Iraq

Clinton: U.S. 'Fulfilled Commitment' In Iraq

Igor Bobic | October 23, 2011, 9:49AM

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Speaking with Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended the timing of the Obama administration's effort to withdraw American troops from Iraq by the end of 2011.

Pointing to the 2008 Status of Forces Agreement with Iraq reached by the previous administration, Clinton said, "Bush also committed to withdrawing all troops by end of this year, so you have a bipartisan commitment to remove combat troops" by the end of 2011.

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Michele Bachmann

Bachmann Introduces Bill To Require Ultrasounds For Women Seeking Abortions

Eric Kleefeld | October 7, 2011, 10:41AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), whose presidential campaign has been beset by a collapse in the polls and possible staffing issues, is taking on a new political front; she's introducing a strongly anti-abortion bill in the House, which could potentially help her rev up pro-life voters.

Bachmann's proposed "Heartbeat Informed Consent Act," announced on Thursday, would require a woman seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound, in order to view and hear a fetal heartbeat.

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Polls

And Another One: New Poll Shows Perry Leads Nevada Too

Kyle Leighton | September 2, 2011, 1:30PM

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R)

Tex. Gov. Rick Perry has taken the lead nationally, but GOP voters are really starting to catch on with his campaign in key primary states as well. Recently, Perry's stormed to the front in South Carolina and Iowa in multiple surveys, and a Republican poll out Friday shows him at the top in another early state in the GOP nomination process: Nevada.

A Magellan Strategies poll out Friday showed that Perry is the first choice of 29 percent of Neveada GOP caucus-goers, followed by former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney at 24 percent. The survey shows pretty much a two way race: the rest of the field is in single digits, and former contender Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) is down to fourth with 6 percent, behind businessman Herman Cain's 7.

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2012 Presidential Primaries

The Romney Ceiling: South Carolina Poll Shows Perry Taking Mitt's Moderate Base

Kyle Leighton | August 30, 2011, 11:35AM

Fmr. Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) and Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

With four national polls in the last week showing Texas Gov. Rick Perry ahead of the field in the race for the GOP presidential nomination, it looks more like the contention that former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney was a weak frontrunner has proved true. But as the primary season prepares to kick into high gear, how has Perry moved to the front so quickly? Numbers released on Tuesday from a Public Policy Polling (D) poll of crucial primary state South Carolina tell the story not just of Perry's new dominance of conservative voters, and Romney's weakness on the right, but of more concern for him -- they show a real vulnerability in the center as well.

The fact that Perry is now dominating in South Carolina, a conservative state, is probably not news to campaign watchers. The PPP survey shows him with 36 percent of the potential vote, followed by Romney with 16 and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) at 13, the second poll in five days to show Perry with a big lead. But the crosstabs show that Romney, the presumed "moderate" candidate (or at least more moderate), cannot even defend his own turf in the middle of the GOP electorate in a conservative state. He faces an implacable right wing of the party, which is fully in Perry's column, and moderate sect that is willing to support Perry despite his more strident views.

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WI-SEN

Wis. GOP Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald Running For Senate

Eric Kleefeld | August 30, 2011, 10:25AM

Assemblyman Jeff Fitzgerald (R-WI)

Another Republican has thrown his hat into the ring for the Wisconsin Senate seat being opened up by the retirement of Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl. And the latest candidate has a big name: State Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald -- who along with his brother, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, and Gov. Scott Walker, has been instrumental in passing the anti-public employee union legislation that sparked the wave of protests, recall elections, and other big controversies in Wisconsin.

Fitzgerald confirmed his candidacy to the Wausau Daily Herald on Monday:

He said he would apply his experience in the Wisconsin Legislature to the Senate.

"We have the same problems here (in Wisconsin) as we have in D.C.," he said, citing excessive taxation as an example. He said the national debt must be brought under control and that "we need to start making stuff in this country."

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2012 Presidential Primaries

Santorum: The Gay Community Is On A 'Jihad' Against Me

Eric Kleefeld | August 29, 2011, 11:43AM

Rick Santorum at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition's Spring Kickoff Event

Rick Santorum really does not like the political activism that gay people have launched against him, ever since his 2003 remarks comparing the legalization of gay sex and gay marriage to pedophilia, bestiality and incest.

