Republican” to be “balanced.”
I can't figure out which one he's excluding.
I am really alarmed at our so-called Conservatives in the media today. I used to visit HotAir.com religiously. Now "Allahpundit" has become nothing but the official anti-Thompson blogger. If I want a petulant adolescent providing commentary for me, I'll watch Keith Olberman or listen to Air America. I'm surprised Michelle Malkin has allowed her site to sink to this level. Maybe she can hire Geraldo.
They wanna be on the “winning” side. They’re not quite there yet. Remember them and remind them that they are no better than the rest of the MSM when Fred kicks thier sorry asses! Buncha CNN Wannabees anyhow.
Nailed it. Welcome to the politics of feelings. Think I will cash out now
Best summary I have seen.
I am still stunned and completely disheartened at what the Iowans just did. Why on earth do we look to Iowa and New Hampshire to vet our Republican Presidential field? Do these areas truly represent current Republican viewpoints? Has the party really diserted me to move left toward some weird socialistic, theocratic/moralistic credo? I am feeling very old lately.
LOL! Too true!
I don’t think AP really liked Fred all that much. He used to always refer to him as “Fred!” when he would post, and it was always with sarcasm. It was only recently where he would begrudgingly give Fred! props for things he did and said.
At least that is what my impression was every time I visited Hot Air. I think Bryan liked Fred, though.
I like Fred, but I think I'm going to claw my eyes out.
I couldn't believe the complete and total blackout of Fred on FOX last night. It was if he wasn't even on the board, though I could see it with my very own eyes.
At least Wolfie on CNN would say his name.
From a man who saw the folly of the impending conflict when South Carolina began the war by firing on Fort Sumter. “South Carolina is too small to be a nation and too big to be a lunatic asylum.”
No, they don't, and we shouldn't let ourselves get bent out of shape by the results. It's great that Fred came in third in IA; it will give him momentum going into the next round of primaries in states that DO have meaning in the whole scheme of things.
NH is even less representative than IA, and the powers that be there got their knickers in a twist because Fred didn't attend their debate, opting to appear on the Jay Leno show where he announced his candidacy, so they've been against him from the get-go.
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