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BILL CLINTON thought he had it tough when he ran for president in 1992, but
his wife is facing an even more brutal race, according to Terry McAuliffe,
Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman: “Bill Clinton said to me, ‘Terry, I
have never in my life seen such an attack on one candidate and that’s saying
something’.
“It has been relentless. He didn’t have to face attacks from his own party.
She has had them from day one. But I’m not complaining. She has taken on the
Republicans and beaten them. She’s so resilient. She has the attitude, ‘It
is what it is’, and just marches on.”
McAuliffe, the Democratic party’s great showman and preeminent “friend of
Bill”, was rolling through snowbound eastern Iowa at the head of “Hill’s
Angels”, a group of supporters making a last push for Hillary Clinton to win
the Iowa caucus on Thursday. It represents the first potentially
make-or-break test of a candidate’s electoral strength.
“This is showtime!” McAuliffe told 361 campaign workers all over the state by
conference call. “It’s game day. This is what it is all about. I tell you, I
love Iowa!” They cheered.
He grinned, “It’s all retail politics. Person to person. Door to door.” At a
stopover in Dubuque he hailed a middle-aged female precinct captain, tasked
with ensuring that supporters turn up to vote on caucus night, and said:
“Give me a hug – you’re going to make it happen!”
Later he gave instructions for Clinton to be photographed with a nine-year-old
boy who had “a crush” on her, at a rally the next day. It would please the
boy’s mother, who had some friends in high places in Iowa. If McAuliffe
could canvass every voter in the state, he would.
The 2008 battle for the Democratic and Republican nominations has been more
gruelling than anybody can remember. The money raised has been phenomenal –
Hillary Clinton alone has a war chest of $120m. The crowds have never been
greater – 30,000 people turned up at a football stadium this month to see
Oprah Winfrey, the televi-sion star, campaign for Barack Obama. And the
stakes have rarely been higher.
After a year of nonstop campaigning and fundraising, the people of Iowa will
set the path of the presidential election - yet only 300,000 are expected to
participate in the caucuses. It is peculiar, to say the least, even for
Americans. Nevertheless the US elections are the greatest political show on
earth. Ultimately, the rest of the world will have to live with the result.
For the first time in more than half a century, no sitting president or
vice-president is running. With no obvious heir to George W Bush, the race
for the Republican nomination is wide open, while the Democrats have the
chance to elect either the first woman president or the first
African-American president in US history.
Few contests are more exciting than the one between Obama and Clinton, once
billed as the “magic v the machine”. For all his brilliance, Obama has shown
perhaps a little less magic and rather more muscle than people had expected,
while Clinton’s formidable machine has not always hummed along as smoothly
as predicted when under pressure.
If Clinton wins the Iowa caucus, she should glide with ease to the Democratic
presidential nomination. But if she loses to Obama, she faces the political
fight of her life. Victory in predominantly white, rural Iowa for an
African-American political newcomer brought up in Hawaii could change the
game plan.
On the Republican side, the frontrunners have formed a circular firing squad
in a self-destructive frenzy. Can Mike Huckabee, the populist former pastor
from Arkansas, destroy the telegenic but flip-flopping Mormon Mitt Romney,
the former governor of Massachusetts?
Will a resurgent Senator John McCain, 71, written off last summer as too old
and too broke to go the distance, have the last laugh against “lazy” Fred
Thompson, the Hollywood actor and former senator, and Rudy Giuliani, the
tough but secular former mayor of New York?
Somebody is going to have to win and Iowa could give the victors the “big mo”
to wrap up the nomination on Super Tuesday, February 5, when voters in 23
states will have their say.
Even Iowans are baffled by their preeminence. “We’re fortunate. We almost get
to name the next president. It’s kinda weird,” said Lon Diers, a retired
businessman, who braved the frost last week to attend one of Clinton’s
rallies. What is more, Iowans are milking it. They are in no hurry to make
up their minds. Diers is for Clinton but his wife Rosalyn, a former factory
worker, said that she was still undecided.
“I’m afraid that if Hillary Clinton becomes president, she’ll pay the
Republicans back for the times they were so horrible to her husband. We need
someone who can work with both parties,” she said. But she is not sure that
Obama has what it takes either: “I’m not ready for him. He’s too young and
green to be president.” ABOUT 30% of Iowans are still on the fence,
according to McAuliffe’s calculations. There is no secret ballot and
caucus-goers can be persuaded to change their vote right up to the last
minute: “You walk into the room on caucus night and there’s going to be a
group dynamic at work. Until we get those results, we’re all going to be
nervous, like cats on a roof. It’s very tight between the three of us, very
tight.”