"So the gay community said, 'He's comparing gay sex to incest and polygamy, how dare he do this,' and they have gone out on a, I would argue, jihad against Rick Santorum since then," Santorum said at a campaign event in Spartanburg, S.C., on Friday, The Hill reports.

There is a certain irony here, in that radical Islamists -- like Santorum himself -- would want to see homosexuality outlawed. And it is Santorum's prior remarks on that subject that have led to the situation that he is complaining about.

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Polls

The Usual Suspects: Rick Perry's Support In Gallup National Poll Came From The Tea Party

Kyle Leighton | August 26, 2011, 2:31PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) holds a copy of his book

A new detail from additional information released by Gallup on Friday about their national survey on the GOP presidential field: Tex. Gov. Rick Perry, who outpaced everyone in their recent survey with 29 percent of the total, captured 35 percent of those GOP voters who consider themselves supporters of the Tea Party movement.

Rounding out the candidates supported by Tea Party backers were former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), both at 14 percent, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) at 12, businessman Herman Cain at 6, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 5, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (R) at 3 and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman at 1 percent.

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Iowa caucus

Pro-Perry PAC Survey: Texas Gov. Moves Ahead In Iowa

Kyle Leighton | August 25, 2011, 5:51PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

Tex. Gov. Rick Perry's move from non-candidate to frontrunner in the GOP nomination process has been a big story, but a story driven largely by national polling. While Perry's starting to become the first choice of the national Republican electorate, the nomination process will go through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, where other candidates had a head start. But according to two new polls, that advantage has been lost.

A pro-Perry PAC just released a poll of GOP caucus-goers showing him in the lead with 23 percent, followed closely by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) at 20 percent and former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney at 16. The rest of the field is rounded out by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) at 9 percent, businessman Herman Cain at 8, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum (R) at 7, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 3 and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman at 2. The PAC also touts 30 percent support amongst self-described "very conservative" caucus-goers, which they say makes up 55 percent of that group.

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Polls

Rick Perry's (Southern) Charm

Kyle Leighton | August 25, 2011, 6:10AM

Texas Governor and Presidential Candidate Rick Perry (R)

America is a politically divided nation. For all the outcomes of the 2008 election, it wasn't a true redrawing of the political map. Some states, which were and continue to change demographically, were primed to become full-fledged swing states, and a strong Democratic candidate in a change election brought them to his side.

But two years later, the GOP was again winning statewide elections in states like Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan and Virginia, and a return to the traditional calculus began. Now as the GOP moves ahead with the 2012 presidential primary process, Republican voters are starting to return to their roots: falling for a southern Governor.

Other GOP flavors of the month have so far been sampled: real estate mogul Donald Trump made some loud noises and bowed out, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) seemed interesting for a while but has probably peaked. Because in the end, what are the actual chances that the modern Republican Party will nominate a congresswoman from Minnesota, or a multi-millionaire former governor from an incredibly blue state? History tells us they aren't great.

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South Carolina primary

Romney Turns Down DeMint Labor Day Forum

Eric Kleefeld | August 24, 2011, 12:02PM

GOP Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney (R-MA)

Mitt Romney will not be attending a Labor Day candidate forum in South Carolina -- hosted by the very conservative Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), who had previously endorsed Romney back in the 2008 cycle.

As CNN reports, Romney spokesman Ryan Williams has cited scheduling conflicts, saying the candidate will be spending the day in New Hampshire.

Five candidates thus far have accepted invitations: Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich. Invitations were also extended to Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani, though they are not actually in the race. Romney is thus the only active candidate to turn down the event.

Romney has become the target of many conservative attacks, mainly over his Massachusetts health care reform -- which later became the basic blueprint for President Obama's national health care reform. DeMint, of course, has reversed his own position on his past praise for Massachusetts health care reform, back when he endorsed Romney in the 2008 cycle.

Polls

PPP: Iowa Becoming Perry Country As Bachmann Falls

Kyle Leighton | August 23, 2011, 12:23PM

As TPM reported Tuesday morning, Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) time as a legitimate contender for the GOP presidential nomination could be up, as a new survey from Public Policy Polling (D) shows her the third choice of Republican voters in Iowa, a state essential to her campaign. The new horserace with the full announced GOP field shows Tex. Gov. Rick Perry at the top with 22 percent, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney at 19 percent, Bachmann at 18, and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) at 16 percent.

