The Stretch!
9 days and the countdown to Iowa’s first in the nation caucuses is on.
Shifts in momentum and polls will be fast and furious.
The early states are all about expectations.
Huckabee faces high expectations, he’s under fire as long on style but short on substance and fiscal and national security conservatism. He has precious little going organizationally in subsequent states.
Romney’s year long lead in leadoff Iowa and NH is gone. He’s underfire as a wellfunded phoney and panderer who flipflopped right on social issues to run for president, and inflates his resume and experiences.
He’s attacking Huck (who’s under fire from a chorus of establishment GOPers) as weak on crime and illegal immigration in Iowa. Mitt’s slamming McCain in NH for opposing the Bush tax cuts.
McCain has surged into a first place tie with Romney in anti tax NH. But, like Huckabee, McCain has cash and organizational problems outside of NH.
Rudy Giuliani welcomed the holiday interruption of what was a VERY rough patch. He has been slipping in the polls, absent from headlines and openly admitting he will lose states and his strategy has people worried.
It is hard to explain Fred Thompson. He has a shot at third in Iowa. That could give him some steam in S.C. but his fate may hinge more on others flaming out rather than him going out and winning it.
Tags: 2008 GOP presidential race
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Did you forget this is a two-party system?
Uh, the Democrats?
Maybe a little too much eggnog?
there is no democrats to mention…
so, nope….none forgotten
do you want your taxes raised?if so..vote democrat
there’s only one party system here.
Carl, how you love to spin in favor of Huckabee he is not losing his lead in Iowa because of attacks. To take a turn on a Clinton Phrase “It’s the record stupid”. His record is getting out there and frankly people don’t like it, not just the Establishment republicans but republicans nationwide again you are trying to play Huckabee as the victim. You are supposed to be a expert political analyst surely you can see this. All Huckabee can do is whine about being attacked on his record… well too bad you are accountable for your record. Oh you also forgot to mention his lying about tax increases as Arkansas gov when he begged the legislature to raise taxes. He could be dropping in polls becasue people found out he lied about the reason he wanted to raise taxes. I promise we will see that video over and over again if you get your way and he wins the primary election.
As far as Romney flip flopping on social issues I’m assuming you are talking about becoming pro-life. It is ture he changed his position but he didn’t just say he changed his position he acted on it as Goverener and vetoed a stem cell research bill. Unlike Huckabee he didn’t lie and say he was never pro-choice and hope no one had video.
MCain is not in a tie with Romney in NH Mcain is a few points behind but has closed the large gap. No mention of Romney being in first in NV and MI. It seems like you are trying to spin this as Romney falling but that simply is not the case. I think you are right Mcain will take a hit in NH if Romney can show how he voted against tax cuts. Again you are spinning this as a slam. Your are trying to paint Romney as a mud slinger when he is pointing out candidates records. Stop the SPIN please.
I do aggree with your assesment that Guilani and Thompson are fading. I think it will be a three way race between McCain, Romney and Huckabee. I am rooting for Romeney but will settle for anyone but Huckabee, we will lose for sure with him as our candidate.
TheRepub,
I think Carl is covering the Republican candidates, and Major Garrett is focusing on the Democrats. I can’t remember if they said that specifically, but I think that’s the way they’re doing it. If you follow the link to Major’s page (the link is right there with Carl’s), you’ll see that his entries are all about the Democrat candidates.
I can’t speak for Carl or Fox, but in answer to your question about the two-party system– every time I hear Hillary’s screech, Barack’s high school pep rally, or John’s whine, I do my best to forget.
The Stretch (how aptly named)
I find it ironic that when I mention that Carl should perhaps return to his roots in NH so he can work for a specific newspaper from whom he paraphrased his sentiments, that my comments are not posted. I cited the source; he did not.
Other than Edwards, none of the democrats have described a position on immigration, the war, the economy, or on healthcare. Being a staunch conservative, I don’t support Edwards, but I do respect him for being straight-up and truthful.
Obama is honest, but somewhat evasive, and Hillary is nothing but smoke and mirrors.
Here’s hoping common sense will prevail and voters will at least respect open discourse and a well-stated position.
As for me, I like McCain. Eminently qualified, and honest as the day is long.
For the record, Huckabee did not lie about raising taxes. In that speech he was trying to give the legislature some tax options that he would support in order to pay for the education investment requirement that the Arkansas Supreme ordered the state to pay. The legislature had failed to submit a balanced budget and the state government was about to be shut down. Huckabee was attempting to get the legislature to get off the dime. Check the records yourself.
Romney says he changed his position on abortion in 2004, yet in 2005 he made a speech supporting the right to choose. Would you consider that a lie?
Huckabee will draw more moderates n a general election than any of the other GOP candidates in my opinion.
The Huckster is fixing to flame out and hopefully go back to AR
Guiliani hs no vison for the future just what he did in New York
Romney has too many contradictions
McCain has a list of failures including the campaign finance debacle, the ill fated illegal immigration amnesty bill and spends too much time trying to reach across the aisle to a group of people who will only bite him
For me choices are down to Fred Thompson and Duncan Hunter. Duncan can’t even get an honorable mention in the press so I am hoping the Fred bus rolls over some of these pretenders and finally we can have a candidate who is conservative and Republican.
No mention whatsoever of Ron Paul? The Iowa Independent I heard predicted him to come in a solid third place!
MSKAZ is Right On! Your anti-Romney bias is so blatant as to make me lose all confidence in Foxnews! It’s one thing if you would admit your bias or bigotry, which ever it is, but another more dishonorable thing for you and Foxnews to continually spin! How stupid do you think people are no to be able to see what you are doing?!
I am very disappointed in the blatant anti-Romney bias I see in your coverage.
Early in the campaign I, supported Senator McCain in his efforts to become our next President. I am a 30-year veteran of the United States Air Force and felt that Senator McCain, as the only veteran running for President, would understand and well represent us.
Early this year, the Senator came to Florida where I attended one of his “Town Hall Meetings.” I told him that even though we (retired military) enjoy space-available transportation on military aircraft all over the world, the Commander of US Forces in Europe (CINCEUR) has prohibited us from flying into Israel and Turkey.
At this campaign gathering, the Senator strongly reacted by telling me that this was ridiculous because both Israel and Turkey are strong allies of America and thousands of American tourists travel there every week. He asked me to send him a letter on this issue and he would work it.
Unfortunately, after six months of “working the issue”, the Senator sent me a letter telling me that we cannot fly to Israel and Turkey on military aircraft because it is against the policy of CINCEUR.
If the Senator could not solve this simple issue, I wonder how effective he would be in the White House.