The third candidate is John Edwards, who is showing signs of building strength
in Iowa after coming a close second there in 2004 to John Kerry, the
eventual Democrat nominee. If Clinton fails to win this week, the next best
result for her team would be a victory for Edwards, as he lacks the
organisation and resources to compete in other states.
The cash-rich Obama, on the other hand, presents a serious threat to Clinton
in New Hamp-shire and South Carolina, two early voting states where the race
is still tightening.
“I’ve said on day one, there was always going to be an alternative candidate
to Hillary Clinton,” McAuliffe said at a diner in Dubuque. “If it hadn’t
been Obama, it would have been someone else. I knew someone would capture
the internet vote and the young, antiwar vote, as Howard Dean had done.”
Dean lost in Iowa in 2004 with the “Dean Scream”, when his young voters failed
to turn up for the caucus in sufficient numbers and put off more people with
their punk hair and earrings than they attracted. But Obama is running a
more collected campaign with a professional polish that has impressed
veteran Democrats. “He’s going to have a brilliant future in the party . . .
Just not yet,” McAuliffe said.
Although Clinton maintains a double-digit lead in national polls, Iowa is
presenting her with a serious challenge. “This is not a state that we’ve
been in for years. Her husband didn’t campaign here in 1992. People forget
that,” McAuliffe said.
“I’ve always said nobody is going to give it to her. She’s going to have to
earn it. I just didn’t think she was going to have to work this hard,” he
laughed.
Weather permitting, Clinton has been travelling all over Iowa by coach and
“Hill-icopter”, addressing several rallies a day with her daughter Chelsea
at her side. Campaigning is a family affair. Bill Clinton is holding just as
many rallies as his wife in this final stretch, prompting some pundits to
wonder if he is more of a hindrance than a help to her.
“It is not even a close call,” McAuliffe said. “She’s got huge crowds. He’s
got huge crowds. We’re covering double the places. How can you argue with
that?”
One of Clinton’s chief organisers in Iowa told him: “Terry, if you can get
Bill Clinton every day of the week, I’ll take him.”
McAuliffe is convinced that Hillary Clinton has the breadth and depth of
support to survive if she suffers a shock early defeat. “Obviously Iowa is
very important and we’re very competitive here, but for us, there isn’t a
state that she has to win. That just doesn’t apply to Hillary Clinton.”
She holds strong leads in the vast majority of them and, if she can survive
any initial loss of momentum, she will be hard to beat. And there are signs
that her campaign is stabilising after hitting a rough patch last month.
When Clinton’s poll ratings began to tumble, Mark Penn, her pollster and chief
adviser, held an early-morning meeting to hammer home her strategy. Don’t
abandon the message “strength and experience”, he cautioned. Remember
Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady, he said.
Added to the mix was “the Hillary I know” – testimony from friends and
supporters who claim she is kinder, gentler and more likeable than her
“chilly Hilly” image. Thatcher did not bother with such niceties, but
McAuliffe believes that Americans want their presidents to pass the “beer”
test.
“There is no question that the core message is strength and experience, but
people have got to like you,” he said.
At a crowded rally last week in Carroll, western Iowa, Clinton was firmly on
message. She was introduced by an apple farmer from upstate New York who
spoke glowingly of the warmth of the Hillary he knew towards rural folk like
him, but in her stump speech she adopted a statesmanlike persona.
“It is time to pick a president,” she said. “There will be a stack of problems
waiting in the Oval Office. A war to end in Iraq. A war to address in
Afghanistan . . . and these are the problems we know about. Some will come
out of nowhere.” Her supporters are drilled to say she is ready to lead on
“day one”.
It has been frustrating for Obama to be portrayed as inexperienced, when
Hillary Clinton, as he once tartly observed, did not serve in her husband’s
cabinet. But that is how he has been defined and it is difficult to shake.
Addressing an equally packed hall in Des Moines, the capital of Iowa, last
week, Obama said: “Some of my opponents appear scornful of the word ‘hope’
and think it summons up naivety or weakness, but I know it has been the
guiding force behind the most improbable changes this country has ever made.”
There are signs that support for Obama is levelling off after his recent surge
in the polls. Perhaps the sly references by Clinton supporters to his drug
use in his youth and his Muslim heritage have had an impact, but so too has
the frequent implication that he is “too green” rather than “too black”.