There's no way around it -- Bachmann's popularity has taken a huge hit over the last two months, as shown by the PPP numbers. In June, Bachmann enjoyed a favorable/unfavorable rating of 53 - 16. That statistic is now 47 - 35, still positive, but not particularly high considering these are GOP voters. Perry, on the other hand, has gone from relatively unknown (a 21 - 16 favorability rating in June, majority undecided) to well liked, with a 56 - 24 rating. Paul has increased his favorability rating by 11 points over that time, and Romney has dropped slightly over the last two months.

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Jon Huntsman

Jon Huntsman Takes On The GOP Field, And President Obama's Leadership

Kyle Leighton | August 21, 2011, 11:20AM

Jon Huntsman

GOP Presidential nominee Jon Huntsman went after his opponents in the Republican primary on ABC's This Week with Christiane Amanpour Sunday, continuing a trend of positioning himself as the more moderate candidate in the field: "This is a center right country. I am a center right candidate," he said.

In an interview with guest host Jake Tapper, Huntsman assailed his Republican counterparts with specific criticisms. For former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney, the dig was on flip-flopping: "You know, if we were to talk about his inconsistencies and his -- the changes on various issues, we'd be here all afternoon."

For Tex. Gov. Rick Perry, it was his extreme political positioning, referring to Perry's comment that should Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke inject more cash into the economy's money supply, Perry would consider it "almost treasonous,": "I'm not sure that the average voter out there is going to hear that treasonous remark and say that sounds like a presidential candidate, that sounds like someone who is serious on the issues."

And when it came to Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-MN) contention that she would get gas prices below $2 a gallon, Huntsman simply let go: "I just don't know what world that comment would come from. You know, we live in the real world."

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2012 Presidential Primaries

Santorum: I'll Take Up Huntsman's 'Offer' -- He's Crazy To Believe In Global Warming (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 19, 2011, 4:33PM

On Thursday, Jon Huntsman tweeted a jab at fellow GOP primary candidate Rick Perry with the declaration: "To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy" -- a brave move for a Republican presidential candidate in the age of the Tea Party. In response, his fellow (and much more conservative) candidate Rick Santorum seems to be saying: Yup, you are crazy.

Santorum on Friday singled out Huntsman for accepting the scientific consensus on manmade activities being a significant contributor to global warming -- and did not talk at all about Huntsman's belief in evolution, despite his own long political history of questioning evolutionary science and advocating for the teaching of the "intelligent design" movement of creationism.

"Yeah well, I'll be the first one to take him up on his offer," Santorum told MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell. "You know, look, I've been very, very clear that the science just simply doesn't back up the issue of global warming.

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2012 Presidential Primaries

Romney Releases Web Video: 'Businesses Are Comprised Of People'

Eric Kleefeld | August 19, 2011, 1:44PM

Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA)

Updated: Aug 19, 2011, 2:53PM

Mitt Romney released a new web video on Friday, firing back at Democratic attacks on his "corporations are people, my friend" comment to a voter in Iowa last week, when he explained his opposition to raising taxes on businesses.

The video is entitled "Mitt on the Road: A Week in New Hampshire," and shows clips of Romney speaking at different locations around that key early primary state, and discussing the poor condition of the economy.

At just over the halfway mark, Romney declares: "Businesses are comprised of people. I'm talking about repair shops, and gas stations, and beauty salons, and restaurants. I'm talking about Apple computer, and Facebook, and Microsoft. I'm talking about businesses that employ people. It's really astonishing to me that the Obama folks would try and argue that businesses aren't people. What do they think they are? Little men from Mars? But when they tax business, they tax people."

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2012 Presidential Primaries

The Gaffes Of August - Bachmann's Big Week On The Stump

Eric Kleefeld | August 19, 2011, 12:03PM

GOP Presidential Candidate Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

It's been a big week for Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and her insurgent presidential campaign. Her victory in the Iowa straw poll forced her fellow Minnesotan and once top-tier candidate, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, right out of the race. But along the way, as could be expected of Bachmann and her boisterous rhetoric, there have been some other memorable moments.

