TPMDC
Iowa caucus

Poll: Palin Popular Among Iowa Republicans -- But Unpopular With The State As A Whole

Eric Kleefeld | November 23, 2009, 3:10PM

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin

A new Des Moines Register poll finds that Sarah Palin is an unpopular figure in Iowa -- but she's popular where it counts for the 2012 primary season, with the state's Republican voters.

Among Iowans overall, only 37% have a favorable view of Palin, and she has an unfavorable rating of 55%. Among Republicans only, however, she's in very good territory at 68%-24%. In a way, this is a microcosm of where she is nationally -- loved by the Republican base, disliked by the overall population.

"With those kind of numbers, if she were to become a candidate, while it's not a sure thing, she would be starting out in a very good position," said Iowa Republican strategist David Roederer, who ran John McCain's 2008 campaign in the state.

Barack Obama carried Iowa by 54%-45%, a swing away from a 50%-49% George W. Bush win in 2004. Palin seems to have a decent foundation for the Republican caucus, but might have trouble in the general election.

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Topics: Iowa caucus, Sarah Palin

2008 campaign

Campaign Tactics They Could Believe In: Obama '08 Pushed Early State Pledge

Christina Bellantoni | November 12, 2009, 10:39AM

David Plouffe

Remember the mess that was Florida, Michigan and the earliest Iowa caucus in history?

Turns out some of the complications were orchestrated by the Obama campaign.

In his new book "The Audacity to Win" Obama campaign manager David Plouffe confesses they tried to "box in" Clinton after the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee decided to strip Florida and Michigan of their delegates as punishment for holding primaries earlier than allowed. (In the end, it all worked out, but it caused complete chaos for months as the primary dragged on.)

Plouffe writes:

"Emboldened by the drift of the rules committee, we took it to the next level. I asked Steve Hildebrand to go on a secret diplomatic mission to speak with the four early-state party chairs, encouraging them to ask all the candidates to sign a pledge stating they would not campaign in any states (Florida and Michigan) that had violated the rules and were threatening the approved early states' primacy.
Yes, this was in our self-interest. But it was also in theirs. If these two big states were penalized as severely as possible, and we all committed not to campaign in them, then the role of the early states was protected with no ambiguity."

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Topics: 2008 campaign, Barack Obama, David Plouffe, Election 2008, Hillary Clinton, Iowa caucus, John Edwards, New Hampshire Primary, Pres '12

Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | November 10, 2009, 9:00AM

Obama Calls For Revision In Stupak Amendment
President Obama said yesterday that the Stupak Amendment should be revised, in the hopes that neither pro-choicers nor pro-lifers feel "betrayed" by any change in the status quo. "I want to make sure that the provision that emerges meets that test," said Obama, "that we are not in some way sneaking in funding for abortions, but, on the other hand, that we're not restricting women's insurance choices."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and the First Lady will depart the White House at 9:05 a.m. ET, arriving in Killeen, Texas, at 12:25 p.m. ET. They will meet at 12:50 p.m. ET with families of the fallen at Fort Hood, and with wounded soldiers and their families at 1:20 p.m. ET. President Obama will address the Fort Hood community at 2 p.m. ET. They will meet with wounded soldiers at 3:25 p.m. ET, and depart from Killeen at 4:20 p.m. ET. They will arrive back at the White House at 8:35 p.m. ET.

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Topics: Abortion, Barack Obama, Bart Stupak, George Miller, Iowa caucus, Joe Biden, Pres '12, Roundup, Sarah Palin

Tim Pawlenty

Tim Pawlenty To Iowa GOP: 'Thank You, Lord, For My Red-Hot, Smokin' Wife'

Eric Kleefeld | November 9, 2009, 10:03AM

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) spoke to the Iowa Republican Party last night, and thanked God for his blessings in life.

"Thank you, Lord, for my red-hot, smokin' wife," said Pawlenty -- a quote from the movie Talladega Nights, a Will Ferrell comedy about an idiotic NASCAR driver.

"I think she appreciates that line. I talked to her about it and she's OK with it," Pawlenty later told a reporter. "She knows it's in fun. I mean it sincerely, I think she is hot."

Late Update: Here's the video:

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Topics: Iowa caucus, Pres '12, Tim Pawlenty

Roundup

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | November 7, 2009, 1:01PM

Obama Praises Heroism At Fort Hood
In this weekend's YouTube address, President Obama discussed the shooting at Fort Hood, and paid tribute to the heroism of both military and civilian personnel at the base:

"And yet, even as we saw the worst of human nature on full display, we also saw the best of America," said Obama. "We saw soldiers and civilians alike rushing to aid fallen comrades; tearing off bullet-riddled clothes to treat the injured; using blouses as tourniquets; taking down the shooter even as they bore wounds themselves. We saw soldiers bringing to bear on our own soil the skills they had been trained to use abroad; skills that been honed through years of determined effort for one purpose and one purpose only: to protect and defend the United States of America."

Barbour: New Jersey And Virginia Elections Show America Rejecting The Democrats
In this weekend's Republican address, Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS) claimed that this past Tuesday's gubernatorial elections represent a rejection of President Obama's and the Democrats' agenda:

"This week also saw the first big elections since this administration and its Democrat Majority in Congress took control of our federal government. The results made clear the American people don't like where the Democrats are trying to take our country," said Barbour. "Virginia and New Jersey elected new governors Tuesday, and in both cases, voters chose Republican governors to succeed the Democrats elected four years ago. Both are states that President Obama carried by large margins last year."

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Topics: Abortion, Barack Obama, Barney Frank, Bart Stupak, Capitol Hill Tea Party, Haley Barbour, Health Care, Iowa caucus, Michele Bachmann, NJ-GOV, NRCC, Pres '12, Roundup, Sarah Palin, Tea Party, Tim Pawlenty, VA-GOV

Tim Pawlenty

Pawlenty To Make Iowa Debut

Christina Bellantoni | October 7, 2009, 10:44AM

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is heading to Iowa in a key early test of his ability to build support among potential Republican caucus goers.

Pawlenty, who recently announced a new political action committee will be the "featured guest" at the Nov. 7 Leadership for Iowa event at the state fairgrounds.

Matt Strawn, Chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, issued a release praising the Minnesotan as "innovative" and "conservative," and noted Pawlenty was known for balancing the state budget, reducing spending and enacting health care and education reform measures.

Pawlenty will be joined by Republican candidates for governor hoping to oust Democrat Chet Culver in 2010. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased here.

Late update: The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party took a cue from the national Democrats who have been hammering Pawlenty as an absentee governor lately, and put out tongue-in-cheek statement.