Dan Alexander, a university maths lecturer and Obama supporter, admitted: “His
support appears to have reached a plateau. I’m just going to walk and talk
to people and knock on doors and hopefully give some people enough push to
turn up on caucus night. My guess is there was a lot of excitement in
November, when support for him started to build, but there’s been a bit of
buyer’s remorse. Some people think Obama is too nice, too conciliatory.
Hillary Clinton has the Margaret Thatcher toughness.”
OBAMA can make a convincing case that he offers the greatest appeal to
Republicans and independents. Introducing him at last week’s rally was Tony
McPeak, a retired four-star air force general who described himself as a
“recovering Republican”. In a dig at Clinton, the general said: “He [Obama]
didn’t come first and show you what a tough guy he is and then come a month
later and show you how warm and fuzzy he is.”
Obama claimed: “We can change the electoral map. That’s what the polls show I
do best. We’re attracting more Republicans and independents than any other
candidate in the race.”
McAuliffe believes the Republicans are being soft on Obama because they are
scared of Clinton: “Didn’t Karl Rove [former White House adviser to
President Bush] write a memo to Barack Obama on how to beat Hillary? What on
earth was that all about?
“Republicans are terrified of Clinton as the nominee. We’re already ahead in
11 [Republican] states, and all we’ve got to do is win Ohio. We haven’t even
begun to spend the hundreds of millions of dollars we’ll have to get her
positive message out. What more are they going to say about this woman?
We’ve heard it all before and we’re still beating them.” By the time the
Republicans have finished firing at each other, many of their candidates are
going to be seriously wounded. The exception could be McCain, the Arizona
senator and former Vietnamese prisoner of war, whose implosion over the
summer led his overconfident, better-financed rivals to patronise him as a
great American hero. They built him back up, when they might still have been
knocking him down.
McCain’s support for the troop surge in Iraq looks shrewder today than it did
six months ago, but his liberal views on immigration – one of the hottest
issues for Republican activists – may still scupper his campaign.
Giuliani has been in a tailspin over ethical issues, including the use of the
New York police to protect his mistress (possibly a necessary task, but not
one to be looked on kindly by voters). Huckabee is under attack from the
Republican establishment and red-meat conservative chat-show hosts for being
a tax-and-spend liberal in conservative guise. He also has a reputation as a
foreign policy ignoramus. In a malapropism last week, he “apologised” to
Pakistan for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister.
Romney has been obliged to explain how he “saw” his father march in a suburb
of Detroit with Martin Luther King, the revered civil rights leader, when
the two men were never there together, and the slow-footed Thompson, after
squandering his early promise, may come to miss his old television acting
job on Law & Order.
Against such a weakened field, the Democrats naturally fancy their chances.
But one word has been banned from Clinton’s lexicon. She is no longer being
touted as the “inevitable” Democrat nominee nor the “inevitable” next
president.
“I don’t know who said she was ‘inevitable’, but I cringed when I heard it,”
McAuliffe said. “You’ve got to prove you are strong, but there is no such
thing as inevitability in a presidential race. Whoever said it doesn’t know
our party. They’re going to put you through the wringer.”
Penn has attracted the most criticism for running an overcautious poll-driven
campaign. “When we win, Mark will be a genius,” said McAuliffe, “and, if we
were ever to lose, someone will get the blame. If Hillary wins it will be
primarily because of her and after her, because of her husband. If you lose,
Jeez, it will be: I was never in that meeting– Hillary who? It’s the nature
of the beast.”
It is not going to happen if McAuliffe can help it. “Smile!” he said to
campaign workers in Dubuque. “How’s everybody feeling? Are you pumped up?
We’re winning!”
Jim in Greenville So Carolina,
You're full of crap. Truly only an ignorant person would blame Clinton for dividing this country after what we've witnessed, the incompetence, the enomorous corruption in the last 7 yrs. I suppose you cheered Ken Starr on when he spent $80 million of your tax dollars on investigating a blow job. You are that type. On the other hand, i'd guess you don't earn much or pay much in taxes to have paid for that outrageous investigation.
There is NO candidate that has gone thru hell, been more scrutinized in 15 yrs than Hillary Clinton who has worked for families since she was practically out of high school. There is NO other candidate that has had 7 books written on them this year alone to try and destroy her.. 7 books! and what did they find? oh yeh, she's driven! Shame on America for being so hateful and ignorant. Hillary Clinton has my support 100%, along with my husband, his closest friends, and pretty much everyone I know.