On Thursday, the Tea Party maven told an interesting tale to a South Carolina audience, explaining her former career as a tax litigation attorney working for the federal government. "How many of you love the IRS? No! It's time to change it," she told the crowd. "I went to work in that system because the first rule of war is 'know your enemy.' So I went to the inside to learn how they work because I wanted to beat them."

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Rick Perry

Perry On Evolution: 'It's A Theory That's Out There' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 18, 2011, 3:28PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

Rick Perry is sure about a lot of things. But the theory of evolution, or even how old the planet Earth is, are not on that list.

A woman who will probably not be supporting the Texas governor brought her young son along to a campaign event in New Hampshire on Thursday, and had the boy ask Perry his views about science. "How old do you think the earth is?" the boy asked. This was an apparent allusion to how fundamentalist Christians often insist that Earth -- and indeed, the whole universe -- is about 6,000 years old.

"How old do I think the earth is? You know what, I don't have any idea," Perry responded. "I know it's pretty old. So it goes back a long, long ways. I'm not sure -- I'm not sure anybody actually knows completely and absolutely hold the earth is.

Perry then steered the conversation to some questions the boy's mother had been asking him, about evolution.

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2012 Presidential Primaries

Obama's Education Secretary Slams Perry's Texas: 'I Feel Very, Very Badly For The Children There'

Eric Kleefeld | August 18, 2011, 10:46AM

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is taking a rhetorical shot at one of President Obama's possible election opponents, slamming the education system in Gov. Rick Perry's home state of Texas.

"Far too few of their high school graduates are actually prepared to go on to college," Duncan said on Bloomberg Television. "I feel very, very badly for the children there."

"You have seen massive increases in class size," Duncan also added. "You've seen cutbacks in funding. It doesn't serve the children well. It doesn't serve the state well. It doesn't serve the state's economy well. And ultimately it hurts the country."

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Barack Obama

Obama's Economic Numbers: Down, Down, and Up

Kyle Leighton | August 18, 2011, 6:00AM

President Barack Obama (D)

President Obama came into office with high levels of support and approval on a key component of the 2008 election: his ability to handle the economy. Two and half years later, jobs and the economy are still identified as the top concerns for Americans, and that's a problem for Obama.

Given the sluggish growth in this area since he was sworn in, the key to Obama's 2008 victory is starting to become a liability. In a new Gallup poll, Obama registered just 26 percent approval on his handling of the economy, his lowest ever rating and down from a high of 59 percent in February of 2009.

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Polls

Poll: New Hampshire Still Romney's Turf In GOP Primary

Kyle Leighton | August 17, 2011, 3:15PM

GOP Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney (R-MA)

With another high profile candidate in the GOP presidential primary field and the Ames Straw Poll in the books, attention is turning back to the votes that will really matter: key among them, New Hampshire. A new poll out on Wednesday shows that despite the recent shakeup in the race with the addition of Tex. Gov. Rick Perry, Granite State GOP voters are still behind former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney at the moment.

Romney is the first choice of 36 percent of GOP voters in the new survey sponsored by the New Hampshire Journal. Romney's score is twice that of the next closest candidate, Perry, who polls at 18 percent. Following Romney and Perry is Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) with 14 percent, then Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) with 10. Businessman Herman Cain and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. both register 3 percent, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 2 percent and former PA Senator Rick Santorum rounding out the field with 1.

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Michele Bachmann

Don't Be Cruel: Bachmann Wishes 'Happy Birthday' To Elvis -- On Anniversary Of His Death

Eric Kleefeld | August 16, 2011, 2:19PM

Michele Bachmann is continuing her campaign theme of celebrating Americana -- even if the details are a bit more macabre than she intended.

"Before we get started, let's all say 'Happy Birthday' to Elvis Presley today," Bachmann said, kicking off a rally in Spartanburg, South Carolina, CNN reports.

"We played you a little bit of 'Promised Land' when we pulled up. You can't do better than Elvis Presley, and we thought we would celebrate his birthday as we get started celebrating taking our country back to work."

In fact, Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935. Today's date, August 16, is the anniversary of his death in 1977 at age 42, likely caused by heart disease that was seriously exacerbated from prescription drug abuse.

