AMES -- Inside Romney's Push

Mitt Romney's campaign is calling his Ames straw poll effort "Take The Lead," and some of the mail that is showing up in Iowa these days suggests that the campaign is sparing no expense and really, really, wants to win this thing by a large margin.

A mailer sent to us by an Iowan this week shows that the campaign has even figured out a way to reward and incentivize supervolunteers. There are three categories.

"Bring 5: -- Iowans who sign up and bring five friends, relatives, neighbors.

"Bus Captains" -- Iowans who agree to recruit riders to hop on the buses that will appear on Saturday morning in every Iowa county.

"Sign up Iowa" -- Iowans who agree to knock on 50 doors or make 100 telephone calls.

Meet these goals, and you'll be placed on Romney's "Wall of Fame" that will be kept at the campaign's Iowa headquarters and will thus be ever present until the caucuses?

On the way to Ames, riders will be entertained on board their food-filled air conditioned coaches, and somehow, a special message from Romney will be played.

The mailer also brags about the comforts of Romney's straw poll Tent. attendees and mooching reporters can sway to the strains of The Sonny Humbucker Band, which plays rock and alternative, and The Ballyhoo Foxtrot Orchestra, which plays patriotic standards. They'll eat World Class bar-b-q from Ames's own Hickory Farms. And "the kids will love Gee Willie inflatables. The kids can play in a fun, safe, family-friendly environment."

Comments

No "ocean of safety" for the kiddies? Awwww...

Anyhow, this is just another Romney stunt to win a worthless straw poll. CPAC, anyone?

http://political-buzz.com/

Posted by matt | August 7, 2007 12:54 PM

"Worthless"? Since this poll began no candidate has went on to win the nomination who didn't attend it.

Posted by Rusty Allen Gulzow | August 7, 2007 1:21 PM

Why doesn't multiple-choice-Mitt simply pay $100 per person for their vote?? It will not make any dent into his billion dollar personal wealth. Anyways, he knows how to buy votes.

Lets see if his "mistake" of being pro-choice and then anti-choice will increase his vote tally.

Posted by FlippityFloppityMitt | August 7, 2007 2:34 PM

Any one of the candidates would wish to be where Mitt is in Iowa right now. He's not buying votes, he's buying buses, and that just goes to show how organized he is, and how much he's committed to winning, and that he's connecting in Iowa. Where's Giuliani and McCain? Where's Thompson? Why aren't they at Ames? Didn't Giuliani raise almost as much as Mitt...if you say you can buy votes...why isn't he?

Oh yeah..Mitt kicked their tales so bad, they decided to leave months ago because they knew they would lose.

Being organized, strategically managing a serious campaign, putting in the time and effort and coming out with serious results, is frankly something I like to see in a President. Those that ridicule Romney for leading in Iowa are those that simply wish their candidate were in a similar position.

Posted by MJ | August 7, 2007 2:48 PM

How do those sour grapes taste guys?

Since the object of an election is to WIN, how can WINNING anything not be seen as a positive event?

I am sure you all would just HATE it if the candidate you support WON the Ames straw poll.

Posted by GeorgiaMom | August 7, 2007 2:49 PM

It seems like your missing the point here. This is really about free advertising to the winner. Millions of dollars will be saved by the top three winners of this straw poll in advertising expenses. And it doesn't matter if they spend two million to win when you get back 50 million in free reporting. Everyone is looking for this kind of a break. If you don't like it, don't blame the candidates, blame the MSM who make such a big deal of this.

Posted by Scott | August 7, 2007 2:54 PM

All the other candidates (that can afford to) that are participating in the straw poll are buying tickets for their supporters. They are providing transportation as well (again, if they can afford it). So if Mitt is buying votes than so are the rest of the candidates. These are the rules of the game and they are all just trying to win the game.

Posted by Lisa | August 7, 2007 3:16 PM

Mitt is a "pro" at buying votes since he has zillions and no convictions. Mitt has no chance to win anything if its only based on issues. This guy could not point out a single thing that was wrong about what Brownback's audio messages. Mitt is simply an empty suite.

Posted by Kelly | August 7, 2007 4:03 PM

Why does it annoy the Romney bashers so that he is a strategic genius?

People, this man was the CEO and Savior of Bain Consulting. McKinsey, Booz Allen, Bain? These are the top strategy firms on the planet. It is about impossible to even get hired there. He ran it.

He received a simultaneous MBA/JD from Harvard and graduated Top 5% of his class. This man's IQ is off the charts.

So, after almost 7 years now of having a well-meaning bumbler at the helm, why does it annoy you so that we have a candidate who plans his work and works his plan?

He is playing to win folks, and you know what, even the liberal pundits are starting to think he just might.

Posted by Bill Mitchell | August 7, 2007 4:06 PM

An empty suit? That's hilarious. Brownback cannot compete with Mitt at any level, in any universe, political, intelectual, financial, moral, etc. Brownback has revealed himself as a desparate amateur. At least the other candidates have some level of decency and dignity (and that includes Ron Paul) The only guy in the second tier that has shown he belongs is Huckabee. He will do well and will still be a player in years to come. And he has done it without breaking the 11th commandment. Brownback has tried to drag this primary into the toilet and he will be relegated to caucus room brawls with McCain.

Posted by Howard | August 7, 2007 4:33 PM

Brownback tries to drag the GOP into the mud. WAY TO GO! For what? He cannot win, what is he doing? Who's side is he on?

I hope Mitt gets a landslide win.

Posted by Nate | August 7, 2007 4:49 PM

Listen all you anti-Romney IDIOTS! Voting is a personal thing! Yno one is held at gunpoint or threatened in any way. It’s just the voter and the booth - all to himself/herself. It really does not matter if Romney is providing transportation or other incentives. When you get into the voting booth (or whatever), then vote what your conscience tells you. In other words, if in the booth you know you’ll vote for another candidate, then keep your conscience clean by NOT riding Romney’s buses! Simple enough right? If someone votes for Romney to reward Romney’s incentives, then it’s not Romney’s fault - it’s the voter’s!

Posted by ken | August 7, 2007 5:47 PM

why do u haters have those feelings about this man. All he does is fix problems by surrounding himself with intelligent people, gather and analyze necessary data, and restructure and streamline to be efficient... Romney admits he is not a life long politician, but definitely a problem solver. Get over his religion guys, he is exactly what we need... oh yeah, Brownback is scum.

Posted by Rob | August 8, 2007 2:42 AM

Just for the record, it's Hickory Park, not 'Hickory Farms'.

Posted by David Fleck | August 11, 2007 3:22 PM