BJ L, Henderson , Nevada
Hopefully no unbiased questions pop up for her thighness. Ugly is worse when bewildered and befuddled.
anne, buckfield, USA, Me
Both Clintons did more to divide our country (the U.S.) than any leaders ever have. I, for one, do not want any more of the Bush/Clinton/Bush leadership. I am a Republican and, after watching debates and reading countless articles in newspapers and on the internet, I believe that McCain or Thompson would be best BUT I would also consider voting for Obama. Just, please, no more Clintons!!! Also, Michelle Obama seems to be a terrific person and is certainly a VERY talented and articulate speaker! She would also be a real asset.
E. A. Keenan, Lake Stevens, USA /WA
Hillary Clinton is the LAST thing America need now. Hillary is a Loser!!!
Jim, Greenville, South Carolina
THE POLLS ONTHE FIRST DAY OF 2008.
OBAMA HAS WHAT IT TAKES AND THE BUSH CLINTON DINNERS AND MORE WORRY MANY ABOUT little or NO CHANGE WITH GOP- LITE AND THE DLC. hillary owes too many and has too many ties to the " bad guys."
Edwards is doing as well has Hillary.
And more women, who would love to see a woman in the whitehouse, are running away from this one...
A few minutes ago, the Des Moines Register released its final poll of Iowa Democrats ahead of Thursday's caucuses.
The headline: 'Obama widens lead over Clinton.'
Here are the numbers:
Barack Obama 32%
Hillary Clinton 25%
John Edwards 24%
macdoodle, Berkeley, ca
Huckleberry is just as phoney as Edwards, the negative ad I won't show, here it is, is a stunt even Edwards wouldn't pull. I am on the Huckleberry mailing list and GUESS what showed up in my Inbox yesterday. come on. That's right. The negative ad he isn't going to show. Well, I guess he didn't show it, I had to click on the link myself.......
pon kee bai, Dallas, TX
anyone voting for other than the top three candidates is hurting the election. this is important folks - vote for who we know will be the republican candidate and can win the general election. don't take votes away from them.
sara , vero Beach, florida
Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Ron Paul, Need I say more?
Veronica , Roanoke, TX
Unfortunately the smartest and best hope for true conservatives quit before he even got started.
Mr. Gingrich if you are still out there, your country needs you. It is not too late. Most Republicans are unsure of what to do at this point. It is basically going to come down to anyone but HIllary which is sad. The other candidates are just not inspiring enough.
Be afraid, be very afraid, Blairsville, ga
I am voting for Ron Paul simply because he is the most Conservative candidate for president and would absolutely cream Clinton or Obama in the general elections.
The Law of the Seas Treaty is a threat to our national sovereignty and security in that it essentially dismantles over half of our naval fleet and relinquishes authority over U.S. waters to the United Nations.
The dollar is in trouble and now we have billionaire elites calling for a North American Union with Amero as the chosen currency to replace the dollar. Again this NAU would result in an unelected, foreign government that responds to every UN request similar to the EU.
Dr. Paul advocates withdrawal from the UN, NAFTA and CAFTA since they perpetuate illegal immigration, the ICC since they seek to charge our troops with War Crimes, and the WTO. He is protecting American Sovereingty.
In the issue of illegal immigration, Paul is just as tough as Tancredo and goes a step further by vowing to end Welfare State..
George , Des Moines, Iowa
Kudos to all the Ron Paul supporters who are getting the word out despite the media's effort to ignore him. There's another candidate who is also largely ignored, who is voicing the same message about our Constitution--Dennis Kucinich. If you are a Democrat and can't support Ron Paul because he's a Republican, Kucinich may be your man. Both these men are honorable and are attempting to preserve our liberties. What a great thing it would be to have an election between two honest men! To decide the BETTER of two good men instead of the lesser of the evils. If either wins his party's nomination, there's hope for this country.
Cindy, Round Rock, Texas
Let it begin here.
Come-on America, lets elevate the level of discourse in this Campaign to speak and write in positive ways about our next President. Lets not name-call or promote personal attacks. Stick to their ideas and their abilities.
The You-Tube speech by Fred Thompson was very well executed.
I don’t think its fair to call Mike Huckabee a “Gomer†when on Meet the Press he spoke with no drawl whatever.
Mitt Romney, is plainly a skilled communicator and has one of the best resumes from either party.