The video is below the jump, courtesy of Politico:

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Polls

Rasmussen Poll: Perry Surges Ahead Of The GOP Field

Kyle Leighton | August 16, 2011, 2:01PM

Texas Governor and Presidential Candidate Rick Perry (R)

Rick Perry has had an eventful four days. On the heels of his official announcement, first appearances as a candidate seeking the GOP nomination and even his first splash with a controversial position, Perry has impressed a lot of Republican voters: a new national Rasmussen survey has him taking the lead in the GOP primary, far outside the margin of error.

The poll shows that Perry is now the first choice of 29 percent of the GOP voters surveyed, with former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney with 18 percent, and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) in third with 13 percent. As with any nomination process, state polling in the first contests will be of the most importance. But Perry's surge past the rest of the field is remarkable: by contrast, Bachmann showed more and more strength in national polls as her campaign ramped up, but only overtook Romney in one poll, by a single point.

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Rick Perry

Bill Clinton Scoffs At Rick Perry's Platform: 'I Mean, This Is Crazy' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 15, 2011, 2:59PM

Former President Bill Clinton (D)

Former President Bill Clinton spoke Monday morning to the International Association of Fire Fighters conference in Manhattan, The New York Observer's PolitickerNY reports -- and he had some tough words for the newest entrant into the GOP race for president, Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

"I got tickled by watching Governor Perry announce for governor, for president," Clinton said -- perhaps stumbling a bit in the wind-up of a joke. "He's a good looking rascal."

The former president elaborated: "And he's saying 'Oh, I'm going to Washington to make sure that the federal government stays as far away from you as possible -- while I ride on Air Force One and that Marine One helicopter and go to Camp David and travel around the world and have a good time.' I mean, this is crazy."

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Herman Cain

Cain: If I Get 5th Place In New Hampshire, 'We Will Be Ecstatic' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 15, 2011, 11:33AM

Herman Cain came in fifth place in the Iowa straw poll -- two positions back from third-place finisher Tim Pawlenty, who then quit the race. But not only is he sticking with it, Cain said during an appearance Monday morning on Fox News that he is excited about fifth place.

"Before I let you go, what's your next marker?" asked host Martha MacCallum. "You know, in terms of you looking forward, at what point do you decide, 'I'm in or out based on this date, or this victory, or this place?'"

"I will finish at number five in Iowa -- that's right where we want to be.," said Cain. "If we finish in the top five in New Hampshire, Martha, we will be ecstatic, because we're gonna put the same type of on the ground effort in New Hampshire that we did in Iowa, and we're also working South Carolina simultaneously.

"All right," MacCallum responded, "a determined Herman Cain."

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Michele Bachmann

Bachmann Gets Asked: 'As President, Would You Be Submissive To Your Husband?'

Eric Kleefeld | August 11, 2011, 11:09PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Debate host Byron York asked Michele Bachmann about her past quotes that she became a tax lawyer at her husband's insistence, citing Biblical passages that a wife should be "submissive" to her husband.

"As president, would you be submissive to your husband?" York asked -- prompting vociferous booing from the audience.

"Thank you for that question, Byron," Bachmann responded, to applause. "Marcus and I will be married for 33 years this September 10th. I'm in love with him, I'm so proud of him. And what submission means to us -- if that's what your question is -- is respect. I respect my husband...and he respects me as his wife. that's how operate our marriage. We respect each other, we love each other."

Bachmann then added that together, she and her husband had built a business, raised their children, and raised 23 foster children. "I'm very proud of him."

Pres '12

Paul And Santorum Battle Over Iran

Eric Kleefeld | August 11, 2011, 10:52PM

Rick Santorum at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition's Spring Kickoff Event

Sparks flew between Ron Paul and Rick Santorum during Thursday night's Republican debate, over Paul's opposition to a hawkish foreign policy approach against Iran.

"Why wouldn't it be natural that they might want a nuclear weapon? Internationally they would be given more respect," said Paul. "Why should we write people off? We should at least talk to them - Reagan talked to the Soviets."

Paul added that during the Cold War that the Soviet Union and China had many nuclear weapons -- compared to Iran's current efforts to produce just one -- and represented genuine threats to the United States. But America did not go to war with those countries, instead maintaining diplomatic relations.

This prompted a fiery response from Rick Santorum, who boasted of how he had passed legislation to isolate Iran when he was in the Senate.