Alan Keyes, an articulate and well spoken candidate presents principles that should resonate for any conservative.
Ron Paul is not ashamed of referring to the Constitution. To his credit, he tries repeatedly to bring it into the discussion.
John McCain is a United States Senator with a great deal of experience.
Ive tried to write well of the Republicans I know about . Who can follow this lead to write about he Democrats?
Ray Conger, Orem, UT
Very nice pro-Clinton piece. Was that your intention?
Getting the insider-view from Terry McAuliffe is a bit like interviewing the big bad wolf concerning Little Red Riding Hood's personal security.
Of course, the comment section of any media piece these days serves to give Ron Paul Supporters something to do. Many these people need to get a life.
Don, Hiram, USA/GA
I wish Duncan Hunter could get more media coverage. He was conservative when conservatism wasn't cool. The more he gets exposure the more that people believe he is the one. He has the right stance on the battle against extreme islam, the correct stance on illegal immigration, the correct view of the free enterprise system. His views are correct on educating our children & etc.. Check him out!
quantumfoam, anderson, sc. 29685
Your own online link to the latest Iowa polls shows Senator Edwards in a statistical dead heat with Clinton and Obama, yet Edwards was barely mentioned in the article.
Edwards is the only viable candidate who is discussing the root cause of what is ailing America--the unprecedented (in modern times, anyway) influence of corporate power on the entire American agenda.
A strong showing for him in Iowa--which seems probable--will generate the "big mo" to give him more attention throughout the rest of the country.
I think an Edwards-Obama tickets would be unbeatable.
Aredee, Madison, WI, USA
Of course Ron Paul is "electable." In fact, he is probably the only candidate who can win votes from the "other side" once the general election rolls around. Stand by your principles, Republicans, and you'll get a candidate you can believe in instead of the "lesser of two evils."
Sledgehamner, Yorktown, VA
Iowa, one of 50 US states, does not, and has not, picked the President for all 50. Hello?
Lee Cary, Mayhill, NM, USA
Got news for everyone... Iowa doesn't elect the next president.
Two weeks is a lifetime in politics, and we're still almost a year away from the actual vote. Not the caucus vote, not the New Hampshire vote... the, um, ACTUAL vote where we ACTUALLY elect the next president.
You poor people in the press are going to be cross-eyed by then.
gb, Austin, USA
I don't care what the polls say; Thompson is the kind of president we need. George Washington and many others were the same way. They did not shamelessly seek to be president either, they agreed to serve and then return home. I’m sick of the flip flopping phonies who shamelessly chase public admiration and the office of president. None of the others on either side have the guts to be who they are up front. By the way; smart people are interested. We're those who read history and know the constitution. We watch and participate in this country. We are the government. THE PEOPLE. And the people who participate and learn from history know what’s at stake. We don’t chase popularity or follow what’s in fashion. We’re not followers which is why the media demonizes us. What we need to do before it’s too late is elect those who will preserve our freedoms from socialist central government types and "conserve" resources instead of blowing them on nation building and hand out programs.
Dave, cincinnati, oh
John McCain is the best choice - unbelievable experience, integrity, a solid grasp of all aspects of the presidency both foreign and domestic, AND he's an aisle crosser, capable of healing a lot of the recent red/blue rifts.
John McCain for President!
Lynn, Plains, Texas, USA
On this morning's ( Sunday) TV, Hillary stated: "I was involved in everything that took place at the White House,"
Wow, I didn't know that she even knew Monica.
DanNC, Fletcher, NC/USA
Why didn't you just call this article, "MacAuliffe Frames the Race (for Hillary)"? It's not a description of how the race is really going. It's about how Hillary's campaign is framing the race.
Nate, Madrid, Spain
This is not balanced coverage of the campaign. It is an interview with Clinton's campaign manager.
Tony Bell, Berkeley, CAS, USA
Looks like Ron Paul really wants the British vote. Great campaign strategy, guys!
gb, Austin, USA
The only hope Dr. Paul has for rescuing the presidency from the clutches of the warmongers/fascists/socialists is to turn out a sufficient number of voters who actually understand the functions/duties of the presidency. With the well executed dumbing down of the populace, I just don't see that happening.
mark edward marchiafava, baton rouge, louisiana
Obama: Visionary with uniting power, energy, charisma
Clinton: Tough, good Pres. material, but will use old channels
Edwards: True Warrior w/conviction, may be a martyr though
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Huck: Good honest man but naive and easily mislead.
Romney: Once in office he will resent answering to voters. (His attitude is, "You hired me, let me do my job", like a CEO.)
Ron Paul: Right on almost all issues-- but unelectable.
McCain: Old energy, old thinking, old conflict resolution skills.
Gulianni: ???
Shawn Watson , Fort Wayne, IN
Mr. Kuncinich has the domestic experience to rise this nation back to #1 in the world. Let the military worry about how to bring our soldiers back. When Kucinich signs that bill, the generals will execute thire commander-in-cheif's edict. Knowing one own's country is important in understanding others. We are all women and men seeking peace and prosperity. Be bold and decisive. Be a Kucinich supporter.
Sean, Oberlin, USA, Ohio
Smart people aren't interseted in the campaigns yet; it's too early. The ONLY reason the campaign cycle was moved up was for MSM to sell more advertising. Only idiots fell for it leaving the candidates little choice but to oblige them and shell out more donated money for TV ads over a longer period. I'm voting for the only real conservative, Duncan Hunter and so are almost all of the people I know. Go figure...
Mike, Boston, Massachusetts
Huckabee for ME
Mary E, Richmond, ME
To sidmore,
Here's a primer in Politics 101,
American elections are dirty and tough, and the elite who stand for election for President, are well-aware of that. Obama's (along with Edwards') pointed, wounding attacks against Hillary, during the televised debates and at countless rallies - what, they don't count?
To act the hurt and aggrieved supporter of Obama, "who believed in the American dream" being spat on by the Clintons, is digingenuous; Obama has done his fair share of negative campaigning - and Hillary Clinton has taken it on the chin, veteran of the most heinous mudslinging and personal attacks that she is.
In this time of war, that, in my opinion, is what the world needs in the leader of the free world: Strength, political savvy and compassion. And, yes, Obama, for all of his charm, is seriously green (just take a look at his healthcare plan, his naive pronouncements after Bhutto's assassination, his absent voting record as senator of Illinois).
Anton Blake, London,
Supporters of the Clinton's just don't get it. Neither one of the Clinton's has ever done a thing that didn't benefit themselves personally, professionally or financially. Does anyone really think Bill or Hillary is a patriot or that they would defend this country with their lives if necessary? How does anyone with values or morals get past Bills sexual encounters with an intern in the oval office? Presidents before Bill did not enter the oval office wihout coat and tie. Bill lied to the American people and to Congress about this and has never apologized for it since. Hillary has called this fact a vast right wing conspiracy... really?
pmorand, Milford, MI
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss" is what we will all have to be singing if Ron Paul is not elected.
He is the only person running with a career-spanning track record of doing what he says and what is right.
Peter H Hoffman, Greenville, SC, US
Those of you who say Iowa & New Hampshire "don't matter" may be right in that, in terms of voter turnout, those two states rank fairly low. But they do matter in the sense that the critical issues of the presidential race are distilled in those two states. Small states with few voters, compared to the powerhouse states like California & New York, but I'll wager that the political IQ of the average voter in those 2 states is higher than in most other states. We have the good fortune to rub elbows with big-time political candidates for a long time & as a result most voters here give politics pretty serious thought. And if you knew anything about the caucus system you'd know it's a lot more than just picking a candidate. It's one of the best examples of democracy in action: party platforms arise out of the caucus, you debate issues with your neighbors, & if you're truly undecided about whom to support, that still counts too. Everybody debates, from doctors to garbage collectors.
Tracy, des moines, Iowa USA
I have a problem with Ron Paul's position on why we provide military aid to our allies throughout the world.
When I was in the service I had asked my skipper, a highly decorated naval aviator, the same question: Why do we give all of this support to our allies? What is in it for us?
His response was - it saves the U.S. billions of dollars to supply the dollars to our allies to provide outward defense in remote countries. If we were to have to put our troops out there the cost is at least 3 times the cost of the aid we provide.
Ron Paul takes it to the opposite extreme. He wants no defense out there and for us to wait on our shores for the possibility of attach.
On the other hand, President Bush went off the deep end, i.e., he wanted to fight the war with U.S. forces. No relying on our allies in the remote areas of conflict.
Look how much the war has cost us. How many people could we have helped in the U.S. had we just cut that expenditure in half.