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Israel/Palestine

Gingrich: Cut Off U.N. Funding If They Recognize Palestinian State

Eric Kleefeld | August 11, 2011, 12:10PM

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA)

In a new column published on Wednesday at Human Events, Newt Gingrich calls for the United States to respond strongly to the expected move by the Palestinians to seek statehood at the United Nations in September -- by threatening to cut off American funding to the U.N.

Gingrich writes:

The United States has the leverage to prevent this diplomatic disaster if the Obama Administration wants to use it: we are by far the largest donor to the U.N., financing roughly a quarter of its entire budget.

We should be willing to say that if the U.N. is going to circumvent negotiations and declare the territory of one of its own members an independent state, we aren't going to pay for it. We can keep our $7.6 billion a year.

We don't need to fund a corrupt institution to beat up on our allies.

Gingrich explains that back in 1989, the administration of President George H.W. Bush used the same approach with the U.N. to prevent the extension of statehood to the Palestinians.

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Iowa straw poll

Come To Ames -- For The 'Santorum Summer Dance Party'

Eric Kleefeld | August 8, 2011, 2:11PM

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)

Oh, Boy!

Rick Santorum is hoping to show Iowans a good time at the Ames Straw Poll: First with Santorum's homemade jelly -- and now, his campaign has announced, with musical entertainment from the late Buddy Holly's backup band the Crickets, plus the Big Bopper Jr.

Back in 1959, the 22-year old Buddy Holly and the 28-year old original Big Bopper, plus 17-year old Ritchie Valens, were killed in a plane crash -- in Iowa, during a Midwestern tour called the "Winter Dance Party."

As such, the name of the Santorum campaign event is the "Santorum Summer Dance Party."

"After three weeks of traveling across Iowa and meeting thousands of Iowans, we are excited to cap off our family trip with a day of fun in Ames," said Santorum in a press release. "We are all looking forward to eating, singing, and dancing along with the traditions that make summertime in Iowa the epitomizes the heart of the American experience."

Polls

Gallup: Obama Approval Rating Improving In Crucial States

Kyle Leighton | August 8, 2011, 11:45AM

President Obama has seen some hits to his national approval rating over the last few weeks as residue from the bruising debt debate, although Congress is even worse off since the almost-default. But new data from Gallup released on Monday shows a much more coherent and specific picture of Obama's job approval as he ramps up his 2012 election campaign, and how his approval rating looks when set against the modern electoral map.

The data, taken from Gallup's polling from January 2011 to June of this year, charts the president's rating in all 50 states, using interviews with more than 90,000 American adults. While his national approval rating for this time period in the Gallup tracking poll is below 50%, the map shows an improving picture after the GOP victories of 2010, and much of that improvement in swing states.

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Iowa caucus

Bachmann Slams Obama Birthday Party: I'll Cancel My Barbecue If Stocks Crash

Eric Kleefeld | August 5, 2011, 5:31PM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Michele Bachmann has joined the ranks of Republicans attacking President Obama for celebrating his birthday on Thursday, which coincided with the 512-point mega-drop in the Dow Jones stock index. And as Bachmann said, she would not "celebrate" the news as she accused Obama of doing -- she would have canceled the barbecue.

"The birthday present he got was huge drop of 512 points in the market and not only that, what was the president's response? He threw a barbecue last night at the White House to celebrate," Bachmann told an Iowa crowd, the Des Moines Register reports.

She added: "One thing I will guarantee you, President Bachmann will be canceling barbecues if we see the market go down and if we see the jobs report going down."

But wait a second: Wouldn't that sort of abrupt reduction in consumer spending result in layoffs of catering employees? That's not the kind of bold move that the ratings agencies are looking for.

Iowa caucus

Santorum Denounces 'Super-Right' Of 'Sexual Liberty,' And The 'Pursuit Of Pleasure'

Eric Kleefeld | August 5, 2011, 2:27PM

Rick Santorum at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition's Spring Kickoff Event

Rick Santorum is continuing his staunch opposition to gay rights -- warning that courts have created a "super-right" to sex, which overrides the constitutional right of religious freedom.

In an interview with the Des Moines Register's editorial board, Santorum claimed that same-sex marriage was a threat to religious liberty, alleging for example that government could threaten the licenses of marriage counselors who don't treat gay couples.

"Religious liberty is now trumped because we have now created a super-right," said Santorum. "We have a right [in] the Constitution of religious liberty but now the courts have created a super-right that's above a right that's actually in the Constitution, and that's of sexual liberty. And I think that's a wrong, that's a destructive element."