Mike A., Potomac, MD
Ron Paul is the only canidate that understands economics and this country is in an economical MESS ! Most of the people in the US are not interested in what is happening to our country. When you look at Ron Pauls voting for 22 years in congress you will see he is a man of principle and honesty, but then are those characteristics of today's society ?
dan, tarpon Springs, fL
If ever there were a man to unite the country in celebration of the values that we hold dear -- that man would be Ron Paul. If you are /seriously/ spending your vote on another candidate as an expression of your value: "just to stick it to all the rednecks and oilmen for 8 years of Superdoofus" then you should rethink why you live in this country over any other. If it is simply by default -- recognize that even /that/ luxury of not thinking, or not valuing yourself or your power to vote, is due to greater liberties -- liberties that should be preserved -- by the last candidate standing to guard them: Dr. Ron Paul.
Christopher Koehler, Plano, TX
If ever there were a man to unite the country in celebration of the values that we hold dear -- that man would be Ron Paul. If you are /seriously/ spending your vote on another candidate as an expression of your value: "just to stick it to all the rednecks and oilmen for 8 years of Superdoofus" then you should rethink why you live in this country over any other. If it is simply by default -- recognize that even /that/ luxury of not thinking, or not valuing yourself or your power to vote, is due to greater liberties -- liberties that should be preserved -- by the last candidate standing to guard them: Dr. Ron Paul.
Chris K, Plano, TX
The article made the pitch for Hillary, but failed to note that, nationwide, about 50% of voters say they would never vote for her under any circumstances.
Iowa is still a joke - albeit a highly visible joke on U.S. television, who are desperate to have something to blather and prognosticate about.
A. C. Santore, Pennsylvania, USA
America's last few months of freedom are upon us. God forgive us if we let her die. Ron Paul is the ONLY choice.
Scott, Houston, TX
I'm voting for Hillary just to stick it to all the rednecks and oilmen for 8 years of Superdoofus. You know that's the real reason she'll win.
John Martin Davis, Oxford, Or
What???
Not even one little tiny mention of Dr. Ron Paul? Is anyone paying attention?
He is the People's candidate without a doubt. Want more of the same? Keep supporting the crooks and liars. Clinton is no angel, folks. Neither are the others. All members of the "elite" club, CFR, globalists.
Dr, Paul the ONLY candidate amongst these "choices" who isn't bought and paid for by special interests.
Can we say, "Constitution" anyone? Our government is beyond corrupt. Why do we keep supporting these war mongers? Support our Constitution. Stop policing the world. Empire building will be out downfall. What a joke!
This piece is so obviously biased towards the Establishment puppets it is laughable.
Vote for LIBERTY. Vote for HOPE, change, peace, security and prosperity.
Dr. Ron Paul has my support, and the support of millions of others.
Betsy, Atlanta, Georgia USA
The only way things are going to change for the better in America is to vote Ron Paul. Everyone else is bought and sold and caters to special interests.
www.ronpaul2008.com
Join the r[EVOL]ution.
ziggrl, Detroit, Michigan, USA
Please, can't we put 'none of the above' on the ballot and if none-of-the-above wins, all of the candidates are disqualified and we start all over again? We might not have a president for ten years but maybe we would finally get one who is qualified and motivated to lead We The People.
Demosthenes, Cottage Grove, Oregon
Who cares about the Iowa caucus? Not me. I will get my chance in my state primary. I am going with Fred Thompson. The media may want to say he is lazy because he won't say what they want and kiss their hands. The media is not the ones to decide who is President . The citizens are the ones to decide. Everyone needs to study the candidates now and not let the media do your homework. By the way, Hillary Clinton is no Margaret Thatcher.
Della, Clifton, USA
O'Boy, thats what we have to choose from. Write an article on what you would do as president. A grown up person who has lived their whole life and their qualifications distill down to writing a frigging paper on what they would do if given the most powerful job on this planet. I blame the education system and the media for this farce. Why not some high school educated hollywood idiot too. Global tailspin my rear end. You are right that their resumes belong next to each other.......for the Burger King Bunny
bob miers, dallas, texas
How about someone who tells the truth for once?
Only one candidate seems to be the one that does that. He does not spend $400 on a haircut, he is a medical doctor, and owns a farm.
He wants stop illegal immigration, abolish the IRS, and put the USA on the gold standard. He wants small government.
Unless you are looking for a government handout for something that you do not deserve, he is your man.
I am voting for him - Ron Paul.
Why don't you do the same.
Bob Townsend, New York, New York
How ignorant that this article makes no mention of one of the frontrunners for the republican nomination in Iowa. He's polling ahead of everyone except Huckabee and Romney and has a good chance of winning. He got media coverage when his numbers were low and all they could talk about was "polling in the single digits," but now that he's going to win they won't talk about him. What is everyone so afraid of?
Russ, Columbus, Ohio
Ron Paul! www.ronpaullibrary.com
Read this for 1 hour and you will see why I'm voting for Ron Paul.
clell adams, alabaster, AL
Ron Paul is the only candidate can can cut Hillary to ribbons. The GOP only has one horse in this race that has and will follow the US Constitution. We do not want the CFR & AIPAC running our government. All of the leading candidates in both parties are CFR members, the CFR's goal is to abolish national sovereignty. The people of the US do not want to be taken into another EU type organization with unelected authority. God bless Ron Paul !!
Ed, Ocala, Florida
If you WANT change vote Ron Paul in Iowa, New Hampshire, and every where else.
If you DO NOT WANT change then vote for Clinton, Romney, Edwards, McCain, Obama, Guiliani, Huckabee, or Thompson because EVERY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE are CFR Members.
Don't know CFR? GET EDUCATED!! Ron Paul is NOT CFR!
CFR is big government, corporations, and foriegn priorities. CFR is not you! Neither are the Republicans or Democrats....
Jon, Phx, AZ, USA!
The Clintons represent EVERYTHING which is WRONG with America, of course that depends upon one's definition of what "is" is.
Hillary only real expertise is baking chocolate chip cookies for her socialist girls club. That's about it.
Scott, Durham, NC, USA
hillary blows. If she wanted the most qualified person to win she would have already have left the stage.
Frank Griffn, charlotte, nc
I'm laughing all the way to the polls and voting for Ron Paul. Remember him, that guy you folks seem to want to ignore in hopes he'll go away. Sorry Charlie!!!!
TR, Fairbanks, Alaska
This may be the first election that I sit out of in almost 30 years. None of the canidates except Hunter are worth even bothering to get out of bed on election day. All are corporate sellouts and are for open borders.
eward, madison,
Hillary on the stump will now not take any questions! My wife voted for Bill Clinton twice and has no use for Hillary Clinton. I feel the same way and we think Hillary is not CIC material and no Margaret Thatcher! We are hoping Romney is the Republican nomination and we will vote for him. Doss or Biden would be a better choice than Hillary, Obama or Edwards.
Ron, Fairborn, Oh
I remember that article in the guardian during the last elections which called on Americans not to vote for Bush jnr for a second time, they still did. How could so many be so wrong? I'll try and keep an open mind
JW, London,
If you place Obama's and Hillary's resumes next to each other, where is the experience advantage for either. Both are smart, strong willed and experienced . How about writing comparative articles about what they propose to pull this country out of it's economic and political global tailspin. This article is pro politics. How about a pro America view on the election. Let's report on everyday Americans issues, not political physical fitness.
Rich Redick, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
As an American I say to all of you over seas; "Please take a deep breath and relax". This Presidential race has many months to go before it's in it's final stretch, and in politics, a month is an eternity. Iowa will mean very little. New Hampshire is more important, but by the end of February, things will still be in flux. Please, relax.
Dave Heller, Alexandria, VA
Obama is a fake, he wants to change the system but I have never seen a candidate attack anyone like he is HIllary, these last few weeks are about the issues, Obama is using the old political attack machine to tarnish her credibility. Clinton will prevail because we pick a candidate based on their ability to lead and get the job done for the American people. Obama is vague on the issues and the American people will figure that out.
Clinton 08'
Cody Brewster, Roderfiweld, WV
This is a well written contribution to the Clinton campaign.
Seems like Sarah Baxter has already picked her president.
s woods, Des Moines, US
what a bunch of biased bilge.
If clinton would answer questions, she'd have more respect, but less of a following
Tim love, Simi VAlley, CA usa
I voted for Bill Clinton twice. I will never vote for Hillary. I have lost all respect for the Clinton because of the way they have attacked Obama so personally. I used to think the Clinton were just on the receiving end of some really ugly politics now I know they give it as well as they get it. Obama could have been one of the black men in jail or addicted because they gave up on America. But he believed in the American Dream and went after it even when America had given up on him. His story gives hope and represents hope to so many. The Clintons came along and spit on everything he has accomplished with their mudslinging. I will vote Republican before I cast a vote for Hillary and that comes from a life long Democrat.
sidmore, USA, USA