Also, the paper reports: "Santorum says if 'pursuit of happiness' means 'pursuit of pleasure,' we won't be a country very long."

Iowa straw poll

Hmm...Pawlenty Pulls Ads For Straw Poll Home Stretch

Eric Kleefeld | August 3, 2011, 6:44PM

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)

Tim Pawlenty is now making an unusual move in the run-up to the politically crucial Iowa Straw Poll: Pulling his TV and radio ads for the 72 hours running up to the event next weekend, focusing instead on his on-the-ground turnout operation.

Politico reports that the Pawlenty campaign insists the redirection of funds is not because they might be short on cash, but is simply a matter of wanting to concentrate on their turnout operation. "It's such a small universe of people, we really want to focus on people we know are supporting us -- focus on turnout mode instead of name ID and recruitment," said campaign adviser Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Pawlenty had previously reserved $200,000 in TV and radio ads for the Des Moines-Ames media market, which is now being diverted. By contrast, his fellow Minnesotan (and apparent Iowa frontrunner) Michele Bachmann just launched a whole new ad, boasting of her vote against the debt-ceiling increase -- and asking viewers to head to the straw poll in Ames.

Iowa straw poll

Santorum To Give Out Free Jelly At Ames

Eric Kleefeld | August 3, 2011, 3:34PM

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)

Rick Santorum may not have raised a lot of money or attracted much support in the polls, but his campaign for the presidency will be trying a new tack for votes at the Ames Iowa Straw Poll: Some delicious homemade peach jam.

The Des Moines Register reports that Santorum told an Iowa audience on Tuesday that his family has fruit trees back home, and he and his children harvested peaches, peeled them, and made them into jelly. And now, they will be bringing 40 jars to Iowa.

"We are bringing them to the Straw Poll and we are going to give everybody a sample," said Santorum, dubbing the product "Pennsylvania Presidential Peach Preserves."

Don't count out this tactic completely. In the 1840 presidential election, one thing the opposition Whig Party did to cement its momentum from the economic depression was to mount a national effort of handing out hard cider at campaign events, tying it to the manufactured image of nominee William Henry Harrison as a rugged outdoorsman. Though come to think of it, 40 jars of peach jelly probably isn't as convincing as hard cider.

Iowa caucus

Santorum: Govt Pre-School Programs Want To 'Indoctrinate Your Children'

Eric Kleefeld | August 2, 2011, 6:13PM

Rick Santorum at the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition's Spring Kickoff Event

Rick Santorum fired a verbal salvo at early-education programs on Tuesday, telling an Iowa crowd that government pre-school programs are part of a hideous plot by the government to indoctrinate children.

"It is a parent's responsibility to educate their children. It is not the government's job. We have sort of lost focus here a little bit," said Santorum, the Des Moines Register reports.

"Of course, the government wants their hands on your children as fast as they can. That is why I opposed all these early starts and pre-early starts, and early-early starts. They want your children from the womb so they can indoctrinate your children as to what they want them to be. I am against that."

In order to shield his own family from indoctrination, Santorum and his wife have home-schooled their seven children through the eighth grade.

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Pres '12

Cain, Paul And Others Selling Campaign Gear Not Made In U.S.A.

Eric Kleefeld | August 2, 2011, 5:23PM

Presidential candidate Herman Cain (R)

Show us the invoices!

ABC News, which previously revealed that Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum were selling campaign T-shirts and other gear made outside the United States, has now found two other campaigns selling not-made-in-the-U.S.A. merchandise: Herman Cain and Ron Paul.

"No, I wasn't aware it was made in Honduras," Cain said in response. "I was just aware it was Fruit of the Loom ... which is an American company."

Ron Paul did not know, either -- but unlike other candidates, he isn't apologetic about it. "I wasn't aware of it ... but I wouldn't change it," said Paul. "I would argue the case that the market should determine it."

Iowa caucus

Pawlenty Getting Cease-And-Desist For 'Miracle On Ice' Ad

Eric Kleefeld | July 21, 2011, 6:15PM

GOP Presidential Candidate Tim Pawlenty TV Ad

Tim Pawlenty is getting a very special reaction to his new TV ad, in which he calls on Iowa voters to "prove the experts wrong" and give his struggling campaign an underdog's victory: A cease-and-desist letter from ABC Sports. They're going after him for unauthorized use of sports footage from the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" U.S. hockey team.

"It's a violation of our copyright and exclusive proprietary rights," said Louise Argianas, director of rights and clearances for ABC Sports, the Des Moines Register reports.

"And they used our announcer's voice which they are not allowed to do either," Argianas added "Which I'm going to have to call his agent about."

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2012 elections

Poll: Romney Leads National GOP Race, With Bachmann Rising

Eric Kleefeld | July 19, 2011, 5:33PM

Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

The new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows Mitt Romney leading the Republican primary race nationally, with Michele Bachmann in second.

The numbers: Romney 30%, Bachmann 16%, Perry 11%, Paul 9%, Gingrich 8%, Cain 5%, Santorum 3%, Pawlenty 2%, Huntsman 2%.

NBC notes of Bachmann's huge rise in the poll: "A month ago -- before she announced her presidential bid -- Bachmann was just at 3 percent in the survey."

Earlier today, a national survey from Public Policy Polling (D) put Bachmann ahead of Romney. This very different result is much better for Romney, but still signals potential dangers for him and openings for Bachmann.

Iowa caucus

Pawlenty Tells Iowa: Don't Pick A Candidate 'Who Can't Really Run The Country'

Eric Kleefeld | July 19, 2011, 11:58AM

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)

Tim Pawlenty has a message for Iowa Republicans: Seriously, do not nominate a bad candidate, or you could blow the whole election.

"Barack Obama has no clue. His numbers nationally for reelection aren't very good," Pawlenty told an audience in Iowa on Tuesday, the Des Moines Register reports. "His numbers in the key states that are actually going to decide the election are awful."

However, Pawlenty continued: "If you serve up to the country a candidate who is not ready to be president, who can't really run the country...Iowa will do a disservice to the process."

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2012 Presidential Primaries

Poll: Romney Trails Bachmann Nationally For GOP Primaries

Eric Kleefeld | July 19, 2011, 10:22AM

A new national survey from Public Policy Polling (D) has a shocking message for the Republican primary race: Michele Bachmann leads Mitt Romney in a two-way race, and also edges ahead in the multi-candidate race without Sarah Palin in it.

In an initial field, including Sarah Palin: Romney 20%, Bachmann 16%, Palin 12%, Perry 11%, Cain 10%, Paul 9%, Gingrich 6%, Pawlenty 5%, Huntsman 2%.

Then in a second question, without Palin in the race: Bachmann 21%, Romney 20%, Perry 12%, Cain 11%, Paul 9%, Gingrich 7%, Pawlenty 5%, and Huntsman 3%.

Finally, a two-way race with Bachmann and Romney: Bachmann 44%, Romney 41%.

In the previous poll from a month ago Bachmann was much further back in the low teens, and Herman Cain was the second-place candidate against Romney. There was no direct two-way question.

The survey of 730 likely GOP primary voters was conducted from July 15-17, and has a ±3.6% margin of error.

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2012 elections

Pawlenty Tries Challenging Romney (Again) -- Now On The Debt Ceiling

Eric Kleefeld | July 15, 2011, 4:53PM

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) and former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA)

Tim Pawlenty is touting his hard-line stance against raising the debt ceiling -- and he's calling out frontrunner Mitt Romney to speak up on the issue.

Friday afternoon, Pawlenty tweeted a link to an appearance on CNBC with Larry Kudlow, plus a challenge to Romney:

My thoughts on the debt ceiling bit.ly/o6sZXE What say you @MittRomney? Help us fight back.

Ah, but would he be able to say that to Romney's face?

Iowa caucus

Herman Cain Not Signing 'Marriage Vow' Either

Eric Kleefeld | July 13, 2011, 6:39PM

Herman Cain

Yet another Republican presidential candidate is declining to sign the controversial "Marriage Vow" pledge put forward by the Iowa conservative group Family Leader: Herman Cain.

"While I commend their intent regarding the pledge, I believe my stated position encompasses their values without the need to sign the pledge," Cain said, the Des Moines Register reports. He also added: "I am, and will continue to be, an ardent defender of traditional marriage and will work to preserve and protect the sanctity of human life, which I believe begins at conception."

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